MLB on Fox speeds into the 2nd weekend of June with three games. Joe Buck gets the week off meaning he’s worked 7 out of a possible 11 games. This also means a rare week where we don’t have the Red Sox, Yankees or Mets involved so we’ll see where the ratings land. Here are your games for this week.
FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES
Division Leaders Phillies, Giants, Rangers Step to the Plate on MLB on FOX Saturday at 4:00 PM ET
Rosenthal: Big Papi Back to Classic FormDIVISION LEADERS HIGHLIGHT FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GOW SLATE – On Saturday, June 11 (4:00 PM ET) the FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK presents three exciting matchups each showcasing a division leader. Runs have been hard to come by in Philadelphia, whether by the Philly bats or against the Phillies’ pitching staff. One of their four aces, Cliff Lee, takes the mound looking to keep the Cubs in check. Even with injury concerns, the Giants have kept on rolling. Saturday, they put their ace, Tim Lincecum, on the hill to face Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and the slugging Reds. With Joe Mauer beginning a minor league rehab soon, the Twins will need Justin Morneau to return to MVP form as the Twins welcome Josh Hamilton and the defending AL champs, the Rangers. The MLB on FOX pregame originates live from the AT&T Park in San Francisco, with host Chris Rose. Once game action begins, Rose joins Thom Brennaman and Eric Karros as a field reporter.
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Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies, Kenny Albert, Tim McCarver & Ken Rosenthal, going to 59% of USA
Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia, PA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, New York, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, St. Louis, Tampa, Washington, West Palm Beach
Probable Pitchers: Matt Garza, RHP (2-5, 4.07 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee, LHP (5-5, 3.62 ERA)Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants, Thom Brennaman & Eric Karros, going to 24% of USA
AT&T Park – San Francisco, CA
MARKETS INCLUDE: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco
Probable Pitchers: TBA vs. Tim Lincecum, RHP (5-4, 2.85 ERA)Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins, Matt Vasgersian & Mark Grace, going to 16% of USA
Target Field – Minneapolis, MN
MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Seattle, Tulsa
Probable Pitchers: Colby Lewis, RHP (5-6, 4.37 ERA) vs. Scott Baker, RHP (3-4, 3.86 ERA)ROSENTHAL: BIG PAPI PRODUCING ON ANOTHER LEVEL – MLB on FOX reporter and FOXSports.com senior MLB columnist Ken Rosenthal writes that Boston Red Sox DH David Oritz is back in classic form. “This is the old Papi all right, turning back the clock to his glory years: 2004 to ’07, when he averaged 44 home runs, 135 RBI and a 1.024 OPS. Teams no longer want to pay DHs big money. But if Ortiz keeps this up, the Red Sox will be ‘stuck’ with him again — and not at a pay cut from his $12.5 million salary, either,” said Rosenthal. “Ortiz, 35, is tied for fourth in the AL with 14 homers. He is fourth in the league and first on his team with a .992 OPS. No other primary DH is producing at even close to the same level.”
To read Rosenthal’s entire column, visit: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/david-ortiz-bringing-DH-back-for-boston-red-sox-060711
FANS HAVE DESIGNS TO SUPPORT TROOPS IN BOW TIE CONTEST – MLB on FOX reporter and FOXSports.com senior MLB columnist Ken Rosenthal has been rocking a bow tie during every MLB on FOX broadcast this season in support of NFL player Dhani Jones’ BowTie Cause initiative. Fans now have a unique opportunity to design a bow tie for Rosenthal to wear on the final regular-season broadcast of 2011, while supporting the US military at the same time. Simply visit www.bowtiecause.org to create and submit your bow tie design. The top 32 designs received by the June 11 deadline will be entered into the Bow Ties for the Troops Tournament, launching June 17. Fans vote, bracket-style, for five rounds to determine a winner. Rosenthal wears the winning design on the September 24 MLB on FOX broadcast. All submitted designs will be sent to our US military personnel overseas to let them know we’re thinking of them.
MLB ALL-STAR GAME VOTING UPDATE – With less than five weeks before first pitch of Major League Baseball’s 82nd Mid-Summer Classic, airing Tuesday, July 12 (8:00 PM ET) on FOX, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun has surged past St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols as leading vote-getter in the National League. Braun is aiming to become the first N.L. outfielder to start in four consecutive All-Star Games since Barry Bonds was elected to five straight from 2000-2004. In the American League, Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista became the first player in this season’s All-Star voting in either league to garner over two million votes. Bautista who is having another outstanding year at the plate is followed closely by Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano.
Fans can vote for their hometown superstar and get more information on this year’s ballots, by visiting www.allstargame.com or www.dbacks.com/asg. Spanish-language ballots are also available at lasmayores.com.
And that will do it.
