2009 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[Falcon]

I'm glad you brought this up.  The Yankees have the worst broadcast teams ever created.  Both on radio and TV.  Susan Waldman, well, just reference her reaction to Roger Clemens' return.  That's all you need to hear to make a judgement call on her.  Michael Kay is horrendous on YES, and any combination of the 14 other analysts on that station aren't much better.  Actually some of the "fringe" guys aren't THAT bad, but the main guys are just plain bad.

The Waldman call of Clemens return maybe the most clowned call of all time - it's brutal.  

I thought Sterling was bad enough with the goofy "Thaaaaaa - Yankeeeees...Wiiiiiinn" crap but the calls of the Swisher and Hinske dingers are grounds for baseball exile..

I would think the Yanks have at least some say on who works the games, correct??

If so, do they not realize their announcers (Sterling and Waldman specifically) are the laughingstock of broadcast baseball and fodder for national TV and radio personalities and their audience??

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdtn0Z4o8cM

[freedom78]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdtn0Z4o8cM

What in the name of all things holy was that?

[pilferk]

DISCLAIMER:

I have a huge amount of respect for the Yankees and their tradition - THE most storied franchise in all of sports in my book.

That said...

John Sterling is absolutely THE cheesy-est play by play man I have ever heard.

Listened to Dan Patrick and Opie and Anthony today, both replaying a couple of Sterling's latest crimes against baseball and hammering him accordingly.

"Swisherlicious"?? "Hinske with your best shot"??

Does he not realize he's calling NEW YORK YANKEE games and not minor league hockey??

Pilf - or any Yank fan..How in the hell do you guys tolerate it??? 

Ummm...I rarely listen to the games on the radio?  Sterling only does the radio calls, now.  The YES network has it's own crew, now...and while they're not great, they're pretty much on par with most of the rest of the leagues "Sports Network's" crews.

Sterling has a great voice, and I love him in some of the more "announcer-y" stuff he does (like his work on Yankeeography on YES).  But I agree: His home run calls, especially, are often painful to listen to.  His "normal" play by play is a little bit better (though his "the piiiiittttch iiiiiisssss....outside" grates on you)....but then you have to listen to Suzyn Waldman do "color".  And when she takes over play by play....ye gods it's bad. You simply can't win with the radio broadcast team.  I listen to about 4 or 5 games a year on the radio.  Basically, Monday - Wednesday day games.  Otherwise, I watch or listen to YES.

[pilferk]

I'm glad you brought this up.  The Yankees have the worst broadcast teams ever created.  Both on radio and TV.  Susan Waldman, well, just reference her reaction to Roger Clemens' return.  That's all you need to hear to make a judgement call on her.  Michael Kay is horrendous on YES, and any combination of the 14 other analysts on that station aren't much better.  Actually some of the "fringe" guys aren't THAT bad, but the main guys are just plain bad.

I don't think the YES broadcast team is that bad....especially if you compare them to the NESN "homers", and the rest of the broadcast teams around the league. 

Not to speak "ill of the ill", but Remy makes me want to bang my head into a wall, repeatedly, and with great force. 

Buck and McCarver on Fox make me want to slit my wrists.  They're WRONG so much on their "color" stuff that they should be strung up by MLB for crimes against the game.  And their play by play, by and large, sucks. 

The Mets broadcast team is HORRENDOUSLY bad.

I've heard various local sports network broadcast teams as part of the MLB network broadcast package...and very few of them seem to be any better.  The Phillies broadcast team WAS better..but no longer. 

Kay can be a little annoying (BACK, TRACK, WALL, this ball is GONE!), but his broadcast partners (Tino, Paulie, Leiter, Cone, Flaherty) really make up for it.  The only pair I REALLY am not fond of is Kay and Singleton.  They're just sort of boring together.  But pair either one with one of the former Yanks in the booth, and it's usually a fun broadcast.  Oh...and I like Kim Jones.  She's funny...though I'm not sure it's intentional.

My favorite Yanks broadcast team was back in the  Channel 11 days, when Scooter and Healy/Mercer were doing the games.  Those were the days.....the sound of my childhood.

[pilferk]

Yeah, no one memorable since Red Barber.  Of course, that was before my time.

Scooter was definitely memorable.  He wasn't the "broadcaster" that Red was...at least by all accounts.  But if there was one thing Rizzuto was, it was memorable.

[Falcon]

Interesting to hear it from a Yankee fan perspective, lucky you don't listen to the radio much for sure.

As a follow up, what does the NYC media think of the Yankee broadcast situation?  Do they have the same opinion as the rest of the free world??

Scooter/Healy and Bobby Mercer - (a fellow Oklahoman), now THAT' was a helluva team worthy of broadcasting Yankee games.

Nationally speaking, I think Buck is second to only Bob Costas as a play by play man - can be a little cutesy at times but nothing that irritates me.  McCarver on the other hand, good Lord - Captain repetetive and stater of the obvious.  Would love to see Fox go a different way for color, Steve Phillips is my favorite national guy at the moment.

[pilferk]

Interesting to hear it from a Yankee fan perspective, lucky you don't listen to the radio much for sure.

As a follow up, what does the NYC media think of the Yankee broadcast situation?  Do they have the same opinion as the rest of the free world??

I listen to a fair bit of NYC sports radio, and I'd say my opinion is close to the one voiced in NYC most sports talk radio.  That being said:  Remember that Francessa is on YES...so isn't likely to speak ill of them.  Kay is ON the NYC radio.  And the ESPN radio folks don't really address it much....and when they do it's to bust on the radio team.

Scooter/Healy and Bobby Mercer - (a fellow Oklahoman), now THAT' was a helluva team worthy of broadcasting Yankee games.

I miss Bobby.  He did a LOT of YES broadcasts, and as much as I like the other "players" who sit in...Bobby was my favorite. 

But when Bobby and Scooter were doing games....lots of memories.  My dad (who passed away in 2000) and I used to watch those games EVERY Saturday (and the yanks were pretty bad, during most of that time).  That, to this day, is my favorite broadcast "team" ever, in any sport.  I loved Johnny Most doing Celtics games back in the 80's....but nothing beats Bobby and Scooter.

Nationally speaking, I think Buck is second to only Bob Costas as a play by play man - can be a little cutesy at times but nothing that irritates me.  McCarver on the other hand, good Lord - Captain repetetive and stater of the obvious.  Would love to see Fox go a different way for color, Steve Phillips is my favorite national guy at the moment.

I've never heard a Buck broadcast that I've liked, in any sport.  Too cute, then too deadpan, then too cute again.  He makes me want to turn the volume down.  McCarver then makes it worse....because the man is either senile or the dumbest color commentator on the planet.  He's wrong, or he's Captain Obvious (or both..which is tough to do).

When Artie Lange spent the better part of 30 minutes ripping apart Joe on his HBO show....I spent 30 minutes with a big ass smile on my face.

I actually like the MLB network teams they've put together...even though they're only doing in studio stuff.  I also like the teams they put together on TBS last year, for the playoffs.  Phillips isn't bad...but Joe Morgan bugs me (but not like Buck/McCarver)....though they're watchable, at least.  The interviews they do, sometimes, though...ye gods (I know...that's ESPN, and not them).  I don't care if you want to have the person in the booth to talk...but leave the camera on the game.  I don't need to see 30 minutes of interview with 45 second interstertials of the game!  I can hear you just fine with the camera on the action.

[D]

Best team ever was Skip Caray/Don Sutton on TBS for the Brave games.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Aside from FALCON, the general consensus among the baseball fans on this board is uniform; we would all gladly take bricks to the head than to turn up the volume during a FOX broadcast.  You figure Buck, Jr would have learned a few things from daddy.  No sir.  He's the type of broadcaster that stays silent after a big play because he thinks it's the "cool" thing to do.  Mr. Hip-and-Trendy.  He won't break down the play, he'll make a passing mention of the play and go right back to talking about his work on Budweiser commercials.  I loathe that man with a passion.  

How can you possibly listen to that guy do Cardinals games all year?

BSPN...I don't know why Morgan still has a job.  Anyone remember firejoemorgan.com?  That place was the best.

Their only good commentator is Jon Miller.  I can listen to him on the Disney network and I can listen to him do Giants games.  Solid commentator.

[Falcon]

I've been listening to Buck since his dad first brought him in the booth when he was around 19 so I guess familiarity goes a long way for me.  I've always found his glib/matter of fact style just fine, never bugged me.

Joe hasn't done Cardinal games on a daily basis for a long time now, 5-7 years maybe.  He cut back dramatically when he became the voice of FOX Sports then moved away from Cards games entirely. 

I grew up listening to Jack Buck, so many memories tied to that voice.  He and Mike Shannon (Shannon has become the voice of the Cards since Jack passed) will always
be the measuring stick for me...

D - Skip and Sutton, huh? 

Guess you grew up "Right down Peachtree"...

[D]

I hate Joe buck also

Kentucky but lifelong Brave fan.

[Falcon]

Kentucky but lifelong Brave fan.

Were you strictly a TBS watcher or a radio listener as well?

[faldor]

I'm glad you brought this up.  The Yankees have the worst broadcast teams ever created.  Both on radio and TV.  Susan Waldman, well, just reference her reaction to Roger Clemens' return.  That's all you need to hear to make a judgement call on her.  Michael Kay is horrendous on YES, and any combination of the 14 other analysts on that station aren't much better.  Actually some of the "fringe" guys aren't THAT bad, but the main guys are just plain bad.

I don't think the YES broadcast team is that bad....especially if you compare them to the NESN "homers", and the rest of the broadcast teams around the league. 

Not to speak "ill of the ill", but Remy makes me want to bang my head into a wall, repeatedly, and with great force. 

Buck and McCarver on Fox make me want to slit my wrists.  They're WRONG so much on their "color" stuff that they should be strung up by MLB for crimes against the game.  And their play by play, by and large, sucks. 

The Mets broadcast team is HORRENDOUSLY bad.

I've heard various local sports network broadcast teams as part of the MLB network broadcast package...and very few of them seem to be any better.  The Phillies broadcast team WAS better..but no longer. 

Kay can be a little annoying (BACK, TRACK, WALL, this ball is GONE!), but his broadcast partners (Tino, Paulie, Leiter, Cone, Flaherty) really make up for it.  The only pair I REALLY am not fond of is Kay and Singleton.  They're just sort of boring together.  But pair either one with one of the former Yanks in the booth, and it's usually a fun broadcast.  Oh...and I like Kim Jones.  She's funny...though I'm not sure it's intentional.

My favorite Yanks broadcast team was back in the  Channel 11 days, when Scooter and Healy/Mercer were doing the games.  Those were the days.....the sound of my childhood.

NESN "homers", give me a break.  The YES network used to give player of the game to a Yankee even if they lost 11-0.  You don't like the Remdawg huh?  I think he's quite solid.  Knows a lot about the game, which is always good for a color commentator.  I guess we both have biased opinions.  But I'm friends with some Yankee fans who admittedly prefer the Sox broadcast to any combination of Yankee announcers.  Plus, the Sox have former Miss California contestant, Heidi Watney as a sideline reporter, so you absolutely can't beat that.

I liked Rizzuto and Bill White back in the day.

[D]

Kentucky but lifelong Brave fan.

Were you strictly a TBS watcher or a radio listener as well?

tbs

I am from a very small town, so we didn't have very good radio transmission.

Dale Murphy was my hero growing up and that turned to Tom Glavine who is my favorite of all time.

[pilferk]

NESN "homers", give me a break.  The YES network used to give player of the game to a Yankee even if they lost 11-0.  You don't like the Remdawg huh?  I think he's quite solid.  Knows a lot about the game, which is always good for a color commentator.  I guess we both have biased opinions.  But I'm friends with some Yankee fans who admittedly prefer the Sox broadcast to any combination of Yankee announcers.  Plus, the Sox have former Miss California contestant, Heidi Watney as a sideline reporter, so you absolutely can't beat that.

I liked Rizzuto and Bill White back in the day.

The NESN broadcast team are definitely "homers".  The YES team isn't much better (and yes, I'd call them "homers", too)...but they're better.  They'll actually criticize the team, at times. With the NESN team, it seems like it's 99.9% "sweetness and light", no matter what's actually going on.  The NESN post game/analysis team is a little bit better...but not much. And, FYI:  YES Player of the game is voted on by the fans...not the broadcast team.

I can't stand Remy.  While he knows the game, he's such a homer it's hard to listen to him.  Just not my bag.  I wish him all the best in his recovery...but if I never had to hear him again, I'd be happy.  And his broadcast partner (who's name I always forget) has that scmaltzy radio voice that just comes across as insincere.

Heidi's hot...but other than the "eye candy" factor...I prefer Kim Jones unintentional humor/levity.  I actually preferred Hazel May...who is now on MLB network, I think?

[faldor]

The "player of the game" thing was from YEARS ago.  I'm actually not even sure they were even on YES at that time.  Maybe the fans voted for it back then, but I never heard them mention it.  All I remember is Michael Kay saying something like.  "The Yankees fall 14-2 to the Rangers tonight.  The player of the game is Jorge Posada who went 1 for 4 with an RBI double".

Maybe I don't listen to the Yanks announcers enough, or maybe they've gotten better.  But I've NEVER heard them criticize the team and/or players.  Remy was always tough on Dice K last year.  He's not ALWAYS positive.  YES and NESN have a pretty large stake in their respective teams though, so it's not surprising they're not overly critical.

Hazel is on the MLB network.  And Don Orsillo is the "voice" of the Red Sox.  I didn't like him much at first but he's grown on me.  He and Jerry have a good rapport.  Don's also had a tough season with Jerry being out, having a different partner every series or so.  I thought Eckersley was getting pretty good before Remy came back.  Who can forget him mispronouncing Justin Masterson's name as "Masturbate".  Ah, Eck.  Good times.

[Falcon]

Cards games are now on the Big550 KTRS, no longer on KMOX unfortunately.

A move brought on by ownership a few years ago when they purchased controlling interest in KTRS..

They still have one the largest affiliate station line ups in the game, creating a true "Cardinal Nation" - none of that speudo Boston propaganda..

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Cardinal Nation sure had a lot of blue blotches splattered about in July. 

(I can say I am honored to have seen Albert Pujols homer.  It was off the knuckleballer Haeger.)

If anyone cares and wants to share in my excitement, I just completed my Dodger Stadium pictorial project. 

[Falcon]

Cardinal Nation sure had a lot of blue blotches splattered about in July. 

I assume you're speaking of a Cubs series?  Seen many of those a long the way here as well, great stuff.  Nice to see the Cubbies being the Cubbies, 101 years of frustration continues..