Joe Morgan will be praying that Japan makes it to the final rounds so he can talk about how they do all the little things right. I'm waiting to see how Rick Sutcliffe will pronounce some of the players on the Dutch team such Jair Jurrjens. I've also noticed that former Tiger Andy Van Hekken is on the Dutch roster, which I suppose he qualifies for because he is from Holland, Michigan. If South African player Bradley Erasmus gets into a game, Harold Reynolds may become praised by his own folly.
Cuba still has not submitted a roster of players, however the Cuban baseball season is still going on.
It's interesting to me that ESPN's english language side is only going to broadcast some of the games while its spanish service will show their audience the whole enchilada. Anyone want to speculate on what that says about ESPEN's marketing priorities? As an english speaker, I find it kind of insulting.
It also makes me afraid that some of the other games will end up on Fox. Anyone who remembers what an abortion their telecast of the NPB-MLB all star series in 2000 was, with the oily Steve Physioc being the chief announcer, now adding perhaps a Steve Lyons or a Tim McCarver to it, well, nausea doesn't even begin to describe how much of a fiasco that will be.
By contrast, ESPN's telecast of the 2002 series was excellent, with ex-Seibu outfielder/DH Orestes Destrade, while not very good in the studio on Baseball Tonight, providing very pertinent insights. They also brought in Marty Kuhnert, who used to work for the Taiheiyo Club Lions and who was most recently the GM of the Rakuten Golden Eagles, to give some of his trademark commentary.
And by the way, ESPN, no Brent Musburger, okay? I feel sorry for parents who have to remember their sons playing in the Little League World Series with his inane blather dominating it. And when he does anything else, as soon as I hear his voice, I switch to another channel or turn the tv off.
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It also makes me afraid that some of the other games will end up on Fox. Anyone who remembers what an abortion their telecast of the NPB-MLB all star series in 2000 was, with the oily Steve Physioc being the chief announcer, now adding perhaps a Steve Lyons or a Tim McCarver to it, well, nausea doesn't even begin to describe how much of a fiasco that will be.
By contrast, ESPN's telecast of the 2002 series was excellent, with ex-Seibu outfielder/DH Orestes Destrade, while not very good in the studio on Baseball Tonight, providing very pertinent insights. They also brought in Marty Kuhnert, who used to work for the Taiheiyo Club Lions and who was most recently the GM of the Rakuten Golden Eagles, to give some of his trademark commentary.
And by the way, ESPN, no Brent Musburger, okay? I feel sorry for parents who have to remember their sons playing in the Little League World Series with his inane blather dominating it. And when he does anything else, as soon as I hear his voice, I switch to another channel or turn the tv off.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.