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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.
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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.
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.
I think this is true for many, many people.
I don't know, my mom hated Harry and she heard him in the 1940s.
It's almost enough for me to consider not having kids.
He also used that "and here come the ____!" thing for both clubs whenever either got a hit when trailing. Just awful.
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?
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?
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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