Fans still stuck in on-deck circle

Ah, baseball season is here; the Orioles actually look as if they have a chance to be halfway decent; and ... well, nothing comes after "and," at least for Triangle baseball fans. Imagine watching the pitcher repeatedly throw to first base to hold the runner — and never pitch to the batter. That's what it's like waiting for the end of the appeals process to yield a solution to the standoff between Time Warner Cable and the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.

Two arbitrators and the Federal Communications Commission media bureau chief have already ruled in favor of MASN, saying the cable company had discriminated against the regional sports network by not making its programming available on its basic digital service. TWC has insisted on putting MASN on a more expensive digital sports tier. Despite its 0-3 record against MASN, the cable company has appealed the most recent ruling to the full FCC, and there's no indication when that five-member body will deal with the issue.

So, since MASN has the rights to the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals — and they are considered the home teams for much of North Carolina, for TV purposes — TWC customers won't be able to watch those games for the foreseeable future, even if they subscribe to the MLB Extra Innings package for an extra $169. They found out that much on Monday, when ESPN's telecast of the Yankees-Orioles game on Monday was blacked out here.

Dish Network and DirecTV satellite viewers get MASN, as do customers of five smaller cable outfits in North Carolina. The network is scheduled to televise a combined 322 Orioles and Nationals games this season — 210 of them in high definition.

Major League Baseball has made a little noise about trying to solve the problem of the so-called outlying areas, like ours, that don't get regular, live baseball. But the owners, who hold the territorial TV rights for their teams, have been moving about as fast as the FCC to deal with the issue.

MASN spokesman Todd Webster says the network is hopeful that the FCC resolves it in time for fans in North Carolina to get baseball this season. Otherwise, fans would be wise to remember that old saying: "Wait 'til next year."