Fox Sports is going to begin producing dedicated Spanish-language broadcasts of the Dodgers this season, along with the Angels and Clippers. I have some details in a story this morning at Variety.
… Time Warner Cable will air the Fox-produced games even as it moves toward its proposed Spanish-language channel dedicated primarily to the Lakers, scheduled to launch before the 2012-13 NBA season. Time Warner and Fox are primary rivals for the post-2013 cable TV rights to the Dodgers.
FSN said it would produce more than 100 Spanish-language game broadcasts this year and more than 150 in 2013, with an eye on continued growth down the road. The productions will include Spanish-language play-by-play, graphics, player interviews. Announcers and a full game schedule remain to be announced, but the first game for the Angels will be April 6 and for the Dodgers will be April 11.
There will be a handful of Clipper games in Spanish before the regular season ends April 25.
Fox is not charging distributors any additional fees for the broadcasts, but rather only requiring that they be made available on expanded digital as opposed to a paid tier. Ad sales will be the primary source of revenue. …
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Dee Gordon’s potential is praised by Buster Olney at ESPN.com.
Dee Gordon asks a lot of questions, something that Barry Larkin noticed the first time he worked with the Dodgers shortstop in the offseason. Precise questions, about how you hold the glove in making a play at the second base bag, about how you make sure you hit the ball on the ground when you want to, about your mental approach.
This curiosity is part of the reason Larkin came away from his conversations with Gordon believing that the son of former relief pitcher Tom Gordon will become a good player — a really good player. “He’s got the ability to be an All-Star — and a perennial All-Star,” Larkin said over the phone Friday, from Arizona. …
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- Sportswriting legend Furman Bisher has passed away, at age 93. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where Bisher spent 59 years, has more, while Kevin Kaduk of Big League Stew points to Bisher’s seminal piece on Shoeless Joe Jackson.
- At the Daily Mirror, Mary Mallory has a long piece on original Dodger Stadium organist Bob Mitchell, whose career in music dated back to the 1920s.
- Maury Brown takes a look at the Dodger ownership finalists at Baseball Prospectus.
- Sandy Koufax had more trouble with Hank Aaron than any other hitter, according to this post by William Juliano at Bronx Banter. Willie Mays also gave Koufax fits.
Anonymous
The MLB Opening Series in Japan is being sponsored by two companies: Boeing and Gloops.
The latter is a Japanese social media company. The A’s will have a Gloops logo on their jersey. The Mariners will get Boeing.
http://www.gloops.com/
Anonymous
Gloops? They did it again?
Jack Dawkins
I wonder if MLB will try to get sponsers on uniforms over hear now. Perhaps a pay day loan company for the boys in blue….
Jeffrey Thomas III
As an English football fan I am used to seeing sponsors on jerseys. Maybe if Stan Kroenke is the new owner the Dodgers can have Fly Emirates across their chests like my gooners do.
Anonymous
I own way too much stuff with Chang Beer ads on it. People keep asking me if I like Thai beer.
OK, one person.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Looks like our clubs will be playing each other on Wednesday. Arsenal need to keep winning to stay in the top 4 and possibly pass Spurs. Should be a good match.
Derek TC
All those bidders should join together and offer Frank 500mil at the last minute lol
Anonymous
If Apple made a bid for the Dodgers using its available cash, it would only have about $98 billion left.
Anonymous
Maybe we could watch games live on the IBall App.
Anonymous
Ya escucho los Doyers en español por el radio. Me encantaria mirarlos en television tambien. Sugiero que contratan con el equipe radial para los comentarios: Jaime, Pepe, y Fernando. Son maravillosos.
Derek TC
ok, where is my spanish to english dictionary at?
Anonymous
No te preocupes. No he violado ninguna de las reglas de comentar en este sitio.
Anonymous
Yo tampoco.
Anonymous
Jaime es una maravilla…Pepe is enjoyable …but Fernando still needs some work. On Saturday night’s broadcast Jaime mentioned that Fernando Jr is playing on a team in Mexico.
Anonymous
Si, pero Fernando es una estrella. LA gente siempre lo escucharan, aunque falta.
Anonymous
De acuerdo.
Anonymous
The Mariners released Hong-Chih Kuo.
We’ll always have the 2010 season to remember him by.
underdog
Makes me feel sad, even though not a big surprise since he hadn’t been performing very well for them this Spring. Yep, we’ll always have our memories. Just shows you how short the shelf-life usually is for relievers, even really good ones.
Linkmeister
Looking at the Koufax nemeses, all I can say is, Hal Smith? Hal SMITH?
Anonymous
Furman Bisher…infamously accused Bear Bryant and Georgia coach Wally Butts of fixing games (Butts won in court) and according to Bryant, helped Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd listen in Bryant’s phone conversations. Bama fans never forgot or forgave. By the time I came south, he was a grumpy old man, al la Dick Young.
Jon Weisman
Dodgers’ Spanish-language TV broadcast team will be Jorge Jarrin (son of Jaime) and Manny Mota.
Anonymous
Que nepotismo. El hijo de Jaime y el padre de Jose Mota. Porque no contrataron con Miguel Steiner y Ronaldo Monday?
Anonymous
Manny was my favorite Tacoma Giant, disowned when he became an SF Gnat, and once again embraced when he became a Dodger.
Jason Ungar
One of my first memorable games at Dodger Stadium was when Manny Mota set the pinch hit record. I must have been 8 years old.
Jon Weisman
Joakim Soria injury could put more on Broxton’s shoulders.
Rob Moore
I don’t get why people think the cash hoard of the Cohen/Soon-Shiong group makes them so likely to be the new owner. Unless them plan on raising their bid, which I haven’t heard. The Magic group is the high bidder, and assuming they’re approved by MLB, McCourt won’t care about the financial structure of their bid. MLB may prefer Cohen, but this time they won’t be hand picking the new owner.. They can set financing parameters, but they can’t tilt the final choice to the strongest owner. Frank gets to pick the winner and I’m sure that will either be the high bidder or the one that gives him the best terms on the parking lot lease or future development rights, etc.
Jon Weisman
Well, part of it is that I wouldn’t rule out the Cohen group raising their bid at all. Their strength in a bidding war is pretty impressive.
I’m not under any impression that MLB prefers the Cohen group.
Anonymous
Once approved the bidders all have a chance to bid again before McCourt picks the final one, so I bet with Dr. Soon-Shiong on board now they could increase the bid.
But the part about parking lease, etc could be a factor, not sure how that could be negotiated but for sure Frank’s going to pick whatever he thinks is best for him.
Derek TC
and also have a higher percent of their bid be cash.
Anonymous
I have read that the terms of the parking lot lease have been set for quite a few years into the future with the initial rent at $14 million a year, iirc. Perhaps this is not true since no one pointed it out earlier
Jon Weisman
Jerry Hairston has a .556 fielding percentage at SS this spring for the Dodgers. http://atmlb.com/GzGjoq
Anonymous
Yep no way Hairston sees any real time there unless the Dodgers are just waiting a day for Sellers to come up if Gordon was out due to injury….
Anonymous
When I talked to Hairston, he seemed to think he’d be playing as much outfield as infield.
Anonymous
didn’t jammie hoffman use to be a dodger? I just read that he is now a FA. Was he ever very good and if so do you think we should sign him again?
Jon Weisman
I liked him but I’m guessing interest is pretty low at this point.
Jon Weisman
NPUT