Brantley obviously is confident about his analysis, plus doesn't give one care, said highly paid professional athlete's feelings are not ruined forever and ever... Beautiful. Go for the jugular, I love it.

That's OK by me too.

I love having MLB Extra Innings, but one thing that bugs me is the announcers, mostly the ones on bad/mediocre teams, who will criticize players on the opposition but almost never have the balls to rip into their own guys. Maybe it's from growing up in the 1970s listening to Harry Caray light into the White Sox for their failures, but I just can't stand this.

I love having MLB Extra Innings, but one thing that bugs me is the announcers, mostly the ones on bad/mediocre teams, who will criticize players on the opposition but almost never have the balls to rip into their own guys. Maybe it's from growing up in the 1970s listening to Harry Caray light into the White Sox for their failures, but I just can't stand this.

Whoa, whoa, whoa... are you trying to tell me that Nick Punto isn't a Gold Glove deserving third baseman who is merely in a slump?

I was listening to this live, and I was both pretty amazed, and very entertained by Brantley's comments. I thought that Brennaman would deflect him, and get him to back down, but he seemed to egg him on. Whether Brantley is right or not, good for him to have the balls to say it...

I love having MLB Extra Innings, but one thing that bugs me is the announcers, mostly the ones on bad/mediocre teams, who will criticize players on the opposition but almost never have the balls to rip into their own guys.
The Reds announcers (Marty Brenneman on the radio, George Grande on TV) have the curious habit of falling in love with the opposing players. Brenneman takes it a step further, freely ripping on the Dunns, Coffeys, or whomever is his target that day. He's been a great announcer for a long time and is in the HoF, but I'm tired of his constant negativity. I know the team sucks, but I don't need to be reminded of it throughout the game. I swear that sometimes Marty wants Adam Dunn to strike out when runners are on just so that he can affirm to his audience that Dunn isn't clutch. Thom Brenneman, by the way, is just as bad. And he doesn't have the Hof credibility to back his bull----.

Thom Brenneman, by the way, is just as bad.

The Brenneman family's misreading of Adam Dunn's value makes for one terrific/nauseating listen.

I don't miss Brantley on ESPN.

I swear that sometimes Marty wants Adam Dunn to strike out when runners are on just so that he can affirm to his audience that Dunn isn't clutch.

I only occassionally listen to Red broadcasts, but I concur with this. Since I'm not a Reds fan, it's almost comical. Marty seems to personally despise Dunn. I love his bit about the "meaninglessness" of Dunn's homeruns. Yeah, it's Dunn's fault the Reds suck. That's the ticket...

“You can’t throw the ball with your right hand if your right hand is on your throat. You can’t do both.”

Heck, even if it's your left hand on your throat, it might, y'know, mess up your balance or leverage or something.

Brantley's a #########.

I'd recommend firing Brantley over this. It's one thing to be honest about the quality of your own players, but “You can’t throw the ball with your right hand if your right hand is on your throat” is ridiculously out of line. I'd deck Brantley for saying something like that about me. (Of course I once, how shall we say, expressed my displeasure with a member of the opposition who gave us the choke sign in a softball game so perhaps I'm a bad barometer on this one).

"Todd Coffey is a bad pitcher." No problem with that.
"Todd Coffey chokes." From an announcer? Unacceptable.
"You can’t throw the ball with your right hand if your right hand is on your throat.” You're fired.

And Brantley might want to take a look at his own 1993: Overall OPS allowed of 775; tie game 910; within 1 900; within 2 889.

Is that cherry-picking? Well, that was his season with the most IP. But let's look at 1992. Overall OPS allowed of 626 (very nice). Tie game? 890. Within 1, 725.

Walt, you're not playing fair! 1991: 670 overall, 871 in tie games.

Apparently Mr. Brantley speaks from experience.

Coffey outsmarted Brantley tonight, bigtime.

With the Reds down 4-1, Coffey entered and allowed:
- two-run single to make it 6-1
- one-run single to make it 7-1
- one-run single to make it 8-1
- three-run HR to make it 11-1
- double, score stays 11-1

So in only 5 batters and 11 pitches, Coffey has PROVEN that he also can suck when the Reds are losing.
Take that, Mr. Smarty-pants Brantley!

He's been a great announcer for a long time and is in the HoF

As many here know, Marty is NOT in the Hall of Fame. He was never inducted, he just received an award given by the Hall (the Frick Award--not the "you're inducted, check out your plaque" Award). Regardless of how many "Hall of Famer" autographs he signs (and yes, he does that now), I seem to recall from my last trip to Cooperstown that the Hall finds the Frick Award exhibit so important that they've placed it in a dusty corner next to the entrance to the freakin' library.

And yes, Marty does want Adam Dunn to fail...you can hear the disappointment in his voice when this doesn't happen. Brantley is even worse, but not as bad as Brenneman Jr. Actually, as a Reds fan who listens to the live broadcasts often, I wish Brantley would clutch his own freakin' throat every now and again--the man never shuts up. And what's with that perm, anyway?

For you non-Reds fans, I simply can't consisely express to you how unpleasant it is for us to endure this "All Star" broadcasting team. People want to listen to the game, not Marty, Brantley and Thom's (I pronounce it with the dipthong) opinions on anything and everything--let them get a sydicated show for that. But even if I did want that type of content, they're not even that entertaining. Marty always falls back on his "I've been watching this team for 30+ years so I can't be wrong" routine. Brantley does his "I've been there, done that" routine. And Thhhhhom does his "if you don't agree with me you don't know baseball--now listen to me say words with the stress on the wrong syllable so I sound different" routine.

Of all the Reds broadcasters, Chris Welch is the only one listenable.

Damn, you Reds fans do have it bad -- I didn't realize thom had joined daddy.

Thom can make one appreciate Chip Carey.

Speaking of the Braves, the apocalypse must be at hand -- Willie Harris went 6-for-6 tonight with 6 RBI.

Speaking of the Braves, the apocalypse must be at hand -- Willie Harris went 6-for-6 tonight with 6 RBI.

Well, since Chris Truby retired Satan's been looking for a new favorite player.

How 'bout Todd Jones?