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Friday, July 16, 2021

David Cone is ‘the best’ in broadcasting — and that might not be enough

Cone combines the old-school mentality of baseball with the new-school knowledge of analytics. He can be smart and funny. He has mastered what he once did on the mound, changing speeds. YES’s head of production and programming John Filippelli describes him as “unpredictable.”

“He’s as good as there has ever been, in my mind,” Filippelli says.

Cone’s angst has faded, but there is a lingering question: Is there more for him to do in the game?

Two years ago, he interviewed for a job as Yankees pitching coach, and while general manager Brian Cashman told him he didn’t have the necessary technological experience, it is hard to believe — considering Cone’s Cy Young awards, his five All-Star appearances, his five World Series rings, his time as an MLB Players Association rep and his knowledge of sabermetrics — an organization wouldn’t want him to run its team, dugout or pitching staff.

“He could be a general manager, a manager, he could obviously be a coach,” Filippelli says, “There isn’t any aspect of the game that he couldn’t work in and excel.”

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: July 16, 2021 at 07:03 PM | 6 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: broadcasting, david cone

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1. catomi01 Posted: July 17, 2021 at 10:03 AM (#6029382)

Early on, he was the "analytics guy" for YES, and it seemed forced...like someone at YES basically said we have play-by-play covered and we have plenty of ex-players to cover the "old-school" role. So go read this website and that article tonight, write down some talking points and use them tomorrow. But he's definitely made it more natural and works well as a team with O'neill and Kay. That said, he still seems like a well-invested fan when it comes to analytics, not someone on the cutting edge, so its easy to see why teams wouldn't be looking at him as a pitching coach. In a different or smaller role (I know teams have assistant hitting coaches now, do they have assistant pitching coaches too?) where he can actually see and use the data the teams are relying on he might thrive and eventually build up to the level where he can be the head guy.

As for "The best" in broadcasting - he definitely works well with the team in the booth, and I'd take the YES broadcast over their radio team any day - but he has some weird timing and speech patterns occasionally (not sure how to describe it), that make it seems like he's reactive and has a prepared topic that he's just been waiting for someone to bring up for him.

2. willcarrolldoesnotsuk Posted: July 18, 2021 at 11:36 PM (#6029552)

There isn’t any aspect of the game that he couldn’t work in and excel.

Then put him in CF already!

3. Slivers of Maranville descends into chaos (SdeB) Posted: July 19, 2021 at 09:24 AM (#6029561)

So David Cone is the new Ichiro?

4. Ithaca2323 Posted: July 20, 2021 at 11:12 AM (#6029656)

That said, he still seems like a well-invested fan when it comes to analytics, not someone on the cutting edge

I feel like it's more likely that the overwhelming majority of people tuning in to a Yankees game aren't going to be on the cutting edge* either, so what's Cone going to provide in the 20-second snippets between the PBP person jumping in?

*And quite a few probably don't care about analytics at all.

I'm sure he's not showing all his cards in these broadcasts

5. Ron J Posted: July 20, 2021 at 02:37 PM (#6029687)

#3 Only if he wants to be.

6. Cowboy Popup Posted: July 20, 2021 at 09:26 PM (#6029729)

Cone, who was one of my favorite players ever, is pretty sharp in the booth. Kind of a dork for a former athlete, but endearing. He clearly does his research and it would not surprise me if he could apply his skills as a coach, manager or front office guy.

All that said, let's be real: no one wants him as a pitching coach because they don't want him jerking off in the bullpen.

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Friday, July 16, 2021

David Cone is ‘the best’ in broadcasting — and that might not be enough

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