Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 7, 1995 TAG: 9511070074
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bud Selig, baseball's acting commissioner, beamed during a news conference with the heads of Fox Sports, NBC Sports, ESPN and Liberty Media. He publicly thanked Donald Fehr, the head of the players` union, for attending the news conference, and afterward the two shook hands, smiled and chatted amicably for about five minutes.
``This is another significant step in the recovery of our sport,'' Selig said. ``We've had a lot of difficult days over the last 15 or 18 months.''
The new contracts allow owners to expand the new playoff round to best-of-seven, which wouldn't happen until 1997 at the earliest.
And with players and owners still lacking a labor agreement, the networks have clauses stating they don't have to pay in the event of a work stoppage. But there are no provisions calling for reduced payments if replacement players are used, according to Barry Frank, the negotiator for the owners.
Several aspects of the deal were groundbreaking. Baseball will televise postseason games on cable for the first time, Fox will have year-round sports programming and the new cable channel jointly owned by Liberty Media and Fox will have programming starting in 1997.
Baseball will get about $575 million from Fox, $400 million from NBC, $440 million from ESPN and $172 million from Liberty, a total of $1.587 billion. The remaining money, baseball officials say, will come from the sale of international rights.
In exchange, Fox broadcasts three World Series, two All-Star games, part of the playoffs and a Saturday game of the week during the regular season; NBC broadcasts two World Series, three All-Star games and part of the playoffs; ESPN broadcasts six to 12 first-round playoff games, a regular-season doubleheader on Wednesday nights during the season and a Sunday night game each week; and Liberty/Fox cable televises two games each week during the season starting in 1997.
In other baseball news:
PINIELLA WINS AL AWARD: Lou Piniella had a startling season with the Seattle Mariners. He didn't think the American League Manager of the Year award would be part of it.
``I thought I would get some consideration, but at the same time it was surprising when I was called,'' Piniella said Monday. ``I'm proud of this, I really am. It's nice to be recognized. I never thought it would feel this way.''
In a close race, Piniella finished with 86 points, 12 more than Boston manager Kevin Kennedy and 15 ahead of Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove.
Piniella was picked first on nine of 28 ballots cast by voters from the Baseball Writers Association of America. Piniella received 12 second-place votes and five thirds in the balloting, conducted on a 5-3-1 basis. (Complete voting in Scoreboard. B3)
McGRIFF, MURRAY FREE AGENTS: Fred McGriff, a key part of Atlanta's drive to the World Series title, and Eddie Murray, instrumental in Cleveland's first pennant since 1954, filed for free agency.
Thirteen players filed Monday, increasing the total to 119. Approximately 27 more players are eligible to file before Sunday's deadline.
Free agents may negotiate with any club starting next week. Until then, they they can sign only with their former club.
OATES GETS EXTENSION: Texas manager Johnny Oates, 49, has received a one-year contract extension through the 1997 season, the Rangers announced. No financial terms were disclosed.
Texas finished 4 1/2 games behind Seattle in the American League West, the closest the Rangers have come to first place, with a 74-70 record in the Virginia Tech alumnus' first season.
by CNB