SPORTS COUCH POTATO

Balls, strikes ... and 'Frank TV'

Now we know why TBS spent all that money to get the rights to postseason baseball — so it can promote its upcoming sketch-comedy series starring Frank Caliendo.

TBS is evidently looking to capitalize on Caliendo's notoriety with sports fans familiar with his shtick from "Fox NFL Sunday." With literally dozens of spots for the new "Frank TV" peppered throughout its coverage of baseball's division playoffs, TBS just might set the record for the most promos for a single show in sports TV history.

It's not that the Spud's complaining, mind you. Caliendo's impersonations of celebrities like John Madden, George W. Bush and Jack Nicholson are dead on and very funny. Here's hoping that "Frank TV" is as good when it debuts Nov. 20. TBS has ordered eight episodes.

If you have the right plug-ins you can see clips from "Frank TV" on the TBS Web site.

Comcast-ing a wide net

Comcast Corporation continues on a steady course to expand its reach in the regional sports TV universe. This week, the company announced it will acquire majority stakes in two FSN channels.

In a transaction valued at $570 million, Comcast will purchase from Cablevision’s programming subsidiary Rainbow Media Holdings its 60% interest in FSN Bay Area and its 50% stake in FSN New England. When the deal closes, Comcast will own 100% of FSN New England and 60% of FSN Bay Area, with the remaining 40% still owned by an affiliate of News Corporation. Comcast will operate both networks.

By selling its stakes in FSN Bay Area and FSN New England, Cablevision will no longer have regional sports holdings outside of the New York market.

Comcast's content networks and investments in the sports space already include Comcast SportsNets in Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Sacramento; its stake in SportsNet New York; The Golf Channel; and Versus, the former Outdoor Life Network that is the national cable home of the NHL in the U.S.

Additionally, Comcast has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

MSNBC drops Imus over racist rap

MSNBC said late Wednesday it will drop its simulcast of the “Imus in the Morning” radio program, responding to growing outrage over the radio host’s racial slur against the Rutgers women’s basketball team. In a statement, NBC News announced "this decision comes as a result of an ongoing review process, which initially included the announcement of a suspension. It also takes into account many conversations with our own employees. What matters to us most is that the men and women of NBC Universal have confidence in the values we have set for this company. This is the only decision that makes that possible."

Booth of fame

Talk about a nice touch. In the same month they will be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame, legends Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn will debut as analysts on TBS' new national package of Major League telecasts, SI.com reported Wednesday. An official announcement was expected today in New York.

According to the report, Ripken will join Ernie Johnson in Atlanta as the main studio analyst while Gwynn will be in the booth with play-by-play man Chip Caray for 26 regular-season Sunday telecasts as well as Division Series games and the National League Championship Series.

Gwynn, who coaches the San Diego State baseball program, has broadcasting experience as an analyst on ESPN and local San Diego Padres telecasts. Ripken currently hosts the show "Ripken Baseball" with his brother Bill on XM Satellite Radio. Both are expected to make their TBS debut July 1 for coverage of the "MLB All-Star Selection Show." They are to be inducted in Cooperstown on July 29.

TBS signed a seven-year deal to air one of the two league championship series each year through 2013. The cabler will broadcast the NLCS in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013, and the ALCS in 2008, 2010 and 2012. TBS has exclusive rights to the Division Series, as well as any tiebreaker games for the wild card.