MLB: Verducci joins MLB Network studio team

Hey, now we’re getting somewhere! I just saw Verducci on the channel…followed by yet another Hazel “Tura Santana” Mae non-magical moment…“back then they were the BROOKLYN Dodgers!”

MLB Network today announced that Sports Illustrated Senior Writer Tom Verducci, one of the most respected journalists covering baseball, will join the studio team as a “Baseball Insider.” Verducci will appear on the debut episode of Hot Stove, at 6:00 p.m. ET on January 1, as well as MLB Tonight, the live, nightly studio show during the baseball season that will be the signature program of the new network, which will launch on January 1, 2009, in approximately 50 million homes as the largest network debut in cable history. Verducci, who will continue to write for Sports Illustrated and SI.com joins SI colleague Jon Heyman, on the MLB Network team.

“Tom’s insight and perspective is very well respected by everyone associated with baseball,” said Tony Petitti, President and Chief Executive Officer of MLB Network. “It’s very important for us to have Tom and Jon on board from day one to establish our credibility, and we feel we got two of best people for the job.”