Originally Posted by The Difference:
“I can't speak for you but I don't think being "stuck" with Gary Thorne is a bad thing at all - his voice takes me back to watching World Series games and Stanley Cups on Channel 5 when growing up, as such he's probably my second favourite baseball commentator after the great Jon Miller.”
Actually, you're right, I was a little harsh on Thorne. I think he's a good broadcaster; I just wish he'd disagreed with some of Sutcliffe's points (of which more below). And I think Ernie Johnson on TBS is really good.
And you're right about Jon Miller. He's one of the main reasons I often have the radio commentary on when I'm watching a Giants game (although their TV guys are excellent too). A terrific broadcaster.
Originally Posted by The Difference:
“I quite like The Red Baron too, I know he's a bit of a marmite figure but I like his upbeat attitude and honesty. Certainly they'd be preferable on the World Series to Buck and McCarver, although if you want an alternative Simon Brotherton and Josh Chetwynd on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra have been very good in previous years.”
I honestly don't know if there's much between Sutcliffe and McCarver. I was only able to watch about four innings of Saturday's game, but I couldn't have disagreed more with his praise for Miguel Cabrera's work at third base this year or his sarcastic tirade against defensive shifts and sabermetrics. There are better analysts who seem to be out of work during the postseason (Mike Krukow, David Cone, Brian Anderson - the one who covers the Rays, not the Brewers play-by-play man who works for TBS on the play-offs - and Ray Fosse, to name four) and I would prefer to see them involved.
As for McCarver, well, everyone knows what he's like. I've got no time for him as a commentator, but he does at least strike me as the type I could sit down with for an afternoon and talk about the past 50 years of the game and not get bored.
For the World Series last year I synced up ESPN Radio (annoyingly this wasn't an option on MLB.TV, which only gave us the option of local Rangers and Cardinals coverage) with my TV; commentary was from the ESPN Sunday Night crew of Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser and Bobby Valentine. I rate the first two pretty highly, Shulman especially, and I know that they'll be doing the World Series again this year. I don't know whether Terry Francona will be joining them (he's been part of the Sunday Night Baseball team this year, but now he's agreed to take over as Indians manager next season he might not be involved), but I hope so.
ESPN Radio also have the superb Boog Sciambi, who is doing the NLCS this year I think (Shulman and Hershiser are doing the ALCS).
Originally Posted by The Difference:
“I take it TBS' coverage has been very good? I haven't seen much of it down the years, I tend to listen to coverage on the radio more these days, but everything I've heard about Ernie Johnson Jr is really positive - he seems a universally popular announcement. That said, I know a fair few Yankees fans weren't happy with the choice of Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr, usually a studio pundit, as co-commentator for the Yanks-Os ALDS.”
TBS' coverage has been good, yes. They've had a good mix of commentators - Ernie Johnson, Brian Anderson and Don Orsillo are all excellent in different ways, and Dick Stockton is fine - and their analysts have been pretty well chosen too. Ron Darling is one of my favourites (and is part of the excellent Mets TV coverage during the regular season) while John Smoltz, Cal Ripken and Bob Brenly are also good. I don't tend to watch an awful lot of their regular season broadcasts, but I always enjoy the postseason work (the odd spelling mistake on their graphics aside).
(which was less than Exeter desreved).
