The Cardinals are coming off their first last-place finish in three decades and their worst local television ratings ever.
So perhaps mercifully, there has been a reduction in the number of spring training games that are scheduled to be shown this year on local rightsholder Bally Sports Midwest, down from 15 last year to 12 now. Chip Caray — entering his second season as BSM’s lead Cards play-by-play broadcaster — and Tom Ackerman, who fills in occasionally, will split those duties this spring and work with analyst Brad Thompson.
Cardinals spring training broadcast schedule
DATE | TIME | OPPONENT | OUTLETS |
---|---|---|---|
Saturday | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Marlins | BSM, KMOX, WIJR |
Sunday | 12:05 p.m. | at Astros | KMOX, WIJR |
Monday | 12:10 p.m. | at Marlins | |
Tuesday | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Red Sox | Cards radio network |
Wednesday | 12:10 p.m. | at Mets | |
Thursday | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Nationals | BSM, Cards radio network |
March 1 | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Mets | BSM, |
March 2 | 12:05 p.m. | at Astros | KMOX |
March 3 | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Marlins | BSM, KMOX |
March 4 | 12:05 p.m. | at Nationals | |
March 5 | 12:05 | vs. Twins | |
March 7 | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Astros | |
March 8 | 5:05 p.m. | at Nationals | KMOX |
March 9 | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Mets | BSM, KMOX |
March 10 | 12:10 p.m. | at Marlins | BSM, KMOX |
March 11 | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Nationals | BSM, |
March 14 | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Mets | BSM, |
March 15 | 5:05 p.m. | vs. Marlins | BSM, KMOX |
March 16 | 11:05 a.m. | at Nationals | KMOX |
March 17 | 12:10 p.m. | vs. Astros | BSM, KMOX |
March 19 | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Marlins | KMOX |
March 20 | 5:05 p.m. | at Nationals | KMOX |
March 21 | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Astros | BSM, |
March 22 | 5:40 p.m. | at Marlins | BSM, KMOX |
March 23 | 12:05 p.m. | vs. Nationals | KMOX |
March 24 | 11:05 a.m. | at Astros | KMOX |
March 25 | 3:05 p.m. | at Cubs | MLB Network, KMOX |
On the other end of the spectrum is KMOX (1120 AM), flagship station of the team’s radio network, which increases its schedule from 15 broadcasts last year to 16 now. Longtime Cardinals announcers John Rooney, Ricky Horton and Mike Claiborne will rotate on those spring contests.
Both outlets have the Cards’ spring home opener, against the Florida Marlins at 12:05 p.m. (ºüÀêÊÓƵ time) Saturday in Jupiter, Fla. That’s a split-squad contest, with others on the team playing simultaneously against the Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
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Nine additional games will be streamed on , the team’s website, and the , with a rotation of Claiborne, Ackerman and Matt Pauley on those broadcasts. The team’s radio network also will carry some games that KMOX is not airing, and they will be available to stations on the circuit that choose to carry them.
Also, the contests Saturday and Sunday will be carried on WIJR (880 AM), the team’s Spanish-language station. Polo Ascencio has those calls with commentary from Bengie Molina.
Meanwhile, MLB Network is set to televise three Redbirds exhibition contests, one of which is set to be shown locally — March 25 against the Cubs. Its others (March 1 and March 14, both against the Mets) won’t be carried in ºüÀêÊÓƵ because BSM has those games, but they will be available outside BSM’s region. In addition, MLB Network’s Robert Flores and Mark DeRosa will be at Cards camp March 11 as part of the channel’s stops at each big league club’s spring site. Their report is to air at 6 p.m. that day.