MVN - Most Valuable Network

MLB Week 16: The official All-Star Game home-field advantage discussion; Hamilton robbed in Home Run Derby; Sexson finds a home

Josh Hamilton (mmortel/Flickr)

After a thrilling All-Star Game finish in Yankee Stadium that brought out nearly every argument for and against home-field advantage being awarded to the winning league, “The Pitch, presented by Liveboard” laid out a complete and point-by-point discussion about the best ways to allocate MLB’s home-field asset.

Hosts Joe Aiello and Brandon Rosage debated the fallout and call for rule changes after Josh Hamilton’s coming-out party at the Home Run Derby, despite the trophy going to Justin Morneau. And friendships were lost and animals were killed in the wake of their debate over what makes for a better All-Star break: An annual MLB fair or festival with skills challenges and exhibition games or an annual face-off between MLB’s two leagues’ top players to decide which league will ultimately get home field advantage when their champions reach the World Series.

The guys also get you set for a weekend back at the ballparks with news of Richie Sexson’s pinstriped uniform, Bob Sheppard’s fountain of youth and the Liveboard Pick-Off competition, reviewing the new high-score for July and more great listener e-mail. Enjoy and interact via e-mail at thepitch@mvn.com or via phone at 360-450-MVN3.

MLB Week 16: Mid-season awards; Home Run Derby cry babies; No one likes Team USA

Alex Rodriguez turned down the request to represent the Yankees in their hosted 2008 Home Run Derby in New York. (largodeb/Flickr)

As every MLB club closes for business today, imagine that the season had ended. Who’d be your MVP selection? Or Cy Young Award winners? Rookie of the Year picks? Managers of the Year?

“The Pitch, presented by Liveboard” answers those questions and more in the All-Star Week preview show, announcing mid-season award winners and key notes for each division going into the brief vacation from pennant races.

Hosts Andrew Kappes and Brandon Rosage also pick apart the drama surrounding the Home Run Derby — namely the contrast between the pomp and circumstance about “Yankee Pride” and the refusal of Yankees sluggers to participate in the event for fear of injury.

The guys also delve into the relevance and health of the United States’ baseball presence in the Olympic Games, wondering if the World Baseball Classic is the death toll for baseball in the historic event.

Join the discussion, weigh in on your mid-season awards and participate via e-mail at thepitch@mvn.com or via phone at 360-450-MVN3.

MLB Week 15: Cubs wipe out Sabathia’s move by grabbing Rich Harden; Simulation baseball talk with OOTP; Stealing from the Yanks

Rich Harden (The Lowe/Flickr)

Just when you thought it was safe to commit to pee your pants for the Brewers, the Cubs countered the C.C. Sabathia move with a trade for Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin — and “The Pitch, presented by Liveboard” says, “Oh, snap!”

Hosts Joe Aiello and Brandon Rosage react to the race in the NL Central, as well as the Braves disrespecting Jeff Francouer, fans demolishing and stealing from Yankee Stadium, unfair All-Star breaks, near no-nos in Los Angeles and cutting ties with Big Sexy in Seattle.

The guys also welcome in Out of the Park Baseball developer Steve Battisti to discuss OOTP Developments’ latest updates, features and goals for its interactive baseball simulation game.

The show also includes the start of a new week for the Liveboard Pick-Off competition and reads a full bag of outstanding listener e-mail. Enjoy and interact via e-mail at thepitch@mvn.com or via phone at 360-450-MVN3.

MLB Week 15: Brewers locked and loaded after Sabathia trade; Embarassing All-Star snubs; Unwritten rules of MLB

C.C. Sabathia (JBM216/Flickr)

The landscape of the MLB pennant races took on some major changes through the Fourth of July weekend, highlighted by a blockbuster trade by the Brewers for C.C. Sabathia — proving that the new currency in big league baseball is the farm system, not dollars.

Hosts Andrew Kappes and Brandon Rosage size up the evolving NL Central along with the always-awful starting lineups for the popularity contest that is the All-Star Game. And a review of the weekend action reveals a staggering number of extra-inning madness and newfound injury trouble for teams in contention some defensive struggles on franchises that pride themselves on tight glove work.

The show also announced the current leader in the clubhouse for the program’s “Pick-Off,” presented by Liveboard. And the guys sort through a mailbag stuffed with divergent views on cleaning up drug use in MLB and claiming Puerto Rico as the birthplace to all things awesome.

Enjoy and interact via e-mail at thepitch@mvn.com or via phone at 360-450-MVN3.

MLB Week 14: Rays cementing a path to playoffs; Joe Buck hates his job; Worst injuries ever

Evan Longoria (Rachel/Flickr)

Headed into the Fourth of July weekend, “The Pitch” — presented by Liveboard — celebrates the Rays’ ridiculous run to the best record in baseball by eating crow for host Brandon Rosage’s 2006 comments ridiculing Tampa Bay for changing its team name. The tribute comes a day after the Rays finished off another sweep of the Red Sox with a come-from-behind winner at home.

The guys then discuss two urgent matters facing the business of baseball: MLB’s accusations against the FBI and Joe Buck’s hatred for his job as a baseball broadcaster.

And there’s plenty of trade deadline chatter about C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Daniel Cabrera and the Mariners seeking new ownership. But none of it compares to the pain of weighing the two or three worst injuries in baseball, as outlined by host Joe Aiello. We’ll spare you descriptions here, but let’s just say Joe makes a lot of references to ailing crotches and rear-ends.

Plus, we set up a new month of the “Pick-Off” competition with a free Liveboard up for the taking. Enjoy and interact via e-mail at thepitch@mvn.com or via phone at 360-450-MVN3.

MLB Week 14: Weaver a loser in no-hit effort; Tigers making Joe eat his words; Mid-season report card

Jered Weaver (Jeffery Patch/Flickr)

With interleague play and half of the ‘08 season in the books, “The Pitch” hosts Andrew Kappes and Brandon Rosage tread into dangerous territory in a buy-or-sell report card for Major League Baseball’s hottest and coldest clubs.

The guys start in the West, where it’s tough not to sell on every team from the National League version. And even in the AL West, the 48-33 Angels are posting league lows in hitting categories. In the AL Central, the Tigers are on the prowl at 41-40, along with the Twins and White Sox through their interleague rampage. And in the East, the guys ask the question, “If we’re scared of the Rays taking the AL, shouldn’t we be scared of the Marlins grabbing the NL?”

The show also puts the spotlight on a once-in-a-lifetime anomaly where Jered Weaver was removed from a game in which he had a no-hitter through six innings, his bullpen held the no-hitter and his club still lost 1-0. How is that possible?

Props also go out to the June “Pick-Off” champion Allison Byerley, who set an all-time high score of 25 points to win a free Liveboard.

And don’t miss “The Batting Stance Guy.” Enjoy and interact via e-mail at thepitch@mvn.com or via phone at 360-450-MVN3.