A National League East rivalry is temporarily relocating thousands of miles away this weekend as the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets will play in the London Series. They won't be the only ones traveling across the pond as MLB Central is hitting the road for on-site shows on Thursday and Friday. MLB Network's morning show, now in its 10th season, continues to kick off the baseball day. Co-hosts Lauren Shehadi, Robert Flores and Mark DeRosa have been together for nearly 800 episodes, blending together news, analysis, and an impressive number of in-studio visits from current players. The trio took a few minutes out from packing to speak with Sports Illustrated about the trip.
"We went last year not knowing what to expect, not knowing how it would be received," DeRosa said. "I had an absolute blast getting away from the normal day-to-day of how we do the show. It was boots-on-the-ground. I had never been to London before. I think it helps with the chemistry of the show. Not only were we active doing MLB Tonights and MLB Central, we were going to dinners together. We went sightseeing one day, saw Big Ben. I felt like it was an awesome three days for the three of us."
Like DeRosa, Flores was surprised at the enthusiasm from the locals, reflected in the over 110,000 fans who attended the two games played between the Cubs and Cardinals.
"There is a base there that Major League Baseball can build upon," said Flores. "DeRo and I were walking around and we saw tons of people wearing jerseys that weren't necessarily from the teams involved. Outside the stadium there was a buzz and an energy that surrounded the area. If you watch Premier League soccer you can see the passion that they have so it's smart that Major League Baseball wants to tap into a market that features some of the most passionate sports fans in the world. I think it's only going to continue to grow."
In a crowded morning sports landscape, MLB Central often stands out in its commitment to teaching the sport. It's a a through-line running through the network's coverage, and one could argue a more effective way of growing the game than real or manufactured debates. Baseball is not the only sport trying expand internationally and these cross-continental events can be a reminder of the beauty of the sport, allowing a regular-season game to take on more meaning and worth.
Said Shehadi: "Last year, I saw kids running around the stadium saying, “How many home runs are we going to see? I’ve never seen a home run before. Some people say it’s the hardest thing to do in sports.” MLB is introducing its sport to a country, and they have an appetite for it. For two days last year, London Stadium transformed into baseball paradise and I’m sure it’ll be all that and more the next couple days. If you listen to the crowd, parents are explaining the game to their kids and that’s a beautiful thing."
There continues to be an incredibly amount of unnecessary handwringing about the current and future state of baseball, and frustratingly, it tends to come primarily from those who don't seem to truly love the game. Tuning into MLB Network, from Central to signoff, is a nice panacea for a tired narrative because they've figured out how talk to viewers who would rather dive into the game. There's no talking down but there's also no gatekeeping and, in what's becoming an increasingly rare occurrence, you will learn something. Either about the strategy of the game, the mechanics of playing it, or the mentality of its players.
Flores shared that he once told Ernie Johnson that he wants MLB Central to be the Inside the NBA of baseball, a show that has thrived on its interplay. It might be closer to another highly decorated and sport-specific breakfast program, Good Morning Football. Both are particularly good at highlighting the personalities of its players, are upbeat and snappily produced and, of course, benefit greatly from the comfort their hosts share with each other.
"We've been sitting next to each other on the couch for eight years. I feel like it goes way beyond just work, DeRosa said. "There's a more family atmosphere between the three of us. We know how to pick each other up. This gives us a chance to do something special and create memories together.
"There's a lot of things that you can manufacture in television, including debate, but you cannot manufacture chemistry," Flores added. "You either have it or you don't. You can't force it. We're fortunate enough to have great chemistry amongst the three of us, but maybe more importantly, the people behind the scenes."
KYLE KOSTER
