Back in 2012 I gave you my baseball broadcaster impressions of all the local broadcasts. This year I'm doing my personal rankings. Basically the rankings go like this. I have MLB.tv and when I listen a game I have a choice between two broadcasts. Which one would I rather listen to? I can check this ranking, see one broadcast team is ranked higher than the other, and choose that one.
30. New York Yankees- John Sterling & Suzyn Waldman: Between Sterling's missed calls and sayings with Waldman's analysis this is by far the worst radio broadcast on the dial.
29. Cincinnati- Marty Brennaman & Jeff Brantley: Let's just say the condescending trait in Thom fell about an inch from his father's tree. Brantley ain't much better to listen to.
28. San Diego- Ted Leitner & Bob Scanlan: I can't describe how awful Leitner is. He speaks so fast you have no idea what he's saying. Just the sound of his voice makes my skin crawl.
27. Los Angeles Dodgers- Charley Steiner & Rick Monday: Steiner would be better if he had Bob Ley to play off of and to giggle at. He doesn't so this is a pretty lame broadcast.
26. Baltimore- Joe Angel & Fred Manfra: I used to like Angel but now I just find him boring. Manfra doesn't bring much to the table when he's on the call.
25. Colorado- Jack Corrigan & Jerry Schemmel: They bring nothing to the table except boredom.
24. Kansas City- Denny Matthews, Steve Stewart & Steve Physioc: Matthews is great when he's calling the game. The rest of the crew leave a lot to be desired.
23. Anaheim- Terry Smith & Jose Mota: They're not bad, they're not good. They're just there.
22. St. Louis- Mike Shannon & John Rooney: Drunk Mike Shannon is personally not all that fun to listen to. Slurring words and slow reactions to what happen on the field isn't enduring. It's a cry for help.
21. Miami- Dave Van Horne & Glenn Geffner: Van Horne has seen better days and Geffner is nothing special.
20. Boston- Dave O'Brien & Joe Castiglione: Would be higher but the unbearable O'Brien is now the lead announcer. Castiglione is still great though.
19. Detroit- Dan Dickerson & Jim Price: Dickerson is great but Price brings down the broadcast with stories about the 68 Tigers and his old school analysis.
18. Texas- Eric Nadal & Matt Hicks: I don't get Nadal's appeal but I can't rank this crew any lower.
17. Milwaukee- Bob Uecker & Joe Block: Uecker is honestly starting to get long in the tooth and Block isn't that entertaining to make this ranking any higher.
16. Pittsburgh- Tim Neverett or Greg Brown & Bob Walk or Steve Blass: Once again they all rotate between TV and radio so it's hard to properly rank them for both.
15. Chicago Cubs- Pat Hughes & Ron Coomer: Hughes is great and Coomer was great whenever he was on the Twins broadcast.
14. Seattle- Rick Rizzs & Aaron Goldsmith: Sorry RJBO but I like Rizzs. Goldsmith also brings sabermetrics to the broadcast.
13. Tampa Bay- Andy Freed & Dave Willis: Get high marks for their presentation and preparation for the broadcast.
12. Toronto- Jerry Howarth & Joe Siddall: Howarth's voice is like a warm summer breeze. Just refreshing.
11. Houston- Rob Ford & Steve Sparks: A new broadcast team that somehow makes terrible Astro games appealing to listen to.
10. Oakland- Ken Korach & Vince Controneo: Controneo brings sabermetrics and a new approach to the broadcasting that is refreshing. Korach isn't bad himself though he puts @RaiderUte to sleep.
9. Arizona- Greg Schulte & Tom Candiotti: Probably the most underrated booth in the game.
8. Minnesota- Cory Provus & Dan Gladden: Would be ranked higher if they didn't have Gladden calling 4 innings. Provus is great though.
7. Cleveland- Tom Hamilton & Jim Rosenhaus: I like Hamilton. Sue me.
6. Philadelphia- Scott Franzke & Larry Andersen: Franzke has done a great job replacing Harry Kalas. Andersen is fun to listen to for his stories on his playing days.
5. Atlanta- Jim Powell & Don Sutton: Powell is great and brings analysis to the game. Sutton is still very good at analysing the game.
4. Washington- Charlie Slowes & Dave Jageler: Great duo who are a fun listen. Amazing how good they are compared to the TV broadcast.
3. New York Mets- Howie Rose & Josh Lewin: Poor Rose has to call both crappy Islanders and Mets games. Shame to waste a talent like that.
2. Chicago White Sox- Ed Farmer & Darrin Jackson: I love these two because of their goofy interactions with each other during the game. You're not getting hard hitting analysis but you're getting a few laughs.
1. San Francisco- Jon Miller & Dave Flemming: Miller's stories and Flemming bringing sabermetrics to the booth. I'd listen to them read the phonebook.
Rob Ford's beatdown of that Bruce Jenkins column on broadcasters using sabermetrics in the booth made me a fan. And you know what? Steve Sparks is quite good too despite being a former player who I normally hate in the radio booth including Kuiper.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you left the A's off on purpose or not, but it still doesn't change the fact that I still find Ken Korach to be incredibly boring. If I need a nap after church on Sunday, Korach calling a game puts me into a very nice slumber.
ReplyDeleteHOLY SHIT I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE I LEFT THE A'S OFF THE LIST! Controneo is really good so I'd still have them in the top 15.
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