Wednesday, April 1, 1998 | 6:37 a.m.
TIM GRAHAM is a Las Vegas SUN sportswriter. His media column appears Wednesdays. He can be reached on the Internet at [email protected]
Ken Korach doesn't get many breaks.
In fact, had he not given up UNLV football he wouldn't get any.
Still, in Korach's world, there are no stops and starts, only transitions.
The veteran sportscaster makes his official switch to the baseball booth tonight when the Oakland A's open their season against the Boston Red Sox.
Three weeks ago, Korach was courtside in Hartford, Conn., calling the UNLV basketball team's season-ending loss to Princeton in the first-round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
"The last month has been so hectic, not only with the Rebels advancing but going to Hartford," said Korach, who lives in Henderson with wife Denise and daughter Emilee.
"I didn't have too many spare moments. I spent a lot of time on airplanes."
Regardless of the grind, Korach thrives on it. He is entering his third season with the A's, where he hosts the radio pregame show and works games with Bill King and Ray Fosse.
The former Las Vegas Stars announcer recently signed a new three-year contract with the A's. But for now, his mind is on the upcoming campaign.
Korach claims this is a prime year for someone to match Roger Maris' hallowed 61 home run record.
"You look back at '61 when Maris set the record, it was an expansion year in the American League," Korach noted. "The new ballparks are smaller, more conducive to the long ball."
There also are several behind-the-scenes stories that have Korach's attention.
"It's almost like a transition year in baseball," he said. "A lot has to play out. This is the last year for interleague play as we know it. The players' association has to ratify the concept of whether they're going to continue it, and they could hold the designated hitter up as ransom, so to speak.
"Another thing that has to be resolved is the schedule situation. Last year the A's had 28 two-game series. This year we have 20, which I still think is too many."
Finding a commissioner is another key issue, as Milwaukee Brewers owner Bud Selig continues his reign.
"I think it's wrong to have a commissioner that's an owner," Korach said. "You need to have a commissioner that's not attached or affiliated with any of the groups that are a big factor in the game."
Korach, formerly of San Jose, also dismisses reports the A's are interested in moving to Las Vegas. He considers both areas big league towns, but says Las Vegas is not quite ready.
"I don't really think it's much of a story, honestly," he said. "I think the A's are totally committed to the Bay Area.
"I would love to see Las Vegas get a team some day. My wish would be the A's would be a huge success in the Bay Area and Las Vegas would get an expansion team.
"But until the time comes when people (in Las Vegas) are really talking up the idea about getting a major-league team, I won't get optimistic about it. There has to be a groundswell, some grass-roots support that says 'Yeah, let's do it.'"
Baseball insomnia
The San Diego Padres are returning to Las Vegas radio -- sort of.
After a one year hiatus from local airwaves, KLAV 1230-AM added 135 Padres games to its lineup, but they don't air live. Instead, KLAV has "Padre Replay," an early morning repeat of the previous day's game.
The broadcasts begin at 2 a.m. -- except Sundays, when they start at 3 a.m. -- with "Baseball Overnight," a half-hour talk show hosted an produced by Las Vegan Marty Rodick. The game immediately follows.
KLAV also broadcasts nine Padres games live this year on select Friday nights, staring April 24.
TV madness
CBS Sports announced Tuesday its coverage of the NCAA men's basketball tournament was the most watched since 1994. CBS claimed the 63-game event averaged 10.1 million viewers. Over 11 million tuned in four years ago.
Static
The latest installment of ESPN's "Outside the Lines" debuts Thursday at 4:30 p.m. This episode examines the athletic footwear industry, including how shoes are manufactured in foreign sweat shops. ... ESPN and ESPN2 offer a chance to watch Las Vegan Andre Agassi go after Bill Tilden's 72-year-old Davis Cup record for consecutive victories at 16. Agassi has 15 straight heading into the U.S. vs. Russia showdown that starts Friday at 1 p.m. ... Football season is closer than you think. Fox Sports West starts its "NFL Europe League Game of the Week." The 10-game schedule airs each Sunday at 6 p.m., starting this weekend with the Scottish Claymores and defending champion Barcelona Dragons.
archive
