News & Notes: SportsNet LA Premiere; NFL on FOX Defections; PGA on CBS

• SportsNet LA, the Time Warner run network for Los Angeles Dodgers baseball will go live on February 25th.  The network will premiere one day before the Dodgers first spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Scotsdale.  The new network will now focus on being carried on all cable and satellite providers in Southern California.  Dodgers telecasts in California and Arizona will feature Vin Scully working play by play on TV, with Charlie Steiner and Rick Monday calling the middle three innings on the radio.  Telecasts of road games outside of the two regions will have Steiner and former ESPN analyst Orel Hershiser in the booth, with former MLB Network's reporter Alanna Rizzo as the field reporter.  Rick Monday and former ESPN analyst Nomar Garciaparra will work road games on the radio.  The network also hired local TV newsman John Hartung and newly retired Jerry Hairston Jr to work pre and post game shows.

• Tim Ryan will leave FOX Sports after 12 years as analyst to join the San Francisco 49ers radio booth.  The analyst paired with Sam Rosen and Chris Myers for the past dozen years will join Ted Robinson as the voices of the 49ers on KNBR radio.  Ryan replaces former 49er' Eric Davis, who mutually parted with the team and station to due to his commitment with NFL Network's NFL AM.   Ryan may be one of two major defections from FOX, as New York Daily News media critic Bob Raissman reports that former coach Brian Billick's contract with FOX has expired and he may defect to CBS and replace the retiring Dan Dierdorf.

• CBS has released their 2014 PGA Golf Schedule. Jim Nantz will once again anchor coverage with Sir Nick Faldo as the hosts and on the 18th hole.  They will return with the last seasons slate of analysts including Ian Baker-Finch, Gary McCord, David Feherty, Peter Kostis, Bill Macatee, Verne Lundquist and Peter Oosterhuis.  The two biggest events of the year include The Masters at Augusta National in Georgia the weekend of April 10th (with ESPN) and the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky (with TNT). The network's coverage begins this week with the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego and will feature Tiger Woods.