Courtesy the Kansas City Star

(October 26, 2010) here will be more than pop flies and seagulls in the air at AT&T Park on Wednesday night during Game 1 of the World Series. Be on the lookout for a nosy little TV camera swooping over the field.

In its relentless quest to bring you fresh perspectives of the action, Fox plans to implement in its coverage a "cable cam" like the ones that routinely hover over NFL games.

Said Fox Sports President Eric Shanks, "It will be like a video-game view of the game."

Fox hoped to use the technology during the National League Championship Series, but fears that it would intrude upon the competition grounded the flyovers. After all, what if a ball in play struck the overhead camera?

As it is now, the cable cam, which can cover the areas between the pitcher's mound and foul territory and reach altitudes from about 12 to 80 feet, will be limited to dead-ball situations. For example, after a home run, it can track the hitter as he rounds the bases. Or it can hover over a manager as he makes his way to the mound for a pitching change.

"We're taking baby steps with it right now," said Pete Macheska, coordinating producer for Fox's World Series broadcast. "In the future, when everyone becomes comfortable with it, it might become a key complement to baseball coverage."

SEASONED PROS: When sizing up World Series combatants, sports writers factor in postseason experience. But what about broadcasting teams?

When he takes the mic for Fox tonight, Joe Buck will surpass Curt Gowdy and Vin Scully for the most World Series called by a network play-by-play announcer with 13. Meanwhile, it will be the 21st World Series for Tim McCarver, who leads all network color analysts in that category.

Buck downplays the achievement.

"(The record) has more to do with Fox's ability to secure (postseason) broadcast rights than my ability to call games," he says. "(Gowdy and Scully) are titans of the industry. I don't put myself in that category."

OZZIE ON BOARD: For the second straight year, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen will be part of Fox's pregame and postgame team. The highly opinionated and unpredictable Guillen also will provide in-game analysis for five innings for Fox Deportes.

Guillen will be joined for pregame and postgame duties by Chris Rose and Eric Karros. The latter, a former Dodger, took much abuse from L.A.-hating Giants fans during the NLCS.

"We had to install a screen behind Eric because his back was soaked (with liquid refreshment)," said Ed Goren, Fox Sports vice chairman. "I never thought sushi and merlot could turn people so angry."

blog comments powered by Disqus