TBS hires Ripken, Gwynn.

TBS Sports has hired baseball Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn to be part of the network’s extensive Major League Baseball postseason coverage this season, Richard Deitsch of SI.com reports.

“Ripken … will serve as the cable network’s top studio analyst alongside host Ernie Johnson for coverage of the 2007 Division Series games and National League Championship Series. Ripken will also be in the studio next season as part of the still-to-be-named Atlanta-based show that will precede the TBS Game of the Week. …

Gwynn will partner with play-by-play announcer Chip Caray on TBS’ No. 1 broadcast team. He and Caray will call this year’s Division Series and NLCS. Both Gwynn and Ripken are expected to make their TBS debut July 1 for coverage of the MLB All-Star Selection Show.“

Gwynn is a solid hire, though not attention-getting. He will serve his role well, without making any waves. Ripken is along the same lines — dependable, if generally lukewarm.

The big story here is that Ernie Johnson will be the studio host for the games. With the exception of a small period in the 1990s (when he had NFL duties for TNT), Johnson has done the NBA almost exclusively for Turner (with some Wimbledons and British Opens sprinkled here and there). Adding Major League Baseball will give him some added exposure, and could help his notoriety among casual sports fans.

*Link to SI.com story found via Awful Announcing.