Best/Worst Announcers/Announcing Teams

[calsnowskier]

For the Giants crew...

1) Kruk & Kuip: You cannot discuss one without talking about the other. When they eventually get into the Hall, they SHOULD go as a duo. They make the game fun, but are still amazingly knowledgeable. Kruk will give a HP umpire scouting report before every game. Who else does that?

2) Miller: He is amazing, and is likely the heir apparent to Scully as "The Best In The Game". But honestly, he is a bit dry for my tastes. Maybe it is because I compare him to K&K. He still has a sense of humor and adds life to the game, though. Moreso than Scully, I feel. He is still a HOFer, and deservedly so.

3) Flemming: Dude has been with the team for almost 15 years, but is still the "kid" in the booth. He has amazing pipes and misses about 25% of Giants games due to his other obligations. He will be a huge national name within the next 10 years or so (if he isnt already). I am legitimately curious as to why he is still with the Giants. Dude has a future.

4) Amy Gutierrez: She is the on-field reporter. I used to hate her, mainly because she isnt the hot li'l thang that many other teams have. But she brings a different flavor to the job that I dont think any of the eye-candy girls bring for other teams. She brings a motherly feel to the broadcasts. She focuses on family stories and player personal stories. Not sure those would work with a piece-of-ass. She has won me over.

I can totally see 4 of these 5 ending up in the HOF someday. Miller is already there, K&K will certainly be there eventually and I think if Flem stays in baseball, he will be there as well.

 

[poprocksncoke]

Hawk Harrelson

/thread

 

[Davis_Mike]

I like Thom Brennaman too. Him and Grace made the perfect duo.

There is something wrong with you if you like Thom Brennaman.

 

[The Derski]

There is something wrong with you if you like Thom Brennaman.

What's wrong with him? I like when he announces football games too.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Vin Scully is the best announcer alive in any sport.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Vin Scully is the best announcer alive in any sport.

To go more in depth, Vin Scully does color/play-by-play as well as analysis all by himself at the tender age of 87 no less! Sure, he makes mistakes, such as that time he said redheads would disappear from the gene pool in 50 years (give him a break, the guy's getting old) but all of that is minor when compared to the way he calls the game and gives a recognizable face to each and every player on the field. I do not consider it favoritism to say that he is the best in any sport today. His knowledge of the game and his craft is basically unmatched. This guy was calling ballgames since my Mother was a kid, I feel blessed as a fan to have listened to him for as long as I have.

 

[calsnowskier]

To go more in depth, Vin Scully does color/play-by-play as well as analysis all by himself at the tender age of 87 no less! Sure, he makes mistakes, such as that time he said redheads would disappear from the gene pool in 50 years (give him a break, the guy's getting old) but all of that is minor when compared to the way he calls the game and gives a recognizable face to each and every player on the field. I do not consider it favoritism to say that he is the best in any sport today. His knowledge of the game and his craft is basically unmatched. This guy was calling ballgames since my Mother was a kid, I feel blessed as a fan to have listened to him for as long as I have.

Not favoritism, or homerism, or anything like that. Even those that are not HUGE fans of his have to acknowledge that he is at least ONE of the best going, and he is generally considered the best going.

I prefer K&K, personally, but I acknowledge that Scully is Mt Rushmore, all by himself.

 

[romeo212000]

Hawk Harrelson

/thread

Harrelson is awful and annoying as fuck.

 

[Villain]

Harrelson isn't as bad as Steve Lyons. No one is. At least you can like Harrelson ironically as a joke or something. He can also tell half-decent stories (though he's no "storyteller"). Steve Lyons is just awful at EVERYTHING.

I honestly don't know why Lyons keeps getting work in broadcasting. His analysis is so bad. So inaccurate. He always tries to say what he think the player will do in a certain situation and is then completely wrong. He's not funny or entertaining at all. He's a believer in home runs as #RallyKillers.

He should be coaching a going-nowhere JuCo team (have mercy on the souls of those kids) and playing golf. Get off the TV.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Im not sure how many Os games Thorn gets to do. Really wish ESPN had forked over more money to keep him.

I do like Smoltz and think he'll be very good eventually. I know Im in the minority on this, but Joe Buck doesn't annoy me. (On clear nights as a kid I could get Cards games in on AM, his dad was up there with Harwell for me.)

Thorne does the majority of the O's games and when he's not on there, Jim Hunter does it. The only guy I'm not a big fan of is Jim Palmer, mainly because he really just seems tense and strict and to the point. He knows his pitching but when Thorne or Hunter try to joke with him he usually ignores it and talks about something else or there's awkward silence. That's why I like Mike Bordick, he usually will laugh and get along with everyone and can still give good analysis.

Bob Carpenter and FP Santangelo, the Nats TV guys, are the biggest homers out there right now. I hate when the O's and gNats play and MASN combines the teams' TV guys for the series'. It's awful.

Thankfully they didn't do that this year.

While I don't listen to many other teams commentators, I have always enjoyed Vin Scully, along with Kruk and Kuip. The one guy that I can't stand at all is Hawk Harrelson.

 

[Villain]

Nothing beats that Orioles game that was played with no fans and the announcers sounded like they were calling a golf tournament.

 

[ydawg]

Of course there will be homerism in this one, but who do you think are the really good broadcast teams? Who are the bad ones? What individuals are really good or bad?

Harold Reynolds is terrible to listen to. He doesn't know baseball or what listeners might actually want to listen to.

I really enjoy the blue jays pre game with Greg Zaun and Cal Ripkin has been great to listen to in the playoffs.

I am actually developing an app that provides users with an alternate announcing team to the traditionally boring and tame regular broadcast. Would love to get feedback from people.

email is [email protected] if you feel like helping out.