Texas Rangers broadcaster Dave Barnett expects to miss the rest of the season with health issues. In other news, ESPN’s Jamie Little is preparing to go on maternity leave, and Fox Sports’ Erin Andrews will make her on-air debut at the MLB All-Star Game.
- Rangers’ Barnett Expects to Miss Remainder of the Season: Texas Rangers play-by-play voice Dave Barnett will take an extended leave of absence from the team due to unspecified health issues. In a statement released earlier this week, Barnett said he expects the absence to last the remainder of the season. Barnett has not appeared on-air since a June 18 Rangers/Mariners game in which he began using atypical words to describe the action on the field. (MLB.com)
- ESPN’s Little to Work One More Race Before Maternity Leave: ESPN auto racing pit reporter Jamie Little will Sunday’s IndyCar Series race from Toronto, her final assignment before going on maternity leave. Little, who is eight months pregnant, will plans to return to ESPN in early September. (USA Today)
- Andrews to Make Fox Sports Debut on MLB All-Star Game: Fox Sports newcomer Erin Andrews will make her on-air debut during Tuesday’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Andrews, who joined FOX July 1, will report from the dugout along with fellow field reporter Ken Rosenthal, play-by-play voice Joe Buck, and analyst Tim McCarver. (Fox Sports press release via Fang’s Bites)
