They aren’t all bad, sometimes the commentary is interesting. But don’t overdo it! This isn’t a cocktail party and I don’t want to hear you laughing at some anecdote about someone’s mother while my team scores an out.
I need the play-by-plays. You need to tell me who is batting before they strike out! Why do I only hear the pitch count once an inning, but somehow I hear all about this pitcher’s stats and how he threw out his arm last season and how the catcher uses the heel of his glove in signals? Why are you still talking about the manager and the draft when the batter just hit a line drive?
I say, if I can’t tell what’s going on with my eyes closed, you’re doing it wrong.
The announcers are probably taught that the worst thing in announcing a game is dead air. The pitcher takes a bit of time to communicate with the catcher, the batter has to wait and while waiting communicates (or at least observes) the base coach, there may be runners on base who also need to communicate (or at least observe) the appropriate base coach. There’s a lot happening in reality, although the game does seem slow. The killer is that those announcers are not always that quick digesting all the information provided to them in an instant with today’s technology. It’s kind of easy, apparently, to get caught up in something else happening besides the pitch and hit. Once they exhaust all that other stuff and before the pitch they’ll be told (another WAG here) to babble about those other things you mentioned. And once they start with it, by Heaven, they’re going to finish because, after all, the announcers make the game, don’t you know?
Have you considered scoring the game yourself while you’re watching? Before the game begins, the line-up for each team is shown on screen. Pause that or take a picture with your cellphone, then set up the game sheet. The only sport I’ve done that for has been cricket, but I’m getting into a few other sports now and plan to do that for those sports.
This all assumes you’re talking about TV announcers. If they’re doing that as radio announcers, then yeah, tar and feather them. If the team is providing the TV announcement via radio, then roast the idiot who decided to that on a spit.
Joe Buck has gradually become more watchable - I like him now that he’s paired with John Smoltz and not the other mic hog, Tim McCarver. Nothing against McCarver personally, but he and Buck together were insufferable, always competing for on-air time. The worst was when Buck said something that McCarver felt just had to be corrected, like:
Buck: Gee, I don’t remember seeing Giants fans so enthusiastic about their team.
McCarver: Oh I do. Oh yeah, they’ve always had great fans here! They love their Gigantes!
(Awkward silence before moving on to the next topic)
That’s been a problem since… well, at least since I was a kid. This thread brought up a memory of my friends and I all competing to see who had the best Howard Cosell impression. And one phrase that always cracked 'em up was “It’s the bottom of the ninth, two outs, winning run on third, full count… Here’s the pitch, and that reminds me of a fascinating story about the catcher’s dog…”
I’ve been completely dependent on radio announcers this fall. No cable, but I’ve always run over to the local pub to watch any MLB/NFL games that aren’t on network TV. But now the pub is a Covid Hot Spot full of old, shouting “huddled masses”, and I’m stuck listening to an old AM radio.
So far I’ve been pretty lucky, and the announcers have been capable, and more excited than their TV equivalents.
I’m mostly talking about television announcers. Radio announcers are usually pretty good, the color announcer knows people need the play-by-plays because that’s all they have to go on. But I only get radio coverage for the Marlins (not my team).
I can score myself, but that takes more focus and effort which I may not be willing to spare. Maybe I’m doing something else while watching/listening to the game, like dinner.
Used to listen to ball games on the radio on hot summer nights. Every fly ball they’d start up with “…that ball’s been hit hard. It’s going… it’s going… it’s going…foul.”
the only one who could do that kind of commentary right is Vin Scully and everyone has tried to imitate him ever since
The only time it annoyed me is when something happened that switched sides or ended the inning and wh never had a chance to finish what he was saying …
Joe and Orel have a different style than Vin but their pretty good, I think the OP needs to become the fan of a better team that has quality play by play people.
I miss Skip Caray and Pete Van Weiren. Until about the 7th or 8th grade, the only regular MLB broadcasts were the Atlanta Braves on “The Superstation” WTBS in Atlanta (which later spawned off TNT and TBS networks). They were consistent and understood that less of them and more of the game was a good thing, but when they spoke, they informed. I remember it was quite the contrast when we ended up with Cubs and Sox broadcasts on WGN.
Jabbering by baseball announcers on TV has gotten so bad, there should be a mandatory STFU sign posted in the booth.
Radio is much better. There was an Indians-White Sox game played in Chicago one night back in August, and Cleveland scored a couple of runs in the top of the 10th or thereabouts. Announcer comment: “Well, that’s quieted the crowd.”
