TBS Announces MLB Postseason Broadcast Team for its Coverage of the 2008 MLB Postseason

TBS Announces MLB Postseason Broadcast Team for its Exclusive Coverage of the

League Division Series and American League Championship Series

TBS MLB Hot Corner on MLB.com Returns with Enhanced Streaming Options

TBS steps up to the plate on October 1 to begin televising the 2008 MLB Postseason. The network announced today it’s broadcasting roster for its exclusive coverage of all four MLB League Division Series (LDS) and the American League Championship Series (ALCS). The play-by-play voices for the ALDS and NLDS will be “Sunday MLB on TBS” announcer Chip Caray, legendary broadcaster Dick Stockton, Boston Red Sox play-by-play man Don Orsillo and Milwaukee Brewers announcer Brian Anderson. They will be calling all the action throughout the ALDS and NLDS alongside a team of expert analysts, which includes “Sunday MLB on TBS” analysts Ron Darling and Buck Martinez, Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn and 16-year veteran broadcaster Joe Simpson, both returning to the network this postseason, along with former NL Cy Young Award winner and current Braves pitcher John Smoltz and two-time AL All-Star and veteran analyst Harold Reynolds.

In the studio for the ALDS and NLDS, two-time Emmy-award winning host Ernie Johnson will be joined by Hall of Famers Cal Ripken and Dennis Eckersley as well as one of the top lead-off batters in MLB, current Detroit Tigers centerfielder Curtis Granderson, who will break down the night’s action and offer insight throughout the night. Also contributing to the ALDS and NLDS postseason coverage will be TBS MLB insider and Sports Illustrated baseball senior writer Tom Verducci, along with field reporters Craig Sager, Marc Fein and David Aldridge.

TBS’ exclusive ALCS coverage will be called by Caray (play-by-play), Darling (analyst) and Martinez (analyst), with an on-site studio team featuring Johnson (host), Ripken (analyst), Eckersley (analyst) and Reynolds (analyst). Sager will serve as a reporter for the ALCS, with an additional reporter assigned to cover the National League Championship Series (NLCS) to be announced at a later time.

“We are excited to have a team of announcers with such well-regarded and respected credentials for the MLB Postseason on TBS,” said Jeff Behnke, Turner Sports executive producer. “Their extensive knowledge and experience from all aspects of the game will provide fans with in-depth analysis of the MLB Postseason on TBS.”

Also returning this season is an enhanced version of TBS Hot Corner on MLB.com (.http://www.mlb.com/tbshotcorner). Each game featured during TBS’ exclusive Division Series and ALCS coverage will provide fans with four distinct camera angles to choose from or the option to view them simultaneously in a four-screen Mosaic. This year’s media player will be leveraging Microsoft Silverlight technology, allowing fans more interactivity as they choose between multiple game feeds. The four distinct camera angles include Dugout Cam, PitchTrax Cam, Pitcher Cam and Batter Cam. With this year’s Live Game Streaming application, fans will have the option to switch between live games, submit questions to the booth to be answered on air, interact with other fans around the country in live chat rooms, and vote in live polls. An on-site reporter (TBA) will bring fans live reports and exclusive interviews throughout the game as well.

TBS’ roster of play-by-play announcers has extensive baseball broadcasting experience. Dick Stockton returns to Postseason coverage on the network. He currently serves as a MLB play-by-play announcer for Fox and has called NBA games on TNT for more than 10 years. Brian Anderson became the play-by-play voice of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007. Prior to that Anderson served as the host on The Golf Channel for its Nationwide events. Announcer Don Orsillo also makes his return to TBS Postseason coverage and has been a Boston Red Sox broadcaster for NESN (New England Sports Network) for eight years. Chip Caray continues his role as a TBSannouncer where he has spent six total years as a broadcaster; prior to TBS, Caray spent seven years as a Chicago Cubs announcer forWGN.

The network’s top-notch team of analysts brings over a century’s worth of Major League experience to the network. Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn returns to TBS after covering the 2007 ALDS and NLCS for the network. He also spent two seasons as an MLB analyst for ESPN. Harold Reynolds enjoyed a 12-year MLB career and was a studio analyst for ESPN for ten years prior to joining MLB.com where he now works as an analyst. A winner of the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, Reynolds worked with TBS during this year’s MLB All-Star Selection Show and “Sunday MLB on TBS.” John Smoltz has spent his entire 20-year career with the Atlanta Braves and has made 40 postseason appearances. Smoltz, who was an in-studio guest analyst during the 2007 MLB Postseason on TBS, covered select games on Peachtree TV while rehabbing an injury. “Sunday MLB on TBS” analyst Ron Darling won a World Championship with the New York Mets in 1986 and has served as a game and studio analyst for SportsNet New York coverage of the Mets following a 13-year MLB career. Buck Martinez has an extensive resume including over 30 years as a player and manager in MLB and over 22 years of experience in baseball broadcasting on television and radio. He served as an analyst on select “Sunday MLB on TBS” telecasts. Joe Simpson also returns to the network’s Postseason coverage. He has spent 23 years with the Braves and also spent five years as a Seattle Mariners announcer, on the heels of his 11-year playing career.

In the studio, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken returns to MLB Postseason on TBS. He was nicknamed “Iron Man” for playing in a record 2,632 consecutive games during his 21-year career with the Baltimore Orioles. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004, Dennis Eckersley was the AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1992. He also serves as a studio analyst for select Boston Red Sox games for NESN and worked with TBS during the 2008 MLB All-Star Selection Show. Current Detroit Tigers centerfielder Curtis Granderson also returns to the network’s studio following an appearance as a guest analyst during the 2007 Postseason. He is an active member of baseball’s exclusive 20–20–20 club.