Tim McCarver is a moron

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

OK. Here's a rant I've wanted to get off my chest for a while.

Every time McCarver does an AL game and there's a purpose pitch and a confrontation, he goes off on the same tangent: that it's all the fault of the DH since the pitcher doesn't have to bat, he can brush hitters back with impunity.

Let's examine what this premise might suggest:

1) there are no brushback pitches in the NL
2) there were no brushback pitches before 1973
3) Sal "The Barber" Maglie got his nickname because he cut his teammates' hair.

Is this a case of Alzheimer's or what? The man caught Bob Gibson for cryin' out loud!! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[J.R.]

Press the mute button on your remote control and put on the radio, its the only way to go (even after the "Brett Boone" era). I actually didn't mind Al Leiter, who had some useful insights, although he could work on his poise and delivery a little.

[andyfox]

Bob Gibson is pitching against the Dodgers. Gibson is a pretty fair hitter for a pitcher. In the 3rd inning, he lines a single to right. Now when Gibson was pitching, he was all business. No small talk, no nothing except business.

Playing first base for the Dodgers is Ron Fairly. An affable fellow, Fairly decides he'll engage in some small talk with Gibson. Hey Bob, nice stroke, how are you today? Gibson glares. Nice day, huh, how's the team been going? Instense glares from Gibson. Do you see those young women in row 24, wow. Gibson is livid.

Next time Fairly comes up the first pitch is behind his head. As he's getting up and dusting himself off, he turns to Joe Torre, who is catching, and says, "I guess I'm not going to enjoy this at bat too much, huh Joe?" "No," says Torre, "I imagine not."

Next pitch plunks Fairly in the knee. End of Fairly's small talk with Gibson for the balance of their careers.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

[Zeno]

Ditto on the mute button. It is the only way to go. I did catch a few of Al's sizzling comments though and would unlatch the mute when he talked pitching, showing the forkball pitch etc. It was better than the usual blather spewed out by the munchkin commentators Fox uses.

To supplement down time during the games some light reading is bally fun. I’ve reread most of “Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit” during the WS. The conundrums of Bertie and the managing skill of Jeeves mix well with the games. What –Ho, pip pip, and its better than the jolly rot coming at you by Fox (sports that is, not Andy, at least not yet /images/graemlins/smirk.gif).


-Zeno

[WillMagic]

It's amazing that fox seems to find the absolute worst announcers in the business to do national broadcasts.

Joe Buck - the best of the regular four, but average in general.
Tim McCarver - irritating
Thom Brennaman - a complete idiot
Steve Lyons - An analyst with nothing useful to say whatsoever

Do any of you listen to the Giants? They've got three announcers better than all these guys. Jon Miller is the best in the game, period. Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow are might be the best tandem.

Am I the only one who thinks this?

[David Steele]

The Giants broadcast is great, I listen to it all year with MLB.com deal since I am not in the KNBR area.

Listening to the Jon Miller call the World Series on ESPN radio is almost as if the Giants actually made it afterall.

D.

[andyfox]

Al Leiter was the best person in the booths during the playoffs. Note also how he thanked the regular announcers in a gracious speech the last game he worked. Compare that with the uselessness of Brett Boone (and compare that with the uselessness of Aaron Boone /images/graemlins/smile.gif)

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I think Buck's better than average. He doesn't overdescribe what's happening. Miller is superior, but he's saddled with the worst, Joe Morgan, who's the baseball version of John Madden.

Maybe I'm parochial, but Jerry Remy is the best analyst I've heard. He actually analyzes *why* certain things happened.

[andyfox]

Perhaps the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen (OK, so I'm exaggerating a bit) was the celebration for McCarver last night for having broadcast the most World Series games in history.

Unless it was David Wells at the pregame conference saying he was going to write a book about how to not work out and then coming out of the game after one inning, possibly costing his team a championship, because of back spasms.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Embarassing moments in the booth:

1) Pat's - Rams Super Bowl. Summerall and Madden are horrible the entire game, Summerall mis-quotes the score after half time, and on the direct-snap play to Kevin Faulk when Brady fakes like it's going over his head they both yell, "Bad Snap" Come on, the only ran that play EVERY WEEK. This is the #1 team and they don't do their homework.

2) Classic Joe Morgan from his early years at ESPN. "There's no such thing as a great player on a bad team." OK, Joe. You realize you just said Ernie Banks sucked.

3) McCarver in the Sox-Yankees series referring to a baserunning play, 6 times calls Kevin Millar "Varitek"

[Oski]

[M2d]

or the real master: vin scully. anyone know why vinny is never signed to do the postseason anymore? it's a shame.

[Boris]

Last time I was at the Bellagio I was playing poker with a guy who was from Seattle and claimed to play with Brett Boone on a regular basis. He told some pretty funny stories. According to Brett Boone, and again this is third hand rumor, the entire Seattle organization has a defeatist additude about getting to the post season. They just expect to not make it every year. Kind of like the A's in the play-offs.

He also said about Boone, that Brett is an OK guy and just wants to relax and play some 20-40 hold'em. BUT, he brings his wife to the casino and she burns $100 bills at the blackjack table when Brett is playing poker. So while Brett is trying to mellow out and play some cards, his wife is asking for another couple G's about every half hour. lol!