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And there's at least four more games of this guy
2007-10-08 21:23
by Bob Timmermann

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times is not happy at all with the work of Chip Caray on the TBS telecasts of the Division Series.

He [Caray] said the “Yankees led the world” in home runs this season with 201. He liked saying it so much he said it again. Truth: The Brewers led the majors with 231, followed by the Phillies with 213 and the Reds at 204. The Yankees and Marlins were tied at 201.

---------------

He also has an annoying air of certitude. With the bases loaded Sunday, and the Yankees leading, 5-3, thanks to Johnny Damon’s three-run homer, Caray said, “This is a spot where they have to score another run to win the game.” Does he also read palms?

That attitude led him on Sunday, after Rodriguez’s first hit of the series, to say, “And here come the Yankees!” A-Rod went back to the bench on Jorge Posada’s double play.

After Damon’s run-scoring single in the third, he said, “And here they come!”

No, they didn’t: Jeter promptly grounded into a double play.

I know that Yankee fans may thought that Caray was pro-Cleveland or anti-New York, but I think that is a common feeling that comes up in these situations. Objectively, I would have to say that one thing is certain: Caray is really bad. It's as if the family's ability to broadcast baseball games has declined with each generation.

Comments
2007-10-08 21:51:51
1.   KG16
unfortunately, I only remember Harry Caray at the end... he did not hold up like Vinny, or Chick
2007-10-08 21:54:25
2.   Bob Timmermann
I didn't like Harry, but Chip is a disgrace.
2007-10-08 22:14:06
3.   yankz
2 Agreed. I think he just assumed he'd get whatever baseball job he wanted because of his last name and didn't bother to learn anything about the game. Unfortunately his gamble paid off.
2007-10-08 22:17:03
4.   Suffering Bruin
I liked Harry a great deal, even in the end.

Caray was a fan of the game and had an involved fan's instincts. In his later years, he was still calling plays before they happened. He had a genuine love of what he did and what he was watching. Every day it was as if he couldn't believe he was doing this--broadcasting baseball games.

Yeah, I know--he could get ornery and damn near illegible and his command of the language was, ah, suspect. And I could give a rip. The guy was fun.

Grandson Chip is not the worst announcer I've ever heard. He is not the ultimate example of how an announcer can take the joy out of a game, no matter how good. That is literally the only good thing I can say about his work.

I don't say this with arrogance or pride: I can go into the booth tomorrow and do a better job than Chip. It ain't saying much.

2007-10-08 22:36:10
5.   sporky
4 - I don't say this with arrogance or pride: I can go into the booth tomorrow and do a better job than Chip. It ain't saying much.

I think this is true for many, many people.

2007-10-08 22:37:50
6.   yankz
5 And most animals.
2007-10-08 23:16:30
7.   Eric Enders
I suppose I'm in the minority in thinking that Harry was far more of a disgrace than Chip. Skip is by far the best of the three, though.
2007-10-08 23:20:00
8.   Bob Timmermann
7
I don't know, my mom hated Harry and she heard him in the 1940s.
2007-10-08 23:29:49
9.   KG16
this just reminds me how lucky i was to grow up with Vin Scully and Chick Hearn. It's sad to think that my kids may have to grow up with Steve Lyons/Charlie Steiner and Joel Myers.

It's almost enough for me to consider not having kids.

2007-10-09 00:10:26
10.   Eric Enders
I guess we are better off not having been subjected to the broadcasting of Vin Scully's son Skin and his grandson, Chin.
2007-10-09 00:13:13
11.   Cliff Corcoran
Caray seemed to make a misstatement in every third sentence. I was constantly correcting him. Everything from the errors Bob points out above, to saying Matsui had a sore hamstring when he really had a bum knee, to calling a fly ball to the warning track a fly to "shallow right." I shoulda kept a list.

He also used that "and here come the ____!" thing for both clubs whenever either got a hit when trailing. Just awful.

2007-10-09 01:08:26
12.   Paul Scott
I never liked the Cubs. I lived 90 miles south of Chigago and some how I grew up a Dodger fan. That said, as a kid what I knew of baseball came from watching the Cubs on "channel 9" (no idea now what actual network that was) and I always loved Harry Caray. To this day, he remains my favorite announcer.
2007-10-09 08:01:28
13.   Shaun P
How long until TBS's contract is up? 6 years?

Crap.

The worst part is, as Sandomir points out, all the other play-by-play guys TBS used were quite good. Any chance Chip gets replaced?

2007-10-09 11:29:56
14.   Linkmeister
I like Skip, can't stand Chip. When the Braves had the tag teams of Skip and Joe Simpson along with Don Sutton and Ernie Johnson or Pete van Wieren they were a tolerable group.

Am I wrong in remembering that TBS won't be broadcasting the Braves next year (or at least not like the blanket coverage it used to), and thus the playoffs may be the only shot its principal baseball guys have to do games for a while?

2007-10-10 07:30:05
15.   Ed C
For all those of you who are complaining about Chip Caray, be thankful you didn't have to listen to Dick Stockton. That man is by far the worst announcer in all of sports. Even worse than Hawk Harrelson or Darrin Jackson. And that's saying a lot.

I would have preferred to listen to Pat Summerall doing NFL games at the end of his career than listen to Dick Stockton. By the end of the series I left the tv on mute and turned on the radio instead.

Never thought I'd say this, but I miss Joe Buck. God I feel dirty.

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