MLB Media Notes: Did Harrelson Overshadow End Of Perfect Game?

In Albany, Pete Dougherty wrote White Sox TV play-by-play announcer Ken "Hawk" Harrelson during White Sox P Mark Buehrle's perfect game against the Rays Thursday "couldn't allow the moment to breathe." Harrelson immediately after the final out was recorded began screaming, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Dougherty noted Harrelson has been broadcasting "longer than most ex-jocks now in the booths," but it "doesn't make him any better." Harrelson is the "worst voice baseball has ever known," and he "forced his audience on Comcast SportsNet Chicago and ESPN -- which picked up the feed of the ninth inning -- to listen to him babble like a Little League parent after his kid just homered" (TIMESUNION.com, 7/23). However, YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Kaduk wrote, "On most any other day, the White Sox's homerific announcer is a guaranteed nerve grater with over-the-top boosterism and bellyaching over balls and strikes. But over the final outs of Thursday's game, Harrelson's enthusiasm was finally representative of what we were all feeling at home" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/23).

TV Glitch Forces TWC Customers  In L.A. To Miss Ramirez' Grand Slam

DREADED GLITCH AWARD: In L.A., Diane Pucin reports L.A.-area Time Warner Cable (TWC) customers Wednesday night missed Dodgers LF Manny Ramirez' pinch-hit grand slam in Wednesday night's game against the Reds after the feed was lost for 54 seconds. TWC customers "experienced a frozen screen followed by back-to-back commercials followed by re-entrance to the game when Ramirez was waving from the dugout." TWC Dir of Media Relations Darryl Ryan said that customer service reps "hadn't gotten many calls from angry viewers, only from nosy reporters" (L.A. TIMES, 7/24).

ALL SMOOTHED OUT: FS Midwest analyst Al Hrabosky said "everything's fine" with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who criticized Hrabosky for comments made during the July 10 game against the Cubs. Hrabosky: "We had a talk (Sunday), it's over. ... We want to put focus back on the team where it belongs." Hrabosky said that he "won't be holding back for the rest of the season in his commentary role ... because of the verbal sparring." Hrabosky: "I'm doing my job, don't feel like I have to walk on eggshells" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/24).

LOSE-LOSE SITUATION: In San Diego, John Maffei reports Channel 4 San Diego is not televising Friday's Padres-Nationals game, "because Friday games at 4 p.m. [PT] -- especially against the Washington Nationals, the only National League team worse than the Padres -- are a ratings killer." However, Padres P Mat Latos, "one of the few reasons to tune in" to Padres games, will start the game (NORTH COUNTY TIMES, 7/24).