MASN ratings double for Nats games in 2009

Television ratings for Nationals games on MASN doubled this season, leaping from a 0.7 share to 1.4 in the Washington market, MASN spokesman Todd Webster said.

MASN drew roughly 33,000 viewers in the Washington area per game, and in their complete coverage area - from Harrisburg, Pa., to Charlotte - the station averaged 57,000 views. MASN set a record when Stephen Strasburg made his highly anticipated debut, but "it's not just the Strasburg effect," Webster said. "We had seen the ratings spike a month before he came up." . . .

The St. Louis Cardinals have exercised a $16 million club option for 2011 with three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols.

The 30-year-old Pujols led the National League with 42 home runs and won his first league RBI title with 118, and tied Matt Holliday for the team batting lead at .312.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

The Bowl Championship Series standings will be released starting Oct. 17 on Sunday nights during ESPN's new "BCS Countdown" show.

The 75-minute show will debut Sunday at 8:15 p.m. Eastern time and run through Dec. 5. The first 45 minutes of the show will be on ESPN. At 9 p.m., it will switch to ESPNU.

ESPN is in its first season as the TV home for the BCS, with rights to the Orange, Sugar and Fiesta bowls, as well as the BCS championship game. . . .

Freshman quarterback Chase Rettig is back on the practice field for Boston College.

Rettig sprained his ankle in Saturday's game against Notre Dame. He returned to practice wearing a protective boot on Tuesday.

Also, linebacker Mark Herzlich reportedly has a broken bone in his hand. It is not expected to keep him out of Saturday's game at North Carolina State. . . .

Doctors have amputated the right foot of Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker, who is battling complications from diabetes.

PRO BASKETBALL

Dwyane Wade's right hamstring remains sore, and the Miami Heat star guard said he's undergoing a lengthy round of treatments to get back on the court as soon as possible.