In N.Y., Phil Mushnick wrote more than a month after replacing Mike Francesa, WFAN-AM's new afternoon drive-time show is "not working" and "needs help." The team of Chris Carlin, Maggie Gray and Bart Scott "radiate a palpable awkwardness -- group discomfort -- with no change anticipated." Scott seems "lost to platitudes when not talking football." Gray knows her stuff, but "too often rattles off names and numbers as if trying to prove she knows names and numbers." Carlin, with the most radio experience, has to "shoulder the load, often trying too hard to make self-effacing comedy that’s too transparent to be even marginally clever" (N.Y. POST, 2/11).
NOTHING TOO EDGY: In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote, "Don’t look for Joe Girardi to be too candid during his new gig on MLB Network." When he worked for YES Network and Fox Sports, Girardi "rarely criticized players." It is clear Girardi "wants to manage again." This will make him even "more reluctant to criticize anyone, including other managers, GMs and team owners." It will be up to one of his studio partners to "bring the 'worst' out of him" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/11).
BACK IN THE GAME: In Pittsburgh, Elizabeth Bloom noted former MLBer Michael McKenry will become a Pirates studio analyst for AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, joining Stan Savran, Rob King and Dan Potash for "pregame and postgame shows." McKenry will replace Kent Tekulve, who "retired from his analyst position at the end of last season" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 2/10).
NOTES: ESPN senior writer Andrew Marchand announced that he is returning to the N.Y. Post to "become the paper's sports media columnist." Marchand "spent nine years at the Post before joining ESPN" in '07, primarily on the Yankees beat (THEBIGLEAD.com, 2/10)....The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee has become the paper's "new Padres beat writer" after Dennis Lin left last week for The Athletic (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 2/11)....Former MSG Knicks sideline reporter Tina Cervasio has been named N.Y.-based WNYW-Fox "lead sports anchor/reporter as well as the host of its Sunday night sports show, 'Sports Xtra'" (NEWSDAY, 2/11).
