Sure, he loves players and teams, but his interest lies in how many people will tune in to TBS' coverage of the four division series and the National League Championship Series.

Speaking during the Twins-Tigers tiebreaker on TBS, Levy was excited about a lineup that promises good numbers.

"You've got big-market teams with big brands," referring to the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Angels, Cardinals and Phillies among the eight playoff teams. "That is the start of a good mix."

Levy also credits good story lines for boosting viewership, with Tampa Bay's run to the 2008 World Series as an example.

"The (ALCS) went to Game 7, the story lines were all there" helping to produce a baseball cable-record 7.9 rating (percentage of TV homes) when the Rays and Boston played Game 7 for the AL pennant on TBS.

Bounce back

"After a controversial weekend for Mr. Cabrera, he's come out swinging," said TBS analyst Ron Darling after Detroit's Miguel Cabrera homered and doubled in his first two at-bats during the Tigers-Twins AL Central tiebreaker.

Cabrera's weekend involved a trip to the police station and allegations of a domestic dispute and heavy drinking — all during Detroit's biggest series of the season, against the Chicago White Sox, in which he went 0-for-11.

ESPN sets cable record with Favre

Fans might say they are sick of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, but they still made his appearance on Monday Night Football the most-watched show in cable TV history.

Facing his old team, the Green Bay Packers, for the first time, Favre helped ESPN play in 15.1 million households, up from the old mark of 12.95 million homes tuning to the Philadelphia-Dallas on Sept. 15, 2008, and draw 21.8 million viewers, 2.2 million above the old record set during the same Eagles-Cowboys game. Favre also boosted ESPN to its top rating ever, 15.3, 6.25% higher than a Bears-Vikings game in 1987.