The Pen: Is rosin bag cam too much?

On Monday night the second episode of Major League Baseball Network's highly watched showThe Pen aired, which follows, often closely, the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen both on and off the field.

There are multiple cameras that film the happenings in the "land beyond the outfield wall," but some, fans and media outlets, have started to ask if the series has gone too far.

During the first episode the rosin bag in the Phillies bullpen was shown several times--team's are very careful to divulge too much information about club-owned rosin bags. Usually placed on the backside of the mound, the powder rosin inside the bag is mainly to help pitchers keep their hands dry, but the rosin can also help prevent blisters.

There was such a positive response by the viewers after the initial episode last week calling for more rosin bag screen time that the network has decided to place two cameras on each of the pen's bags.

Appearing in the lower right and left hand corners of viewers' television screens this week were two Picture in Picture's (PIP) of each rosin bag. Even if the members of the pen were being shown at home with their families the two rosin bags will always appear on screen.

Where should the line be drawn when it comes to accessing professional athletes' lives, whether it's on the field or off?

"Giving all-access to the rosin bag just doesn't seem right. It's one thing to show the guys out fishing or grabbing a beer or partying, but showing the rosin bag, at least to that extent, is a bit much," said Phillies fan Hugh Franz, 46, of Wilmington, DE.

The cameras are fixed so if the bag happens to be picked up and used by a pitcher warming up the cameras will not follow. And should those same relievers throw the bag down out of the camera's view, then a MLB-hired assistant returns the bag to within the camera's range (marked by lines in the dirt on the mound).

"There is a line, but, honestly, I don't think they have crossed it yet," said Phillies' reliever Chad Durbin.

Durbin, who enjoys sending tweets (short messages from twitter) during games has denied a proposed Tweet cam by MLB for the television series. During the first episode a Phillies pitcher wearing number 37 was seen twittering (sending messages) in the pen, but his identity was concealed with a blurred face.

"My tweets are private," said the pitcher.

In any case, the huge increase in the amount of rosin bag coverage is here to stay. The fans spoke and Major League Baseball listened.