Hall of Fame TV broadcaster, former catcher McCarver dies

Tim McCarver, the AllStar catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster who during 60 years in baseball won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals and had a long run as one of the country’s most recognized, incisive and talkative television commentators, died Thursday. He was 81.

McCarver’s death was announced by baseball’s Hall of Fame, which said he died Thursday morning due to heart failure in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was with his family.

Among the few players to appear in major league games during four decades, McCarver was a twotime All Star who worked closely with two future Hall of Fame pitchers: The tempestuous Bob Gibson, whom McCarver caught for St. Louis in the 1960s, and the introverted Steve Carlton, McCarver’s fellow Cardinal in the ‘60s and a Philadelphia Phillies teammate in the 1970s.

He switched to television soon after retiring in 1980 and called 24 World Series for ABC, CBS and Fox, a record for a baseball analyst on television.

McCarver became best known to national audiences for his 18-year partnership on Fox with play-byplay man Joe Buck. McCarver moved to Fox in 1996 when it began televising baseball and called his final World Series in 2013.

Ramírez wins, Helsley, Rojas lose arbitration

Tampa Bay outfielder Harold Ramírez won his salary arbitration case on Thursday, while St. Louis closer Ryan Helsley and Arizona infielder Josh Rojas lost.

Ramírez will get $2.2 million rather than Tampa Bay’s offer of $1.9 million.

Helsley will earn $2.15 million rather than his $3 million request and Rojas will get $2,575,000 instead of $2.9 million.

Teams hold a 7-5 lead in decisions.

First baseman Ji-Man Choi argued his case Thursday with Pittsburgh, asking for a raise from $3.2 million to $5.4 million.