Major-league baseball should have thought of this a long time ago: 90-minute games.
FSN Rocky Mountain released its 2006 Colorado Rockies television schedule on Wednesday, and it includes an innovative idea called “Squeeze Play,” in which spring-training games are taped, squished into 90 minutes, thus eliminating boring moments and scratching.
FSNRM kicks off its live schedule of 13 preseason games from Arizona with the Rockies’ matchup against the world champion Chicago White Sox at 1 p.m. today.
The network will carry 150 regular-season games, 126 on FSN and 24 on KTVD-Channel 20. Back in the booth this year are Drew Goodman (his fifth year as play-by-play man) and George Frazier (incredibly, in his ninth year as analyst).
New to the telecasts this year are former Rockies Jeff Huson and Roger Bailey. Huson will work in the studio and sub for Frazier. Bailey will be a studio analyst.
The complete TV schedule is available at coloradorockies.com.
Covering the world
There’s a new sound of bat on ball – the World Baseball Classic. The first game of the opening round in the 16-country tournament takes place today in Japan, where it will be Friday.
The U.S. team doesn’t begin play until it meets Mexico Tuesday in Phoenix (2 p.m., ESPN2). The Americans also play on Wednesday and March 10 in the first round.
Memo to self: Get up at 2 a.m. Friday, catch the Pool A game between Chinese Taipei and Japan on ESPN2.
So far, U.S. reaction to the inaugural tournament has been pretty much, “Huh?” But in some other participating countries, like Japan, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, it’s big news.
ESPN and ESPN2 will offer 16 live telecasts, including the semifinals and final at PETCO Park in San Diego on March 18 and 20. Those games already are sold out.
Basketball, ball, ball
Here comes the madness.
College basketball tournaments are gearing up, covering TV night and day. Example: 19 games airing on Saturday.
Wait. There’s more. ESPN and its various outlets will carry 95 men’s and women’s games by March 12, including every game of the Big 12 Conference men’s tournament.
Tune in now, get your picks ready for the Big Dance.
Around the dial
ESPN launches its coverage of spring-training games when the Los Angeles Dodgers meet the Atlanta Braves (11 a.m. Friday) … … Quotable: “I never keep a scorecard or the batting averages. I hate statistics. What I got to know, I keep in my head.” Dizzy Dean
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
