From What I hear...

Hey everybody, sorry there have not been too many posts lately.  We've both been pretty busy.

So much of what we perceive of the game of baseball relies on what we hear from the commentators.  Yes, we may think that we know strategy and that we are all smarter than Joe Torre, but then reality sets in and we aren't.  We must hear to what the commentators have to say whether it is on T.V. or radio to make us think about the game that we are interested in.  Every fan may say that their team's guys are the best or the worst,  but what happens when there is no commentary?

Many of you may have heard about the bizarre happenings for the Baltimore Orioles radio team in the New York Post or somewhere else.  Basically, Orioles broadcasters Joe Angel and Fred Manfra were sent home early by their superiors after a rain delay.  That would have been fine and actually quite nice had the game been called off.  The sad thing is for the station is that the game did resume without the commentators.  Didn't the umpire crew think to check in with guys at WJZ-FM.  I mean, you can't have a game without the announcers.  Of course, this is sarcasm;  as a guy who still loves listening to games on the radio, I look down on that station.  

Fans should be able to have the opportunity to listen to the entire game if that was the station's original intent.  At least make sure that the game is going to be called off before sending your crew home.  Are you now paying your broadcasters by the hour in this bad economy?  I originally thought that this story was a joke and then I became pretty astonished at the management of that station.  I was pretty mad.  But then I remembered, that it is just spring training and that it is just the Baltimore Orioles...

Well, that's too short of a post, so it's time to highlight some of the better (and worse) names in baseball broadcasting.

The Good (in no particular order):

• Vin Scully.  It's hard not to start the list off with the legendary Dodgers radio man.  Pair him with Charlie Steiner and there's none better.
  
• Bob Euker.  The guy makes listening to Brewers games tolerable.  Fans from rival teams respect the guy too.  He sang for Cubs fans at Wrigley and got a warm reception.
  
• Chip Caray.  Let's just say that I wish the Cubs still had this guy.
  
• Joe Buck.  Like his dad, he can call a great baseball game.  He is rather putrid when it comes to football though...
  
• Gary Thorne.  I think we can all agree that we're happy that he's replacing Miller and Morgan, even though he is paired up with Steve Phillips...
  
• Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow.  This pair is my favorite T.V. team by far.  Over the past few years I've tuned in to Giants guys just to listen to these two guys  do their thing.  They were the voices of the MVP baseball games and the phrase, "Sit Down, Meat!" is still my favorite.
  

The Bad:

• Joe Angel and Fred Manfra.  You knew it was coming after last week's fiasco.
  
• Keith Hernandez.  HAHA.  Let's move on.
  
• Thom Brennamen and Mark Grace.  Thom isn't too bad, but Grace is.
  
• John Miller and Joe Morgan.  Morgan isn't too bad on the radio, but Morgan is bad no matter what.
  
• Ron Santo.  Love the guy and have a ton of respect for him, but he just is not a very good broadcaster
  
• Hawk Harrelson.  His HE GONE and Put it on the board calls are good, but everything else makes you want to put on the mute button.
  

That's all I've got for you today.  Let the debate begin.  As always, how can the argument be solved when it's all personal opinion?  I think the only thing we can agree upon is Scully, but maybe you'll surprise me.