Let’s go over your baseball games on national TV this weekend. And we have plenty of action on both Saturday and Sunday. We first have the regional games on Fox Sports and Joe takes this week off. I have a feeling this is the beginning of the end of work for Joe Buck as he begins to prepare for NFL season. As it stands now, Buck will have worked 12 out of a possible 16 Saturdays for Fox. Here’s the press release.
FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES
Rosenthal: Contenders Playing Poorly Since All-Star BreakPLAYOFF CONTENDERS LOOK TO STAY IN RACE – On Saturday, July 24 (4:00 PM ET) the Mets, Phillies and Dodgers are featured on the FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK. Each has struggled to begin the second half and is looking to reignite their playoff chases. In Los Angeles, two of those teams meet as David Wright and the Mets take on Joe Torre’s Dodgers. The Phillies will have a tough time getting back in the win column as they face Rockies ace Ubaldo Jiminez in Philly. One team that is not struggling is the White Sox; they travel to Oakland to take on the A’s. This week, the pregame show originates live from Oakland with host Chris Rose. Once game action begins, Rose joins the game crew including Mark Grace to handle play-by-play duties.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 Mets at Los Angeles Dodgers, Kenny Albert & Eric Karros, going to 51% of USA
Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles, CAMARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Orlando, Phoenix, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, San Diego, Tampa, Washington, West Palm BeachProbable Pitchers: Mike Pelfrey, RHP (10-5, 4.01 ERA) vs. TBAColorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies, Dick Stockton, Tim McCarver & Ken Rosenthal, going to 24% of USACitizens Bank Park – Philadelphia, PAMARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, St. Louis, TulsaProbable Pitchers: Ubaldo Jimenez. RHP (15-1, 2.38 ERA) vs. TBAChicago White Sox at Oakland Athletics, Chris Rose & Mark Grace, going to 24% of USAOakland Alameda County Coliseum – Oakland, CAMARKETS INCLUDE: Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Sacramento, San Francisco, SeattleProbable Pitchers: Freddy Garcia, RHP (9-3, 4.37 ERA) vs. Vin Mazzaro, RHP (5-2, 3.50 ERA)KEN ROSENTHAL: “MANY CONTENDERS PLAYING POORLY SINCE ALL-STAR BREAK” – “As the trade market heats up, one interesting thing is how poorly some of the contenders have played since the All-Star break,” said MLB on FOX’s Ken Rosenthal. “The Dodgers and Tigers started 0-6, the Mets and Phillies 1-5, and the Mets‘ one win came on a disputed call at home plate in San Francisco. None of those teams is further than four games out for a post-season berth, so it‘s not as if any should be in sell mode. Indeed, maybe each team is just going through a bad stretch. At the same time, smart clubs are realistic about their chances. Should the Phillies, for example, expend prospects for Astros right-hander Roy Oswalt when they have yet to really play well this season? This will be an important question for the Phillies to answer in the next 10 days.”
For Friday and Saturday, here are the games on MLB Network.
July 23 7:00 p.m. Colorado at Philadelphia7:00 p.m. Atlanta at Florida (only in Rockies and Phillies markets)July 24 8:00 p.m. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Texas8:00 p.m. San Francisco at Arizona (only in Angels and Rangers markets)
Sunday’s programming comes after the break.
MLB Network will air the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies on Sunday starting with a pre-ceremonies show.
2010 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to Air EXCLUSIVELY on MLB NetworkAndre Dawson, Whitey Herzog and Doug Harvey Among 2010 InducteesCoverage to Begin at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 25Secaucus, N.J. and Cooperstown, N.Y. – Former MLB Rookie of the Year (1977) and NL MVP (1987) Andre Dawson, former Texas Rangers, California Angels, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog and former National League umpire Doug Harvey will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York on Sunday, July 25 in an induction ceremony airing live exclusively on MLB Network. Coverage will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET with a pre-ceremony show live from MLB Network’s studios in Secaucus, New Jersey, hosted by Matt Vasgersian, former Cardinals pitcher Joe Magrane, who played for Herzog, and Baseball Writers’ Association of America member and Hall of Fame voter Tom Verducci. Included in the hour-long pre-ceremony program will be prerecorded interviews with MLB Network’s Bob Costas and Herzog, and Harold Reynolds with Dawson and Harvey, plus live interviews with guests on-site.MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger, Reynolds and Peter Gammons, winner of the 2004 Spink Award for writers presented at Hall of Fame Weekend, will join with live coverage from Cooperstown, New York, including interviews with Hall of Famers in attendance.Live coverage of the ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. ET, including each inductee’s acceptance speech, an appearance by Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig and introductions of an expected 48 returning Hall of Famers, including Hank Aaron, Tom Seaver, Al Kaline, and Johnny Bench, and a special performance of the baseball classic “Centerfield” by musician John Fogerty. Immediately following the ceremony, Dawson, Herzog and Harvey will visit live on-set with Gammons. Gammons will also participate in a post-ceremony roundtable with Dawson, Herzog and Harvey, moderated by Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony host George Grande, scheduled to air on MLB Network on Wednesday, July 28 at 2:00 p.m. ET.MLB Network’s live coverage of the Induction Ceremony will be simulcast online on MLB.com, MLBNetwork.com and BaseballHall.org.
TBS has Colorado at Philadelphia with Ernie Johnson, Jr. entering the Turner national booth for the first time this season. Charles Barkley will say hello. Seriously. He really is.
“Sunday MLB on TBS” Features a National League Clash Between the Colorado Rockies @ Philadelphia PhilliesTNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley to visit the TBS broadcast booth“Sunday MLB on TBS” continues on July 25 when Ryan Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies host Carlos Gonzalez and the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park at 1:30 p.m. (ET). J.A. Happ is scheduled to pitch for the Phillies against the Rockies’ Jeff Francis. TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley will visit the broadcast booth during the game. His NBA on TNT colleague Ernie Johnson will handle the play-by-play alongside analysts Buck Martinez and David Wells.“Sunday MLB on TBS” includes match-ups on TBS every Sunday afternoon throughout the regular season. The network will also begin providing exclusive coverage of the Division Series and the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in October 2010.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.Sun., July 251:30 p.m. Colorado Rockies @ Philadelphia PhilliesAnnouncers: Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Buck Martinez (analyst) & David Wells (analyst)SUNDAY MLB ON TBS UPCOMING SCHEDULE:Sun., August 11:30 p.m. New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay RaysAnnouncers: Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Buck Martinez (analyst) & Dennis Eckersley (analyst)
And this is what ESPN is airing on Sunday and beyond.
MLB: Cards/Cubs NL Central Matchup Highlights ESPN’s Schedule
The NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols will visit the Chicago Cubs on Sunday Night Baseball July 25 at 8 p.m. Tampa, currently second in the AL East, will host Detroit, currently second in the AL Central, Monday, July 26, at 8 p.m. This game will also be available in Detroit on ESPN.
Date Time (ET) Event Networks Sun, July 25 8 p.m. St. Louis at Chicago Cubs
Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Bobby ValentineESPN HD/ESPN Deportes/ESPN3.com/ESPN Radio/ESPN Mobile TV Mon, July 26 7 p.m. Detroit at Tampa (ESPN’s telecast will co-exist in Detroit)
Dan Shulman, Aaron Boone, Chris SingletonESPN HD/ESPN3.com/ESPN Mobile TV Wed, July 28 7 p.m. St. Louis at NY Mets
Dave O’Brien, Rick SutcliffeESPN HD/ESPN3.com/ESPN Mobile TV
That will do it.
