A Couple of Baseball Releases

We have a couple of things for you baseball-wise. From MLB Network, we have two programs of note on Friday, one involving Bob Costas and another one looking back at the 1984 San Diego Padres.

MLB NETWORK TO DEBUT STUDIO 42 WITH BOB COSTAS: THE EARTHQUAKE WORLD SERIES & MLB PRODUCTIONS’ TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY: THE 1984 SAN DIEGO PADRES

Programs Take an In-Depth Look at Important Moments and Characters in MLB Postseason History

Secaucus, N.J., October 27, 2009 – MLB Network will debut Studio 42 with Bob Costas: The Earthquake World Series and MLB Productions’ Triumph and Tragedy: The 1984 San Diego Padres on Friday, October 30. At 9:00 p.m. ET, Costas interviews current NBC sportscaster Al Michaels about Game Three of the 1989 World Series with the Oakland Athletics at San Francisco Giants that was interrupted by the Loma Prieta earthquake on October 17, 1989. Michaels, who was calling the game for ABC Sports, famously interrupted an on-air highlight reel to tell the audience that an earthquake was happening. Power was lost in Candlestick Park and Game Three was postponed for ten days until October 27. In addition to Michaels, the piece includes interviews with Michaels’ former ABC Sports colleague Tim McCarver, who was in the broadcast booth with Michaels when the earthquake began, former Oakland manager Tony La Russa and former San Francisco first baseman Will Clark.

Highlights of the interview with Michaels include:

“I knew it was an earthquake within two or three seconds, maybe less. I remember hearing what sounded like bats being pounded on the floor of the upper deck, which was just above the booth. This was probably the eighth or ninth earthquake I had felt but the biggest one by far. People are always talking in California about “the big one.” I thought this might be “the big one”.

“I knew I was the only guy covering this earthquake live from San Francisco. There was a lot of misinformation floating around so I knew at that moment in time the only things I was going to talk about were the things I could actually see on television.”

“There wasn’t any real sense of tension or nervousness in the stadium because there was enough natural light. If this had taken place after dark and had the lights gone out, we would have had a whole other situation. There was also a little sense of security in that you had 50,000 people gathering so everyone was in the same boat. So right after it had taken place, you had people almost saying “Wow, isn’t that something. Here we are at the World Series and what a story we have to tell.”

MLB Productions’ “Triumph and Tragedy: The 1984 San Diego Padres” is the premiere episode of a new MLB Network series that looks at the ups and downs of some of the most notable players and teams in baseball history. Narrated by MLB Network studio host and former Padres television announcer Matt Vasgersian, the documentary looks at the National League champion 1984 Padres, whose lineup was filled with unique characters and storylines—a team that came together to win the first National League Pennant in Padres history, only to have its players go down very different roads in the future. The team featured three future Hall of Famers: right fielder Tony Gwynn, pitcher Goose Gossage and manager Dick Williams. The roster also included star players who faced personal struggles, including second baseman Alan Wiggins, who left baseball in 1987 and died from complications related to AIDS in 1991 at age 32; pitcher and Padres all-time wins leader Eric Show, who died of a drug overdose at age 37; and pitcher Dave Dravecky, who lost his pitching arm and shoulder to cancer and now serves as a motivational speaker. The episode includes stories and interviews – some being told for the first time on television – with Gwynn, Gossage, Williams, Dravecky, current Padres broadcasters Jerry Coleman and Ted Leitner, and former 1984 Padres second baseman Tim Flannery, third baseman Kurt Bevacqua, first baseman Steve Garvey, shortstop Garry Templeton, catcher Bruce Bochy and pitcher Craig Lefferts. Triumph and Tragedy: The 1984 San Diego Padres will air on October 30 at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Highlights of the episode include:

“When I think about the things that happened during that time and after that time, there was triumph that was born of tragedy, and I think all of us on that club would agree.” – Dave Dravecky

“Great moments and sad moments. It’s never perfect and never works the way you want it. I guess the ‘84 Padres are a microcosm of what life is really all about.” – Jerry Coleman

And we go to Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia as it unveils its plans for pre and postgame coverage for the World Series. America is rooting for the Phillies!

COMCAST SPORTSNET delivers comprehensive PHILLIES coverage throughout WORLD SERIES Strong Postseason Follows Phillies’ Highest Rated Season in Comcast SportsNet History

PHILADELPHIA – (October 27, 2009) – Comcast SportsNet, the region’s leading source for local sports coverage, continues to provide fans with total Phillies World Series coverage with pre and postgame programs for all games, plus never-before-seen footage, nightly specials and additional World Series related programming.

During the 2009 World Series, Comcast SportsNet will provide extended coverage of the defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, with Phillies Pregame Live and Phillies Postgame Live with former Phillies Ricky Bottalico and Darren Daulton, and other special guests. Comcast SportsNet will also produce special World Series editions of Daily News Live and SportsNite, plus Race2Repeat, a 30-minute program airing at 10:30 p.m. on any Phillies off days.

Comcast SportsNet will also air a special behind the scenes look at the Phillies Pre and Postgame Live crew. Insider Access: Phillies PGL Crew will air on Saturday, October 31 at 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday, November 3 at 11 p.m. Insider Access: Phillies PGL Crew provides viewers the opportunity to see what goes on behind the lens including listening in on pre show meetings, a bird’s eye view of the crew watching the games, witnessing what happens in the newsroom during a game and countless other insider moments. Insider Access: Phillies PGL Crew will also be available On Demand.

Throughout the Phillies World Series run, CSNPhilly.com covers the team both at home and on the road with exclusive reports from John Finger, plus live press conferences. Finger will have World Series game previews, post-game recaps, and share his thoughts on his blog Finger Food. Fans will also be able to print out Phillies cheer cards on CSNPhilly.com.

During the 2009 season, Comcast SportsNet delivered a record-setting 7.14 average rating (212,000 HH) for live game action, a 25% increase over last season’s 5.7 rating, and the highest rated Phillies’ season in Comcast SportsNet’s 12-year history. During the regular season, fans tuned into Comcast SportsNet’s Phillies Postgame Live in record numbers with a 15% increase over the 2008 season. After the Phillies clinched the NLCS, Comcast SportsNet’s Phillies Postgame Live aired from the field at Citizens Bank Park and delivered a 3.3 rating (98,000 households), and peaked at a 4.8 rating (143,000 households) at 12:15 a.m., beating out all broadcast stations in the Philadelphia market (which were also providing live Phillies coverage).

Comcast SportsNet’s game-day coverage of the Phillies-Yankees World Series Coverage:

Wednesday, October 28 Game 1

5 p.m. Daily News Live

6 p.m. SportsNite

6:30 p.m. Sixers Pregame Live

7 p.m. Sixers vs. Magic

7 p.m. Phillies Pregame Live on The Comcast Network

9:30 p.m. Sixers Postgame Live

10 p.m. SportsNite

11 p.m. Phillies Postgame Live

12 a.m. Phillies Postgame Live Rewind

1 a.m. SportsRise

Thursday, October 29 Game 2

5 p.m. Daily News Live

6 p.m. SportsNite

7 p.m. Phillies Pregame Live

10 p.m. SportsNite

11 p.m. Phillies Postgame Live

12 a.m. Phillies Postgame Live Rewind

1 a.m. SportsRise

Saturday, October 31 Game 3

1 p.m. Flyers vs. Panthers

3:30 p.m. Flyers Postgame Live

6 p.m. SportsNite

6:30 p.m. Insider Access

7 p.m. Sixers Pregame Live

7 p.m. Phillies Pregame Live on The Comcast Network

7:30 p.m… Sixers at Knicks

10 p.m. Sixers Postgame Live

10:30 p.m. SportsNite

11 p.m. Phillies Postgame Live

12 a.m. Phillies Postgame Live Rewind

1 a.m. SportsRise

Sunday, November 1 Game 4

12 p.m. Eagles Pregame Live

2:30 p.m. Halftime Live on CSNPhilly.com

4 p.m. Eagles Postgame Live

6 p.m. SportsNite

7 p.m. Phillies Pregame Live

10 p.m. SportsRise

11 p.m. Phillies Postgame Live

12 a.m. Phillies Postgame Live Rewind

1 a.m. SportsRise

Monday, November 2 Game 5, if necessary

4:30 p.m. Flyers Pregame Live

5 p.m. Flyers vs. Lightning

7 p.m. Phillies Pregame Live on The Comcast Network

7:30 p.m. Flyers Postgame Live

8 p.m. Eagles Extra

10 p.m. SportsNite

11 p.m. Phillies Postgame Live

12 a.m. Eagles Extra

12:30 a.m. The Orange Line

1 a.m. SportsRise

Tuesday, November 3

11 a.m. Phillies Postgame Live Rewind

5 p.m. Daily News Live

6 p.m. SportsNite

10 p.m. SportsNite

11 p.m. Inside Access

1 a.m. SportsRise

Wednesday, November 4 Game 6 if necessary

5 p.m. Daily News Live

6 p.m. SportsNite

7 p.m. Phillies Pregame Live

10 p.m. SportsNite

11 p.m. Phillies Postgame Live

12 a.m. Phillies Postgame Live Rewind

1 a.m. SportsRise

Thursday, November 5 Game 7, if necessary

5 p.m. Daily News Live

6 p.m. SportsNite

7 p.m. Phillies Pregame Live

10 p.m. SportsNite

11 p.m. Phillies Postgame Live

12 a.m. Phillies Postgame Live Rewind

1 a.m. SportsRise

And we’re done with this post.