World Series TV ratings better than last year

NEW YORK (AP) — The World Series television rating on Fox was up 17 percent over last year but was the lowest for a matchup that went at least six games.

Boston’s 4-2 Series win over St. Louis averaged an 8.9 rating, 15 share and 14.9 million viewers, Nielsen Media Research said Thursday.

San Francisco’s four-game sweep of Detroit last year averaged a record-low 7.6/12 and was seen by 12.7 million viewers. That was among only three Series that had lower ratings than this year’s, joined by 8.4 ratings for Philadelphia’s five-game win over Tampa Bay in 2008 and San Francisco’s five-game victory over Texas in 2010.

Boston’s 6-1 victory in Wednesday night’s clincher received an 11.3/18 and was seen by 19.2 million viewers, baseball’s highest rating since Game 7 of the 2011 World Series.

The game, which marked the first title won by the Red Sox at Fenway Park since 1918, drew a 55.2/75 in Boston, the highest MLB rating there since Game 4 of the 2007 World Series. The Boston rating peaked at a 59.5/84 from 11-11:30 p.m., which included the final out and the start of the postgame celebration.

 

Nationals tab Williams

as team’s new manager

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former major league third baseman Matt Williams is the new manager of the Washington Nationals.

The Nationals will hold a news conference Friday to introduce Williams as the team’s fifth manager since it moved to Washington from Montreal in 2005. He replaces Davey Johnson, who is retiring.

It is Williams’ first job as a major league manager. He has only brief managerial experience at any level, having spent time in the Arizona Fall League and five weeks at Double-A in the minors.

He’s been the Arizona Diamondbacks third-base coach the past three seasons.

The 47-year-old Williams was a five-time All-Star and a four-time Gold Glove recipient during 17 years as a player for the Giants, Indians and Diamondbacks.

 

Ex-Charleston players

sentenced for robbery

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Three former University of Charleston basketball players have been sentenced for their roles in a robbery and beating.

Media outlets report that 22-year-old Robbie Dreher of Greenville, S.C., and 22-year-old Terrell Lipkins of Canton, Ohio, received suspended sentences on Wednesday. Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge Duke Bloom ordered them to complete a program for youth offenders.

Dreher was convicted of unlawful wounding and Lipkins was convicted of first-degree robbery and credit card fraud.

On Tuesday, Bloom sentenced 22-year-old Quincy Luther Washington of Florence, S.C., to two to 10 years in prison. Washington was convicted of malicious wounding.

The charges stemmed from the robbery and beating of two men in downtown Charleston in April.

 

Shanahan responds to

Haynesworth’s barbs

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Mike Shanahan leveled a scathing critique at Albert Haynesworth on Thursday, saying the former Redskins defensive lineman was “lazy” and had a “lack of passion” and “lack of character.”

The Washington Redskins coach was responding to comments made this week by Haynesworth, who told Tennessee Sports Radio that Shanahan is “conniving,” self-centered and will run quarterback Robert Griffin III “into the ground.”

Asked for his reaction, Shanahan began his answer and then stopped himself and started over — because he wanted to “say it the right way.”

Then he hammered home a zinger.

“When you don’t get along with somebody as a head coach or an assistant coach, it usually falls into one of those areas — lazy, lack of passion, and a lot of times lack of character,” Shanahan said. “And he fits all three.”

The latest back-and-forth began when recently retired Redskins tight end Chris Cooley, who now has his own radio show, called Haynesworth “an awful human being.” Haynesworth then went on the radio to say that Cooley “sounds as stupid as he looks” and then went after Shanahan, pointing out the coach’s lack of success in the playoffs with the Denver Broncos after John Elway retired.

It’s unusual for Shanahan to respond to such vitriol from a former player, but this time he did so with a smile.

“You usually take the high road as much as you can, I usually do,” Shanahan said. “But he’s been talking quite a bit, over the last couple of years, so I thought at least I’d be honest with you guys and tell you how I feel.”