The YES Network? NO!

2/17/09

Let's face it. Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling put on a great show with SNY. They talk (mostly) about things we want to hear and they have a nice group connection which makes it even more enjoyable to listen to during a long nine inning game. Gary is like a local (and mini) Joe Buck. Keith has a not so mini mouth. And Ron is in love with Sovereign Bank (See: Sovereign TV Commercial) and knows a thing or two about pitching. Out of all the play by play announcers in baseball (and I have yet to see Kansas City's so I'm going out on a limb, a very small limb) - I would take the group at SNY any day. Even their on-field reporter, Kevin Burkhardt, calls a better game than most team's regulars on the rare days that he fills in.

Obviously, when I say that the SNY announcers are "great," it's all comparative. Let's take the Yankees for example (duh). Michael Kay, you know, is not giving you his true self on TV. His real personality is on the radio (which might I add includes real improper verbal pieces). He is supposed to be the voice of the "prestigious" Yankees so telling us about his unbridled love for Jennifer Aniston on a daily basis does not make a strong case for "Yankee Prestige." His sidekick, Ken Singleton, might have been a great baseball player but it's time for him to quit his day and night job (depending on when the Yankees are playing that day). I would rather listen to an Islander's Beat Reporter (do they have any?) discussing the Islander's struggling third line than to sit through an at bat with Singleton. He is as refreshing as an empty bottle of Gatorade, that mind you, has expired a long long time ago. Singleton? More like Hit-by-pitch-ton.

Put it in the books! When it comes to radio -the Mets get the W over the Yanks (again). Albeit not by much, a victory is a victory. Howie Rose is a real deal baseball guy and he has years of experience covering the team. His knowledge and insight to the Mets' organization have regularly contributed to WFAN's radio broadcasts. Wayne Hagan, on the other hand, needs to open up a diner down south and just be gone. He is awful. And it is such a shame because the Phillies not only took the division away from us, they took Tom McCarthy, as well. Tom, as loyal Met fans remember, did the play-by-play announcing for the Mets in 2006 and 2007. Come to think of it, we should have thrown Hagan into the Phillie's deal, free of charge. Rose and McCarthy? It made not being in front of a television a whole lot easier to swallow.

Snicker. Sorry for laughing. How can I not? I'm about to discuss the solid duo that make up Yankee Radio, calling every game, every play. So who cares if Abreu didn't actually make the catch and it was, in fact, a home run? Accuracy is overrated! Right, John?

Oh, there are other instances:

1) Home plate umpire Larry Vanover once called Adrian Beltre out to end a game on a strikeout, except that there only were two strikes on Beltre at the time.

"Strike three is called on the outside corner! Ballgame over! Yankees win. Thuuuh Yankees win! . . . Adrian Beltre just stayed at home plate. Am I wrong? Is the game over? Beltre is just staying there at home plate. Now the home plate umpire Larry Vanover goes out to talk to Molina and the game apparently is not over. The Yankees were shaking hands and celebrating and patting each other on the back, and was it a strike or not? Obviously it wasn’t a strike. Music was playing. We heard ‘Yankees win’ from some fool in the booth. Don’t ask. I have no idea. I have absolutely no idea.”

Ok, John had a right to be confused in this case, but the next example has no excuses attached to it.

2) The very next day, Jose Molina hit a big double that Ichiro Suzuki misplayed in centerfield. It was Molina, wasn’t it?

“Here is Molina. Matsui at second with two out. The pitch swung on and hit in the air to right center. Ichiro going back, a way back in deep right center. It lands for a base hit! How do you like that? Matsui scores, Cano goes to second with a double. Oh, it’s a ribbie double by Robbie Cano, don’t you know, and the Yankees take the lead! A ribbie for Robbie! . . . Excuse me, that’s Molina. What am I talking about?”

Too bad Sterling has a script when he does a show for Yankeeography. "Was that Babe Ruth or Yogi Berra? It was one of them... I can't quite make it out.....Why can't they just put names on those dang jersey's?"

Oh, and don't think I have forgotten. Enter Suzyn Waldman, the only one who chokes (up) more than A-Rod.

Don't know what I mean? It's a must hear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m6CRBsWb3U

Fear not. She is a woman of many emotions. Yes, she can cry but she can also go absolutely bonkers.

Don't know what I mean?
(WARNING: REFRAIN FROM DRINKING ALL SORTS OF LIQUIDS DURING THIS CLIP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdtn0Z4o8cM

Ahh, good old Suzyn Waldman. The only thing weirder than her on air personality is the way she spells her first name. Thanks for the entertainment 880.

So all those Mets fans who envy the large sums of money that the Yankees throw at free agents (which, may I add, gives a whole new meaning to the word "free") in the off-season - just remember that during the season's subway series when we hear or see Carlos Delgado hitting 3 home runs in Yankee Stadium, just pity those who hear that Delgado "struck out" during those at bats, a woman crying over it, and through it - poor old Mr. Kay making believe his TRUE love is our national past time.

Sorry Jennifer but Michael will be out until Monday.