First, let’s get the particulars out of the way. With Joe Buck on the NFL again, it means that he’s not working MLB and will have called 12 games out of a possible 24. And there’s only one more opportunity to call a game. We’ll see if he’s assigned to one next Saturday.
Now to this week. Three games on tap for Fox. Most will get the Tampa Bay Rays taking on the Red Sox at Fenway Park. A total of 66% of the country will see the game and Fox taps Matt Vasgersian of the MLB Network to do the play-by-play.
Fox added Detroit at Oakland this week and it will use the Fox Sports Detroit team of Mario Impemba and Rod Allen for the game. Here are the regional splits and announcing teams for the games.
FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES
MLB on FOX Features Rays vs. Red Sox AL East Showdown At 4:00 PM ET Saturday
RAYS CONTINUE CHASE OF BOSOX/TIGERS; PUSH FOR PLAYOFF SPOT ON FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK – Some playoff races are tightening as FOX Sports presents three exciting matchups on Saturday, Sept. 17 (4:00 PM ET). A mere two weeks ago, the Red Sox were almost assured a playoff spot. Now, due to a slump and hot play from the Rays, Tampa is well within striking distance of the Red Sox and the AL Wild Card. In Atlanta, the Braves look to increase their lead in the NL Wild Card standings as they host the Mets. The Tigers magic number to capture the AL Central is down to three. This Saturday, FOX Sports televises a potential division clincher as the Tigers travel to Oakland to take on the A’s. The MLB on FOX pregame show originates live from the Turner Field in Atlanta, GA with host Chris Rose. Once game action begins, Rose joins Josh Lewin and Eric Karros 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.
Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox, Matt Vasgersian, Tim McCarver & Ken Rosenthal, going to 66% of USA
Fenway Park – Boston, MA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Tulsa, Washington, West Palm BeachProbable Pitchers: TBA vs. TBA
New York Mets at Atlanta Braves, Josh Lewin & Eric Karros, going to 25% of USA
Turner Field – Atlanta, GA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, New York, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Raleigh
Probable Pitchers: R.A. Dickey, RHP (8-12, 3.43 ERA) vs. Tim Hudson, RHP (14-10, 3.32 ERA)*Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics, Mario Impemba & Rod Allen, going to 8% of USA
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum – Oakland, CA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Detroit, Sacramento, San Francisco
Probable Pitchers: Rick Porcello, RHP (14-8, 4.83 ERA) vs. Gio Gonzalez, LHP (13-12, 3.41 ERA)*Added to schedule Wednesday because of potential division clinching scenario
MOROSI: RAYS BELIEVE THEY CAN CATCH RED SOX – National FOXSports.com MLB writer Jon Paul Morosi says the Tampa Bay Rays’ surge is going to make for an interesting September. “Tampa Bay’s James Shields has had three complete games in his last six outings typifying the type of pitching this Tampa Bay team has gotten all season long. Only now they’re finally starting to play well as a collective team and really look like a post-season contender,” says Morosi. “The Rays have stud left-handed prospect Matt Moore, the guy that turned so many heads at the Futures Game in July. Moore has been called up to fill a very similar bullpen role to the one David Price had when the Rays made it to the World Series in 2008. This is an electric arm that Moore has. He could be a difference maker down the stretch and I can promise you this, Matt Moore would not be on this Tampa Bay roster right now if the Rays didn’t feel like they had a very real chance of catching the Red Sox and making the playoffs.”
The Rays have a chance to tighten the Wild Card race with the Red Sox this weekend when the two teams square off in Fenway on the FOX Saturday Game of the Week at 4:00 PM ET.
WHITE SOX ROOKIE SENSATION ZACH STEWART JOINS DAVID WELLS IN THE CHEAP SEATS Each Wednesday (1:00 PM ET), former MLB All-Star pitcher David Wells hosts The Cheap Seats on FOXSports.com, an informative interview show where Wells catches up with current MLB players. This week, Wells chats with White Sox rookie pitcher Zach Stewart. Wells and Stewart discuss the right-hander’s near perfect game and Stewart admits that his hairstyle resembles former Tigers pitcher Mark Fidrych’s famous mop.
To watch the show click here: http://msn.foxsports.com/video/shows/cheapseats
More stuff is coming up including NFL previews.
