SportsTime Ohio's Indians coverage this year will have "stability," headlined by the return of play-by-play man Matt Underwood and color analyst Rick Manning, according to George Thomas of the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL. Former MLBer Jensen Lewis, who last year appeared part-time on the 'Indians Live!' pre- and postgame show, will "assume full-time duties this year," which "was a no-brainer." The "always affable Al Pawlowski will still anchor the show." Meanwhile, Akron native Andre Knott "will join the team as an in-game reporter for broadcasts." Thomas wrote of Knott, "If he can provide the insight and intelligence he had for football to baseball, Indians fans will be better for it. He has a name; he knows his sports and is blunt without being obnoxious" (OHIO.com, 3/19).
JARS OF CLAY: In San Diego, Jeff Sanders reported the Padres have announced their broadcast plans for the '15 season, and former MLBers Steve Finley and Clay Hensley "will join the 'Padres Live' pre- and post-game shows on occasion." Ted Leitner, Bob Scanlan and Jesse Agler "will continue to call games on the radio," while Dick Enberg, Mark Grant, Mike Pomeranz, Mark Sweeney, Kris Budden, Ally Sturm and Agler "will comprise the Fox Sports San Diego broadcast team." In addition to broadcasting 162 games on FS San Diego in English and on the radio in English and Spanish, 125 games "will be televised in Spanish on Fox Deportes San Diego" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/19).
TELEVISIÓN DE LOS GIGANTES: The Giants on Thursday announced that Telemundo 48 Area de la Bahia/KSTS will continue to be their official Spanish-language TV partner. Telemundo 48 will for the first time air a live Spanish-language broadcast of Padres-Giants on Sept. 12. The broadcast will feature "Fiesta Gigantes," a cultural celebration produced by Telemundo 48 and the team (Giants).
