# Note to Fox: Don't Show a Replay of Every Pitch **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 27, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367 "2004-10-27T02:51:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/1 "2004-10-27T02:51:12Z")
Why does Fox feel it necessary to replay the previous pitch, two seconds after we just saw it live? I just saw them replay a checked swing, along with the all important no swing call by the umpire. Seeing the umpire make his call in super slow-mo added nothing to my enjoyment of the game. I don’t mind them showing a strike-out pitch, or a close pitch that might be disputed, but why do you have to replay every pitch. Their coverage is the absolute worst baseball coverage I’ve ever seen. It must be for people with A.D.D., since they fill up every second with replays, gratituitous crowd shots, pointless graphics, and interviews with players relatives in the crowd. And what is it with interviewing the manager as the game is being played? I’d like there to be some separation between the media and the game. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/2 "2004-10-27T02:58:29Z")
Of course, if it were cricket, every ball would be worthy of discussion, for the action of the bowler, the behaviour of the pitch as it dries out, the element of surprise, the condition of the ball, the…blah blah…but that would make it interesting, wouldn’t it? (Oh, and we still have hawk-eye for LBW) ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/3 "2004-10-27T03:21:09Z")
The Fox “interview” with Leon from the Budweiser commercials was, and I say this without hyperbole, the lowest point in television sports history. There is a World Series game going on here, a man at bat late in the game, and you ARE INTERVIEWING A FAKE PERSON FROM A COMMERICIAL!!! Dear God what has the world come to. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/4 "2004-10-27T04:09:53Z")
I love baseball. I wish Fox would show some. They seem to have decided that what’s going on out there on the field is boring, and that it would be much more exciting if they showed me some angry guy yelling about that call, or a bored-looking “star” from some Fox show, or a home run from yesterday, or almost anything EXCEPT THE FUCKING BASEBALL GAME THAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, OVER THERE, YOU BASTARDS. I hate Fox. With the exception of the Fox Box, they are a cancer on baseball that should be excised. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/5 "2004-10-27T04:10:17Z")
I agree, and I’m climbing on my specially-made world-series-telecasting soapbox. Why are there so many minutes of drivel broadcast? Lack of meaningful content. Whence this lack? Broadcasters who may have reams of information at their fingertips, but not in their heads where it would do them some good, because they have spent the year _not_ covering _either_ team. Solution? Use the teams’ own announcers, T.V. at home and radio on the road. They know the teams, they know the stories, and if they have a bias that shows a little, it might actually make for a listenable broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/6 "2004-10-27T04:25:05Z")
Oh my lack of God, the _announcers_. Listening to the Fox morons broadcast Twins-Yankees games brought me to a state of incoherent rage. I realize the Yankees are a much more visible and important team, but would it KILL you to look at the media guide and find something to say about the Twins once in a while? And would someone please take Joe Morgan away so he can’t hurt me any more? Listening to him “explain” that, on artificial turf, you have to take a different path to the ball… I wanted to strangle him. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t give up trying to explain something that required no explanation. It wasn’t that he kept getting the name wrong (it’s not AstroTurf – just call it Turf and move on, Joe). It wasn’t that he apparently badgered the technical staff into giving him airtime for replays so he could “illustrate” the concept. No, it was the fact that he was COMPLETELY UNABLE TO ARTICULATE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE ROUTE AND ANOTHER. Yep, Hall of Famer and veteran broadcaster Joe Morgan, trying to tell me that the ball moves faster on turf, is reduced to repeating over and over “you have to play the ball differently, you have to move to the ball.” ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/7 "2004-10-27T04:45:50Z")
I really could have used a few more replays of the Manny Ramirez errors the other day. I’m not sure I understand what happened. Did he muff TWO balls? Is that what he did? Show me again. Have the cartoon baseball explain it to me. I still don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/8 "2004-10-27T06:51:24Z")
> [@mike1dog](#): > > Why does Fox feel it necessary to replay the previous pitch, two seconds after we just saw it live? I just saw them replay a checked swing, along with the all important no swing call by the umpire. Seeing the umpire make his call in super slow-mo added nothing to my enjoyment of the game. > . And yet, they do not show the pitch where Suppan beaned a batter or when Suppan got a called strike three on a ball so low it nearly hit the plate. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/9 "2004-10-27T10:53:56Z")
> [@fruitbat](#): > > The Fox “interview” with Leon from the Budweiser commercials was, and I say this without hyperbole, the lowest point in television sports history. There is a World Series game going on here, a man at bat late in the game, and you ARE INTERVIEWING A FAKE PERSON FROM A COMMERICIAL!!! And in game 2 they missed a pitching change because they were interviewing Tom Hanks. Way to go. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/10 "2004-10-27T11:30:03Z")
I started a thread yesterday about Fox. The question was “Do people take Fox seriously”? It appears they do. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Whay watch Fox at all??? ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/11 "2004-10-27T11:33:26Z")
Why? ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/12 "2004-10-27T12:01:34Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > I started a thread yesterday about Fox. The question was “Do people take Fox seriously”? > > It appears they do. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. > > Whay watch Fox at all??? Well, that’s the channel the World Series is on. If you want to watch the World Series, you have to watch Fox. Just so you know, though, what these people were watching was not Fox News, which was, I believe, what you were watching. It’s just regular Fox, which isn’t usually as vile because it’s mostly just ordinary TV shows (they have The Simpsons, for instance), not an all day right wing political spinfest. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/13 "2004-10-27T12:33:02Z")
The classic Fox announcer quote from the playoffs is still Tim McCarver’s take on holding a late lead: “(Giving up a) walk is just as bad as a home run.” Um, no it isn’t, you twit. Rumor has it that Fox tonight will try to break its record for most middle-aged women shown praying in the stands. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/14 "2004-10-27T12:49:43Z")
You know, on the one hand, pointless replays are annoying. On the other hand, if they weren’t doing those, they’d be showing me an ultracloseup of Derek Jeter’s face. And yes, I’m aware he isn’t playing in the series. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/15 "2004-10-27T12:52:15Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The classic Fox announcer quote from the playoffs is still Tim McCarver’s take on holding a late lead: “(Giving up a) walk is just as bad as a home run.” He actually said that many baseball managers feel a walk does as much damage as a home run when you’re holding onto a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth. Either way, it brings the tying run to the plate. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/16 "2004-10-27T14:57:10Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > He actually said that many baseball managers feel a walk does as much damage as a home run when you’re holding onto a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth. Either way, it brings the tying run to the plate. It was clear McCarver buys into this theory. It is nonsensical on two counts: 1) there is a difference between having a _potential_ run on base and actually having that run score, i.e. via a home run, and 2) the concept that giving up a solitary walk is somehow much more dreadful than giving up a hit is silly. If the batter in question had doubled down the left field line we wouldn’t have been hearing this tired mantra. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/17 "2004-10-27T15:06:23Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > It was clear McCarver buys into this theory. It is nonsensical on two counts: 1) there is a difference between having a _potential_ run on base and actually having that run score, i.e. via a home run, and 2) the concept that giving up a solitary walk is somehow much more dreadful than giving up a hit is silly. If the batter in question had doubled down the left field line we wouldn’t have been hearing this tired mantra. I don’t disagree with you, I was just giving the full background because in context the statement was _slightly_ less moronic. The fact is that whatever percentage of the time the lead-off walk scores is less than the percentage of the time a home run scores (100), so there’s no way a manager would agree with him. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/18 "2004-10-27T15:17:48Z")
Y’know, I thinking Fox Baseball’s pit thread total are starting to approach Bush’s. Scooter, Joe Morgan, come on in here and explain what that means, if you will… (And like I’ve said in each of them, god bless Jon Miller.) ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/19 "2004-10-27T17:08:43Z")
A lot of the shit viewers have to endure these days is a result of what I call the gee-wiz factor. All too many directors love the new gadgets and all the “cool” things they can do (few ever think: I wonder whether the viewer will find these effects distracting). Looks like they now have “instant instant replay” machines now (probably hard-drive based; I escaped the TV business five years ago and haven’t looked back so I’m behind on the state of the art). Think of something like TiVo. In the old days you had to wait for a tape operator to hit the stop button, the machine to come to a stop, the operator to switch into shuttle mode and back up the tape several seconds, etc., etc. Now, apparently, some damn fool can simply punch a button and get instant replay. In other words, they do constant instant replays because they can. And a lot of sports TV directors do seem to have a very short attention span. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367/20 "2004-10-27T17:45:42Z")
> [@The King of Soup](#): > > I agree, and I’m climbing on my specially-made world-series-telecasting soapbox. Why are there so many minutes of drivel broadcast? Lack of meaningful content. Whence this lack? Broadcasters who may have reams of information at their fingertips, but not in their heads where it would do them some good, because they have spent the year _not_ covering _either_ team. Solution? Use the teams’ own announcers, T.V. at home and radio on the road. They know the teams, they know the stories, and if they have a bias that shows a little, it might actually make for a listenable broadcast. You know, that is an excellent idea! Not quite as satisfying as hitting McCarver over the head with a shovel would be just to get him to shut up, but still an excellent idea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-fox-dont-show-a-replay-of-every-pitch/271367.md?page=2)