On Wednesday, Turner Sports held a media conference call with its MLB Coordinating Producer and two of its analysts.
The highlights are below.
Notes from the Sunday MLB on TBS Conference Call
April 4, 2012TBS opens its 26-game Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season schedule on Sunday, April 8, with the Tampa Bay Rays hosting the New York Yankees at 1:30 p.m. (ET).
Please click on the link to view the following press release:
Commentators Announced for “Sunday MLB on TBS” which Returns April 8Participants:
Dennis Eckersley, TBS analyst
John Smoltz, TBS analyst
Glenn Diamond, Sr. Coordinating ProducerDiamond on the Sunday MLB on TBS schedule to start the 2012 season:
“We are excited about our first eight games (with) the Yankees, Rays and Red Sox on three times and also a rematch of last year’s ALCS in the third week – Texas at Detroit on April 22. We’re also excited for our returning announcers: Eck [Dennis Eckersley] and John [Smoltz]; play-by-play this year will be Ernie Johnson, Brian Anderson and Dick Stockton. Along with Eck and John, Ron Darling and David Wells will also be with us as analysts.”Diamond on what potential technical features will take place this season:
“We’re going to continue using the Sportvision ‘Pitch Trax’ (a virtual strike zone which shows the location of pitches) each Sunday; we will have wireless microphones on the home plate umpires once again; and we will explore different camera angles.”Smoltz on the top storyline he’s following entering the 2012 MLB season:
“I am looking forward to what the Miami Marlins will do. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Marlins at the top, if not most of the year. It’s the first time this team has had some form of leadership from some veteran players that could help out. They have some excitement in Miami and it would be good if they could make it one of the toughest divisions [NL East] in baseball this year.”Eckersley on the top storyline he’s following entering the 2012 MLB season:
“Everyone knows that [Prince] Fielder went to Detroit, so Detroit should be a slam dunk. All eyes will be on [Angels first baseman Albert] Pujols and what he can do with that club offensively. Pujols is going to make [Torii] Hunter better, [Vernon] Wells better. They [Angels] have a lights out rotation – as good as any team’s rotation in the league. I’m just curious about what Pujols is going to do. He’s going to be awesome. The Angels are going to be a totally different offensive club with him and that’s where my interest is.”Smoltz on how the Phillies pitching staff would compare to his Braves pitching staff during his career:
“If they were able to magically stay together for 10 years I think they would rewrite a lot of numbers [records]. They have a lot more stuff than we did. What these guys have assembled…I don’t have a problem saying they have the potential to be much better. They’re pretty good and fun to watch.”Eckersley on the Phillies chances in 2012:
“This is the year to get them. The National League East has changed more than any division – the [Washington] Nationals have gotten better, the [Florida] Marlins, Atlanta is always going to be good. The time to get them is now. They were so great last year, but it’s hard to keep it going.”Smoltz on the Philadelphia Phillies:
“The Philadelphia Phillies are still the cream of the crop when you talk about their starting pitching and bullpen. I still believe that is going to be their strength down the stretch. If the Phillies can get three or four runs a game they’re going to be tough to beat. I know their pitching is willing and able to carry the load until their offense comes around. They’re still the team to beat.”Smoltz on the difficulty for Boston Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard and Texas Rangers pitcher Neftali Feliz becoming starting pitchers after beginning as a late inning reliever:
“These guys [ Daniel Bard and Neftali Feliz] have not logged a lot of innings. It’s going to be difficult in that regard. It’s not that they can’t do it, but they are going to need some time. To do it in one year and at winning ball clubs is enough pressure in itself.”Smoltz on Bobby Valentine taking over as manager of the Boston Red Sox:
“That situation is going to play out in its own time frame. Whoever came in [to the Red Sox organization] was gong to change the environment for obvious reasons to address what happened. With Bobby and his personality, it’s going to be more out front. Time will tell. Boston has a lot of pressure to win and has a lot of pieces to win. We will see if the execution will actually take place this year.”Eckersley on how pitchers will approach Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun and how they will pitch him without the ‘protection’ of Prince Fielder in the Brewers’ lineup:
“He’s not going to get as many good pitches to hit. It’s going to affect Braun, there’s no getting around it. They’ve still got a good enough team to win. You would assume his on-base will go up.”Smoltz on how pitchers will approach Braun without the protection of Prince Fielder in the Brewers’ lineup:
“The biggest thing is going to be Braun’s patience. He’s a good enough hitter. He’s going to get pitches to hit. He’s just not going to get as many. If he expands his zone, then it’s going to be very difficult. You are never going to replace Prince Fielder. It basically comes down to…when you start facing top-flight pitchers they’re definitely going to pitch around him and see if they can tempt him to get aggressive and lose patience.”Smoltz on the Houston Astros leaving the National League after the 2012 season:
“The Astros are headed in a new direction anyway. It’s going to be a rough three years. It’s gives them some time to establish a new direction because, when you go to the American League, you obviously have to prepare differently than you would in the National League. You have to build your team differently. It’s going to be rough and everyone knows it. It should be an interesting transition. It’s going to take a little bit of time.”Smoltz on whether the move to the American League is fair for the Astros:
“Whether it’s fair or not remains to be seen. You can build a team in a three to four year window. Much like the Marlins have done in the past, you can rebuild…and make your team go in the right direction.”
And we’re done here.
