MLB Network to air live from Cooperstown for Military Classic

MLB Network will broadcast live from Cooperstown, N.Y., on Friday ahead of the Hall of Fame Military Classic festivities on Saturday that will pay tribute to the nation's heroes during Memorial Day weekend.

Starting at noon ET Friday, Brian Kenny will host the Emmy-winning "MLB Now" live from the Hall of Fame's Plaque Gallery, with analyst Dan O'Dowd and insider Joel Sherman joining him. Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch also will join the show on site, as will Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers and former MLB All-Star Rick Monday.

"It's always a pleasure to go back to Cooperstown, it always reinvigorates your love of the history of the game and gives you a refresher," Kenny said. "It's just lovely being there, and to be there for Memorial Day weekend and to be part of the Military Classic will also be a thrill to see the ex-players that I like out there on one field. To be able to do 'MLB Now' from the Plaque Gallery is a thrill."

At 5 p.m. ET, Siera Santos and Ryan Dempster will host "Intentional Talk" -- the network's longest-running talk show -- from Doubleday Field, site of Saturday's Military Classic game. They'll be joined by former big leaguer and Navy veteran Mitch Harris, as well as former MLB player Nick Ahmed, whose grandfather served in the Army and whose father-in-law served in the Coast Guard.

"It's my first time ever going to Cooperstown, and I'm excited to see the Hall of Fame, all the storied legacy that goes into it," Santos said. "It's really special for me to be doing this Military Classic game. Both my grandfathers fought in World War II, and I have a lot of servicemembers in my family."

This will be the first time "Intentional Talk" has broadcast from Cooperstown. It has broadcast live from the MLB Speedway Classic, the MLB Field of Dreams Game, All-Star Games, the World Series and more.

Dempster will pull double duty this weekend, as he and MLB Network colleague and former NL Cy Young winner Jake Peavy will play in the Military Classic presented by New Era. The matchup will feature seven Hall of Famers and 25 former Major League stars competing in a 7-inning legends game.

Fingers and fellow Hall of Famers Wade Boggs, Todd Helton, Fergie Jenkins, Tony La Russa, Jack Morris and Scott Rolen will serve as managers and coaches for the two teams, known as Team Stars and Team Stripes.

In addition to Dempster, Peavy, Monday, Harris and Ahmed, former big leaguers Jeremy Affeldt, Al Bumbry, Charlie Culberson, Mark Dewey, Jonny Gomes, Edwin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Jonathan Lucroy, Kevin Mench, Charlie Morton, Daniel Murphy, Curtis Pride, Josh Reddick, Zach Reks, David Robertson, Chris Rowley, Shane Spencer, Alex Wilson, Todd Zeile and Brad Ziegler will participate.

"I want to see if Ryan Dempster can get over 70 mph, because he hasn't yet on the radar gun," Santos quipped.

Other MLB Network personalities also will be busy beyond their normal show duties. Kenny will serve as an on-field emcee for the legends Home Run Derby, while Santos will serve as on-field reporter during the Military Classic game.