The Hot Stove season is the time for teams to reconstruct themselves, adding players and finding a new direction; ESPN has plans to do all this with its baseball studio coverage, The Post has learned.
The show it borrows from MLB Network, “Intentional Talk,” is in limbo, while “Baseball Tonight,” jettisoned as a daily show under ex-network president John Skipper’s failed leadership, could come back in some form.
ESPN already has had talks to add Ryan Howard, according to sources. The Post previously reported the network has signed Yahoo’s Jeff Passan to be its Adam Schefter of baseball. Passan will begin in January. ESPN may look to acquire another analyst or two.
For the just-concluded postseason, ESPN tried to pick up a couple of big names. It reached out to the walking-away Met, David Wright, and current Cubs manager Joe Maddon. Both declined the invitations.
The core of ESPN’s crew for next year is already signed. ESPN has hosts like Karl Ravech and Adnan Virk, ex-players like Mark Teixeira, Eduardo Perez and David Ross and insiders such as Buster Olney, Tim Kurkjian and Pedro Gomez, to go along with Passan.
Sunday night game analyst Jessica Mendoza could be involved, but Alex Rodriguez is contractually limited due to his Fox Sports studio work.
“Intentional Talk” with Chris Rose and Kevin Millar represents an unusual relationship for ESPN. It is an MLB Network program that ESPN began borrowing after the Skipper-led massive layoffs in April 2017. “Intentional Talk” is on daily at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
It was signed for two years, with the agreement concluding in April of next year. While no final decision has been made on “Intentional Talk’s” ESPN future, it would be surprising if it returned.
The new “Baseball Tonight,” or whatever the name ends up being, may not just take “Intentional Talk’s” time slot. It could run later in the evening as more of a reaction show and could be housed on ESPN2 or ESPN’s subscription service, ESPN+.
Under Skipper, ESPN ceded regular baseball coverage to MLB Network, which is the go-to spot for people in the game. FS1 also does a show called “MLB Whiparound.”
Current ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro, a die-hard Yankees fan, believes in baseball more than Skipper did, while executive vice president Norby Williamson has been empowered to reignite ESPN’s studio shows, beginning with “SportsCenter,” which has been on the rebound of late.
ESPN is not expected to change its “Sunday Night Baseball” booth team of Matt Vasgersian, A-Rod and Mendoza.
Clicker Consulting: ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” modified the Booger Mobile to give it a clear back instead of a TV. There is another way for the BoogerMobile to not be in the way: Get rid of the whole contraption, put Booger McFarland in the booth and don’t try to reinvent the spiel.
Quick Clicks: Sid Rosenberg’s Sunday sports program has good energy, and Rosenberg knows how to do a show. However, Rosenberg should clean up his language. Name-calling makes his arguments weaker, not stronger. It doesn’t add anything.
… Speaking of good energy, Adam Schein brings it on his mid-morning SiriusXM show each morning. No wonder WFAN had interest in Schein replacing Mike Francesa after he “retired.” Schein declined. Years ago, Stephen A. Smith had Schein on his personal “First Take” short list when Skip Bayless left for FS1. Max Kellerman got the gig.
… ESPN has had talks about having Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic have a little reunion of sorts, but not full time. ESPN executives have asked about Golic and Greenberg potentially filming their old “Lead Pipe Lock” gambling segment again in some cross-promotion for “Get Up!” and ESPN Radio. The two did not break up on the best of terms. They are going into the Radio Hall of Fame together in two weeks.
… SNY regular Sal Licata will be doing fill-in talk shows on WFAN and CBS Sports Radio. When WOR lost the right to the Mets’ games, it got out of sports. Licata had been doing call-in shows there.
… This week, Ian Eagle is receiving the Marty Glickman Award for Leadership in Sports Media from his alma mater, Syracuse, while Michael Kay will receive the Vin Scully Award for Excellence in Broadcasting from his school, Fordham.