Don’t make me bust out the 1995 NHL on Fox open which has been featured in several Fang’s Bites posts. Anyway, we have the first in a series of posts regarding MLB on Fox. You have three games this Saturday including the New York Yankees and yes, Joe Buck is actually doing one of them. We’ll be counting this season. I believe Joe will do about ten MLB games in 2010. Here’s the Fox breakdown of games this weekend.
FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTESYankees/Rays, Cardinals/Brewers and Mariners/Rangers Lead Off2010 FOX Saturday Baseball Game of the WeekMLB ON FOX THROWS OUT FIRST PITCH OF ’10 THIS SATURDAY – The multi Emmy Award-winning FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK returns for its 15th season on Saturday, April 10 at a special 3:00 PM ET start time with live regional coverage of three exciting matchups. Week one takes FOX Sports to St. Petersburg, FL for an AL East battle. Fresh off securing their 27th World Championship, Derek Jeter and the Yankees take on Evan Longoria and the Rays. In Milwaukee, the Brewers look to stop the incomparable Albert Pujols and the Cardinals. Also, Ichiro Suzuki and the rising Mariners are in Texas to face Josh Hamilton and the Rangers. Once again in 2010, pregame originates live from one of the regional sites, and this week it’s Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg with host Chris Rose. Once game action begins, Rose joins the game crew including Joe Buck, Tim McCarver and Ken Rosenthal as a field reporter.For instant updates throughout the week and during games from the entire MLB on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MLBONFOX. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.myspace.com/foxsports.New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays – Joe Buck, Tim McCarver & Ken Rosenthal, 70% of USATropicana Field – St. Petersburg, FLMARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa, Washington, West Palm BeachProbable Pitchers: TBA vs. Wade Davis, RHP (0-0, -.– ERA)St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers – Dick Stockton & Eric Karros, 18% of USAMiller Park – Milwaukee, WIMARKETS INCLUDE: Chicago, Cincinnati, Dayton, Houston, Kansas City, Louisville, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, St. Louis, TulsaProbable Pitchers: Chris Carpenter, RHP (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Yovani Gallardo, RHP (0-1, 3.86 ERA)Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers – Josh Lewin & Mark Grace, 11% of USARangers Ballpark in Arlington – Arlington, TXMARKETS INCLUDE: Austin, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Portland, San Antonio, SeattleProbable Pitchers: Felix Hernandez, RHP (0-0, 4.05) vs. Matt Harrison, LHP (0-0, -.– ERA)ARE THE BRAVES WORLD SERIES BOUND? SHOULD THE YANKS TRADE JOBA? BUCK & MCCARVER BREAKDOWN 2010 SEASONDuring an MLB on FOX season preview press call, play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and analyst Tim McCarver looked ahead at some of the stories of the 2010 season.BUCK:PHILLIES – “We’ve been in Philadelphia the last two Octobers. I don’t see any reason why going into this season we wouldn’t predict the same, at least I would. I think top to bottom, the way the Phillies are constructed and now with Roy Halladay, they are set up well for a long run in 2010.”NL CENTRAL – “The Cardinals are the best team in the Central Division but the Cubs seem like they’re pleased with some of the young arms in their bullpen and that to me, is their big question mark going into this season.”GIANTS – “San Francisco is a team that we’re going to hear a lot from this year. They have good young pitching and their lineup is strong but probably not as dynamic as some of the others. However, the Giants are a team that I think will jump up and take the NL West.”AL EAST – “Both the Red Sox and Yankees improved in the off-season. The Yankees pitching looks strong with Javier Vazquez back. They put Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen and Phil Hughes in the rotation and that lineup is dangerous. I love the addition of Curtis Granderson. The Yanks and Red Sox are the two best teams in the American League and they should be neck and neck all season like we’re accustomed to.”MCCARVER:PHILLIES – “Having Halladay as your No. 1 guy is a huge psychological boost for the Phillies.”BRAVES – “I think the Atlanta Braves could go to the World Series this year, that’s how good I think their starters are.”RED SOX – “It’s a new look Red Sox team comprised of strong pitching, good defense, less offense and different faces. Adrian Beltre, Victor Martinez and Marco Scutaro at shortstop provide a boost as does a very solid outfield.”YANKEES – “It will be interesting to see the New York Yankees try to repeat was World Champions with an outfield that certainly is not as strong as other outfields in the major leagues. However, they may have the best offensive infield in the history of the game. And yet with all that talent, the Yankees open the season with reliever Joba Chamberlain being the biggest question. Trading Chamberlain might be the best way that both the Yankees and Chamberlain could be served because right now he is just dithering in no-mans-land. With all that said, the Yankees are definitely the team to beat going into this year with what few problems they do have.”MLB ON FOX TEAMS WITH THE BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION® — FOX Sports Supports, the network on-air charitable initiative, is proud to join forces with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) during the 2010 MLB ON FOX season. BCRF helps fund the most advanced and promising breast cancer research. In 2009-2010, their grants sustain 173 dedicated researchers at major medical institutions across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Please visit www.foxsportssupports.com for more information.
That’s it. I’ll give you a NASCAR on Fox release next.
