Notes from TBS Exclusive Coverage of the American League Championship Series – Game 2

Saturday, October 11, 2014

TBS’ exclusive presentation of the ALCS will continue Monday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m. ET with the MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200, followed by the Baltimore Orioles @ Kansas City Royals (Game 3) at 8 p.m. The night will conclude with The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1.

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MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200
Casey Stern (host), Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield (analysts)

Martinez on the exciting comeback by the Royals in Game 1: “I could not fall asleep last night thinking about everything that happened in that crazy game.” Martinez on the versatility of the Royals: “This is a team that is very dangerous. Kansas City can play any kind of game they choose. They can play small ball, play defense, play with speed…anything. They can adjust to any kind of game…pick your poison.” Sheffield on the Royals’ speed on the bases: “No matter what they do, they let you know that they’re going to steal bases. They don’t care who’s the pitcher or how quick you are to home. If they’re hitting, their main objective is getting to second base and then get the timely hit. If they can’t get to second base [with a double], they’ll steal second base. They’ve been doing it all series long; they’ll tell you about it and they’ll continue to do it.” Sheffield on the defensive strength of the Royals: “This might be one of the best defensive teams I’ve ever seen.” Martinez on Royals catcher Salvador Perez: “This kid has a bright future. He’s a smart kid and can guide the whole staff by himself. He deserves credit for Kansas City’s success.”

Martinez on the postseason struggles of Orioles outfielder Adam Jones: “I can understand what he’s going through. He wants to do a lot more. He’s such a competitor, but he has to settle down and watch [Orioles] Nick Markakis taking pitches and being selective. Jones can feed off of Markakis at bat. Jones is a guy that is capable of doing everything. That’s the reason he’s hitting third. He needs to be selective with his pitches and feed off of what Markakis is doing.” Sheffield on Orioles lead-off hitter Nick Markakis: “He’s going to turn out to be one of the best lead-off hitters in the game. They did a smart thing by taking him out of that third spot where he felt like he had to hit home runs and drive in runs. In the lead-off spot he can settle in and set the table. He likes to set up pitchers, drive the ball when he is ahead in the count and be the difference maker.” Martinez on Markakis: “He’s the complete package. He can play defense, throw, run and hit with power. He’s very underrated and is the one that will bring all of the energy to the Baltimore Orioles today.”

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Kansas City Royals (6) @ Baltimore Orioles (4) – The Royals lead the series 2-0
Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and Cal Ripken (analysts) with Matt Winer (reporter)

Ripken on Royals outfielder Alex Gordon’s Game 1 performance: “It was the Alex Gordon show. He’s their all-around best player. He showed us many facets of his game, including toughness. I know there are a lot of heroes every night…but he is a hero most nights.” Darling on Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura : “This kid has unbelievable confidence in himself and, of course, his stuff. You know a pitcher has a good fastball when you’re an accomplished hitter, you know the fastball is coming and you’re still late.” Ripken on the Royals’ confidence: “If you’re another team watching this series, you are realizing the scary thing about the Royals is they have gotten more and more confident, and they are very talented.” Ripken on the leadership of Royals catcher Salvador Perez: “Perez’s leadership, ability to calm pitchers during excitable times in the playoffs and ability to fix mechanics has been a big intangible for the Royals this postseason.” Darling on the Royals’ early-inning offense: “I don’t know whether it’s the confidence, the youth, good coffee or white egg omelets, but they have outscored the opposition in the postseason 16-6 in the first three innings. They’ve been getting off to quick starts.” Darling on Royals outfielder Alex Gordon: “The player that [Royals manager] Ned Yost wanted on this team was an athletic player who could play defense, doesn’t strike out a lot and is a leader…Gordon represents all of that.” Darling on the Royals postseason strategy: “In a postseason where one of the themes as been ‘We don’t want to get away from what we’ve done all year,’ you look at this Kansas City team. [Royals reliever] Kelvin Herrera pitched two innings yesterday; he never pitched the next day in the regular season…he’s pitching today.”

Ripken on Orioles All-Star Adam Jones’ recent struggles in the postseason: “You are that guy. You are the All Star. Your team is relying on you and you want to be that guy, but you can’t fight yourself. You have to play the way you did during the course of the season.” Darling on the resiliency of the Orioles: “Baltimore is a team that has a lot of resiliency and fight in them. That bodes well for the Orioles and for this series.” Darling on Orioles starting pitcher Bud Norris: “He is an excitable pitcher, pitches on adrenaline and kind of has that football mentality. He has come out of the blocks firing!” Darling on the diving catch made by Orioles outfielder Adam Jones in the 3rd: “Adam Jones really is one of the few guys on the Baltimore lineup that can match the athleticism of the Kansas City Royals.” Ripken on the Orioles bullpen: “The Orioles have a really in-depth bullpen. They are fighting and going back and forth with the Royals. Really, really exciting baseball.”

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The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1

Stern, Martinez, Sheffield

Sheffield on the Royals: “They make it happen. No matter what they do, they push all the right buttons and make all the right plays. They are the new, young kids in town now. They are here to stay.” Martinez on the exciting baseball being played by the Royals: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen more exciting baseball, and I’ve never been in a series when you’ve seen more excitement than you’ve seen today. Kansas City is outstanding. They are a fun team.”   Sheffield on the winning combination for the Royals: “This is going to be the team that everyone is talking about for years to come, because it starts with their pitching and ends with their defense. You can’t beat these guys.”

 

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Notes from TBS Exclusive Coverage of the American League Championship Series – Game 1

Friday, October 10, 2014

TBS’ exclusive presentation of the ALCS will continue today, Saturday, Oct. 11, at 3:30 p.m. ET with the MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200, followed by the Kansas City Royals @ Baltimore Orioles (Game 2) at 4 p.m. The night will conclude with The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1.

 

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MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200
Casey Stern (host), Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield (analysts)

Martinez on Kansas City’s outlook: “Last year, after the first half, I saw a team that was capable of doing it [winning], had a lot of energy, a lot of young players, hungry to win. I think Kansas City has all the tools and the momentum, the energy, and not only that, the talent to actually do it. They’re very pesky around the bases. They can cause a lot of trouble to any pitcher and they’re resilient.” Sheffield on first baseman Eric Hosmer: “He’s in the middle of everything. He’s been that leader that they all expected him to be. He’s hitting home runs, driving in big runs…and he’s playing a heck of a defense at first base.”

Sheffield on Buck Showalter: “You got the best manager in baseball, that’s what you call momentum.” Sheffield on the Orioles carrying three left handers in the bullpen: “That’s a Jim Leyland move, that [Showalter] brought a third lefty in the bullpen to neutralize these big bats. When it gets late in the game, what’s going to happen is, he’s going to be able to waste one of these pitchers and have two waiting on you later to get them out of trouble. This is a big move.” Martinez on the Orioles re-signing shortstop J.J. Hardy and the message that sends to the team: “That’s typical GM Dan Duquette. That’s the kind of GM he is, very professional. He knows how to go about his business…for Nelson Cruz, this is a good sign to see the fact that Dan Duquette is willing to pull the trigger.”

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Kansas City Royals (8) @ Baltimore Orioles (6) in 10 innings – The Royals lead the series 1-0
Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and Cal Ripken (analysts) with Matt Winer (reporter)

 

Ripken on Kansas City’s mistakes: “It’s all about the execution, and Kansas City has executed all the way around [the postseason] except tonight. Salvador Perez had him picked off… Moustakas throws the ball away over at first base, so they are prone to the error but their execution hasn’t been perfect like it’s been so far.” Ripken on shortstop Alcides Escobar and the complexities of playing every day: “Mentally it’s a real challenge going out there every day. And [Alcides] Escobar proved he can do that. Physically, you’re going to have bumps and bruises, and obviously he can play through those; it’s mentally how you keep a good frame of mind every day.” Darling on the Royals being a team of destiny: “It’s just amazing how resilient this team is, to not score in the top of the ninth after having the bases loaded on three walks, you just feel like destiny is falling out of your dugout.”

Darling on Showalter’s bullpen approach changing for the playoffs: “Buck Showalter said, ‘Hey, listen, everyone’s available, and we’ll try to eek out a win today. We’ll figure out tomorrow tomorrow; great way to think in the postseason.’” Darling on outfielder Nick Markakis wanting to capitalize on his opportunity this series: “With his three hits, [Nick] Markakis is seeing the ball well tonight. He missed that postseason in 2012 with that broken hand. [He] wanted a shot, and made the most of it tonight.”

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The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1

Stern, Martinez, Sheffield

Sheffield on Kansas City’s resiliency: “This team bends, but they don’t break. That’s what I’m seeing. We had these kids as underdogs, that they’re glad to be here, ok, [we assumed that] they’ll be out of the series soon. But now, we’re saying, ‘Who can beat these guys?’ I don’t see anyone beating these guys.” Martinez on the outfield’s impressive defensive range: “In the outfield, it looks like they have State Troopers. They chase all over the place.” Sheffield on the Royals possessing two different styles of scoring runs: “Once they get to these smaller ballparks, they can reach the fences, and they can still play small ball. They put up crooked numbers.”

Sheffield on outfielder Adam Jones struggling in the playoffs: “You have to have a short memory. Hitting third is the toughest place to hit in the order because you can get the leadoff guy on, you can get the second guy on, but the pitcher is really still not in trouble if you’re [too] aggressive and swing at bad pitches. You have to shrink the strike zone, make them throw strikes when people are on base. Now you’re going to get your pitch to drive. Even if you just hit a long fly ball, you move the runner over to third base to give your cleanup guy a chance to drive him in.”

Visit the Turner Sports online press room for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

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MLB Postseason on TBS Studio Team On Site Throughout ALCS

TBS’ exclusive coverage of the American League Championship Series between the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles will begin Friday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. ET with Game 1 of the best-of-seven series.  Sports Emmy Award-winning commentator Ernie Johnson will call the series with analysts Ron Darling and Cal Ripken with reporter Matt Winer.

TBS’ studio team of host Casey Stern and analysts Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield will be on site throughout the ALCS.  The MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 will preview the action with a 30-minute show prior to each game. Stern, Martinez and Sheffield will also provide live post-game coverage with The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1.

In addition to the network’s ALCS coverage, Jaime Maggio will report from the National League Championship Series.

Following is the 2014 ALCS on TBS schedule:

Date	Time (ET)	Games/Commentator Teams
Friday, Oct. 10	7:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Casey Stern (host), Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield (analysts)
	8 p.m.	ALCS Game 1: Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and Cal Ripken (analysts) with Matt Winer (reporter)
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
Saturday, Oct. 11	3:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
	4 p.m.	ALCS Game 2: Royals at Orioles Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
Monday, Oct. 13	7:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
	8 p.m.	ALCS Game 3: Orioles at Royals Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
Tuesday, Oct. 14	7:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
	8 p.m.	ALCS Game 4: Orioles at Royals Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
Wednesday, Oct. 15	3:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
	4 p.m.	ALCS Game 5*: Orioles at Royals Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
Friday, Oct. 17	7:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
	8 p.m.	ALCS Game 6*: Royals at Orioles Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
Saturday, Oct. 18	7:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield
	8 p.m.	ALCS Game 7*: Royals at Orioles Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Mobil 1 Stern, Martinez and Sheffield

* denotes if necessary

Visit the Turner Sports online press room for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

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Notes from TBS Exclusive Coverage of the 2014 A.L. Wild Card Presented by Budweiser

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

TBS’ exclusive presentation of the ALDS will begin Thursday, Oct. 2, at 5 p.m. ET with the MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200, followed by the Detroit Tigers @ Baltimore Orioles (Game 1) at 5:30 p.m. ET and the Kansas City Royals @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Game 1) at 9 p.m. The night will conclude with The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil.

Cincinnati Reds All-Star Todd Frazier will be a guest analyst with the TBS studio crew on Thursday, Oct. 2.

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MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200
Casey Stern (host), Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield (analysts)

	Martinez on the Royals’ team speed: “It gets in your mind because speed kills. If they get on base, Kansas City has a clear advantage.”
	Sheffield on how trading Yoenis Cespedes earlier in the season impacted the Athletics lineup: “[The Athletics] were playing so well when Cespedes was there, but now that he’s gone it seems like these guys don’t know what to do. Now it’s time for them to step up and turn it around in the playoffs.”
Sheffield on a hitter’s mentality in the postseason: “Stick to your game plan as a hitter. You know what you do well and you know what [the pitcher] does well. Take what he gives you. If you try to reinvent the wheel, that’s when the game speeds up and the next thing you know you’re home fishing.”

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Oakland Athletics (8) @ Kansas City Royals (9) in 12 innings – Kansas City advances to the ALDS to face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and Cal Ripken (analysts) with Matt Winer (reporter)

 

Darling on the decision to use rookie pitcher Yordano Ventura in relief: “You’re asking a young man to do something that he’s never done and on this stage, it’s very difficult to have success that way. If you’re going to go with [Royals relievers] Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera and Greg Holland…somehow get those outs from those three guys because they have been there. They are used to pitching with men on base. They are used to the big stage. Maybe not the postseason stage, but they are used to the big stage.” Darling on Royals catcher Salvador Perez: “He is emerging as the [Cardinals All-Star catcher] Yadier Molina of the American League. Not only because of how he calls pitches but because of his durability and how he controls pitchers.”Darling on Royals starting pitcher James Shields: “He has so much confidence in himself that he instills confidence in his team. [He has a] great presence and great poise.” Ripken on the Royals sticking to their game plan: “The Royals plan all along was to take [Lester] out of his tempo by creating havoc on the base paths. Even down [late], they are still employing that strategy.” Ripken on Kansas City’s Jarrod Dyson: “A lot of people can pile up stolen bases when they don’t count. Dyson gets them when they count.”

Darling on Oakland starting pitcher Jon Lester: “When he gets into a groove, it’s almost like a pitcher who has the ball on a string. That’s what he makes it look like.” Ripken comparing Lester to former Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte: “As I watch Lester, I can’t help but be reminded of Andy Pettitte. Pettitte established his cutter inside but also had a good fastball he would use mixed in with his breaking ball. I always thought it made him much more effective.” Darling on A’s third baseman Josh Donaldson: “This little man generates just about as much bat speed as anyone in the game.”

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The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil

Stern, Martinez, Sheffield

Martinez on Royals manager Ned Yost removing James Shields from the game in the sixth inning: “How many times during the year did you see Ned Yost make this kind of move? You bring a rookie starting pitcher into a very difficult situation. I don’t agree with it.”Martinez continues on Yost: “Ned Yost made a panic move and almost gave the game again. If they would have lost, he would have been the ugly goat.” Martinez on Yost’s postgame comments regarding his pitching moves in the sixth inning: “Anything [Yost] says that wasn’t ‘I screwed up and almost threw the game away’ is horrible.” Martinez on Royals rookie pitcher Brandon Finnegan: “I can’t describe how high this kid is in my heart. He settled the whole team down and gave them an opportunity to come back. He’s got a great future.”

Visit the Turner Sports online press room for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

 – 30 –

TBS’ Exclusive Presentation of the 2014 MLB American League

Wild Card Game Delivers 5.2 Million Total Viewers

A.L. Wild Card – Oakland at Kansas City – Up 12% Among Total Viewers;

Network Wins the Night Across All of Cable Television

TBS’s exclusive presentation of the 2014 MLB American League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser – the Oakland Athletics vs. Kansas City Royals – averaged 5,234,000 total viewers, an increase of 12 percent over an average of 4,675,000 total viewers for the two MLB Wild Card Games airing on the network last year.  The corresponding 3.3 U.S. HH rating is up 10 percent over the average 3.0 U.S. HH rating in 2013, based on Nielsen Fast Nationals.  Last night’s telecast propelled TBS to win the night across all of cable television.

The telecast – a Royals 9-8 victory in 12 innings – is up 14 percent among total viewers and 10 percent in U.S. HH rating when compared with last year’s N.L. Wild Card Game between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates (4,599,000 total viewers; 3.0 U.S. HH rating) which aired on the same day of the week and similarly marked the start of the MLB Postseason a year ago.

TBS’ coverage of the A’s/Royals game peaked with a 4.1 U.S. HH rating and 6.5 million total viewers from 11:30-11:45 p.m. ET.  Locally, the telecast earned a 30.3 metered market rating in Kansas City – the highest rating on record for an MLB game on TBS in the market – and a 9.9 in the Bay Area.  In terms of market size, Kansas City ranks 31^st among the 56 metered markets with 923,000 television households.

The 2014 MLB Postseason will continue on TBS – home of the American League throughout the postseason – with an A.L. Division Series doubleheader on Thursday, Oct. 4.  The network’s live game coverage will feature the Detroit Tigers visiting the Baltimore Orioles at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hosting Kansas City at 9 p.m. (both Game 1 matchups in their respective best-of-five series).

TBS’ coverage will begin with the pre-game show, presented by The All-New Chrysler 200, at 5 p.m. and will conclude with The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil following the Royals/Angels game.

Source: Nielsen Media Research, based on Live + SD data stream Fast Nationals for the 2014 MLB Wild Card on TBS.  Comparison to 2013 MLB Wild Card average and individual games on TBS (10/1 through 10/2/2014).  Cable Prime comparison based on ad-supported game programming for night of 10/1/2014. 

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2014 MLB Postseason Begins on TBS with A.L. Wild Card Game Presented by Budweiser

Tuesday, Sept. 30, with Coverage Beginning at 7:30 p.m.

TBS’ exclusive presentation of the American League Division Series (ALDS) will begin Thursday, Oct. 2, with a doubleheader – the Detroit Tigers visiting the Baltimore Orioles, at 5:30 or 6 p.m. ET, followed by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hosting the winner of the A.L. Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser (Oakland Athletics vs. Kansas City Royals) at 9 p.m. or 9:30 p.m. (specific scenarios are outlined below).

Ernie Johnson will provide play-by-play for the Angels vs. Athletics/Royals series with analysts Ron Darling and Cal Ripken and reporter Matt Winer. Brian Anderson will call the best-of-five Tigers/Orioles series with analysts Dennis Eckersley and Joe Simpson and reporter Jaime Maggio.  TBS’s A.L. Division Series coverage is presented by T-Mobile.

TBS’ pregame coverage on Thursday, Oct. 2, will begin at either 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. with the MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 show hosted by Casey Stern with analysts Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield.

As previously announced, TBS will exclusively televise the A.L. Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 8 p.m.  Johnson will call the game with analysts Darling and Ripken and reporter Winer.  TBS’ pre-game coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m.

TBS will also exclusively televise the American League Championship Series, scheduled to begin Friday, Oct. 10, with Game 1 of the best-of-seven series.  Live streaming coverage of all MLB Postseason games airing on TBS will be available via www.tbs.com and the Watch TBS app.  Fans will be able to access the games whenever and wherever they desire by logging in with the user name and password provided by their TV service provider.

Following is the opening week MLB Postseason on TBS schedule:

 

Date	Time (ET)	Games/Commentator Teams
Tuesday, Sept. 30	7:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Casey Stern (host), Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield (analysts)
	8 p.m.	A.L. Wild Card Game: Oakland Athletics at Kansas City Royals Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and Cal Ripken (analysts) with Matt Winer (reporter)
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
		IF KANSAS CITY WINS THE A.L. WILD CARD GAME
Thursday, Oct. 2	5 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	5:30 p.m.	ALDS: Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles (Game 1) Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dennis Eckersley and Joe Simpson (analysts) with Jaime Maggio (reporter)
	9 p.m.	ALDS: Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Game 1) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
		IF OAKLAND WINS THE A.L. WILD CARD GAME
Thursday, Oct. 2	5:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	6 p.m.	ALDS: Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles (Game 1) Anderson, Eckersley and Simpson with Maggio
	9:30 p.m.	ALDS: Oakland Athletics at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Game 1) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
		IF PITTSBURGH WINS THE N.L. WILD CARD GAME
Friday, Oct. 3	2:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	3 p.m.	ALDS: Tigers at Orioles (Game 2) Anderson, Eckersley and Simpson with Maggio
	9 / 9:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	9:30 p.m.	ALDS: IF Royals at Angels (Game 2) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	10 p.m.	ALDS: IF Athletics at Angels (Game 2) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
		IF SAN FRANCISCO WINS THE N.L. WILD CARD GAME
Friday, Oct. 3	11:30 a.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	Noon	ALDS: Tigers at Orioles (Game 2) Anderson, Eckersley and Simpson with Maggio
	9 / 9:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	9:30 p.m.	ALDS: IF Royals at Angels (Game 2) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	10 p.m.	ALDS: IF Athletics at Angels (Game 2) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
Sunday, Oct. 5	3 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	3:30 p.m.	ALDS: Orioles at Tigers (Game 3) Anderson, Eckersley and Simpson with Maggio
	7:30 p.m.	ALDS: Angels at A.L. Wild Card Winner (Game 3) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield

 

 

Visit the Turner Sports online press room for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

 

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TBS will begin its eighth consecutive year of MLB Postseason coverage with its exclusive presentation of the 2014 MLB Wild Card presented by Budweiser when the Oakland Athletics visit the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 8 p.m. ET. The network’s coverage will begin with the MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 show at 7:30 p.m.  TBS will also be the exclusive home of the American League Division Series (ALDS) beginning Thursday, Oct. 2, and the American League Championship Series (ALCS).  The network’s coverage of the ALDS will be presented by T-Mobile.

Following are notes from today’s media conference call featuring TBS MLB studio analysts Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield, and Craig Barry, senior vice president of production and executive creative director, Turner Sports.

	Martinez on the Kansas City Royals: “I think Kansas City has as good of a chance as anybody….believe it or not, it’s all about momentum, and Kansas City has that right now. If I was Kansas City, I would try to maintain my focus, keep the momentum going and use the energy that those young guys have. That’s what they bring to the table — a lot of energy, nothing to lose and a lot to gain by being there. This is a team you go out there relaxed against, thinking these kids are not going to be a big deal and then, before you know it, they’ve got you in the hole.” Sheffield on how the Royals organization built a winning team: “When you look at the Kansas City Royals, you have to give props to the organization, the way they’ve built this team. They started with everyday players, moved parts and took their prospects and moved them for veteran players. When they brought over [starting pitcher] James Shields, a move that wasn’t popular [at the time]…when they gave up an everyday player for a pitcher, people thought they needed young players. When you see these guys developing and you have a veteran pitcher on the mound, keeping you in ball games and helping to lead that staff, the guys come behind him and try to go out and do what he does every day. That breathes confidence into young players.” Sheffield on what makes Kansas City so dangerous: “One thing that makes Kansas City so dangerous is they have a bunch of young players that are riding a high right now. They’re confidence level is going to go sky high. They’re not thinking about the pressure of the playoffs; they’re just thinking about being relevant in Major League Baseball. Now they are a relevant team. When they get into postseason play, they are just going to play free.”
	Martinez on the Oakland Athletics: “I think everything they did at the end of the season is erased now. This is a new season. If this is a new season, the way they started the [regular] season tells me they should have a great postseason. They were the best team in the first half. If they are capable of doing what they did in the first part of the season no one can catch them. They have the tools and can outslug anybody. They can go right there with Detroit, or maybe better. It’s just a matter of how they perform from this [Wild Card Game] on. I think they’re going to go with everything they have. Now they’re in and now they’re dangerous.” Sheffield on the A’s mentality entering the postseason: “[Staring pitcher] Sonny Gray has struggled of late but I think he’s set the tone for this team going into the playoffs. He put on a playoff performance [in their clinching game] and their bats woke up when he got that performance. I think they are prime and ready for the playoffs now. That game was their highest pressured game and they came through. Going into this [Wild Card] game, they are going to be a more relaxed team and will go out there and play phenomenal baseball.”
	Sheffield on the strength of Detroit’s lineup: “I think the way Detroit set up their lineup with Torii Hunter, traditionally known as a middle-of-the-order guy, hitting second with the best player in the world Miguel Cabrera hitting behind him, it just sets their lineup up perfectly. These guys are capable of not only getting on base, but hitting it out of the park. It takes the pressure off of the guys in the middle of the order and makes the pitcher work a little harder before he can get to the middle of the lineup. They can do a lot of damage really early with the way they have their lineup set up…it’s going to be a tough time for pitchers.” Martinez on approaching Detroit’s lineup as an opposing pitcher: “Detroit has a nine-headed monster. Everyone they throw out there is capable of doing damage. When you look at [Nick] Castellanos, he could have been the Rookie of the Year had Jose Abreu not been there with the White Sox. Then you have J.D. Martinez and the best hitter in the world with Miguel Cabrera; that lineup is loaded. When you’re the opposing pitcher you probably have a headache because you don’t know which way you’re going to approach that lineup.” Martinez on the Tigers: “I think Detroit right now has the advantage, experience and all the tools to become a champion. If they focus and continue to want it I think Detroit is the team to beat.” Sheffield on how to neutralize the Detroit lineup: “The one thing they’re lacking is speed. When you don’t have speed, you have to hit your way to the World Series. [The Tigers] can’t afford to struggle or think that getting three and four hits an inning is going to be feasible. If the pitchers keep them at bay and stay away from those big innings [they have a chance to beat Detroit]. Detroit is going to make mistakes and play off of atmosphere, because it’s intensified. You want to keep the pressure on them.” Sheffield on how to beat Detroit: “If I was an opposing team, I would try to keep pressure on Detroit’s defense to steal a couple of runs, because you’re not going to match them [offensively]. That way, hopefully your pitcher can keep you in the ball game. You really want to keep the pressure on this team. You can’t just sit back and think you’re going beat Detroit.”
	Martinez on Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw’s postseason struggles in previous seasons: “He has everything you need. We forget about how young he is and he is still growing. He struggled in his first postseason [in 2008] because of dealing with short rest for the first time. I said last year that I was worried about Kershaw because of the way he was used during the postseason [in 2013]. For Kershaw, this is the year where he is going to start realizing what he needs to do. He’s been there, done that and is now a more mature pitcher who will know how to handle this situation better than last year. Last year, he was full of energy and hype – he and [Yasiel] Puig didn’t know how to deal with it effectively. I wouldn’t label him as not having success in the postseason. I don’t think so. I think he’s mature this time.” Martinez on how pitchers must approach games against the opposition’s ace: “You [mentally] eliminate one. If you are [Clayton] Kershaw, you eliminate [Adam] Wainwright. You have to think about the other players. The offense is my duty. I stay focused on the offense and I will try to limit that offense as much as I can. If I start thinking, ‘Oh, it’s Wainwright on the other side.’ I’m not giving myself enough credit. At that time, I want to believe that I can beat anyone who is coming up [against us]. He’s the last person I’m going to think about in the game. I’ll focus on the hitters and how do I keep men off base.”
	Martinez on the mentality of pitcher going into a Wild Card Game: “You have to relax as much as you can and understand that everyone is 100% focused and full of energy. You feed off the energy of the atmosphere and you have to stay poised. Why is [Derek] Jeter so good during the postseason? Because he doesn’t alter his game. He stays focused and maintains that level. That’s what you have to do.”   Martinez on how pitching manages to step up during the postseason: “This time of year is crunch time. Everybody is a little more tired than usual. Also, hitters are facing the cream of the [crop] pitching out there. Every team is loaded with the best. They are sending up the best [pitchers] possible to try and get you to not hit the ball. If you see a lot of offense, it has to be a team that is loaded or a pitcher that went south.”
	Craig Barry on the 6X camera technology TBS will utilize during the postseason: “As technology progresses, we continue to take advantage of it. We’re at a place now where slow motion technology is passing a lot more frame rate at a much higher resolution. So we’re able to leverage that into a better quality picture at slower speeds. The transfer of data has become easier and more efficient. Therefore, it translates to a better looking picture at a slower rate of speed. We will have four on every game for the Wild Card and ALDS and six for the ALCS. This is the first time we’ve gone out and used these cameras in a live scenario. [We’re] looking forward to the idea of access and being able to show the viewer and the fan, get them as close to the field and the players, give them the most unique view of the field and the game [we can provide].”

Visit the Turner Sports online press room for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

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TBS to be Exclusive Home of the American League Throughout 2014 MLB Postseason

Beginning with A.L. Wild Card Game on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 8 p.m. ET

Live Streaming for Every TBS MLB Postseason Game Available Via Watch TBS App

Turner Sports’ Postseason Game Coverage to Include Use of

6X Super Slow Motion Cameras for First Time

Facebook & Turner Sports Collaborate for Exclusive Social Media Content Integration

TBS will be the exclusive home of the American League throughout the 2014 MLB Postseason beginning with the presentation of the 2014 A.L. Wild Card Presented by Budweiser when the Kansas City Royals and Alex Gordon host the Oakland Athletics and Josh Donaldson on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 8 p.m. ET.  Sports Emmy Award winning commentator Ernie Johnson will provide play-by-play for the game with analysts Ron Darling and Cal Ripken and reporter Matt Winer.  Pregame coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m. with the MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 show hosted by Casey Stern with analysts Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield.

The network’s exclusive American League Division Series (ALDS) coverage will begin Thursday, Oct. 2, with the Detroit Tigers and Miguel Cabrera visiting the Baltimore Orioles and Adam Jones (time TBD), along with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Mike Trout hosting the winner of the A.L. Wild Card Game (time TBD).  Brian Anderson will call the best-of-five Tigers/Orioles series with analysts Dennis Eckersley and Joe Simpson and reporter Jaime Maggio.  Johnson will provide play-by-play for the Angels vs. Athletics/Royals series with Darling, Ripken and Winer.  TBS’s A.L. Division Series coverage is presented by T-Mobile.

Additionally, reporters David Aldridge and Rachel Nichols will contribute to the network’s MLB Postseason coverage, covering the National League Division Series.  The full ALDS schedule is listed below.

TBS will also exclusively televise the American League Championship Series, scheduled to begin Friday, Oct. 10, with Game 1 of the best-of-seven series.  Live streaming coverage of all MLB Postseason games airing on TBS will be available via www.tbs.com and the Watch TBS app.  Fans will be able to access the games whenever and wherever they desire by logging in with the user name and password provided by their TV service provider.

The network’s coverage of the 2014 MLB Postseason will include:

• 6X Cameras – with the ability to replay various speeds from a single camera angle and capturing six times the amount of slow motion than the normal replay device, 6X Cameras will provide viewers with gripping super slow motion replays during key moments of the game.  Each TBS MLB Postseason game telecast will utilize four 6X Cameras.
• Super Slo Mo Cameras – in addition to the four 6X Cameras at every game, TBS will deploy two Super Slo Mo cameras during the ALCS.
• Chevrolet Pitch Trax – the on-screen graphic will be used to show pitch location and type, while also illustrating other variables such as a swinging strike vs. being caught looking.  It is also able to display a hitter’s batting history against a specific pitcher.

Facebook Integration

In a first for both entities, Facebook will partner with Turner Sports throughout its MLB Postseason coverage.  The social media company will work closely with the TBS studio production team – including being embedded in the TBS control room in Atlanta during the opening week of the postseason – providing Facebook and Instagram content in real-time to best support on-air social integrations.  Content will include fan maps, polls and fan profiles for each team participating in the postseason.

Following is the TBS MLB Postseason schedule for the opening week:

Date	Time (ET)	Games/Commentator Teams
Tuesday, Sept. 30	7:30 p.m.	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Casey Stern (host), Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield (analysts)
	8 p.m.	A.L. Wild Card Game: Oakland Athletics at Kansas City Royals Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and Cal Ripken (analysts) with Matt Winer (reporter)
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
Thursday, Oct. 2	TBD	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	TBD	ALDS: Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles (Game 1) Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Dennis Eckersley and Joe Simpson (analysts) with Jaime Maggio (reporter)
	TBD	ALDS: A.L. Wild Card Winner at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Game 1) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
Friday, Oct. 3	TBD	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	TBD	ALDS: Tigers at Orioles (Game 2) Anderson, Eckersley and Simpson with Maggio
	TBD	ALDS: A.L. Wild Card Winner at Angels (Game 2) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
Sunday, Oct. 5	TBD	MLB Postseason Pre-Game on TBS presented by The All-New Chrysler 200 Stern, Martinez, Sheffield
	TBD	ALDS: Angels at A.L. Wild Card Winner (Game 3) Johnson, Darling and Ripken with Winer
	TBD	ALDS: Orioles at Tigers (Game 3) Anderson, Eckersley and Simpson with Maggio
	Postgame	The Postseason Show presented by Exxon and Mobil Stern, Martinez, Sheffield

 

Postseason.TV Returns for 2014 MLB Postseason

In addition to its exclusive live game telecasts, Turner Sports will team with MLB Advanced Media to bring fans up to 10 live alternative camera angles via Postseason.TV.  A digital companion product, Postseason.TV is available for every game televised by TBS allowing fans to customize their viewing experience.  Postseason.TV is accessible via broadband and mobile through MLB.com’s At Bat 14 app for smartphones and tablets.  Subscribers can watch one camera angle or view up to four different cameras simultaneously through a mosaic display.

Visit the Turner Sports online press room for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

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TBS’ Yankees/Red Sox Telecast to be Seen Nationally

MLB on TBS Pregame Studio Show Previews the Action at 1 p.m.

Sunday MLB on TBS will feature the final game of New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter’s storied career when the Yankees visit the Boston Red Sox on September 28 at 1:30 p.m. ET. The nationally televised game will be called by Ernie Johnson alongside analysts Ron Darling and Cal Ripken with Matt Winer reporting. Prior to the game at 1:30 p.m., the MLB on TBS Pregame studio show will preview the day’s action and discuss MLB Postseason storylines with host Casey Stern and analysts Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield, who will also make their picks for league MVP and Cy Young Awards.

TBS will begin its eighth consecutive year of MLB Postseason coverage with its exclusive presentation of the 2014 MLB Wild Card presented by Budweiser featuring the American League matchup on Tuesday, Sept. 30. TBS will also be the exclusive television home of the American League Division Series (ALDS) beginning Thursday, Oct. 2, and the American League Championship Series (ALCS). The network’s coverage of the ALDS will be presented by T-Mobile.

This season marks the first of Turner Sports’ new eight-year multimedia rights agreement with Major League Baseball that will extend the partnership to more than 40 years.

This week’s Sunday MLB on TBS schedule:

Sunday, Sept. 28

1 p.m. ET

MLB on TBS Pregame

Casey Stern (host), Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield (analysts)

1:30 p.m.

New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox

Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and Cal Ripken (analysts) with Matt Winer (reporter)

Visit the Turner Sports online press room for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

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TBS Telecast to be Available in the Cleveland Broadcast Territory

Sunday MLB on TBS will continue September 14 with an American League Central showdown when the Detroit Tigers and Miguel Cabrera host the Cleveland Indians and Michael Brantley at 1 p.m. ET. Max Scherzer (16-5) is scheduled to take the mound for Detroit against Cleveland probable starter Trevor Bauer (5-8). The Sunday MLB on TBS telecast will be available in the Indians broadcast territory with Brian Anderson providing play-by-play alongside analyst Cal Ripken.

The upcoming Sunday MLB on TBS schedule will include the Tigers visiting the Kansas City Royals on September 21 at 2 p.m. Prior to the game at 1:30 p.m., the MLB on TBS Pregame studio show will preview the day’s action. Casey Stern will host alongside analysts Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield.

TBS will begin its eighth consecutive year of MLB Postseason coverage with its exclusive presentation of the 2014 MLB Wild Card presented by Budweiser featuring the American League matchup on Tuesday, Sept. 30.  TBS will also be the exclusive television home of the American League Division Series (ALDS), beginning Thursday, Oct. 2, and the American League Championship Series (ALCS).  The network’s coverage of the ALDS will be presented by T-Mobile.

This season marks the first of Turner Sports’ new eight-year multimedia rights agreement with Major League Baseball that will extend the partnership to more than 40 years. As part of the new agreement, TBS has enhanced rights for its Sunday MLB on TBS game of the week with increased co-exist rights in the local markets.

“Sunday MLB on TBS” Schedule:

 

Sunday, Sept. 14
1 p.m. ET	Cleveland Indians @ Detroit Tigers
	Brian Anderson (play-by-play) and Cal Ripken (analyst)

 

Upcoming Schedule:

Sunday, Sept. 21
1:30 p.m.	MLB on TBS Pregame
	Casey Stern (host), Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield (analysts)
2 p.m.	Detroit Tigers @ Kansas City Royals
	Ernie Johnson (play-by-play), Ron Darling and Cal Ripken (analysts)

Visit the Turner Sports online press room for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

 

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TBS to be the Exclusive Home of American League Postseason Coverage

Including the Wild Card, Both A.L. Division Series & ALCS

 TBS will begin its eighth consecutive year of Major League Baseball (MLB) Postseason coverage with its exclusive presentation of the 2014 MLB Wild Card presented by Budweiser featuring the American League matchup on Tuesday, Sept. 30.  TBS will also be the exclusive television home of the American League Division Series (ALDS), beginning Thursday, Oct. 2, and the American League Championship Series (ALCS).  The network’s coverage of the ALDS will be presented by T-Mobile.

The MLB Postseason on TBS will once again feature the trio of Ernie Johnson (play-by-play) and analysts Ron Darling and Cal Ripken calling one of the ALDS series and the ALCS.  They will also provide commentary for the American League Wild Card Game.

TBS’ studio coverage will include analysis by eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez and nine-time All-Star Gary Sheffield, anchored by studio host Casey Stern.

The network’s complete roster of commentators for the 2014 MLB Postseason:

• Johnson, a Sports Emmy Award winner, will provide play-by-play with analysts Darling, a World Series Champion and former All-Star pitcher, and Hall of Famer Ripken for the American League Wild Card, one ALDS series and the ALCS. Matt Winer will join them as a reporter throughout the postseason.
• Analysts Martinez and Sheffield, both World Series Champions, will pair with host Stern for the MLB on TBS studio coverage.  Stern is a veteran personality at SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio where he hosts Inside Pitch and has covered the MLB Postseason for several years. He previously hosted various shows and has covered the postseason for MLB.com.
• Coverage of the additional ALDS will feature play-by-play from Brian Anderson with Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley and veteran analyst Joe Simpson.  Jaime Maggio will join them as a reporter during the ALDS, and she will also report from the National League Championship Series.
• Reporters David Aldridge and Rachel Nichols will contribute to the network’s MLB Postseason coverage, reporting from the National League Division Series.

“Our MLB roster is a collective of leading voices with untouchable credentials and a deep knowledge of the game that resonates with our fans,” said Craig Barry, SVP of production and executive creative director, Turner Sports.  “We’re fortunate to have such a talented team in place for this year’s highly anticipated MLB Postseason.”

Additionally, in support of the industry-wide TV Everywhere initiative – which gives TV customers access to live programming wherever and whenever they want to watch it as part of their television subscription – all MLB Postseason games will be available to watch live across digital devices. Viewers can log in with the user name and password provided by their TV service provider for access to live MLB Postseason games via www.tbs.com or the Watch TBS app.

MLB on TBS

This season is the first of Turner Sports’ new eight-year multimedia rights agreement with Major League Baseball that will extend the partnership to more than 40 years. TBS has broadcast the MLB Division Series and League Championship Series since 2007, and was the home of Atlanta Braves coverage from 1977 to 2007. In 2012, Turner and MLB extended their agreement through 2021.  The partnership represents one of the longest-running relationships between a media company and league in the history of televised sports.

About Turner Sports
Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is an industry leader in the delivery of premium sports content across all multimedia screens. Turner Sports’ television coverage includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and professional golf.  The company also manages some of the most popular sports destinations across broadband and mobile platforms including Bleacher Report and its top-rated Team Stream app, NCAA.com and the critically-acclaimed NCAA March Madness Live suite of products, PGA.com and the Sports Emmy Award-winning PGA Championship LIVE, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile sites and connected device apps.  Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, a robust collection of offerings including NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA Mobile, the NBA Game Time App, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

Visit the Turner Sports online press room for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR

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