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Strong NLDS Matchups Giving TBS Its Best MLB Postseason Viewership To Date

TBS is having its best MLB postseason since it began airing playoff games in '07. The net is averaging 5.4 million viewers for its NL Wild Card and NLDS matchups through Saturday, up 39% from the same point in '14. The net on Friday averaged 5.02 million viewers for its two NLDS games, marking the net’s best opening day of LDS coverage. Cubs-Cardinals in the early primetime window drew 5.38 million viewers, marking the most-viewed NLDS Game 1 since ’08. The game drew a 27.8 local rating in St. Louis, which is the market’s best for an LDS Game 1 on record (dating back to ’98). The previous mark in St. Louis was a 20.7 during the Cardinals-Nationals series. Chicago drew a 16.8 local rating for the game. Mets-Dodgers Game 1 in the late window drew 4.71 million viewers, up from the comparable LDS telecasts in ’14 and ’13. The game drew a 10.1 local rating in N.Y., the market’s best figure for any Mets game since ’12. Meanwhile, MLB Network on Friday afternoon drew 1.6 million viewers for Game 2 of the Rangers-Blue Jays ALDS, which went 14 innings. That figure is down from 1.8 million viewers for the net's Cardinals-Dodgers Game 2 last year, which aired on a Saturday night. However, the game marked Sportsnet's most watched program ever, with 2.35 million viewers in Canada watching. That figure tops the net's previous high of 2.05 million viewers for Blue-Jays Yankees on Sept. 22. Both ALDS matchups on FS1 are seeing viewership declines compared to last year, when the net carried NLDS matchups with bigger markets (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).

BACK AT HOME: In Dallas, Barry Horn noted Blue Jays-Rangers Game 1 on Thursday's scored a 6.6 local rating in Dallas-Ft. Worth on FS1, down from the 6.9 local figure for the Rangers' debut ALDS game in '11 against the Rays. Both were day games (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/10). In Houston, David Barron noted the afternoon start time for Game 2 of Astros-Royals on Friday "cut into the audience" on FS1, but the game in Houston "still managed" a 7.0 local rating. Game 1 on Thursday "drew an 11.2 rating" (CHRON.com, 10/10).

HOT IRON MAN: In N.Y., Bob Raissman notes there was a "great divide among TBS’ crew" in the aftermath of Dodgers 2B Chase Utley's slide during NLDS Game 2 that broke the leg of Mets SS Ruben Tejada. Analyst Ron Darling "had issues with Utley’s 'slide'" and explained that this "meant-to-maul play happened a lot 20 years ago but 'rarely now.'" Analyst Cal Ripken Jr. had no such issues with the play, but his delivery, "dipped in double talk, was so calm it was hard pinning him down or judging his sincerity." Darling "pointedly asked" a question to Ripken. Darling: "You like that slide (by Utley), Cal? You don’t think that’s dirty?" Ripken responded, "That’s a hard-nosed play. You just look (at it) more different because he (Tejada) was trying to turn around and make an acrobatic throw." Raissman notes those in the booth "were dealing as this play, the most controversial of the 2015 playoffs, one that will be remembered for many moons, unfolded." It was not a postgame show "where there is time to prepare" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/12).

LONE STAR STATE: The DALLAS MORNING NEWS' Horn wrote FS1 and MLB Net dispatched booth crews that "really don't know much about the Rangers." Horn: "As far as the networks are concerned, the Rangers lived in witness protection until the final two weeks of the season." FS1's Harold Reynolds during Game 1 "did himself no favors with commentary that declared Rangers closer Shawn Tolleson was not available for the last couple of games of the season," when in fact he pitched on Sept. 29 and 30. MLB Net for Friday's Game 2 "offered up Bob Costas and Jim Kaat in the booth," which "was an improvement" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/10).

NO RESPECT, I TELL YA: In Toronto, Ramisha Farooq notes Fox' Harold Reynolds is "feeling the heat after saying Canadian sports fans couldn’t catch foul balls because they didn’t grow up watching baseball." Reynolds made the comment during last night's Blue Jays-Rangers Game 3, and Canadians "did not take the comments lightly with the twittersphere instantly exploding with disapproval" (THESTAR.com, 10/12). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Zach Braziller noted FS1 studio analyst Pete Rose "ripped" Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson and RF Jose Bautista "for coming out of Game 1" of the ALDS. Those were the "most noteworthy comments Rose made on his first day working" FS1’s postseason studio show. Rose's presence, alongside Baseball HOFer Frank Thomas and former MLBer Raul Ibanez, also seemed "odd." He often "slouched down in his seat, maintaining a combative attitude and offering little insight" (N.Y. POST, 10/10).

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