Filed under: MLB Biz, MLB Playoffs, Sports Business and Media
No matter how the NL West and NL wild-card races shake out, this year's eight-team postseason field will look radically different than the last few with teams like the Reds and Rangers involved.What won't have such an odd feel is the network broadcasting much of the playoffs. TBS is entering its fourth season -- has it really been that many? -- as one of the main carriers of the Major League Baseball postseason. (Its exclusive coverage of the Division Series begins on Oct. 6, followed by the American League Championship Series, which kicks off on Oct. 15.)
The new kids on the block aren't so new anymore, and, in an interview with FanHouse, several members of their broadcast team talked about becoming a fixture for baseball fans in October.
"Last year, when I had Eck (Dennis Eckersley) and Ernie (Johnson) and Boomer (David Wells), there was such a comfort level," Cal Ripken, a studio analyst, said. "I thought that our chemistry, and our opinions, were diverse enough and worked really good.
"To me, it's like getting used to your surroundings when you first come to the big leagues. ... I love watching the games -- every single pitch -- and analyzing them, and this is a wonderful group of guys to be working with."
As Ripken alluded to, there is a change coming to TBS' coverage this year. Johnson, the in-studio host during the previous three postseasons, will enter the booth as part of the network's lead broadcast team, replacing former play-by-play man Chip Caray. He'll work alongside analysts Ron Darling and John Smoltz.
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