In the past week, you could have heard Gary Thorne calling Orioles games on MASN, Sunday night baseball on ESPN Radio and the NCAA hockey Frozen Four on ESPN. Not only that, but Thorne is also the play-by-play voice of the MLB 2K9 video game. 

The latter was pointed out to me by one of our interns, David Snyder of the University of Maryland. I appreciate the tip, but back in my college days, we didn't play fancy baseball video games that distracted us from our studies. No, we just pumped quarters into the Space Invaders machine in the arcade at the student center.

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Oh, that wacky radio pair of Scott and Anita. I heard this exchange between Garceau and Marks while in my car yesterday, so I don't have the exact quotes, but it pretty much went like this:

Marks (expressing her enthusiasm for a trade that would bring receiver Anquan Boldin to the Ravens): If they make the deal, I'll do handsprings naked in front of my house.

Garceau (after a short pause to let that sink in): And you've already done that ... for no particular reason.

Posted by Andy Knobel at 6:15 AM in Orioles | Permalink | Comments (40)
                       

Three strikes and you're out, except, apparently, for the Time Warner Cable system in North Carolina. Three rulings have gone against Time Warner, which wants to carry MASN only on a digital sports tier, making Orioles and Nationals fans in Carolina pay extra to watch their teams. rather than as part of basic service. TW is appealing yet again and, in the meantime, not relenting on its policy about MASN and not carrying the channel at all.

(Thanks to dcrtv.com for the heads-up.) 

I've corrected this item to reflect that MASN is not currently being carried at all by Time Warner in North Carolina. 

 

 

Posted by Ray Frager at 11:56 PM in Orioles | Permalink | Comments (9)
                       

Some factors were in play to explain the difference, but the numbers say this: The Orioles drew more than the twice the audience for this year's opener than for 2008's. The combined households viewing Monday's game on Channel 13 and MASN were 135,000. Last year, the two channels combined for 63,000. That's an impressive increase. Maybe more of you are feeling optimistic?

Now for the other factors:

*Last year's opener was against the Rays -- long before anyone knew they would win the American League pennant -- as opposed to the huge draw of the Yankees.

*In 2008, the game started an hour earlier. Monday's game went long and finished in prime time, when more people are watching TV.

And that's not even counting those who tuned in just to boo Mark Teixeira.

(Ratings information courtesy of WBAL's Ratings Diva, Kouri Mitchell.)

Posted by Ray Frager at 7:30 AM in Orioles | Permalink | Comments (4)
                       

Dave Labrozzi, vice president of programming for CBS Radio Baltimore, confirms that the decision to cut off the Orioles game broadcast Sunday came from station management.

"The impression by the station was that the game would not be resuming, so the decision was made," he said.

Posted by Ray Frager at 11:14 AM in Orioles | Permalink | Comments (21)
                       

Orioles radio voice Joe Angel e-mailed the following message about Sunday's broadcast, which was ended during a rain delay and didn't return when the game resumed:

To ALL Orioles  Fans.....Fred And I had nothing to do with the decision to
discontinue the broadcast on Sunday March 29th. It was completely out of
our hands.  We normally fill during a rain delay for about 15
minutes....and then return the broadcast to the network which enables
affiliates to continue with local programming.  We then WAIT OUT THE RAIN
DELAY...until the game resumes. On Sunday,....we filled for about 40
minutes and then we were told to discontinue the broadcast and simply sign
off.  The engineer left, the equipment went  with him.  Fred And I did NOT
make that decision......we are not in a position to make that decision.
     Fred Manfra and I would much rather have preferred to stay and finish
the broadcast after the rain delay. That's why we were there...to keep you
informed and entertained. We consider ourselves to be professionals and
would never abandon a broadcast as some would seem to perceive.
   The decision to end the broadcast was made by the decision making level
at our flagship station. It didn't come from us.....and certainly not from
the Orioles.  Thanks for listening........There's a lot to look forward to
with Orioles baseball. Fred and I are grateful and privileged to be your
Orioles baseball companions.  See you on the radio!

Posted by Ray Frager at 10:23 AM in Orioles | Permalink | Comments (56)
                       

The Orioles-Mets game Sunday resumed after a long rain delay, but the radio broadcast didn't. Announcers Joe Angel and Fred Manfra left Fort Lauderdale Stadium after 40 minutes of rain-delay radio, but they said they didn't just take it upon themselves to skip out. Angel told my colleague Peter Schmuck that the "powers that be" at flagship 105.7 The Fan told them the game was going to be rained out and they should leave. Manfra told Schmuck: "Joe and I didn't make that decision. That's above our pay grade." A call to radio management wasn't returned Sunday night.

Posted by Ray Frager at 10:56 PM in Orioles | Permalink | Comments (14)
                       

MASN is adding a weekly video interview segment with Orioles manager Dave Trembley to its Web site, MASNsports.com. Trembley will answer questions from MASN blogger (and former Baltimore Sun reporter) Roch Kubatko and also take questions submitted by fans.

The segment, which doesn't have a set day or time yet, will begin later this month, MASN said.

In theory, Trembley could get asked by reporters after a game why he used Chris Ray instead of George Sherrill in the ninth. Then, the next day, he could get asked on the radio why he used Chris Ray instead of George Sherrill in the ninth. He also get could asked on the TV pre-game show why he used Chris Ray instead of George Sherrill in the ninth. A couple of days later, he could get asked on the Web why he used Chris Ray instead of George Sherrill in the ninth.

So, you want to be a major league manager? 

Posted by Ray Frager at 2:13 PM in Orioles | Permalink | Comments (2)
                       

MASN is more than doubling its HD telecasts of Orioles games this season, with 105 in high def, according to the schedule announced today.

The channel carried 40 in HD last year.

And if you want to see Adam Dunn strike out in HD, 105 Nationals games will be in MASN high def, too.

For the over-the-air folks, 20 Orioles games will be simulcast on WJZ.

And here is the spring training telecast schedule:

  Friday, March 6, 1 p.m. - Nationals @ Orioles
 
    Tuesday, March 10, 1 p.m. -  Orioles @ Red Sox
 
    Wednesday, April 1, 1 p.m. - Marlins @ Orioles (HD)
 
    Saturday, April 4, 6 p.m. - Orioles @ Nationals (HD)

You can see the entire Orioles schedule here.

Posted by Ray Frager at 11:18 AM in Orioles | Permalink | Comments (2)
                       

The Orioles' flagship radio station, 105.7 The Fan, has announced its schedule of Orioles exhibition game broadcasts, called once again by Joe Angel and Fred Manfra. The schedule:

Wednesday, February 25                    1:05                New York Mets
Saturday, February 28                        1:05                Florida Marlins
Monday, March 2                                1:05                Boston Red Sox
Friday, March 6                                   1:05                Washington Nationals
Sunday, March 8                                 1:05                Minnesota Twins
Wednesday, March 11                        1:05                Minnesota Twins
Wednesday, March 18                         1:05                St. Louis Cardinals
Friday, March 20                                 1:05                New York Mets
Tuesday, March 24                              1:05                Washington Nationals
Sunday, March 29                               1:05                New York Mets
Tuesday, March 31                              1:05                St. Louis Cardinals
Wednesday, April 1                             1:05                Florida Marlins

 

 

Posted by Ray Frager at 12:10 PM in Orioles | Permalink | Comments (4)