Baseball On TV This Weekend

We have your viewing fare for MLB this weekend. Lots of stuff to look over and it’s not necessarily live action that I’m listing in this post. Let’s take a look.

First, Fox Sports has regional action of two American League games on Saturday, plus it takes a look back at least week’s 20 inning marathon between the New York Mets and St. Louis. And lo and behold! We have Joe Buck working this weekend, his 2nd game this season, but he’s not working with Tim McCarver. Check out the press release.

FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES

World Champion Yankees Visit the Angels for an ALCS Rematch Sat at 4PM on FOX

Kenny Albert Reflects on Last Saturday’s Mets/Cardinals 20-Inning Marathon

ALCS COMBATANTS FACE OFF IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – Week three of the MLB on FOX schedule takes FOX Sports to Anaheim, CA for a rematch of the 2009 ALCS. Derek Jeter and the World Champion Yankees are off to a hot start and look to continue their strong play as they take on former Yankee Hideki Matsui and the Angels. In Chicago, the resurgent Andruw Jones and the White Sox host the revamped Mariners. This week, the pregame show originates live from Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA with host Chris Rose.  Once game action begins, Rose joins the game crew including Joe Buck, Eric Karros 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.

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels, Joe Buck, Eric Karros & Ken Rosenthal, 86% of USA

Angel Stadium – Anaheim, CA

MARKETS INCLUDE:  Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Houston, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, Tampa, Tulsa, Washington, West Palm Beach

Probable Pitchers: Andy Pettitte, LHP (2-0, 1.35 ERA) vs. Joel Pineiro, RHP (2-1, 1.77 ERA)

Seattle Mariners at Chicago White Sox, Kenny Albert & Tim McCarver, 13% of USA

U.S. Cellular Field – Chicago, IL

MARKETS INCLUDE:  Chicago, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle

Probable Pitchers:  Ian Snell, RHP (0-2, 5.14 ERA) vs. Freddy Garcia, RHP (0-2, 8.10 ERA)

ALBERT LOOKS BACK ON EPIC 20-INNING GAME OF THE WEEK — FOX Sports’ Kenny Albert is no stranger to working overtime. In 1998, he called a 17-inning game in Seattle and a few years ago he called the last tie game in the NFL (Eagles/Bengals) but last weekend’s Mets/Cardinals 20-inning marathon was the longest game, he or analyst Tim McCarver had been behind the mic for. Albert looked back on what he’ll remember about last weekend’s game. “Even though the game went nearly seven hours, it didn’t feel that long. Part of the reason is it ended at 10:00 PM central, a normal time for a night game. If it had started at 7:00 PM and ended at 2:00 AM, it would have felt different. As far as the preparation and the notes in the later innings, once it got past the 12^th and 13^th inning that’s when it really started to get fun. We had our production crew and statisticians pulling together graphics and facts and Tim talked about the 19^th inning Mets/Braves game he worked back in July of 85 in Atlanta and how Ted Turner still went ahead with the fireworks when the game ended at 4:00 AM. All I know is that for Tim’s first two weeks this season, he’s had a CC Sabathia no hitter until the 8^th inning and then a 20-inning marathon. What will happen this week?”

I’ll give you more stuff after the break.
Also on Saturday, MLB Network premieres a new Studio 42 with Bob Costas and the guest will be prolific home run hitter and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron.

HALL OF FAMER HANK AARON Talks with BOB COSTAS ON MLB NETWORK

New episode of Studio 42 with Bob Costas airs Saturday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT

April 22, 2010 – Hall of Famer and 21-time All-Star Hank Aaron discusses his legendary 23-year career and his 33-year home run record in a new episode of MLB Network’s Studio 42 with Bob Costas on Saturday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. Taped on April 8, 2010, the 36^th anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record, the one-hour interview includes Aaron’s thoughts on breaking the record, African-Americans in baseball, his childhood in Mobile, Ala., his playing career in Milwaukee and Atlanta, former San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds and fellow Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Don Drysdale  and Stan Musial.

A preview of the interview can be viewed here.

Following Studio 42 with Bob Costas, MLB Network will air the St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants at 9:00 p.m. ET as part of Saturday Night Baseball. The game will be a carriage of a local telecast, including local announcers, and will be blacked out in each team’s home television territory. 

Highlights from the interview with Aaron include:

ON BREAKING RUTH’S RECORD:

It’s no different but it’s a proud moment, not only for me, but it’s a proud moment because you know I think about having the opportunity to do something that nobody said would ever be done. That’s number one. 

There will always be … one Babe Ruth. That’s fine. The only thing I was trying to do was tell people that records are made to be broken, no matter who they are or who set the record. No matter what you do, my record that I hit 755 home runs, Barry Bonds came along and broke it. So you have all of this to look at and say, “Hey, that’s the improvement in America. That’s what happens in America.” What we did today is not going to be standing tomorrow because there are going to be other players coming along that’s going to break records.

ON THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO HIM CHASING THE HOME RUN RECORD:

I got thousands of pieces of mail from white fans [of mine] across the country. And I remember every one of them. And I got millions and millions of pieces of mail from people that were resentful simply because of the fact of who I was and they just were not ready for a black man to break that record.

ON PLAYING IN MILWAUKEE:

I played in Milwaukee for 12 years. In no other city. I played in Milwaukee for 12 years. And if someone had said, “Would you have rather played in Milwaukee or New York?” I would have said Milwaukee. I say Milwaukee now, I say Milwaukee tomorrow, I say Milwaukee two weeks from now. I loved Milwaukee. Milwaukee is my favorite city.

ON WILLIE MAYS & MICKEY MANTLE:

Willie was probably one of the greatest ball players, all-around ball players that I’ve ever seen. … There are not too many players that could do the things that he could do on the field. And I’m the first one to acknowledge that. I’m also the first one to know that I was, personally, I think, I was a better hitter than he was. Now he may think different or somebody else may think different. That’s good.

I realized that I played in Milwaukee. I realized that I played in Atlanta. I realized that the press was not as big in Atlanta and Milwaukee as it is in New York. I’d been knowing that for a long time. But I had no problem of trying to understand that the only thing and the only person that I could control was myself. I couldn’t control what Willie did in New York. I couldn’t control what Mantle or anybody else did. So as far as jealousy, no, there was never any
strife, anything in my heart for jealousy for any ball player.

TBS’ Sunday Afternoon game pits the Chicago Cubs taking on National League Central rival Milwaukee.

“Sunday MLB on TBS” Continues With the Milwaukee Brewers Hosting the Chicago Cubs

“Sunday MLB on TBS” continues on April 25 with a match-up of NL Central division rivals when Derrek Lee and the Chicago Cubs travel north to take on Ryan Braun and the Milwaukee Brewers at 2 p.m. (ET). Dave Bush is scheduled to start for the Brewers against the Cubs’ probable starter Randy Wells. Calling the action will be Brian Anderson (play-by-play) and Ron Darling (analyst).

“Sunday MLB on TBS” includes match-ups on TBS every Sunday afternoon throughout the regular season. The network will also exclusively televise the MLB All-Star Selection Show on Sunday, July 4. Additionally, beginning in October TBS will once again provide exclusive coverage of the Division Series and the American League Championship Series (ALCS). 

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. 

SUNDAY MLB ON TBS SCHEDULE:

Sun., April 25

2 p.m.                      Chicago Cubs @ Milwaukee Brewers

Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play) and Ron Darling (analyst)

SUNDAY MLB ON TBS UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Sun., May 2

1 p.m.                      Chicago White Sox @ New York Yankees

Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Ron Darling (analyst) and John Smoltz (analyst)

Sun., May 9

1:30 p.m.                 Atlanta Braves @ Philadelphia Phillies

Announcers: Brian Anderson (play-by-play) and Ron Darling (analyst)