Questions from Buck Martinez's Mailbag – May 1, 2008

Q:  Buck, if you were managing the Yankees, how would you handle the Joba situation? 

From Jason P. in New Jersey

A:  Jason P. If I were Joe Girardi I would do exactly the same thing with Joba Chamberlain. As a starter you have to "command" three pitches. Starters have to have the ability to change their approach three times through the lineup. If you use fastballs early in the game you may have to switch plans the second time through the order and maybe even a third time. As an 8th inning pitcher Joba can come into the game and go all out for three hitters. That will allow him to throw harder for the shorter outing and overpower hitters with out thinking about setting them up for later at bats. I believe Joba loves coming into the game with the game on the line and a chance to protect a lead. The last question you may ask is whether you would like Joba for 32 starts, once every 5 days or 80 times a year 3 times a week. I love him out of the pen and see him as the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera.

Q:  What's your favorite ballpark as a player and as a fan and why?

From Samantha in Detroit, MI

Questions from Buck Martinez's Mailbag – April 19, 2008

Q:  Of the early season surprises (KC, St. Louis, Chicago, Baltimore) who has the best chance to be there for the long haul?  Also, do you think Detroit is in trouble?

From Ben in New York

A:  I think the White Sox and the Cardinals may have a shot at hanging on. I didn't think the Cards starters would pitch this well without Carpenter and Mulder. Ankiel has been great and may keep it up. The White Sox have been here before and the new players Cabrera and Swisher have been a shot in the arm along with the healthy and red hot Joe Crede. 

Q:  Will the Cubs and Orioles ever complete the long-rumored Brian Roberts trade?

From J.P. McCarthy in Peoria, Illinois

I don't think the Cubs have enough to get Roberts from the Orioles and their starters have not been pitching well to allow them to give up any starting depth. The Cubs need Pie to hit consistently then Lou can use Fukudome in the 2 hole.  A Roberts trade now would really leave a bad taste in the collective mouths of the O's fans since there are off to such a good start.

Q:  Who has the brighter future as a starting pitcher: Phil Hughes or Clay Buchholz?

From Aaron James in Winter Haven, Florida

 I like them both. Hughes is much younger than you think because we had heard his name so long. He has to throw that big curve ball for strikes to be effective and so far he hasn't. Buchholz has a better assortment of pitches and may be the better pitcher over the long haul.

Q:  Could anyone have anticipated the Tigers early season slump and do you think they will be able to rebound to make the postseason?  

From Phillip Henry, Macomb, MI

 No one would expect that they would score so few runs. But the break out game against the Twins may have been the green light for this team. They have many older players that have been hampered by the cold weather. Ordonez had a similar start a year ago and won the batting title. When you have this many good hitters, they will hit. The team has missed Granderson who has started to take BP. Starting pitching still concerns me for the long haul.

Q:  I'm a huge fan of Travis 'Pronk' Hafner- did you have any nicknames besides Buck when you played?  What are you some of your favorite nicknames for guys that are playing now?  

From:  Lara Kaczka, Conshohoken, PA

 My nickname in Milwaukee was "Tour Guide" as I always like to get out and visit the sites in the various cities we traveled to. My favorite name of players today in "Caballito" for Dustin Pedroia. The Little Pony. Very approproiate.

Q:  After such a long streak in making it to the postseason, what has caused the Braves to slump over the last few seasons and can they recover this year?

From Troy Brandon in Miami, FL

 The one constant during their post season run was the pitching. I believe they lead the NL in ERA for 12 of those 14 years. It all boils down to pitching and so far in the NL East everyone of the "contenders" has concerns about some aspect of their pitching staff.

Q:  Hi Buck.  Last Sunday I heard you say that you don't favor instant replay in baseball.  Why not?  Don't you think it would help prevent bad calls like DeRosa's foul ball being called fair?

From L.Anderson in Philadelphia, PA

 I think we have gotten along without it for many years and to take the human element away from the game would be a mistake. There were 3 Television broadcasts in the park on Sunday and only one had a definitive angle of the "home run". I think you have a tough time drawing the line as to how many plays are subject to instant replay review. The problem we have in today's game is that everything from every game is on line and available for review and we all see the tough calls in every game.

Send an email to Buck Martinez and have your questions answered here each Friday!   Submit questions to Buck by submitting a comment on the MLB on TBS MySpace page.

TBS announced today the first two months of its new baseball "Sunday MLB on TBS" schedule for the 2008 season.  The package, which includes match-ups on TBS every Sunday afternoon throughout the regular season, leads off with the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox facing the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, April 6^th at 1 p.m. ET.  The network will also exclusively televise the MLB All-Star Selection Show on Sunday, July 6^th.  Additionally, beginning in October TBS will once again provide exclusive coverage of the Division Series and, for the first time, exclusive coverage of the American League Championship Series (ALCS). 

TBS has broadcast MLB coverage for more than 30 years, serving as the exclusive home of the MLB Division Series and the National League Championship Series (NLCS) in 2007 and home of Atlanta Braves coverage from 1977 to 2007. 

"For the first time in Turner Sports’ 30-year history of MLB coverage we’re proud to present an exciting weekly package that showcases some of the top teams and players in baseball," said Jeff Behnke, Turner Sports executive producer.  "Every Sunday afternoon for 26 straight weeks fans will find key match-ups and marquee names as we follow the dramatic storylines of the regular season leading into our second straight MLB Postseason on TBS." 

Key match-ups on the Sunday MLB on TBS schedule include the Atlanta Braves taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 20^th as former Braves centerfielder Andruw Jones makes his return to Turner Field.  On April 27^th the New York Yankees face the Cleveland Indians in a rematch of the 2007 ALDS in which the Indians bested the Yanks 3-1 to win the series.  The games included in the TBS MLB package will be blacked out in each team’s home television territory.  The network will announce future games on its schedule coinciding with its selection windows.

2008 Sunday MLB on TBS Schedule

Date                            Time (all times ET)     Match-up

Sunday, April 6              1:00 p.m.                       Boston Red Sox @ Toronto Blue Jays 

Sunday, April 13            1:30 p.m.                       Chicago Cubs @ Philadelphia Phillies 

Sunday, April 20            1:30 p.m.                       LA Dodgers @ Atlanta Braves

Sunday, April 27            1:00 p.m.                       NY Yankees @ Cleveland Indians

Sunday, May 4              4:00 p.m.                       NY Mets @ Arizona Diamondbacks

Sunday, May 11            1:00 p.m.                       NY Yankees @ Detroit Tigers

Sunday, May 18            1:30 p.m.                       Milwaukee Brewers @ Boston Red Sox

Sunday, May 25            1:00 p.m.                       Seattle Mariners @ NY Yankees

The TBS announce team will include 19-year broadcasting veteran Chip Caray who will provide play-by-play each week, along with analysts to be announced at a later date.  Caray previously called games for the network’s 2007 MLB Postseason coverage of the Division Series and NLCS, as well as the Atlanta Braves on TBS. Caray is the grandson of the legendary broadcaster Harry Caray and son of longtime Atlanta Braves announcer Skip Caray.  TBS’ Marc Fein will provide updates from the studio during game breaks.

TBS scored in 2007 with its inaugural postseason telecasts with its MLB Division Series coverage boasting a 26 percent increase in total number of viewers over last year’s coverage on all other baseball carriers.  The ratings win led the TBS to its best week ever in the history of the network. 

TBS, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television’s top-rated comedy network.  It serves as home to such original comedy series as My Boys, The Bill Engvall Show, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, 10 Items or Less and Frank TV; hot contemporary comedies like The Office, Sex and the City, Everybody Loves Raymond, Family Guy, King of Queens, Seinfeld and Friends, with My Name Is Earl joining the line-up in 2008; specials and special events, such as Funniest Commercials of the Year and The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas; blockbuster movies; and hosted movie showcases.

Turner Sports, Inc., a Time Warner company, presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised sports programming.  With events airing on TBS and TNT, Turner Sports’ line-up includes NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, the NBA, Major League Baseball, professional golf, PGATour.com and PGA.com.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.