High-resolution spectra of the B ($) over tilde (2)A(1) - X ($) over tildeA(1) transitions of CaCH3 and SrCH3 have been recorded in a molecular jet/laser ablation source using laser excitation spectroscopy. Transitions arising from the K = 0 and I sub-bands have been observed for both molecules. An analysis of the data using a (2)A(1) symmetric top Hamiltonian has determined rotational and spin-rotation constants for the B ($) over tilde (2)A(1) state of each molecule. From the rotational constants, structures have been estimated for both CaCH3 and SrCH3. The spin-rotation constant, is an element of(bc) = (is an element of(bb) + is an element of(cc))/2, in the B ($) over tilde (2)A(1) state for both molecules is in reasonable agreement with the value calculated using the pure precession approximation. For CaCH3, the K' = 1 levels of the B ($) over tilde (2)A(1) state exhibit a perturbation that interchanges the energy ordering of the spin-rotation components.