Comcast SportsNet Bay Area earned a 4.56 local rating in the Bay Area for the Giants' home opener Friday against the Cardinals and a 6.99 local rating for Saturday's game, ranking as the No. 1 network in the market in average ratings and in all key demos during the two games. The RSN also earned a 4.82 local rating for Sunday's game against the Cardinals. Ratings for Giants games on CSN Bay Area so far this season are up 38.2% compared to the same point last year (CSN). Meanwhile, ESPN earned a 3.5 overnight rating for Sunday's Yankees-Red Sox game, up 119% from the comparable Cardinals-Brewers game last year. The 3.5 overnight is ESPN's "highest MLB regular-season rating since a 2009 Yankees-Red Sox game" (USA TODAY, 4/12).
GETTING IN THE SWING OF IT: In N.Y., Bob Raissman notes ESPN "presented a very tired" segment on "Baseball Tonight" Sunday with Barry Larkin "conducting a tour of Fenway Park." Raissman: "Has anyone ever heard of the Green Monster?" ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine "had his moments" during Yankees-Red Sox on "Sunday Night Baseball." His discussion of the "kinetic movement" of Yankees SS Derek Jeter's swing was "very cerebral," but "not very entertaining." Meanwhile, Fox' Tim McCarver's discussion of Rays DH Manny Ramirez' retirement during the net's coverage of Saturday's Yankees-Red Sox game was "very subdued ... considering some of his past commentary" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/12).
KINGS OF THE COURT: KLAC-AM will air all NHL Kings games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In addition, the Kings have reached a two-year extension with Clear Channel to continue broadcasting games on flagship station KTLK-AM for the '11-12 and '12-13 NHL seasons. KTLK has been the Kings' flagship station since the '06-07 season (Kings).
BEST WISHES: Nets radio announcer Chris Carrino has publicly acknowledged for the first time that he "suffers from a form of muscular dystrophy." In an effort to raise money for the disease, Carrino "has launched the Chris Carrino Foundation for FSHD," which is a "genetic, muscle wasting disease affecting both children and adults in a variety of ways" (N.Y. POST, 4/10). In Newark, Dave D'Alessandro notes Carrino "has lived with this horrid disease ... for nearly two decades now." Carrino: "It's progressive. You don't know how it will affect you next year and beyond. And there's no cure, no treatment." Carrino last week "decided that the thing to do was publicly disclose his affliction, and announce the launch of a nonprofit group" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/12).
