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Friday, April 13, 2012

Royal: Dear Fox Sports Houston: Your Astros Broadcast Suck

Come back, Mickey Herskowitz!

Then came Wednesday night’s Astros/Braves game and the Progressive Fan of the Game feature. Frankly, of all of the stupid features Fox Sports Houston does at baseball games, this is the stupidest. I don’t care what a person sitting in the stands thinks about the game, especially since, as it’s an Astros game, Fox Sports Houston ignores the action on the field for the insipid interview. If I want to hear a fan talk at Minute Maid Park, I’ll go up there and sit next to the fools who still boo Carlos Beltran.

But the Wednesday Night Fan of the Game was a New York Yankees fan. And it wasn’t a Yankees fan who even lives in Houston, it was a Yankees fan from New York and the interview was all about how this guy’s damn AL-only fantasy baseball team and how he was here scouting Astros players so he’d know who to draft next season. And to make it worse, this New York Yankees fan was surrounded by people wearing Atlanta Braves shirts and caps.

I realize that nobody’s attending Astros games. I realize that most of the stadium is empty. But really, is a New York Yankees fan surrounded by Atlanta Braves fans really the best that Fox Sports Houston could do for the fan of the game? I know that real Astros fans were there because they kept punching up shots of people in the stands wearing Astros gear, so at least the camera people knew how to find actual Astros fans, but it just must have been too difficult for Bart Ennis and the broadcast producer.

Repoz Posted: April 13, 2012 at 10:27 AM | 68 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: astros, media

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1. Mayor Blomberg Posted: April 13, 2012 at 10:48 AM (#4105551)

Do Poppy and Barbara still attend? FSSW could have nightly tea with them.

2. JJ1986 Posted: April 13, 2012 at 10:51 AM (#4105552)

the interview was all about how this guy’s damn AL-only fantasy baseball team and how he was here scouting Astros players so he’d know who to draft next season

This can't be true. None of the Astros are worth drafting in a fantasy league.

3. The Mohole* of David Wells (* - Piehole)

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 10:53 AM (#4105556)

This article just points to a larger problem in sports broadcasting. Dear everyone except the Dodgers: Your broadcasts suck.

4. ASmitty Posted: April 13, 2012 at 10:56 AM (#4105564)

I actually rather like the Tiger's TV broadcasts. The commercials drive me nuts, but they have a pretty great booth.

5. Dangerous Dean Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:05 AM (#4105576)

If you think the TV broadcasts are bad, you should try to listen to Milo Hamilton call a radio game. He is PUTRID and his "color" partner has to do the play by play after he's flubbed it.

An example from opening week:

Milo: OH what a terrible play! I can't believe what I just saw. (followed by 5 uncomfortable seconds of dead air while his partner waits for the main play by play guy to clarify what he just saw).

(then finally) Dave Raymond: The Astros runner on first(JD Martinez, I think) took off on a line drive to left field. The outfielder came on and caught it with his weight moving toward the infield and easily doubled off Martinez, who didn't even try to get back (or something like that).

I know lots of people love Milo because he was a decent announcer during the Nixon and Ford adminstrations. But in the last 20 years the best you can say about him is that he should be retiring soon.

And the worst part about all this is a that I am a Rangers fan marooned in the middle of the Astros fan zone and I can't find a single Rangers broadcast because all 100 local radio stations carry the Astros.

6. Flynn Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:11 AM (#4105584)

This article just points to a larger problem in sports broadcasting. Dear everyone except the Dodgers: Your broadcasts suck.

Hey buddy, don't swallow the Boston lies about how Don & Jerry are "among the best in the game", even though Don is made from cardboard and Jerry hates everybody who wasn't a no-hit infielder like himself.

The Mets and the Giants have excellent teams. I enjoy the A's too, even if Fosse grates on some people.

7. The Mohole* of David Wells (* - Piehole)

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:15 AM (#4105589)

Hey buddy, don't swallow the Boston lies about how Don & Jerry are "among the best in the game", even though Don is made from cardboard and Jerry hates everybody who wasn't a no-hit infielder like himself.

Did you even read what I wrote? I hate Don & Jerry. Also, I said "Dodgers."

8. ASmitty Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:18 AM (#4105594)

I really dislike homerific announcing. One of the reasons I like Detroit's TV booth is because, while they root for the home team, they acknowledge bad calls that go Detroit's way and don't mind praising good players on other teams.

White Sox broadcasts, on the other hand, are basically my idea of Hell.

9. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:22 AM (#4105598)

The best dynamic is when the color commentator is a homer and the play-by-play guy keeps trying to rein him in.

"Actually Larry, looks like Reyes might have been safe on that one."

10. Pat Rapper's Delight Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:26 AM (#4105602)

I think the Rangers TV broadcasts are OK except for the pointless reporter in the stands whose purpose seems to be giving 15 minutes of fame to the dumbest, loudest, most obnoxious people in the park. It's a great way to anti-market the ballpark experience. Anyone on the fence about buying tickets to a game must have the thought flash through their heads, "But what if our tickets have us spending three hours next to him????"

11. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:29 AM (#4105605)

I like the Mets and Giants. I've found the Jays, Yankees, Orioles, Braves, and Brewers to be cromulent. None of them are anywhere close to the Scully Dodgers broadcasts, because they use the far inferior contemporary model and spend little time building a narrative of the game.

The Red Sox broadcast is growing unlistenable for me. The Nationals broadcasts with Dibble were even worse than the White Sox, without Dibble they're now just garden variety bad. The Diamondbacks broadcast is often overlooked for its badness.

12. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:35 AM (#4105609)

I'm surprised for as overexposed the Cubs are, that their broadcast team is rarely brought up in this threads (except for by Cubs fans) Len Kasper is very very good.

13. ASmitty Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:38 AM (#4105611)

I like Kasper. Brenley has a good voice for announcing, but the content isn't so great. As far as TV booths go, they're pretty inoffensive...except for the horrible celebrity half inning that goes along with the seventh inning stretch.

14. JJ1986 Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:41 AM (#4105615)

The Nationals broadcasts with Dibble were even worse than the White Sox, without Dibble they're now just garden variety bad.

I really dislike Santangelo. Even after a year, he still sounds to me like a guy who's just learning the job. He's hesitant and overly deferential.

15. Shock Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:41 AM (#4105617)

I kind of wish they would just plant a stationary camera somewhere and fire half the staff. I don't care about the crowd, I don't care about 300 shots in the dugout, I don't care about your "sideline reporter" or whatever it's called, I don't care about seeing the broadcasters. Why is this so hard?

16. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:50 AM (#4105625)

Dodgers are easily my fav, but the Giants crew/production are pretty solid as well. I don't watch them often, but the production of a Yanks Yes! broadcast is probably the best. Mets good too. I'd endorse Kasper/Brenly but the draconian black out rules mean I can't watch them in Indy. Best in game nonsense is the Brewers 'Tavern of the Game'. Always some great tavern names in some great 'up north' places (Peshtigo, Antigo, Spooner, Pembine, etc.)

17. CWS Keith plans to boo your show at the Apollo Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:51 AM (#4105627)

When on Comcast, the White Sox now have a once-per-game, "Multivision" (or something along those lines) feature where they show an entire at-bat with five different camera angles all present on the screen. I don't know who could have possibly thought that was a good idea, but it's ####### awful -- way too much going on at once, and because they're showing so many angles at once, each individual angle is small.

Unrelated to the above, but MLB.tv on X-Box Live is wonderful. Given this was the first season on XBL, I was expecting to run into issues, but it's been seamless so far. The picture is wonderful, the transition from home-to-away broadcast or switching games is simple, rewind/fastforward very easy. Haven't even run into any extended periods of pixelated/fuzzy screens, which I usually run into with NHL's/FoxSoccer's online services.

18. Jim Wisinski

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 11:59 AM (#4105632)

I find the Rays broadcasts to be acceptable.

They've actually been dropping sabermetric stuff on us a bit this season. The other day during the game against Verlander they were talking about WAR and show his compared to other top pitchers last season and yesterday when they were discussing shifts Staats was talking about how all the new technology these days is starting to allow teams to really separate pitching from fielding and understand better how much credit to give to each.

19. The Mohole* of David Wells (* - Piehole)

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 12:04 PM (#4105635)

The worst broadcast team, IMO, was the Angels with Physioc and Rex Hudler. For some inexplicable reason after they fired those two, they replaced them with two guys who sound basically like toned down versions of them. Mark Gubicza is Hudler light, which is an improvement I guess, but not much of one. Rex Hudler is truly the worst color man in baseball.

It would be nice if someone (hello ESPN!) would try an experiment with a single announcer. Instead they seem to be going the opposite direction and adding more announcers to the booth. I'm trying to think if it's necessary in say football to have color announcers. It's certainly not necessary in baseball.

20. Perry Posted: April 13, 2012 at 12:05 PM (#4105637)

Rockies broadcasts are pretty awful (except Drew Goodman is a reasonable PBP guy), with the worst feature being "Toyota Talk" -- they spend the whole top of the 6th running a crawl across the bottom of the screen consisting of texts sent in by fans, 99% of which are some variant of "go rokcies!!!!!! Joe from Laramie."

I was hoping they wouldn't bring that back this year, but during the opener they specifically said that viewers liked it last year so they're doing it again, which made this viewer facepalm.

21. The Yankee Clapper Posted: April 13, 2012 at 12:23 PM (#4105651)

I really dislike Santangelo. Even after a year, he still sounds to me like a guy who's just learning the job. He's hesitant and overly deferential.

While he sounded somewhat nervous early last season, Santangelo seems to have settled in as time went on. I find him OK, but I only follow the Nationals sporadically.

22. PreservedFish Posted: April 13, 2012 at 12:31 PM (#4105662)

Mets team is exceptional. But the Mets broadcast does similar stupid bits.

I enjoyed the fan of the game interview that the Rangers had on Darvish's debut. Drunk Japanese kid who barely knew English and just kept screaming, delightedly, "I ... LOVE ...YU!"

23. dlf Posted: April 13, 2012 at 12:36 PM (#4105665)

Because of work and family committments, I'm much more likely to listen to the radio in the background while doing other things. The Braves radio duo of Jim Powell and Don Sutton are ok, but nothing special. I thought that Jon Schiambi was great when he briefly was here and I really wish Pete Van Weiren was still calling games. The TV crew of Chip Carray and Joe Simpson are horrible.

24. PreservedFish Posted: April 13, 2012 at 12:40 PM (#4105673)

#19 - a good color guy, a guy that is actually able to speak about the inside baseball on a level that a non-veteran cannot - and one who does his work and is actually aware of the players and their unique histories - is a great thing. But they are rare. Ron Darling is one, and I'm lucky to watch him do my team's games.

25. Lassus Posted: April 13, 2012 at 12:50 PM (#4105678)

The worst broadcast team, IMO, was the Angels with Physioc and Rex Hudler.

God yes. Hudler was the worst I've ever heard.

Ron Darling is one, and I'm lucky to watch him do my team's games.

The best thing about Darling is that he once sucked - with the Nationals - and was smart enough to be able to fix it become good.

26. PreservedFish Posted: April 13, 2012 at 12:57 PM (#4105687)

Hernandez is also good. He is an encyclopedia of baseball strategy. But he is also lazy and will happily substitute an "oooh" for an actual comment, or try to steer the conversation off topic, towards something like the The Three Stooges.

27. Ravecc Posted: April 13, 2012 at 01:11 PM (#4105704)

The Mets broadcast would be eons better if they got rid of Burkhardt.

Whoever introduced sideline reporters should burn in hell.

28. Jesse Barfield's Right Arm Posted: April 13, 2012 at 01:19 PM (#4105714)

Seriously, how has no one mentioned the fact that the guy was scouting for his AL-only Fantasy league? Has anyone seriously ever thought they could help their team by watching an actual game?

29. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 01:21 PM (#4105716)

Physioc and Hudler have been reunited with the Kansas City Royals. I haven't bothered to tune in.

The Angels duo that replaced them is completely forgettable, which makes them a vast improvement. I actually like Mark Gubicza. Victor Rojas (Cookie Rojas' kid) does play-by-play, and he's... meh. His routine calls are fine, but his homer calls get on my nerves, especially calling homers "jimmy-jacks". Also, I'm convinced his ongoing-attempts to give Kendrys Morales the nickname "The Cuban Missile" is what hurt Morales in the first place.

30. The Mohole* of David Wells (* - Piehole)

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 01:21 PM (#4105717)

Whoever introduced sideline reporters should burn in hell.

The sideline reporter used to be actually useful. They could go to the clubhouse or the sidelines during a game and find out about injuries. They would then report it to the broadcast team in the background. Then it just became a thing where the sideline reporter actually spoke on air, and then all hell broke loose with that moron Craig Sager wearing those hideous jackets.

All of the functions that Scully fulfills by himself have been parsed up and doled out to 50 different people now. It's odd.

31. Petunia inquires about ponies Posted: April 13, 2012 at 01:30 PM (#4105724)

Has anyone seriously ever thought they could help their team by watching an actual game?

Well... yes. I would never take myself so seriously as to call it "scouting", but there are a lot of things you can see at a game that you don't get on a broadcast. Maybe those things have dubious fantasy value, but I wouldn't think the basic statement would be all that controversial.

32. JE (Jason Epstein)

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 01:31 PM (#4105725)

Ron Darling is one, and I'm lucky to watch him do my team's games.

The best thing about Darling is that he once sucked - with the Nationals - and was smart enough to be able to fix it become good.

The quality of a broadcast often comes down to chemistry. Darling is great on SNY but pretty difficult to stomach on TBS.

33. Fanshawe Posted: April 13, 2012 at 01:47 PM (#4105748)

The quality of a broadcast often comes down to chemistry.

An underdiagnosed problem is that many broadcast teams have too much chemistry, so to speak. For example, the Phillies have a color guy named Chris Wheeler who is awful. He speaks entirely in cliche, never says anything remotely insightful or even explanatory, openly roots for the Phillies, calls players by their first names all the time, constantly tells awful "jokes" and pointless stories about talking to the Phillies players in airports, etc. But the PBP guy and the other color guy seem to like Wheeler so they often encourage him to continue or otherwise egg him on. I don't expect them to say, "shut up and stop wasting everyone's time," obviously, but if these guys didn't feel like they were all buddies I think they would just ignore him and he would fade into the background.

34. Shock Posted: April 13, 2012 at 01:59 PM (#4105763)

One thing I've noticed since flipping through different broadcasts on MLB.tv is that virtually every announcer these days uses first names and nicknames for the home players. For example, watching the D-Backs last week and Miguel Montero was reffered to as "Miggy," etc. I thought this was a Hawk Harrelson thing but apparently it's something every team does; it's not a big deal but I find it annoying; is professionalism completely dead?

35. The Mohole* of David Wells (* - Piehole)

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 02:04 PM (#4105771)

There's too much chemistry in the Red Sox booth, too. Don and Jerry get into giggling fits about once a game. They're obviously being egged on by the broadcast crew, saying stuff into their headphones that no one on the audience end can hear, so it's doubly irritating. They're laughing and we don't know why. They also spend an inordinate amount of time talking about things completely unrelated to the ballgame as in the other day during a Red Sox - Tigers game when Remy went into a 5 minute disquisition about his hotel room.

36. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 02:12 PM (#4105779)

One thing I've noticed since flipping through different broadcasts on MLB.tv is that virtually every announcer these days uses first names and nicknames for the home players.

Even Scully did this, and still does. ("Sandy into his windup. Here's the pitch... Swung on and missed! The perfect game!") The difference is that Scully doesn't tell stories about that players that involve himself. He's always the observer, never the story.

37. Pat Rapper's Delight Posted: April 13, 2012 at 02:25 PM (#4105803)

I enjoyed the fan of the game interview that the Rangers had on Darvish's debut. Drunk Japanese kid who barely knew English and just kept screaming, delightedly, "I ... LOVE ...YU!"

Ugh. That's part of what I was referring to in [10]. While that was going on, a friend of mine wondered on Facebook just how much Jim Knox (sideline reporter) was regretting his career choice right about then.

38. Shock Posted: April 13, 2012 at 02:35 PM (#4105825)

Even Scully did this, and still does. ("Sandy into his windup. Here's the pitch... Swung on and missed! The perfect game!") The difference is that Scully doesn't tell stories about that players that involve himself. He's always the observer, never the story.

I guess it doesn't bother me much for hall of famers, guys who have earned nicknames and such. Hearing announcers called Halladay "Doc" doesn't bug me, but when Joe Crede comes to the plate and the announcer says "Here's Joey now." I mean #### off.

39. The Mohole* of David Wells (* - Piehole)

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 02:42 PM (#4105830)

I guess it doesn't bother me much for hall of famers, guys who have earned nicknames and such. Hearing announcers called Halladay "Doc" doesn't bug me, but when Joe Crede comes to the plate and the announcer says "Here's Joey now." I mean #### off.

Rex Hudler used to call David Eckstein "X Factor." It was beyond irritating.

40. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: April 13, 2012 at 02:51 PM (#4105850)

Vasgersian's nicknames were pretty damn funny for guys while working in Milwaukee. He was very deft in presenting his humor (this certainly rubbed some fans the wrong way) and various character voices over the air. I was a big fan of it at that time. Was in 20s, Brewers were not a good club, and he was the anti-Jim Paschke or Brian Anderson. He went into a Billy Murray's Stripes character voice once when 'Captain' Jack Voight hit a clutch bomb at KC one time. Totally didn't see it coming as a viewer, but it was very well done even if he was over the top.

41. oscar gamble's afro pick Posted: April 13, 2012 at 03:05 PM (#4105869)

35, 38--these problems are connected imo; it's the desire to be the "insider." you guys are friends with the ballplayers, great; but WE only care if that helps you get good stuff to tell us--it doesn't make you interesting the way ballplayers are interesting. everybody in the media now thinks their own backstage #### belongs onstage for some reason; everybody thinks their role in the baseball world is interesting in and of itself....

42. stanmvp48 Posted: April 13, 2012 at 03:06 PM (#4105873)

How about Berman's nicknames? Like/dislike?

43. The Id of SugarBear Blanks

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 03:11 PM (#4105882)

How about Berman's nicknames? Like/dislike?

I can't really stand Berman anymore, but I was reading a blurb yesterday describing how Ray Knight remains disgruntled at never hearing from the Mets and I immediately thought "Ray (I Dub Thee) Knight."

No way that's not funny.

44. PreservedFish Posted: April 13, 2012 at 03:12 PM (#4105884)

Primey for #42. He was being droll, right?

45. Fanshawe Posted: April 13, 2012 at 03:17 PM (#4105891)

these problems are connected imo; it's the desire to be the "insider." you guys are friends with the ballplayers, great; but WE only care if that helps you get good stuff to tell us--it doesn't make you interesting the way ballplayers are interesting. everybody in the media now thinks their own backstage #### belongs onstage for some reason; everybody thinks their role in the baseball world is interesting in and of itself....

No doubt. I think similar sentiments are behind the nose-in-the-spreadsheet/mom's-basement anti-stat arguments. Bill Plashke, say, sees himself as an expert with access to special knowledge tha only he can decipher and relate to the masses. Then a bunch of people come along and say that most what Plashke is saying is irrelevant, much of the remainder is wrong, and, in fact, Juan Pierre is not an elite player even though Ned Colletti sauntered away from the contract signing with a rueful gleam in his eye, or whatever. Then Plashke has a sad.

46. The District Attorney Posted: April 13, 2012 at 03:25 PM (#4105905)

Your Astros Broadcast Suck

Is this correct grammatically for some weird reason I'm not getting?

47. asdf1234 Posted: April 13, 2012 at 03:29 PM (#4105907)

Vasgersian was a horror show in San Diego: smarmy, glib, and self-satisfied. He's improved substantially (or perhaps is just better suited to his new role) at the MLB network, which is a pleasant and welcome surprise. And when he left, San Diego wound up with Dick Enberg to share the booth with Mark Grant. Wins galore.

Watching the Detroit game right now, and I agree that the Tigers have a good booth: unobtrusive, professional, and not opposed to stretches of silence.

48. Shock Posted: April 13, 2012 at 03:32 PM (#4105910)

these problems are connected imo; it's the desire to be the "insider."

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

You see this everywhere. "As first reported by US." Nobody cares who first reported it. Get over yourself.

49. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: April 13, 2012 at 03:49 PM (#4105937)

Is this correct grammatically for some weird reason I'm not getting?

Dear Fox Sports Houston: Your Astros broadcast suck. That is, the Astros, your Astros, the ones you do the TV coverage of ... they are broadcasting some serious suck right now.

50. The Mohole* of David Wells (* - Piehole)

Posted: April 13, 2012 at 04:04 PM (#4105957)

Dear Fox Sports Houston: Your Astros broadcast suck. That is, the Astros, your Astros, the ones you do the TV coverage of ... they are broadcasting some serious suck right now.

That is to say, like all things in our media ecology, it is the business of broadcasting broadcasting that Fox Sports Houston is in.

51. Tricky Dick Posted: April 13, 2012 at 04:09 PM (#4105965)

The Astros television broadcasting team actually is very good. I'll take Jim Deshais as a color man for any baseball broadcast. He is informed, funny, and has a sabermetrics bent. On the other hand, the interviews of fans and others in the stands are not good. At best, they are boring. At worst, they are distracting or annoying. I hate it when the interviews prevent you from seeing an actual play in the game---you know, the reason you are watching the broadcast. Maybe this is some sort of Fox "formula" for local broadcasts.

52. PreservedFish Posted: April 13, 2012 at 04:11 PM (#4105968)

That is, the Astros, your Astros, the ones you do the TV coverage of ... they are broadcasting some serious suck right now.

Yeah. If you read "broadcast" as a verb, and "suck" as a noun, it works. And is potentially accurate.

53. Pat Rapper's Delight Posted: April 13, 2012 at 04:36 PM (#4106006)

How about Berman's nicknames? Like/dislike?

The Bill James ones are better.... like Scott "Would Your Sister" Leius.

54. SteveM. Posted: April 13, 2012 at 04:37 PM (#4106007)

Dodgers are easily my fav, but the Giants crew/production are pretty solid as well. I don't watch them often, but the production of a Yanks Yes! broadcast is probably the best. Mets good too. I'd endorse Kasper/Brenly but the draconian black out rules mean I can't watch them in Indy. Best in game nonsense is the Brewers 'Tavern of the Game'. Always some great tavern names in some great 'up north' places (Peshtigo, Antigo, Spooner, Pembine, etc.)

That's odd, because I was living in Indy until two years ago, and on Direct TV, Comcast Sports Chicago was the local sports channel. The only games blackouted were Bulls because of the Pacers.

55. Xander Posted: April 13, 2012 at 05:25 PM (#4106093)

I find the Rays broadcasts to be acceptable.

Rays and Astros have by far the worst picture quality of any broadcasts. Terrible white balancing (I'm sure that has something to do with domes) and awful HD signal.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the Twins picture is a true thing of beauty.

56. Leroy Kincaid Posted: April 13, 2012 at 06:41 PM (#4106160)

The Mets broadcast would be eons better if they got rid of Burkhardt.

Whoever introduced sideline reporters should burn in hell.

I am down. Mark me down! The guy they had before Burkhardt was even worse. I even named one of my fantasy teams ChrisCotterMustDie.

Generally, I don't get the love SNY receives around here. As someone pointed out above, they do more than their share of nonsense. Do they still drag poor Kiner out of his crypt to ramble on for an inning or so? Not only Burkhardt, but get rid of Cohen too. It's a shame, he was very good as the #2 guy to Murphy on the radio. They were a pleasure to listen to, even as a Yankee fan. But he's become more and more obnoxious ever since Murphy retired.

57. The elusive Robert Denby Posted: April 13, 2012 at 06:47 PM (#4106163)

God yes. Hudler was the worst I've ever heard.

I've had little exposure to Hudler before this season. But after six-plus games I'm already tired of him. His only endearing quality is that he's not afraid to admit he's pretty stupid.

58. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: April 13, 2012 at 07:16 PM (#4106200)

I enjoyed the fan of the game interview that the Rangers had on Darvish's debut. Drunk Japanese kid who barely knew English and just kept screaming, delightedly, "I ... LOVE ...YU!"

Interestingly, the Japanese language doesn't have a native word for "love".

59. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: April 13, 2012 at 07:18 PM (#4106202)

I believe Japanese for "I love you" is "I Ai You".

60. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: April 13, 2012 at 10:24 PM (#4106323)

That's odd, because I was living in Indy until two years ago, and on Direct TV, Comcast Sports Chicago was the local sports channel. The only games blackouted were Bulls because of the Pacers.

I'm a cable guy, no Comcast Sports here in Carmel via BrightHouse (TWC), yet no Cubs or Sox. Most of the Reds games though are carried on FS-Indiana (same network which carries Pacers). One of the AM stations here carried Cubs games on the radio a couple years ago, but that lasted all of one season.

61. Baseballs Most Beloved Figure Posted: April 13, 2012 at 10:34 PM (#4106336)

I can't really stand Berman anymore, but I was reading a blurb yesterday describing how Ray Knight remains disgruntled at never hearing from the Mets and I immediately thought "Ray (I Dub Thee) Knight."

No way that's not funny.

No, there's a way.

62. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: April 13, 2012 at 10:41 PM (#4106349)

I like Don and Jerry on the Sox broadcast. They aren't the most insightful duo but I find them entertaining and while Orsillo is pretty milquetoast that's actually my preference, I really hate those guys who scream and yell at me.

63. The Keith Law Blog Blah Blah (battlekow) Posted: April 14, 2012 at 01:32 AM (#4106417)

I've found the Jays, Yankees, Orioles, Braves, and Brewers to be cromulent...The Diamondbacks broadcast is often overlooked for its badness.

The Brewers trading Daron Sutton for Brian Anderson was a massive upgrade. Sutton is a Reds broadcaster waiting to happen, while Anderson is exactly what you said, cromulent. I might be the only person who'd rather listen to a Brewers TV broadcast than a radio one.

64. Dan Posted: April 14, 2012 at 01:42 AM (#4106419)

I watched a few innings of the Royals broadcast the other day when they were playing the A's since the A's weren't broadcasting the game, and holy ####, either I had forgotten just how bad Hudler was, or he's gotten even worse. The #### he was spewing was downright offensively and aggressively stupid and ignorant. The fact that a team would go out of its way to hire him is simply dumbfounding.

65. LionoftheSenate (feels sorry for the Pirates) Posted: April 14, 2012 at 02:53 AM (#4106426)

Generally, I don't get the love SNY receives around here. As someone pointed out above, they do more than their share of nonsense. Do they still drag poor Kiner out of his crypt to ramble on for an inning or so? Not only Burkhardt, but get rid of Cohen too. It's a shame, he was very good as the #2 guy to Murphy on the radio. They were a pleasure to listen to, even as a Yankee fan. But he's become more and more obnoxious ever since Murphy retired.

SNY has Ron Darling, who is excellent in spite of Cohen. Keith, as someone cleverly pointed out, is lazy, but when on is very good. Cohen's ego seems larger than it should be most of the time, that's when SNY isn't a pleasure. I don't mind Kiner being unwrapped from his tomb. It seems something an old timey fan can tolerate, even if it is forced and he says the same things every time.

66. LionoftheSenate (feels sorry for the Pirates) Posted: April 14, 2012 at 02:56 AM (#4106427)

I listened to the Angels the other day and thought Mark Gubicza was indeed Rex Hudler. Daron Sutton needs to call fantasy camp games with Chip Caray.

67. Joe Kehoskie Posted: April 14, 2012 at 03:38 AM (#4106436)

I like Don and Jerry on the Sox broadcast. They aren't the most insightful duo but I find them entertaining

"Here comes the pizza!" remains one of the great 2 minutes in baseball broadcasting.

68. Flynn Posted: April 14, 2012 at 03:49 AM (#4106439)

There is a difference between being cardboard and being a broadcaster who yells all the time. I've always thought Orsillo was hired because he sounds like Sean McDonough (who was great) yet has no personality at all.

Also, obviously Kiner is years past his sell-by date, but the man has continuously broadcast the Mets since their very first game. If he wants to work on Sundays, he's entitled to.

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