Major League Baseball

EQUAL TIME

Published Oct. 11, 2010 10:10 p.m. ET

foxsports

GOOSE'S CALL NOT EVEN CLOSE

LAST Sunday, after Fox's studio showed a go-ahead TD from Ravens-Steelers, say-anything Tony Siragusa added, "No matter who's playing, that's always going to be a close one." Really? Since 2002, RavensSteelers have included 31-18, 38-7, 31-7, 34-15, 30-13. Today, more that'swhatI'm-here-for intrusions from Goose during Giants-Texans.

* Seems Ernie Johnson got the message, and quickly. When the Yanks scored in Game 2 vs. the Twins, he loudly emoted, as if to prove he was paying attention.

* The Conan O'Brien promos TBS has poured into its MLB postseason coverage are mostly pretty funny, but the more powerful message in several of them is, "Man, is that man skinny!"

* In the bottom of the eighth of Game 1 of Braves-Giants, the Giants up 1-0 and Tim Lincecum unhittable, TBS's Dick Stockton declared that Lincecum, in his jacket and toweling off, was through for the night. Huh? What?Why? He wasn't. He made the Braves go 1, 2, 3 in the ninth.

* Ideas whose times have come: For the ALCS, in addition to the pitch box in the lower right corner of the screen, TBS will install, in the upper left corner, an all-times computerized weather vane that will track the wind speed, gusts and wind direction for fly balls. In the upper right, Charles Barkley will appear, mixing drinks and making faces.

* Last Monday night, either Kevin "Hollerin'" Harlan, calling Pats-Dolphins on Westwood One Radio, had never before seen a TD scored halfway through a first quarter - a 19-yard pass play - or his hysteria was so fabricated as to be insulting. Harlan for Marv Albert. Geez.

* The pros up at ESPN on Tuesday featured a spectacular goal scored by Kaspars Daugavins of the AHL club, but spelled Binghamton, "Binghampton."

PAYING A LOT PER WIN

FORBES reports that the most player salary-efficient MLB team this season was the Padres, with a payroll cost of $420,000 per win, followed by the Rangers ($612,000), Rays ($749,000), Reds ($795,000) and Braves ($927,000).

The Yanks had the highest payroll cost per win, $2.17 million per, while the Mets were the second least-efficient among losing teams - behind the Cubs - at $1.68 million per win.

* Mike Fran-say-so continues to pour it on. Last week he paraded his haughty, dismissive side to shoo and swat callers who would prefer to see Brett Gardner lead off rather than hit ninth. But, except for the first inning, Francesa sniffed, there's no difference; the leadoff spot is merely symbolic.

He's right - if you ignore the fact that this year Yankees leadoff men went to bat 786 times compared to 632 by their ninth hitter, a "symbolic" difference of 154 appearances.

* If ever a network came wrapped in same-old-stuff blueprints, it's the NFL Network. This morning it has an "exclusive" interview with, yawn, Terrell Owens.Gee, and on the NFL's second bye week, CBS's Sunday studio show selected the most self-smitten WR available, Brandon Marshall, as its special guest.

* I don't want to hear Chris Russo jump on this Secretariat movie promo train. He described Barbaro's 61/2-length win in the Kentucky Derby as "boring," thus he must've nodded off halfway through Secretariat's 31-length win in the Belmont.

* Ian Darke, the British playbyplayer who was such a good listen during ESPN's World Cup coverage, has signed to become an ESPN soccer voice in the U.S.

* With Lance Berkman, "Fat Elvis," homering and doubling in Game 2, reader Kevin Walsh suggests the title "Viva Lance Vegas."

* ESPN has signed a three-year extension with the Pro Bowlers Association. ESPN also will return the PBA's Tournament of Champions to ABC, this Jan. 22.By the way, can't a PBA commercial sponsor share an event's title with the late Chris Schenkel?

* Reader John Cafarella notes that John Lennon and Joe Pepitone both were born yesterday, 70 years ago. "There must be some cosmic meaning, but I haven't figured it out." Try this: After the 1969 season Pepitone was traded from the Yanks to the Astros, while Lennon left the Beatles for Yoko Ono.

SHOWING NO EMOTION - TBS MISSES PAVANO REAX

POP Quiz: It's top of the sixth, Thursday, Game 2 of Yankees-Twins in the ALDS. The Yankees, up 1-0 in the series, lead the game, 2-1. Twins' starter Carl Pavano is one out away from pitching out of a first-and-third, one-out jam.

On TBS, Ron Darling says that if the Twins don't allow a run, here, it could be an "inspirational" for the home team.Then, with two out and Nick Swisher at bat, co-analyst John Smoltz picks up that theme:

"Pavano may not be a very emotional guy, but if he gets this out I'm willing to bet that he shows a little bit of emotion." Three pitches later, Swisher grounds out.

Now if you're in charge of the telecast, what's the next shot you show?

Pencils down.

Did you answer, "Carl Pavano"?That would have been my guess, too.

But after Swisher was thrown out, TBS stuck with a high shot of Swisher. Then TBS cut to a close-up of Swisher. Then TBS cut to a high, wide shot of the infield and backstop.

Finally, with Pavano crossing the first base line toward his dugout, TBS got to him. Had he shown the instantaneous emotion that Darling hinted at and Smoltz predicted, that instant was long gone.

I know. It happens all the time.We keep failing these quizzes.Too many trick questions.

TIMING OF 'OVERTHROW' COMMERCIAL IS RIGHT ON TARGET

COINCIDENCE of the Month: The appearance of that Corona beer commercial in which footballs are overthrown in front of two shapely women on a beach. At the same time, that shapely, er, journalist, Inez Saenz, accused the Jets of harassing her by overthrowing in her direction.

Speaking of QB passer ratings, NBC's Al Michaels had a strong game last Sunday. When an Eli Manning pass was deflected off a receiver, incomplete, Michaels was quick to note that five of the six interceptions "thrown" by Manning first hit one of his receivers.

But if that's the case - and such interceptions and incompletions are common in every game - then Michaels should be leading the fight to lose passer ratings as too often just plain stupid.

Speaking of "key" stats, which team has allowed the most thirddown conversions? The 3-1 Pats.

LOOKALIKES

W.B. Mason Office supply store icon Carl Pavano Twins pitcher, former Yankee

- Steve Branda and Kathy Tiernan