Baseball On TV This Weekend And Beyond

Here are the games and other baseball-related programming on national TV this weekend. Let’s get to what’s on tap for TV.

Starting with Fox Sports, the country will be split among two games. Surprisingly, Joe Buck is back after working the All-Star Game. In the past, he would take the Saturday after the Mid-Summer Classic off. This would make 12 out of 15 Saturdays he has worked for Fox. I’m waiting for the week that he starts preparing for NFL season. But it’s not this week.

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

MLB on FOX Kicks Off Season’s Second Half

McCarver: Steinbrenner Put Winners On The Field 

MLB’S SECOND HALF STARTS UP – Fresh off an exciting MLB All-Star Game, the FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK presents its first weekend of the second half with two enticing matchups on Saturday, July 17 (4:00 PM ET). During what should prove to be an emotional weekend in the Bronx, Derek Jeter and the Yankees host Evan Longoria and the Rays. Always an event each year, Old Timer’s Day at Yankee Stadium takes on added significance following the passing of owner George Steinbrenner and longtime public address announcer Bob Sheppard. In St. Louis, a pair of second-place teams look to begin their push for division titles as the Cardinals host the Dodgers. This week, the pregame show originates live from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx with host Chris Rose. Once game action begins, Rose joins the game crew including Kenny Albert, Tim McCarver and Ken Rosenthal 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 and www.myspace.com/foxsports.

Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees, Kenny Albert, Tim McCarver & Ken Rosenthal, going to 72% of USA

Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY

MARKETS INCLUDE:  Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Houston, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, Washington, West Palm Beach

Probable Pitchers: Jeff Niemann, RHP (7-2, 2.77 ERA) vs. A.J. Burnett, RHP (7-7, 4.75 ERA)

 

Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals, Joe Buck & Eric Karros, going to 27% of USA

Busch Stadium – St. Louis, MO

MARKETS INCLUDE:  Albuquerque, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Denver, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Diego, St. Lo
uis, Tulsa

Probable Pitchers: TBA vs. TBA

MCCARVER REFLECTS ON BOSS’ WAYS – MLB on FOX analyst Tim McCarver fresh off calling his 19^th Mid-Summer Classic looked back on his relationship with George Steinbrenner. “I worked as a broadcaster for the Yankees for three years and George Steinbrenner was such a titanic figure. Any employee of George will remember him very vividly. There was more than one occasion that I upset him on the air but I got along with him fine. I’m not too sure that he was real happy with some things I said on air but that’s probably the case with a lot of broadcasters with George. Mr. Steinbrenner is a winner and he put winners on the field.”

This Saturday night, MLB Network also has two games and most of you will see Rangers-Red Sox.

July 17          7:00 p.m.      Texas at Boston

                   7:00 p.m.      Chicago White Sox at Minnesota (only in Rangers and Red Sox markets) 

Sunday’s games are after the break.

On Sunday, TBS has Rays-Yankees.

The Tampa Bay Rays to Visit the New York Yankees on “Sunday MLB on TBS”

Yankees’ Andy Pettitte scheduled to face Rays’ David Price in All-Star pitching match-up

“Sunday MLB on TBS” continues on July 18 when eleven-time All-Star and former World Series MVP  Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees welcome All-Star third-baseman Evan Longoria and the Tampa Bay Rays to Yankee Stadium at 1 p.m. (ET). Andy Pettitte, who is vying for his fourth straight win, is scheduled to pitch for the Yankees against the Rays’ All-Star pitcher David Price.  Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Ron Darling (analyst) will call the action.

“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 18

1 p.m.                      Tampa Bay Rays @ New York Yankees

                                Announcers: Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Ron Darling (analyst)

SUNDAY MLB ON TBS UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Sun., July 25

1:30 p.m.                 Colorado Rockies @ Philadelphia Phillies   

Announcers: Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Buck Martinez (analyst) & David Wells (analyst)

Here are ESPN’s games from Sunday through Wednesday.

Sunday Night Baseball (July 18)

Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 8 p.m.

Commentators: Jon Miller, Joe Morgan, Orel Hershisher

ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile TV

Monday Night Baseball (July 19)

Philadelphia at St. Louis, 7 p.m.

Commentators: Dave O’Brien, Nomar Garciaparra, Chris Singleton

ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile TV

Wednesday Night Baseball (July 21)

Washington at Cincinnati, 7 p.m.

Commentators: Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Bobby Valentine

ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile TV

And on Sunday night, MLB Network premieres a new reality series, “The Club” focusing on the behind-the-scenes dealings with the Chicago White Sox.

AWARD-WINNING ACTOR & CHICAGO NATIVE MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN TO NARRATE MLB NETWORK REALITY SERIES THE CLUB

Original Series from MLB Productions Follows Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, General Manager Ken Williams & Manager Ozzie Guillen

The Club Premieres on Sunday, July 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT

Secaucus, N.J. – Award-winning actor, Chicago native and die-hard Chicago White Sox fan Michael Clarke Duncan will provide narration for The Club, the original reality series about the White Sox front office produced for MLB Network by MLB Productions. As a follow up to 2009’s The Pen featuring the Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen, The Club follows chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, General Manager Ken Williams and Manager Ozzie Guillen with unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to a Major League Baseball club’s front office.The Club premieres on MLB Network on Sunday, July 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET & PT/8:00 p.m. CT.

          

Duncan is best known for his Academy Award-nominated potrayal of death-row prisoner John Coffey in The Green Mile. Duncan’s body of work also includes Armageddon, The Whole Nine Yards, The Island, Sin City, Daredevil, Planet of the Apes, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and most recently Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, among many others. An accomplished voiceover artist with an unmistakable deep voice, Duncan’s most recent voiceover film credits include Kung Fu Panda, Racing Stripes and this summer’s Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.

Throughout each episode, The Club will focus on the realities and challenges both on and off the field for the men who run one of MLB’s most storied franchises, including their decision about whether to keep beloved slugger Jim Thome and determining the last roster spot on the team’s pitching staff. From Spring Training through to the Trade Deadline on July 31, MLB Productions’ cameras are capturing footage at the club’s Spring Training camp in Arizona, during roster meetings, on Opening Day, on the road for away games and getting a look at Reinsdorf, Williams and Guillen away from the ballpark. The series will also feature personnel who work within the front office, including Assistant General Manager Rick Hahn, Pitching Coach Don Cooper and Batting Coach Greg Walker.

“We are thrilled to have the talents of such an accomplished actor, voiceover artist and, most importantly, a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, as part of the production of The Club,” said David Gavant, Executive in Charge of Production and VP, Major League Baseball Productions. “After working with Michael on the voiceover for the 2005 World Series film, we know White Sox fans will appreciate the passion and enthusiasm he brings to this project.” 

The Club is produced by MLB Productions. Gary Waksman is the Lead Producer, Robe
rt Haddad is the Coordinating Producer, and David Check is the Executive Producer. Throughout production, Haddad will post video blogs following each shoot to the MLB Productions website.

 
The Club is the fifth series produced for MLB Network by MLB Productions, following Prime 9, Baseball Seasons, Triumph & Tragedy and The Pen.

That’s it.