MLB President Paul Beeston met again yesterday with Fox
Exec Producer Ed Goren "to finalize details" on how to show
the potential home run record-breaking game on Fox,
according to Josh Dubow of the AP. Until either Mark
McGwire or Sammy Sosa reach 60 HRs, Fox will air 15-second
nightly "Countdown to 62" segments between 9:30 and 10:00pm
ET. The segment debuted last night. Analysts predict that
the record-breaking game will attract a rating "in the high
single digits." If Fox chooses not to air the game, MLB
could turn to NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports Net or FX. ESPN
President Steve Bornstein: "We are committed to showing as
much of the home run race as we can" (AP/N.Y. POST, 8/26).
MISSING OUT? SI's "Scorecard" looks at ESPN's move to
show its NFL games over three September Sunday night MLB
games. "Scorecard" wonders "whether the network made the
right decision journalistically. Sure, it has a new eight-
year, $4.8 billion deal with the NFL. But will the Sept. 13
game be the one in which McGwire hammers No. 62? ... If Big
Mac is standing at the plate with 61 home runs, will
baseball allow ESPN to cut away from its football telecast
and pick up live coverage of the Cardinals?" MLB's Beeston:
"ESPN is still a partner and has a large audience. But it's
something we'll be talking about" (SI, 8/31 issue).
YANKEE DOODLE DANDY: Sunday's Yankees-Rangers game on
Fox Sports Southwest earned FSSW's highest rating for a
Rangers telecast this season, drawing a 6.2, or an 11.9
cable rating. The previous high this year was a 5.9 for
Todd Stottlemyre's August 4 Rangers debut (FSSW).
