Hey-hey! Cubs hit a homer with Len Kasper

Damn…and we’re stuck with Michael Kay until Danny Aiello gets ousted.

Len Kasper was a relative unknown when he replaced Chip Caray as the TV voice of the Cubs before the 2005 season. But it didn’t take long for Kasper to make a name for himself, and the Cubs rewarded him Thursday with a three-year contract extension through 2011.

...The other thing I like about Len is that he’s well in tune with the baseball stat science called “sabermetrics,” and that makes us kindred spirits. As I try to do in the Daily Herald, Len also tries to do on TV. That is, he’ll give you stats like on-base percentage and OPS (on-base plus slugging), but he’ll explain them for the casual viewer, and he won’t beat you over the head with them. Baseball is a game fans can enjoy on any level, and Len speaks to the stat head and to the casual fan alike.

When Channel 9 did its throwback telecast this past year, Len played it perfectly with his “Hey-hey” and “atta boy, Jimmy,” when Jim Edmonds hit a home run. It was priceless.

It’s also a lot of fun to talk rock music with Len, who’s up on the new stuff and the classics.

The chemistry between Len and Bob has developed into something special over the years. Let’s hope they have a lot more time together.