Major League Baseball got THIS one right

It's fashionable (and usually proper) to bash Bud Selig and his cronies that run Major League Baseball for the myriad of bad decisions they've made over the last--well, it's been a long time. But every now and then, they get something right. Case in point: MLB Network, one of the best start-up cable channels ever.

First, MLB did some wheeling and dealing, offering up a stake in the channel to cable operators and other entities, and achieved carriage on most of the country's systems (Hey, I'm not Wikipedia, so I don't know the exact number, but it's HIGH). So unlike the NFL, which has been warring with cable companies since its inception, MLB has this showcase for its product widely available to interested parties (and non-interested as well; this network is on one of my own basic tiers that doesn't require an extra fee). There are plenty of hardcore NHL and NBA fans unable to see those leagues' networks at any price.

More importantly, the programming is excellent. MLB Network does a great job of offering highlights and coverage of the entire majors. In addition to achieving that stated goal, the channel is also celebrating the sport's rich history with a variety of cool offerings.

On Monday, "Inside Studio 42 with Bob Costas" featured Costas chatting with Tim McCarver and Bob Gibson. The entertaining discussion, which also showcased vintage clips, was casual but reverent, and speaking of "reverent," if you think McCarver worships the Yankees, you should see his deference to Gibson. But who can blame him? Gibson is one of the all-time greats, and it's nice to see him still looking good and talking in an engaging manner about his career. For the record, McCarver draws a lot of ire for his Fox work, but I enjoyed his work on Mets games in the eighties and always thought he came across like a decent guy. This was a delightful hour, and I look forward to Costas' next episode next week.

Better yet, MLB Network followed "Studio 42" with a complete broadcast of Game 1 of the 1968 World Series. Gibson against Denny McClain with Curt Gowdy and Harry Caray in the booth, plus a young(er) Tony Kubek interviewing luminaries like Frank Sinatra and Casey Stengel--what a great package for a fan with a love of baseball history.

I love that MLB Network is not afraid to devote programming hours (admittedly, it has a lot to fill) to vintage stuff. Nights like Monday indicate that the channel is in many ways what ESPN Classic should be but certainly isn't now and never really was. The fact that MLB can do this while maintaining its focus on covering baseball now is proof that this remarkable channel is--forgive me, but at least i waited till the end--knocking it out of the park already.