FOX Sports Preview Phillies/Yankees

From FOX Sports -

GOREN, BUCK, McCARVER & GUILLEN PREVIEW YANKEES/PHILLIES WORLD SERIES MATCH UP -- MLB on FOX's Emmy Award-winning broadcast team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver were joined by FOX Sports President Ed Goren and special pre and postgame guest analyst Ozzie Guillen on a conference call to answer questions and offer previews of this year’s World Series matchup.

Ozzie Guillen on expanding replay in baseball: “I was pushing for the home run replays because it was something we needed. I think we have to trust the umpires. We cannot make this game a computer game. We have people out there that have jobs and no matter what the call is, we have to respect that. Sometimes that’s good for baseball. Sometimes that makes people talk about baseball. Fans disagree and the manager goes out and has an argument. That’s been a part of the game for so many years. Some people like it and some people don’t, but I don’t think we change anything right now because we made changes last year. I don’t think it is necessary every year to put in rules because of the umpires. Right now I think it’s too early put in more replay. I think it’s too soon right now.”

Joe Buck on calling his 12th World Series tying him with Vin Scully and Curt Gowdy for most by a play-by-play announcer: “I don’t say this to try and be funny but I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I happened to work for the same people since I started as a 24-year-old. I’m lucky and I don’t consider myself in that category with those two guys. Those two guys are the standard by which all others are measured. I’m certainly not in that category just because I’ve had some longevity. I’ve just been the lucky guy and longevity doesn’t equal greatness and in my mind greatness is the other two guys and certainly continues with Vin Scully to this day. I’m not even in that same sentence. I just feel fortunate to be able to call my 12th.”

As he prepares to call his 20th World Series, Tim McCarver on the differences between calling a World Series game and playing in one: “It’s a lot tougher to announce a World Series than it is to play in one. I think Ozzie will find that out. Playing in it you can do something about it. From a preparation standpoint, you have to plan for far greater things that can happen to 25 different players and a manager. Your reactions are different because you are reacting from the standpoint of professional broadcaster as opposed to reacting from a player’s standpoint.”

Ozzie Guillen on concern over his use of language: “I don’t really curse and say bad things when I’m not with my team. I’m going to talk about my team. I’m going to talk about baseball. Don’t worry, I’m not going to curse. I only curse when Chicago media is around me.”

Ed Goren on national appeal of Phillies/Yankees: “I love the Phillies storylines. I hope it works out where it’s Pedro Martinez coming back to the Bronx and if there’s an athlete in baseball who I really love to see on the big stage and get more exposure it’s Ryan Howard. He seems to be a great kid and a heck of a ball player. I don’t think there will be a negative affect on our ratings with the two East Coast teams. In fact, during Turner’s NLCS coverage, there were actually more viewers in Philadelphia watching that series, even though it’s a smaller market, than were watching in Los Angeles. On top of everything else you have a team looking to win back-to-back World Series....We just came off of a great ALCS. If we get the caliber of games in the World Series that we got for the ALCS, we don’t have to worry about the ratings. We don’t have to worry about anything.”

Ozzie Guillen on Pedro Martinez’s season: “We tried Pedro a little bit at the White Sox to see what he had. Whenever you have the caliber of pitcher of Pedro, you’re always going to be in the game. As long as he throws strikes and throws the ball where he wants to, he’s always going to have a chance. I feel very, very excited about Pedro. I know he went through a lot of difficulties. He went to the workouts to show people he can still pitch. He pitched really well and a lot of people did not believe in him. He went back to the Dominican Republic and continued to do the rehab assignments, continued to work hard and I think that gave him what he wanted. He wanted the opportunity to be what he is right now and one thing it says is when you work hard, it will pay off.”

Joe Buck on criticism from fans that they are bias against one team or another: “We get excited when good plays happen and get critical when bad plays happen. It doesn’t matter which team we’re getting excited about and it doesn’t matter which team we are getting critical of. I think any fan that is living and dying with every pitch is an easily explained phenomenon. They want the voices they hear to think and act like they do. I think it’s only human nature. When they don’t hear that or they don’t hear their local announcers who do the games for them during the course of the summer and they’re hearing it from someone who has a different point of view, I think their radar goes up and it’s like, ‘clearly this guy is against my team.’ I can tell you, I don’t think like that.”

ALCS GAME 6 HIGHLIGHTS

Game 6 of the 2009 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES averaged a 9.3/15 (15.5 million viewers) last night on FOX according to fast national ratings issued by Nielsen Media Research. Last night’s 9.3/15 is +37% better than FOX’s last LCS Game 6, a 6.8/13 for Indians-Red Sox in 2007. It’s also FOX’s most-watched LCS game, excluding Game Sevens, in five years, dating to Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS (25.1 mill. for the “bloody sock” game, BOS-NYY). Although complete prime-time averages won’t be available until tomorrow, it’s clear that FOX will easily win the night in prime-time and last night projects to be FOX’s highest-rated Sunday night since Super Bowl XLII in February of 2008.

Last night’s game peaked in the closing moments at a 10.2/22 (11.8 mill.). The post-11 PM ET portion of the game averaged a 9.5 rating, while the pre-11pm portion averaged a 9.3. This year’s earlier LCS start times allowed FOX to hold more of the audience through the final out. Across the five prime-time ALCS games, FOX’s post-11 PM ET rating was +12% higher than the pre-11pm rating (7.5 vs. 6.7). Last year that difference was just +2%.

New York topped all markets for Game 6 with a 26.4/40. Philadelphia was next with a very impressive 20.6/31. Los Angeles posted a series-high 15.5/27. Last night's schedule pitted the Yankees and the football Giants against each other in New York, and ALCS Game 6 drew a 26.4/40 in New York, while the Cardinals-Giants game on SNF earned a 9.3/14.

2009 ALCS ON FOX HIGHLIGHTS

The complete 2009 ALCS averaged a 6.5/12 (10.3 mill.), a huge +35% improvement over last year’s 4.8/8 for the NLCS on FOX (five games).

Thanks in part to the strength of the ALCS, FOX now ranks No. 1 season-to-date in prime-time among Adults 18-49. This is the first time since 2004 that FOX has topped the season-to-date A18-49 ranking during fourth quarter. The ALCS powered FOX to some of its most-watched nights of prime time in many months. Looking at the five prime-time games, Game 1 gave FOX its best Friday night in ten months, Game 2 the best Saturday night in ten months, Game 4 the best Tuesday night in three months, Game 5 the best Thursday night in seven months, and Game 6 projects as FOX’s best Sunday night in 20 months.

PHILLIES & YANKEES CLASH IN 2009 WORLD SERIES ON FOX

Game One Begins Wednesday Night from Yankee Stadium

Charismatic & Entertaining 2005 World Champion Manager Ozzie Guillen Joins Coverage as Pre & Postgame Analyst

Veteran Analyst Tim McCarver Calls an Unmatched 20th World Series;

Joe Buck Ties Curt Gowdy & Vin Scully for Record 12th World Series Play-by-Play Assignment

New York, N.Y. -- The stage is set. FOX Sports’ exclusive coverage of Major League Baseball’s 105th World Series begins Wednesday, Oct. 28 (7:30 PM ET), with Game 1 between the National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies and the American League Champion New York Yankees live from Yankee Stadium in New York. Play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and analyst Tim McCarver, MLB on FOX’s Emmy Award-winning lead broadcast team, call the action with MLB on FOX Insider Ken Rosenthal serving as in-game reporter for the series.

Coverage each night begins with the MLB on FOX pregame show hosted by Chris Rose live from New York and Philadelphia. Rose is joined by analysts Eric Karros, Mark Grace and special guest analyst for the 2009 Fall Classic, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. In addition to Guillen’s role on FOX Sports, he also provides exclusive analysis and content for FOXSports.com and appears on FOX Sports En Español World Series coverage.

The 2009 World Series marks McCarver’s 20th behind the microphone, adding to his record-setting achievement. His first assignment was the 1985 “Show Me Series” between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals. Buck calls his 12th World Series (all on FOX and with McCarver) and with that ties Vin Scully and Curt Gowdy for most World Series called by a play-by-play announcer. Rosenthal works his fourth World Series assignment for FOX Sports.

To bring viewers the sights and sounds of the Fall Classic, over 20 cameras and 80 microphones will be positioned throughout both Yankee Stadium and Citizens Bank Ballpark. Players, managers and umpires are scheduled to be miked for behind-the-scenes audio as well as in-game interviews with managers and coaches throughout the series.

New for the 2009 postseason, FOX Sports and TrackMan Baseball™ teamed up to introduce FOXTrax+, a set of exciting new graphics and information based on actual measurements of the baseball’s flight. FOXTrax+ utilizes a military-grade 3D Doppler radar that tracks the ball’s movement from the moment it leaves the pitcher’s hand all the way to the catcher’s glove – or in the case of a hit – until it hits the ground or is caught by a fielder. FOXTrax+ adds a new element to help viewers understand and appreciate the amazing athletic ability, reflexes, and power of the players.

FOX Sports’ social media campaign continues full force throughout the 2009 World Series. Fans can get behind-the-scenes photos, commentary and observations from Guillen, Grace, Karros, Rose, Buck, McCarver and Rosenthal before and during each World Series game broadcast. For instant updates, follow MLB on FOX on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MLBONFOX. Fans can also gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.myspace.com/foxsports.

105th WORLD SERIES ON FOX BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Wednesday, Oct. 28 GAME 1 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY 7:30 PM

Thursday, Oct. 29 GAME 2 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY 7:30 PM

Saturday, Oct. 31 GAME 3 Citizens Bank Ballpark, Philadelphia, PA 7:30 PM

Sunday, Nov. 1 GAME 4 Citizens Bank Ballpark, Philadelphia, PA 8:00 PM

*Monday, Nov. 2 GAME 5 Citizens Bank Ballpark, Philadelphia, PA 7:30 PM

*Wednesday, Nov. 4 GAME 6 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY 7:30 PM

*Thursday, Nov. 5 GAME 7 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY 7:30 PM

* If necessary