Those rat finks

Since MLB Network launched on Jan. 1, Christine and I have wondered whether the Verizon rep I spoke with last month was mistaken when she said the channel is part of a premium package or whether I would flip on channel 86 one night and get a blank screen.

I've been hooked on the channel, and I thought that because we didn't get any kind of constant reminders telling us to order the channel, that it was included in the basic service after all.

But tonight, I got the blank screen.

What a crock.

Where am I going to get breathless ticker updates telling me that the Pirates are in "serious" negotiations with Eric Hinske?

Where am I going to hear about the exploits of Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds that end with the damning "but later on, there were whispers about steroids?"

And where am I going to see the dumbfounded face of Barry Larkin, who can't grasp that Ken Griffey Jr. isn't 24 years old and worthy of being a Type A free agent anymore?

Most importanlty, how am I going to convince Christine that we should splurge on the sports package to get all this cheese?

I don't know, but I can't believe I'm more upset about losing the baseball channel than the very real possibility that come tomorrow morning, we'll learn that Jason Varitek would rather sit home than get $5 million to play for the Red Sox as they attempt to wrest the World Series trophy back from the Phillies. {Not gonna happen. The wresting, that is. I have no opinion on Varitek.}