Catching up on the final releases from Wednesday. The releases about MLB on Fox and ESPN have come in and I can post them for you now. When TBS releases its plans for Sunday, I’ll add it here as well.
First, Fox Sports talks about its plans for Saturday.
MLB on FOX Celebrates the 4th of July with Dodgers/Padres, Mets/Phillies and Tigers/TwinsKarros Conflicted On Manny’s Return
Rosenthal To Answer Viewer Questions During 2009 MLB All-Star Game Via Twitter
FOX SPORTS JULY 4th SPECIAL FROM U.S. BIRTHPLACE – This Saturday at 4:00 PM ET, the FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK spends Fourth of July in historic Philadelphia as Chase Utley and the World Champion Phillies welcome David Wright and the Mets. NL West rivals meet as the team with the NL’s best record, the Dodgers, take on Adrian Gonzalez and the Padres in San Diego. Also, Joe Mauer and the hard-hitting Twins host Miguel Cabrera and the homer-happy Tigers. This week, the pregame show originates live from Petco Park in San Diego with host Chris Rose. Once game action begins, Rose joins the game crew of Dick Stockton, Eric Karros and Ken Rosenthal as a field reporter. For instant updates during the week and games from the entire MLB on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MLBONFOX.
Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres, Dick Stockton, Eric Karros & Ken Rosenthal, going to 46% of USA
Petco Park – San Diego, CA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Portland, Providence, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tulsa
New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies, Kenny Albert & Tim McCarver, going to 42% of USA
Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia, PA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Buffalo, Charlotte, Columbus, Dayton, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Louisville, Miami, New York, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond, Tampa, Washington, West Palm Beach
Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins, Dick Bremer & Mark Grace, going to 11% of USA
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome – Minneapolis, MN
MARKETS INCLUDE: Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Minneapolis
KARROS CONFLICTED ABOUT MANNY’S RETURN – On Saturday, former Dodger and MLB on FOX commentator Eric Karros, joins Dick Stockton in the booth in San Diego as the NL best Dodgers take on their division rivals, the Padres. Controversial Dodger slugger Manny Ramirez, who Karros currently describes as both an attraction and a major disappointment, will make his series debut on the heels of his 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. “On Friday I’m going to the game and looking forward to watching him hit again and seeing the energy as he is back in the line-up. On Saturday, as I work in the booth as a former player, I’m disappointed. His action perpetuates the myth that every player in the 90’s and early 2000’s cheated. It adds fuel to guilty until proven innocent.”
MLB ON FOX PLANS EXTENSIVE COVERAGE VIA TWEETS FROM ST. LOUIS – As communication via Twitter continues to grow, MLB on FOX plans extensive coverage of the 80th MLB All-Star Game via the Internet-driven messaging service. FOX Sports’ coverage of the Mid-Summer Classic begins at 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, July 14, live from Busch Stadium in St. Louis. In addition to “tweets” generated by the MLB on FOX on-air team and FOXSports.com in the days and hours leading up sports’ most-popular all-star event, MLB on FOX reporter and FOXSports.com MLB Insider extraordinaire Ken Rosenthal answers Twitter-submitted questions from fans as the game progresses.
Fox announces that it will have live coverage of Manny Ramirez’s first at-bat on Saturday, the first since his 50 game suspension for steroids.
FOX SPORTS TO CARRY RAMIREZ’ FIRST AT-BAT LIVE NATIONALLY ON SATURDAYWhile his first major league at-bats after serving a 50 game suspension for violating MLB’s drug policy are likely to come Friday night when the Dodgers visit the division rival Padres at Petco Park, FOX Sports plans to carry Manny Ramirez’ first at-bat on Saturday, live to a national television audience. MLB on FOX will briefly bring viewers of its two other regional broadcasts – Mets at Phillies and Tigers at Twins – to the top of the first inning of Dodgers-Padres game as Ramirez steps to the plate for the first time.
“Being the personality that he is, there will definitely be a curiosity factor as Manny Ramirez returns from suspension,” said FOX Sports president Ed Goren. “We think many baseball fans will be interested to see how he’s received by the fans in San Diego. It could forecast how fans will react in other National League parks the Dodgers visit the rest of this season.”
The FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK airs Saturday, July 4 at 4:00 PM ET. Dick Stockton and Eric Karros call the Dodgers-Padres contest, with Ken Rosenthal serving as field reporter. Chris Rose hosts th
e FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL pregame show from Petco before joining the crew to report on the Dodgers-Padres game.Karros, who spent 12 of his 14 major league season with the Dodgers is clearly conflicted by Ramirez’ return. “On Friday I’m going to the game and looking forward to watching him hit again and seeing the energy as he is back in the line-up,” he said. “On Saturday, as I work in the booth as a former player, I’m disappointed. His action perpetuates the myth that every player in the 90’s and early 2000’s cheated. It adds fuel to guilty until proven innocent.”
Kenny Albert and Tim McCarver call Mets-Phillies, while Dick Bremer and Mark Grace call Tigers-Twins. For first hand reactions and observations on Saturdays and during the week, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MLBONFOX.
Here’s what ESPN will show on Sunday and Monday, however, Wednesday’s game is TBA.
Sunday Night Baseball
(July 5)
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers
at 8 p.m. ET
(ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile TV)
Commentators: Dan Shulman, Joe Morgan, Steve PhillipsMonday Night Baseball
(July 6)
Atlanta Braves at Chicago Cubs
at 8 p.m.
(ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile TV)
Commentators: Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Steve PhillipsWednesday Night Baseball
(July 8)
TBD
at 8 p.m.
(ESPN2, ESPN2 HD, ESPN360.com)
Commentators: Dave O’Brien, Rick Sutcliffe
As previously mentioned, TBS’ Sunday afternoon game will be added once the release is sent.
And here is that press release which includes the announcement of the MLB All-Star Game rosters.
2009 MLB All-Star Game Rosters Announced Exclusively on TBS this Sunday, July 5th at 1 p.m. ETSunday MLB on TBS features Brewers @ Cubs at 2 p.m. ET
The 2009 American League and National League MLB All-Star teams will be revealed exclusively on TBS on Sunday, July 5th at 1 p.m. ET during the MLB All-Star Game Selection Show. Host Ernie Johnson will be joined by analysts Dennis Eckersley, Cal Ripken and David Wells to make the announcements and provide analysis on the selections. The 2009 MLB All-Star Game will be held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Tuesday, July 14th. The AL and NL All-Star squads will have a total of eight elected starters as determined by the fan balloting program. Both leagues will also select 24 reserves and pitchers.
Following the show, Sunday MLB on TBS will continue at 2 p.m. ET with a National League Central match-up featuring Ryan Braun and the Milwaukee Brewers visiting Derrek Lee and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Chip Caray (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst) will call the action.
Sunday MLB on TBS includes match-ups on TBS every Sunday afternoon throughout the regular season. In October TBS will once again provide exclusive coverage of the Division Series and the National League Championship Series (NLCS).
TBS has broadcast MLB coverage for more than 30 years serving as the exclusive home of the MLB Division Series (DS) and one League Championship Series (LCS) since 2007 and home of Atlanta Braves coverage from 1977 to 2007.
SUNDAY MLB ON TBS SCHEDULE:
Sun., July 5
1 p.m. MLB All-Star Selection Show Presented by Pepsi
Ernie Johnson (host), Dennis Eckersley (analyst), Cal Ripken (analyst) and David Wells (analyst)
2 p.m. Milwaukee Brewers @ Chicago Cubs
Announcers: Chip Caray (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst)
SUNDAY MLB ON TBS UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Sun., July 12
2 p.m. Los Angeles Dodgers @ Milwaukee Brewers
Announcers: Chip Caray (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst)
2 p.m. Detroit Tigers @ New York Yankees
Announcers: Chip Caray (play-by-play) and Ron Darling (analyst)
That completes this post.
