WSCR scores with Stone deal
Steve Stone goes way back with new Cubs manager Lou Piniella. Their first encounters took place in 1973, when Stone would frustrate the .291 lifetime hitter with a curveball diet.

"Once I threw a very slow curveball that he pulled over the third-base dugout, way high in the seats," Stone recalled. "It was so far foul, the ball was never fair. He started screaming at me: 'Throw me a fastball!' That's my indelible impression of Lou. He's so intense."

Two-plus years removed from the Cubs' TV booth, Stone remains the most insightful baseball analyst in Chicago. So it's no wonder WSCR-AM 670 was determined to re-sign him.

In a deal that will be announced Wednesday, Stone has agreed to a weekly schedule that includes an in-studio Monday session with "Boers and Bernstein," a Wednesday call-in segment with Mike North and Thursday hits with Mike Murphy. Murphy and Stone will co-host 15 shows from remote locations, giving Score fans the chance to mingle with Stone, who also will chime in on breaking news.

"His analysis is the best in the business," WSCR general manager Paul Agase said. "He makes all of our listeners more [knowledgeable] about baseball."

He also gives the White Sox's flagship station a strong Cubs presence.

But while Chicago radio listeners will get their fill, Stone has no TV deals lined up. Stone last month hired Chicago-based agent Steve Mandell and praised him as "outstanding."

But after calling about 65 games for ESPN over the last two years, the network is cutting back on its slate of games and doesn't appear to have a spot for Stone.

A source at Fox said officials there admire Stone's work. But following the trend of hiring analysts fresh from the dugout or locker room, the network recently signed Mark Grace, Joe Girardi and Eric Karros.

Stone was briefly a candidate for the Nationals' TV analyst job that went to Don Sutton. But the Cubs have yet to show interest in having him return, although Stone remains tight with team President John McDonough.

Mandell and Stone continue to explore other opportunities, such as satellite radio.

"This is one of the few times where I can voluntarily say I'm not doing as much TV or radio as I would like," Stone said. "I love calling baseball games. I still have the opportunity to go to games, and that's great.

"That's the reality of it. I'm one of the [ESPN] guys who didn't have a contract past last year, and they have obligations to other guys. You do what you can do. Short of buying a baseball team, and Lord knows I've tried to, you can't create opportunities for yourself."

Quick strikes

Stone on whether the Cubs or Sox will win more games: "I think people will automatically say the Sox, but I don't think it's so clear-cut. The Cubs have more question marks but might have a higher upside because of their weaker division."

Stone on Carlos Zambrano's threat to leave the Cubs after this season if he's not re-signed by Opening Day: "I don't think boxing yourself into a corner is good, because what happens if the Cubs offer a gangbuster contract in the first week of April? Then you say: 'Never mind what I said before'? Carlos is going to be either an extremely wealthy young man or an obscenely wealthy young man. He just has to decide if he wants to pitch for the Cubs or someplace else."

So did Stone ever give in to Piniella? "I might have thrown him some fastballs," he said. "But I don't think they were strikes."

Piniella went 3-for-11 against Stone with a walk, a double and three strikeouts.

****

Also saw this is in the notes:
ESPN announced it will launch a new Web site for its local radio stations, starting with WMVP-AM 1000. Listeners can go to www.espnradio1000.com for local and national radio feeds, ESPN podcasts, a Chicago-specific sports calendar and interactive polls


What is different about the site than before ?

Stone is a solid contributor to the Score, and I'm sure they hoped Hub would be the same when they hired him two years ago.

Hub wasn't though, but this year, I think Hub has let his guard down a bit and he's done much better.

Regarding ESPN's website, the design layout is different, and it gives it a modernistic fell. I can't say the same for WSCR's website though. I think Doug Buffone's twin daughters designed it with Bernsie's kids.

Great!

He'll continue to hijack B&B for two hours every Monday with "insight" such as, "If the Sox pitching comes through, they'll be a contender." Gee, thanks champ!

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"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public." ~ H.L. Mencken

No joke, I've always thought Stone was worthless. At least Hub isn't afraid to be controversial and go against the grain. With Stone all you get is a five minute confirmation on what everyone else knows already.

If the Cubs and the Sox both get great pitching out of their starters and the bullpen, then both teams will have good seasons.

Yeah, no shit Steve.

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I'm bringin Sellars back..

Fictitious Host - Steve, do you think Jason Marquis can give this team what it needs?

Stone - It doesn't matter what I think. Jim Hendry believes that or he wouldn't have signed him.

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You know me like that.

Stone is like Doug...excellent in analyzing the mechanics of "in game", not so great with talent evaluation or "insider" stories.