Wednesday, 13 February 2013

Hey, FOX, where’s the love for West Coast baseball this season?

For the first time in a long time, the West Coast is at the center of the baseball universe. With two super teams in Los Angeles (well, one's in Anaheim), the World Series champs in San Francisco and one of the baseball's most promising young teams in Oakland, there's no doubt that the coastal power has shifted.

Well, unless, you're FOX, who this week released its schedule of Saturday afternoon national games of the week. You'd expect it would be loaded up with Josh Hamilton, Zack Greinke, Albert Pujols, Buster Posey, Matt Kemp and Matt Cain.

Those guys and those teams are there, but still not as much as the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees ... because, of course.

Over at SB Nation, Grant Brisbee does the heavy lifting (i.e. counting) and figures out which teams get the most love from FOX this season. Three teams have nine appearances: the Red Sox, the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals. Interesting teams? Sure, especially the last two. Five teams have eight appearances: the Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers.

So of the top eight teams, only the Dodgers are on the West Coast, and they're also the only team west of the Mississippi River. Here's the full list, notice we see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the San Francisco Giants at the seven-game and six-game mark, respectively.

Nine appearances
Red Sox
Reds
Nationals

Eight appearances
Braves
Tigers
Yankees
Dodgers
Cardinals

Seven appearances
White Sox
Angels
Mets
Rangers

Six appearances
Cubs
Brewers
A's
Phillies
Pirates
Giants

Five appearances
Orioles
Rays

Four appearances
Astros
Twins

Three appearances
Diamondbacks
Marlins

Two appearances
Indians
Rockies
Padres
Mariners

One appearance
Royals

No appearances
Blue Jays (Note: This is because Blue Jays games aren't shown as games of the week)

Am I, as a Californian, just being too sensitive? Will the Red Sox and the Yankees be more interesting to watch in 2013 than the Angels and the Dodgers? Do we really need FIVE Red Sox vs. Yankees games on Saturday this season? Meh. I don't think so.

The West Coast is at the forefront this year. Our side of the country is what most people will be watching. Just not on Saturday afternoons, apparently.



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