ESPN’s Baseball Tonight to Offer 39 Original Shows in March

More Season-Long Appearances by Peter Gammons on Baseball Tonight

ESPN’s Baseball Tonight, in its 20th season, will provide comprehensive coverage of the 2009 World Baseball Classic and Spring Training with 39 original shows in March. Baseball Tonight, the long-time nightly destination for baseball fans, will generally be televised weekdays at 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN HD or ESPN2 HD) throughout the month, along with World Baseball Classic preview shows and late-night highlight, news and information episodes (see full schedule below).

“As Baseball Tonight enters its 20th season, it remains the nightly destination for baseball fans seeking highlights, news and information,” said Norby Williamson, executive vice president, production. “With 39 original shows in March, our production team will have a tremendous opportunity to discuss all of the storylines associated with the World Baseball Classic, Spring Training and the start of the season.”

Baseball Tonight will lead off its March schedule with a live 90-minute telecast during ESPN The Weekend from Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando Sunday, March 1, at 4 p.m. Baseball Tonight will also feature a 90-minute Fantasy Draft Special Wednesday, March 25, at 2 p.m.

Karl Ravech, entering his 15th season as host of Baseball Tonight, will regularly appear with analysts Peter Gammons, John Kruk and Steve Phillips. Additional analysts will include Orestes Destrade, Tim Kurkjian, Buster Olney, Chris Singleton, Fernando Vina and Eric Young. Steve Berthiaume also serves as Baseball Tonight host.

Peter Gammons

Peter Gammons will return to Baseball Tonight in a full-time role this season. Gammons, who was also a reporter for Sunday Night Baseball last season, will appear exclusively on Baseball Tonight (regularly on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday throughout the season) and other news and information programs.

ESPN’s 20th Season of MLB Coverage

Entering its 20^th season of MLB coverage, ESPN is the home of Sunday Night Baseball – the only exclusive, national game of the week – along with the 2009 World Baseball Classic, the State Farm Home Run Derby, weekly Monday and Wednesday Night Baseball telecasts, and Baseball Tonight. ESPN Radio continues to exclusively broadcast Sunday Night games, along with select games throughout the season, MLB All-Star festivities and every postseason game through the World Series. ESPN Deportes televises all Sunday Night Baseball games and will present all 39 World Baseball Classic games. ESPN networks televised the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.