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Monday, March 30, 2009

O’s announcers up and leave

The Orioles’ flagship radio team of Joe Angel and Fred Manfra quietly left the stadium here today during a 90-minute rain delay and didn’t come back for the final eight innings, telling their bosses at 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore that the game had been canceled.

“Yes, the rest of the game was not on the air back home and we don’t know why,” baffled Orioles PR rep Jeff Lentz said later. “We looked over during the game and they weren’t there.”

Nothing’s worse than dead air. Why not try and fill with a few chorouses of “Colombia, the Gem of the Ocean”?

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: March 30, 2009 at 07:23 PM | 32 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: announcers, mets, orioles

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1. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: March 30, 2009 at 07:38 PM (#3119146)

Ooh, I like this story. I'm guessing we're going to see a claim of "Honest Mistake" soon.

2. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: March 30, 2009 at 07:38 PM (#3119147)

Joe Angel tells a slightly different story

3. Tripon Posted: March 30, 2009 at 07:41 PM (#3119153)

Somebody is trying to cover their asses!

4. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: March 30, 2009 at 07:43 PM (#3119154)

Heh, from the link in #2: "See you on the radio!"

5. Willie Mayspedes Posted: March 30, 2009 at 07:44 PM (#3119162)

The were last seen walking into the parking lot with their arms stretching in front of their bodies at shoulder height. With dazed looks in their eyes they were mumbling WIIEEETTERRRRSSS, WIIIIEEEETTTEEEERRRSSSS.

6. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: March 30, 2009 at 07:48 PM (#3119167)

if you click the link in my link you find:

"Dave Labrozzi, vice president of programming for CBS Radio Baltimore, confirms that the decision to cut off the Orioles game broadcast Sunday came from station management.

"The impression by the station was that the game would not be resuming, so the decision was made," he said."

7. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: March 30, 2009 at 07:50 PM (#3119170)

Awesome. Apparently the PR rep is the only one who doesn't know what's going on.

"Um, I haven't been told what to say, so I'll go on autopilot. As a propagandist for management, I'll just tell you guys that if someone did something wrong, it wasn't management's fault, it was the employees. End communication."

8. phredbird

Posted: March 30, 2009 at 07:51 PM (#3119172)

based on how this station is run, they might just fire those two guys anyway.

9. Rocco's Not-so Malfunctioning Mitochondria Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:07 PM (#3119201)

Joe Angel is one of my favorite radio broadcasters out there. Not sure why, but there's just something comforting about his voice and the way he uses words to give you a mental image.

10. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:08 PM (#3119202)

Nothing’s worse than dead air.

I don't know, an Orioles spring training game is awfully close.

11. WhoWantsTeixeiraDessert Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:12 PM (#3119216)

Joe Angel was really great with Jon Miller back in his pre-ESPN Oriole days, particularly during rain delays.

12. Gamingboy Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:13 PM (#3119218)

Bah. Angelos doesn't even bother to show up.

13. PASTE Thinks This Trout Kid Might Be OK (Zeth) Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:13 PM (#3119219)

At least the sound engineers managed to catch Joe Angel in time yelling, 'Go #### yourself, and the #### with your show coming up next on the Baltimore Oriole radio ####### network!' just before slamming down his headset and leaving, and managed to keep it off the airwaves.

14. bads85 Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:18 PM (#3119228)

Well, this doesn't sound like a good omen for the upcoming Orioles' season.

15. Gamingboy Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:20 PM (#3119230)

Well, this doesn't sound like a good omen for the upcoming Orioles' season.

No, no, no. A bad omen would have been if fans started to worship false idols instead of the one true Wieters.

16. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:20 PM (#3119231)

Ain't nothing better than a flareup over the radio broadcast of another meaningless spring training game.

17. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:23 PM (#3119241)

If this was the 1950s, "Joe Angel" would be the pseudonym of a guy whose real name was something like, hm, "Peter Angelos".

18. aleskel

Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:26 PM (#3119245)

If this was the 1950s, "Joe Angel" would be the pseudonym of a guy whose real name was something like, hm, "Peter Angelos".

no, I think it would be "Joseph Angelini", he would go by "Joey Angels" and would be involved in a perfectly legitimate import/export business

19. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: March 30, 2009 at 08:43 PM (#3119264)

Nothing’s worse than dead air.

I don't know, an Orioles spring training game is awfully close.

Don't forget Rex Hudler and Steve Physioc.

20. cndb41a Posted: March 30, 2009 at 09:54 PM (#3119323)

If you have ever heard Angel or Manfra, then you would agree that today's last 8 innings is the best Orioles baseball has sounded in years.

21. Misirlou is bad, he's nationwide Posted: March 30, 2009 at 10:06 PM (#3119327)

no, I think it would be "Joseph Angelini", he would go by "Joey Angels" and would be involved in a perfectly legitimate import/export business

"I'm gonna go get the manifest, get the manifest."

22. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: March 30, 2009 at 10:09 PM (#3119330)

Joe Angel was really great with Jon Miller back in his pre-ESPN Oriole days, particularly during rain delays.

Yep; I loved also when they would, during a particularly bad blowout -- of which there were a lot during the late 80s when they were announcing together -- suddenly switch to announcing in Spanish.

23. Lassus Posted: March 30, 2009 at 10:18 PM (#3119336)

From Angel in the link in post #2

It was completely out ofour hands. [snip] On Sunday,....we filled for about 40 minutes and then we were told to discontinue the broadcast and simply sign off. [snip] The decision to end the broadcast was made by the decision making level at our flagship station. It didn't come from us.....

Well, I'm sorry, but we need names here. Someone screwed up. If not you, who?

24. Curse of the Andino Posted: March 30, 2009 at 10:25 PM (#3119339)

Yep; I loved also when they would, during a particularly bad blowout -- of which there were a lot during the late 80s when they were announcing together -- suddenly switch to announcing in Spanish.

Blowout, back in '88, checking the out of town scores, new pitcher in relief for Cincy, name of Rob Dibble.

Angel: Dibble for Cinncinnati. Dibble? Did I get that right?

Miller: Well, Dibble, Dibble Toil and Tribble.

Laughter. Dead air. More laughter. Angel finally gets it together.

Ozzie Peraza or whover gives up five more runs. New pitcher.

Angel comes on.

Angel: Just wanted to let you folks know. Jon and I have been fired...

/maybe ya had to be there.
//Important thing was: blow-out, 1988.

25. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: March 30, 2009 at 10:52 PM (#3119345)

What, not Eric Bell? Or Joe Table? (I guess those would've been 1987.

26. Willie Mayspedes Posted: March 30, 2009 at 10:55 PM (#3119347)

They sound like the announcers from Major League.

27. TerpNats Posted: March 30, 2009 at 11:33 PM (#3119383)

Well, I think I now know where former Phillies announcer Scott Graham will be working in 2010.

28. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: March 30, 2009 at 11:55 PM (#3119398)

The only time I listen to the O's these days is if they're playing the Yanks, but I have to say I've developed a real liking for Angel's deadpan style of humor. Unless of course it's the other guy I'm thinking of.

29. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish Posted: March 30, 2009 at 11:57 PM (#3119401)

"Um, I haven't been told what to say, so I'll go on autopilot. As a propagandist for management, I'll just tell you guys that if someone did something wrong, it wasn't management's fault, it was the employees. End communication."

You mean "END OF LINE", don't you?

\Tron FTW!

30. DLew On Roids Posted: March 31, 2009 at 03:01 AM (#3119519)

Blowout, back in '88, checking the out of town scores

Mmm, Esskay.

31. Curse of the Andino Posted: March 31, 2009 at 04:56 AM (#3119576)

What, not Eric Bell? Or Joe Table? (I guess those would've been 1987.

Or J.J. Bautista--but not the time where J.J. threw a 70-pitch, 8-inning complete game against Seattle, losing 1-0 to Mark Langston. That game went pretty quick. Think it was after they traded Boddicker...

32. Dr. Vaux Posted: March 31, 2009 at 05:37 AM (#3119585)

Angel is great. Probably an acquired taste, but great.

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O’s announcers up and leave

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