On Long Island, Neil Best notes former MLBer Mark Teixeira will join ESPN as a studio analyst, and the 60 or so appearances he is to make "will be an interesting challenge for him." As a player, reporters "regarded him as an intelligent and sometimes insightful quote, but hardly one prone to controversy or bold statements." Best: "Can he make that switch in this new, more opinionated role?" Teixeira: "As a teammate you kind of have to hold your tongue with a lot of things that happen on the field." But he added, "As an analyst you’re not working for a team. You’re working for the network that’s telling fans what just happened or why it happened. I think it’s a different situation." Teixeira: "I’m definitely not someone who’s going to take some cheap shots. But if they’re playing poorly, I will say so" (NEWSDAY, 2/8). In Newark, Joe Giglio writes, "Don't expect Teixeira to walk onto the ESPN set, broadcast booth or call in to a radio show without doing his homework." Teixeira also has a "sense of humor that should play well" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/8).
PHILLY PHANATIC: In Philadelphia, Jonathan Tannenwald notes former MLBer John Kruk yesterday formally made his move back to the Phillies broadcast booth. Kruk will call 80-90 games for CSN Philadelphia with his "trademark honesty and dry wit." Kruk: "I'll probably train harder for this than when I was playing." The seeds for Kruk's return to the Phillies' booth after 12 years at ESPN were "planted in various conversations in recent years" with Phillies Senior VP/Marketing & Advertising Sales Dave Buck. Kruk said he "won't 'go out of my way to rip the organization'" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 2/8). CSNPHILLY.com's Jim Salisbury noted Kruk "made it clear" his departure from ESPN was part of a "retrenching" by the network. Kruk: "My wife said I’m too young to retire. What else am I going to do? My God, if I sat around and ate all day" (CSNPHILLY.com, 2/7).
FOLLOWING IN DAD'S FOOTSTEPS: In Richmond, John O'Connor notes the Double-A Eastern League Richmond Flying Squirrels will add Sam Ravech, son of ESPN's Karl Ravech, to their radio broadcast team. Sam Ravech is a senior at Pepperdine and "completing classes early in order to be ready" for his new role when the team begins play April 6. Ravech has "experience broadcasting Pepperdine basketball and baseball games." Karl Ravech during '90-93 was a weekend sports anchor/reporter at WHTM-ABC in Harrisburg, Pa. Flying Squirrels VP & COO Todd Parnell also interned there and "while employed there, got to know Karl." Parnell said, "Friends always talk about their kids, right? So Karl kept me abreast of what Sam was doing" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 2/8).
NOTES: ESPN yesterday announced the addition of Sam Borden as a writer and TV contributor. Borden joins the network from the N.Y. Times (THE DAILY)....Jim Rome has agreed to a new multiyear contract with CBS Sports Radio. "The Jim Rome Show" has aired in the noon-3:00pm ET weekday time slot since CBS Sports Radio launched in '13 (CBS Radio)....Jon Marks yesterday took over Philadelphia-based WIP-FM's 6:00-10:00pm ET timeslot, "replacing current host Brian Haddad." Marks joins WIP from rival station WPEN-FM (PHILLY.com, 2/6)....Five Thirty Eight's lead news writer Carl Bialik is joining Yelp as Data Science Editor (POLITICO.com, 2/6)....Former TV sports reporter Brad Fanning "made his debut" Monday on K.C.-based KCSP-AM's "The Drive" alongside co-host Carrington Harrison (KANSASCITY.com, 2/6).
