Fainaru-Wada to ESPN

I can see it now, the Mitchell report breaks, it's Dec. 13, and ESPN assembles its esteemed squad of very solemn and serious steroid investigators for a panel discussion in a special edition of Outside the Lines. And, like the stories they have collectively written over the past several years, nobody pays any attention. ("Hey, I was gonna watch but it was up against The Office and Grey's Anatomy!") The ESPN geniuses nominate the show for prestigious awards. And again nobody pays attention. Finally, on Jan. 18, they huddle again in Bristol: "Do you think the time is right for another look at Title IX?"

 

Waiting for puffs of white smoke?

Or is that rubber burning that I smell?

 

I don't know but he should make sure Moon Bloodgood's by his side whenever it is. Yum.

 

A Journeyman reference. Love it!

 

Dan Vassar's first task for ESPN: steal Steve Bartman's ticket to the Cubs playoff game.

 

This is a great move for Mark. Keep in mind that Lance really isn't a sports guy, BALCO was his first sports story (not to bad of a start). I've had the pleasure of meeting both guys at a few SPJ conferences, great guys.

 

From Neil Best's blog on Newsday. Check out the last paragraph, wonder if that could mean a jump to ESPN? I, for one, hope not. Verducci is my favorite writer in SI...

Tom Verducci is out as an analyst on YES's "Yankees Hot Stove.''

Why? His recent, scathing column on SI.com regarding Joe Torre's departure might have had something to do with it. Actually . . . it had pretty much everything to do with it.

YES spokesman Eric Handler said Verducci's "recent remarks pertaining to the Yankees' ownership were extremely personal and cutting, and we decided it would not be in our interests to have him on the show going forward.

"Also, Tom is collaborating with Joe Torre on a second book. It’s unfortunate, but we figured it was an action that had to be taken. We appreciate the work he’s done for us in the past.''

What does his book deal with Torre have to do with it?

"The recent disclosure of Tom's collaboration with Torre on yet another book highlights a conflict in his ability to write a balanced column about Torre's departure from the Yankees,'' Handler said.

Another Newsday baseball writer turned SI writer, Jon Heyman, was on the show when it debuted Thursday night.

Verducci, who appeared on the show for four seasons, said, "The people who put the show together are really first-class people, and I enjoyed working for them. The on-air product is very good.I'll miss working with them. As for management, it's their network and I fully respect their decision.''

This is another example of the tricky path traveled by regional sports networks owned by the teams they cover. When does honest, open debate veer off into forbidden territory?

Would Verducci be open to other local baseball analyst gigs, say at SNY?

"I’m not going to say no. I have some other media opportunities that have been presented to me and I’ll have to see how things play out. I enjoyed doing the TV work and if they have a forum that matched my interest I'd certainly listen to them.''

 

I reads more like SI might be branching out into other media.

 

That's an interesting last statement by Verducci, but I can't imagine he'd be given the exposure at ESPN he gets at SI. You go to SI.com and it is clear he is the A-no. 1 baseball guy. I'd go so far as to say he's the second-most recognizable writer on the entire site behind only Peter King.

If he goes to ESPN, he'd be fighting for space on the front page with Murderers Row...never mind fighting for scraps in the magazine with Buster Olney and Co. If I were him, I'd maximize "other interest" in me to get a nice fat raise. And then I'd stay the BMOC.