HR and Verducci are out at FOX, Smoltz is in.

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

Bob Costas isn't everybody's cup of tea but there's no doubt he loves the game a hundred times as much as Joe Buck, and they would be more likely to pinch somebody like Orel Hershisher or Dennis Eckersley than the dumbest guy in the room.
 

 
I don't mind Joe Buck too much, I think that he's okay and he was saddled with McCarver who was extremely tough to play off of for the last few years. However, one of the things that I like about this post is one of the reasons why I don't mind the hiring of Harold Reynolds; he loves baseball. Hershisher is really good and Eck is really good, but you weren't going to get them for a number of reasons (Orel is on ESPN and Eck doesn't want to travel), so hiring a guy that is exuberant and has obvious love for the game is important. As much as FOX's Game of the Week is for baseball fans, it's also important to snag people who aren't fans. I think that Reynolds has a chance to do that. 
 
Am I ever going to learn something about baseball I didn't know from Reynolds? Honestly, probably not. But there aren't a lot of baseball color guys that I learn from, baseball's a pretty simple game and while there are nuances, you're not going to always get them from a washed-up athlete who is trying not to piss anyone off or say anything confrontational. You know why I like Eck? Because he's entertaining; he tells funny stories, he likes watching baseball and he has interesting names for ordinary things (fastball have hair, hard fastballs are cheese, etc). Every once in awhile he'll point something out, but normally it isn't anything completely mind-shattering.
 
EDIT: The other thing I don't want is a lecture. Baseball is fun, it's entertainment, it's something that I watch at the end of the day to unwind. I don't want someone throwing a ton of stats at me (chances are I can find them online on my own) or lecturing me about what a player is doing wrong. Because the latter can easily go down hill into a treatise on how today's players don't play the game properly, are lazy and don't respect the game. The kids are alright, grandpa.
 
I think that Reynolds will be just fine.

 

[brs3]

Has anyone ever received a response from MLB/Fox when suggesting ideas or providing feedback? It's kind of amazing that I haven't seen any response despite numerous tweets and Facebook comments on the way they handle their baseball broadcasts. I get it, they're a massive business and responding to tweets like, 'CHRIST MCCARVER IS THE WORST' isn't ideal, but even sane tweets seem to be ignored. 

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

 
I don't mind Joe Buck too much, I think that he's okay and he was saddled with McCarver who was extremely tough to play off of for the last few years. However, one of the things that I like about this post is one of the reasons why I don't mind the hiring of Harold Reynolds; he loves baseball. Hershisher is really good and Eck is really good, but you weren't going to get them for a number of reasons (Orel is on ESPN and Eck doesn't want to travel), so hiring a guy that is exuberant and has obvious love for the game is important. As much as FOX's Game of the Week is for baseball fans, it's also important to snag people who aren't fans. I think that Reynolds has a chance to do that.

 
Eck's reluctance to travel is what keeps him from taking Remy's job at NESN full time, since that's a 150+ game schedule involving frequent road trips of a week or more.  I don't think his travel bugaboos would be a roadblock in the least in taking McCarver's job, especially since he already has a similar travel schedule being part of the crew for TBS's weekly national game on Sundays.  Wouldn't take much adjustment to shift to Fox's Saturday schedule instead.  Only significant change for him would be working a potential 7-game LCS and 7-game World Series rather than just a 5-game LDS like he's been doing at TBS.
 
Only thing going against him, really, is lack of recognition.  TBS is clearly second or third banana in the national baseball landscape behind Fox and ESPN (not to mention MLB Network).  Despite working national broadcasts weekly, I don't think he has nearly as much cache with the audience, outside of NESN's viewership, as Reynolds or Hershiser have.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

Eck's reluctance to travel is what keeps him from taking Remy's job at NESN full time, since that's a 150+ game schedule involving frequent road trips of a week or more.  I don't think his travel bugaboos would be a roadblock in the least in taking McCarver's job, especially since he already has a similar travel schedule being part of the crew for TBS's weekly national game on Sundays.  Wouldn't take much adjustment to shift to Fox's Saturday schedule instead.  Only significant change for him would be working a potential 7-game LCS and 7-game World Series rather than just a 5-game LDS like he's been doing at TBS.
 

 
Very good point. I didn't think of that.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I really have no clue what an ESPN color guy or a NESN guy makes, but is there any chance Eck showing up to Fenway a few days a week pays as much, somewhere close to, or more than a once a week gig on ESPN that includes travel?

 

[InsideTheParker]

 
I don't mind Joe Buck too much, I think that he's okay and he was saddled with McCarver who was extremely tough to play off of for the last few years. However, one of the things that I like about this post is one of the reasons why I don't mind the hiring of Harold Reynolds; he loves baseball. Hershisher is really good and Eck is really good, but you weren't going to get them for a number of reasons (Orel is on ESPN and Eck doesn't want to travel), so hiring a guy that is exuberant and has obvious love for the game is important. As much as FOX's Game of the Week is for baseball fans, it's also important to snag people who aren't fans. I think that Reynolds has a chance to do that. 
 
Am I ever going to learn something about baseball I didn't know from Reynolds? Honestly, probably not. But there aren't a lot of baseball color guys that I learn from, baseball's a pretty simple game and while there are nuances, you're not going to always get them from a washed-up athlete who is trying not to piss anyone off or say anything confrontational. You know why I like Eck? Because he's entertaining; he tells funny stories, he likes watching baseball and he has interesting names for ordinary things (fastball have hair, hard fastballs are cheese, etc). Every once in awhile he'll point something out, but normally it isn't anything completely mind-shattering.
 
EDIT: The other thing I don't want is a lecture. Baseball is fun, it's entertainment, it's something that I watch at the end of the day to unwind. I don't want someone throwing a ton of stats at me (chances are I can find them online on my own) or lecturing me about what a player is doing wrong. Because the latter can easily go down hill into a treatise on how today's players don't play the game properly, are lazy and don't respect the game. The kids are alright, grandpa.
 
I think that Reynolds will be just fine.

Have you seen Reynolds much on MLBN and on the Fox pre-game shows for the post-season? He was consistently so stupid in his opinions that Al Leiter and Brian Kenny frequently looked at him with incredulity. If you want him telling the national audience that it wasn't right for Victorino to throw to first to get the runner, then OK.  I have been listening to a lot of the Sox  post-season game rebroadcasts on mlbn lately, and have been struck by how relatively intelligent and purposely unbiased Buck/McCarver seem. Whereas Reynolds on the pre-game had one point about the Red Sox: they were built for Fenway. So what? How does that explain their winning two out of three in St. Louis? Anyway, whether you want information or entertainment, you will get little of either from Reynolds. He is a Johnny One-Note and not in the least bit funny.

 

[mauidano]

Reynolds can be rather annoying at times on TV but who isn't?  I'm sure Fox will run their due diligence on all candidates.  It is a big gig.  This is by no means a done deal.  So come in off the ledge...for now.

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

Sometimes the analyst you do get is more important than the analyst you don't get.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

As a studio analyst, Reynolds has regressed since his days at ESPN, I admit. But a play-by-at guy's job is different than a color guy.

He will be fine because it doesn't take much to be competent at the job. Ninety nine percent of the time you don't need the color guy. His job is to stay interested and tell you something entertaining as well as something that you probably already know.

Reynolds will be okay. It's an easier job than the one he has now.

 

[DJnVa]

Holy crap, I posted something about this possibly happening in the McCarver thread.
 
I spoke his name. I brought him to life.

 

[Brianish]

Well, put him to death. 

 

[terrisus]

you're not going to always get them from a washed-up athlete who is trying not to piss anyone off or say anything confrontational. 
 
EDIT: The other thing I don't want is a lecture.

 
So, how did you feel about Reynolds saying that Victorino was being "disrespectful" by trying to throw out David Freese at 1st Base to end a World Series game?
 
I think that Reynolds has his own opinions about a number of things, and basically views his opinions as facts. And that we'll be in for a whole bunch of lecturing and being pissed off.

 

[DanoooME]

All it will take to get rid of him, if he does take the job, is for the Sox to win again.  Reynolds will completely lose it and do something incredibly stupid on-air if they win.

 

[terrisus]

All it will take to get rid of him, if he does take the job, is for the Sox to win again.  Reynolds will completely lose it and do something incredibly stupid on-air if they win.

 
[Insert intern joke here]

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Harold Reynolds and Orel Hersheiser have more nation wide cache than Dennis Eckersley? In what way?

 
As a baseball analyst.  Reynolds is essentially MLB Network's lead analyst...the guy who is on their highest profile shows most often.  The guy at the desk with Vasgergian on the Fox pre/post game shows.  Whenever MLB Network has a big show, you just assume Reynolds will be involved.  Hershiser is ESPN's lead color analyst.  He does their national Sunday night games, and he shifted to radio to call the World Series (rather than let their regular radio crew do it).  It's easy to look at what they do for their networks and recognize they're viewed as the #1 guys at their jobs in their respective companies, for better or worse.
 
Eck, on the other hand, is clearly not considered the number 1 or even number 2 analyst at TBS.  When it came time for the NLCS, Eck was not one of the analysts in the booth.  Heck, he wasn't even on their pre/post game studio panel.  He was on NESN instead.  If ever there's a time for the network to bring out what they view as their best team, that's it (like Fox does with Buck/McCarver).  Instead, it was Darling and Ripken calling the game while Eck was sitting with TC in NESN's studios.
 
I love Eck.  I'd love to see him get McCarver's job.  But he's a still only a local (NESN) hero.  In the national pecking order of color analysts, he's just not as big a name as we want him to be to contend for the Fox job.

 

[Eric1984]

He's a Hall of Famer and a Cy Young/MVP winner who was in the major leagues for 2 decades, spending much of his career in 3 of the biggest markets (Boston, Chicago -- where every start was on a national superstation -- and the Bay Area). He's more than a local hero and at least as recognizable a baseball name as Harold Reynolds, who is known only for TV work. He was never close to a household name as a player.
 
That said, Reynolds wouldn't bother me that much. As long as it's not Suzyn Waldman, I don't particularly care who the color guy is. He won't be significantly better than McCarver but he won't be worse. But my first choice would still be Al Leiter.

 

[RIFan]

 
As a baseball analyst.  Reynolds is essentially MLB Network's lead analyst...the guy who is on their highest profile shows most often.  The guy at the desk with Vasgergian on the Fox pre/post game shows.  Whenever MLB Network has a big show, you just assume Reynolds will be involved.  Hershiser is ESPN's lead color analyst.  He does their national Sunday night games, and he shifted to radio to call the World Series (rather than let their regular radio crew do it).  It's easy to look at what they do for their networks and recognize they're viewed as the #1 guys at their jobs in their respective companies, for better or worse.
 
Eck, on the other hand, is clearly not considered the number 1 or even number 2 analyst at TBS.  When it came time for the NLCS, Eck was not one of the analysts in the booth.  Heck, he wasn't even on their pre/post game studio panel.  He was on NESN instead.  If ever there's a time for the network to bring out what they view as their best team, that's it (like Fox does with Buck/McCarver).  Instead, it was Darling and Ripken calling the game while Eck was sitting with TC in NESN's studios.
 
I love Eck.  I'd love to see him get McCarver's job.  But he's a still only a local (NESN) hero.  In the national pecking order of color analysts, he's just not as big a name as we want him to be to contend for the Fox job.

You're assuming that the vast majority of viewers who will tune into the MLB Game of the Week are regular MLB Network viewers.  I doubt that is true.  HR is a nobody to the average baseball fan.  As Eric said, Eck's played on both coasts and in major mid-west markets.  His name recognition is a thousand times greater than HR's will ever be.  

 

[Al Zarilla]

As a studio analyst, Reynolds has regressed since his days at ESPN, I admit. But a play-by-at guy's job is different than a color guy.

He will be fine because it doesn't take much to be competent at the job. Ninety nine percent of the time you don't need the color guy. His job is to stay interested and tell you something entertaining as well as something that you probably already know.

Reynolds will be okay. It's an easier job than the one he has now.

So how do guys like Buck Martinez, Joe Morgan and Tim McCarver become so disliked? I think it's because they open their mouth and words come out that make you go WTF? Reynolds will not be OK. He'll be worse than any of the guys I mentioned except Martinez, IMO.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

I guess I need to rephrase.  I'm not saying anything about general name recognition and certainly nothing about their individual playing careers.  I'm commenting on where each person falls within their own network as a reflection of their place in the industry.  Reynolds is the lead studio analyst at MLB Network and thus Fox since they shared personnel in that regard.  Hershiser is the lead in-game analyst at ESPN for their national television broadcasts, and assumes the same role on radio when the TV obligations are over.  Eckersley is, at best, #3 or 4 in his role on TBS.  During the regular season, he got more work since Darling, at the very least, has a regular season obligation to SNY.  But come playoff time, when the network only needed one broadcast team (for the NLCS), they presumably used who they view as their #1 team and Eck wasn't part of it.
 
Basically, if Fox isn't promoting from within their own color analyst ranks (no idea who that might be...Karros?), I don't see them hiring an analyst from another network who isn't one of that network's big guns.  Fox isn't into taking leaps like that.

 

[canderson]

Harold believes Tito should win manager of the year.

He also just picked St. Louis to win game 7.

 

[riboflav]

Anyone know why Eck wasn't part of the NLCS? I was really surprised as it seemed that TBS had gone out of their way to promote his Eck-isms over the past few years.

 

[Eric1984]

I'm wondering if Eck doesn't get more consideration because he's liable to say anything on his mind. That's exactly what MLB doesn't want. And MLB has a lot of influence since they're the ones doling out the rights. Guys like McCarver and Reynolds are never going to do anything that pisses off the overlords.

 

[flymrfreakjar]

Anyone know why Eck wasn't part of the NLCS? I was really surprised as it seemed that TBS had gone out of their way to promote his Eck-isms over the past few years.

 
I think him just not wanting to do it is definitely a real possibility. And for the folks here who want to see him on FOX (myself certainly included), he might not be into that job either. I'd be willing to bet he's really happy with his job and responsibilities right now (this of course coming from a totally uninformed perspective...)

 

[richgedman'sghost]

Anyone know why Eck wasn't part of the NLCS? I was really surprised as it seemed that TBS had gone out of their way to promote his Eck-isms over the past few years.

I think Eck wasn't part of the NLCS because the Red Sox were in the playoffs this year. Eck valued his NESN responsibilities more than his  TBS ones? 

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

I think Eck wasn't part of the NLCS because the Red Sox were in the playoffs this year. Eck valued his NESN responsibilities more than his  TBS ones? 

 
If that were the case, why was he in the TBS booth for the Detroit-Oakland series rather than fulfilling NESN duties during the Sox-Rays series?
 
I know I keep saying this, but as much as we love Eck here, he's just not as highly regarded as an analyst as others.  He wasn't on the NLCS broadcast because the decision-makers at TBS preferred Ron Darling and Cal Ripken.  It's that simple.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

So how do guys like Buck Martinez, Joe Morgan and Tim McCarver become so disliked? I think it's because they open their mouth and words come out that make you go WTF? Reynolds will not be OK. He'll be worse than any of the guys I mentioned except Martinez, IMO.
 

 
I think that you hit the nail on the head, but it's a bit more than that. The bile against these guys have increased over the years. Why? Because there are more outlets to display your displeasure. When I was a kid my friends and I hated Bob Montgomery. We couldn't stand the way he talked, what he said, pretty much everything about him. And it felt like we were on an island because no one in the newspapers ever talked about how bad Monte was. We never heard it on the radio or TV. If that was now, I'm sure there would be a few threads on SoSH, an "I Hate Monte" group on Facebook, a YouTube collection of the moronic things he said. These things can grow now.
 
And I think that once that ball starts rolling, it's kind of hard to stop it. As much as I loved FJM and agreed with most of their criticisms of Joe Morgan, if Morgan turned around one offseason and fully accepted SABRE-Metrics and went on and on about advanced stats there would still be a population of baseball watchers who say, "Morgan is a poseur, he doesn't believe this stuff. He's a fraud. And oh yeah, did you catch that he said WHIN instead of WHIP, what a moron." It is very difficult to turn around public opinion once you're branded an idiot.
 
And honestly, I think that if you ask Ken Tremendous* (and he may said this before) he would admit that a. Morgan knows far more about baseball than he does and b. not everything he said was dumb or wrong. That's the same thing with McCarver and Martinez and Reynolds.
 
* Please don't take this as a criticism of KT, who I think is pretty awesome. I still read some of the old FJM columns when I can because they're just that good and they're funny as hell. He's just the first (and best) real internet media critic that I can think of.
 
BTW, when he was at ESPN, Harold Reynolds didn't get nearly the amount of shit that he gets now. In fact, most people said that he was pretty good on Baseball Tonight mixing former player observations with other views. Did he get dumber over the last three or four years? I don't think so. Perhaps MLB Network told him to be more like Mitch Williams. I don't know. All I know is that a. he was pretty good once and b. in the bigger picture, I don't think that a color guy matters all too much.

 

[ifmanis5]

Monty was SO bad that he was hilarious. My friends used to tool on every word that came out of his mouth and his unique delight in talking about pain. If any player, especially a catcher, even so much as winced that would set him off on a pain rant for about 10 minutes. Whenever we got hurt in real life we would immediately go into the Bob Montgomery Voice and talk about what a 'special kind of pain' that was. I think Monty may have had PTSD or something.

 

[Remagellan]

 
If that were the case, why was he in the TBS booth for the Detroit-Oakland series rather than fulfilling NESN duties during the Sox-Rays series?
 
I know I keep saying this, but as much as we love Eck here, he's just not as highly regarded as an analyst as others.  He wasn't on the NLCS broadcast because the decision-makers at TBS preferred Ron Darling and Cal Ripken.  It's that simple.

 
Cal Ripken added nothing to the broadcasts.  Ron Darling was good as always.  If he wasn't tied to TBS and SNY he'd be a great choice to replace McCarver.  

 

[Sausage in Section 17]

 

Did he get dumber over the last three or four years? I don't think so. Perhaps MLB Network told him to be more like Mitch Williams. I don't know. All I know is that a. he was pretty good once and b. in the bigger picture, I don't think that a color guy matters all too much.

 
I don't think he got dumber but like just about all of these guys, the longer they are on the air, the more relaxed they become. I never used to notice Reynolds much (this really ought to be what these networks shoot for) on Baseball Tonight, because I think when most of these guys start out they are focused on actual analysis. And it's not like he's incapable in this area. But once they've been on screen for a year or two, they probably start getting fan mail, and they all collectively seem to go to this place where it is more about them personally, and they begin to see themselves as these sage, old characters of the game who's every observation is somehow supposed to drip baseball wisdom. It becomes about them and their personality.

If Harold Reynolds is cast from this mold, I don't think his personality can carry him. He's not an especially likable dude, and he's bound to have some things come out of his mouth that land him in trouble.

 

[ifmanis5]

 he's bound to have some things come out of his mouth that land him in trouble.

And his pants. (*rimshot*)
 
 
Darling would be an excellent choice so I'm expecting him not to get it.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

He's not an especially likable dude, and he's bound to have some things come out of his mouth that land him in trouble.
 

 
What makes him "unlikable"?

 

[Sausage in Section 17]

As far as unlikability, I guess we're totally in the land of the subjective here.

What I don't like about him is he seems insincere and shifty. He has this look of amusement in his eyes when he says alot of the stuff he says, that to me says he doesn't even necessarily believe what he's saying, he's just saying it to stir up controversy. I get that in some instances that is exactly what they pay people like him to do, but he seems to relish it.

I just can't recall many times when his tone was serious or his analysis was very good. I don't think he takes himself or what he's doing very seriously. And...he's not funny either. So what's left?

 

[ifmanis5]

In fairness, I must point out that Harry is a really nice guy, easy to work with, no attitude, not a diva at all, likes baseball, likes the people he works with and can fill the room with a good story. He has a lot of energy and is fun to be around. However, on camera, especially on MLB Net, I find that he plays his own favorites, praises New York teams and players whenever possible (everybody knows that you never lose a job praising NY teams since all your bosses and the ad guys are Yankee fans) and will only come around (like with Pedroia) when there is overwhelming evidence to his previous position.
He's also one of those guys that on the new hot intern's first day he will already be best friends with them and have her number in his cell phone. At least he was back in the day, he may have changed his ways on that.

 

[southbay]

 
Cal Ripken added nothing to the broadcasts.  Ron Darling was good as always.  If he wasn't tied to TBS and SNY he'd be a great choice to replace McCarver.  

If there were no more Ripken brothers doing "analysis" ("he's a gamer"), that would be fine.  Darling was great on TBS, as usual, a rare bright spot in their post season coverage (with Eck) in an otherwise horrible stable of announcers

 

[JimBoSox9]

Smart, dumb, nice, mean, funny, boring, insightful, idiotic, whatever.  The core issue as I see it is MLB Network and Brian Kenny made Reynolds the de facto face of the anti-sabermetrics movement, and I don't think Fox would make him the replacement for America's Grandpa if they didn't see value in cultivating that aspect of his persona.  And the fuck-all is they're probably not all wrong, either.  No, Fox was never going to be a bastion of progressive live coverage anyways, it's more sadly annoying than infuriating.  

 

[Dahabenzapple2]

Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez together are terrific

Do it, Fox

 

[Brianish]

I was watching the Wilson Defensive awards last night, and when Pedey won, Reynolds went out onto MLBN's mock field and talked about why he's so good. I keep forgetting; the one thing Reynolds is really good at is breaking down the minutiae of individual plays - timing, footwork, glovework, etc. As long as his focus during the game is on that and not vague generalizations about who's a tough player and why bunting is awesome, he could actually be ok. 

 

[joe dokes]

I was watching the Wilson Defensive awards last night, and when Pedey won, Reynolds went out onto MLBN's mock field and talked about why he's so good. I keep forgetting; the one thing Reynolds is really good at is breaking down the minutiae of individual plays - timing, footwork, glovework, etc. As long as his focus during the game is on that and not vague generalizations about who's a tough player and why bunting is awesome, he could actually be ok. 

 
"Did you know that I played second base, too?"

 

[Brianish]

Don't take away the hope, man. 

 

[WilyVet]

^
l
l
This exactly.
 
So who's your pick to fill the FOX booth?
 
Eckersley would be probably the coolest guy ever to catch a game with at bar, but I'm really not sure his schtick wouldn't get old and tired after week after week, and that it'd work for every team. Even after seeing him in the playoffs.
 
I'd imagine it's more important for a national broadcaster to spend hours in the film room and doing homework. Maybe Eck would be that guy, but I'm inclined to believe that he'd be way better replacing Remy on NESN than McCarver on FOX.
 
Gabe Kapler is my pick. He's incredibly smart and clearly has a passion for the game. He's unafraid to go against conventional wisdom and to call people out. And he's super interesting (His take on PED's is the most interesting and well thought out I've seen http://goo.gl/33L0M3). Plus, I thought he was great on FoxSports 1's postgame WS coverage. And he's a dreamboat.

 

[terrisus]

I'd imagine it's more important for a national broadcaster to spend hours in the film room and doing homework.

 
Because McCarver totally did that.

 

[Spacemans Bong]

Your answer is Bob Costas? Actually he'd fit right in on pushing the morality of the BBWAA and pushing the purity of the game.
 
What's your problem with Joe Buck's "love of the game"? He grew up with his father in MLB broadcasting, came up through the ranks mostly doing baseball and has continued to do baseball over his NFL gig when there is a conflict. What evidence is there that Costas has a hundred times as much love for the game as Joe Buck? I can't tell if Costas has a love for anything but his own opinions.
 
I really am indifferent on Buck and generally indifferent on Costas. 

 
I don't agree with all of Costas' opinions but I completely disagree with this.
 
I know Joe Buck doesn't like baseball because he's basically said so. Costas has written books on baseball, appeared in the Ken Burns series, was the first person to appear on the MLB Network, and has generally been a passionate public advocate of baseball for three decades. I've heard Joe Buck participate in debates on baseball with Bob Costas and there's no comparison. Costas launching into all sorts of topics with a command that makes it clear he thinks about this stuff outside of a professional capacity, while Buck whines the season should be shorter and fires off glib one-liner after glib one-liner.
 
Buck grew up with his father doing MLB broadcasting, and it's been an easy source of money with 20% effort ever since. Because his dad was a legend he's never had to work at it, and his surname guarantees him work. He does baseball over the NFL because Fox pays him to man the ship during the MLB playoffs, not because Joe just loves the postseason. It's more notable on his broadcasts when he sounds excited to be there than when he's not. Nepotism is a bad idea in almost all walks of life and broadcasting is no different.
 
 
 

 
I don't disagree with your assessment of Fox's inability to "get" baseball.  They treat their audience like they've never seen the game before and whatever they put on the air will be willingly lapped up.  It's insulting.
 
But I also have no trust at all that another network would give us anything better than Fox does.  IIRC, the last time NBC broadcasted major league baseball, Joe Morgan was prominently involved with their lead team.  I think broadcast networks in general will always gear their shows in a way that makes the uninformed audience feel more welcome (and us disgusted and insulted).  They honestly don't give a shit about appeasing baseball fans like us with their choices because they know we're going to be watching regardless of what they do.

 
Morgan (like McCarver) wasn't always a blithering idiot, and Costas >>> Buck, as I'm making clear. Their overall presentation wasn't as insulting to the viewer, and I think they do a better job than Fox does on football and a very good job on hockey. They've done a great job with the Premier League too, so overall I just think they are better at presenting a sport than Fox is. Fingers crossed that there's still a grain of institutional know-how from when they had baseball for decades before the 90s.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

 
Because McCarver totally did that.

 
He was going to ask how Salty conversed with Koji (who speaks no English) during mound visits if the Sox won the ALCS.
 
Still waiting for the answer.

 

[terrisus]

Reynolds on MLB Network this morning, spouting the George King 1999 lines about how pitchers aren't worth nearly as much as position players because "Pitchers only impact 30-something games" (and this is with regards to the ROY award). It's like, I thought we dealt with that nonsense a dozen years ago, and had finally moved past it again with Verlander winning the MVP the other year.
 
Yeah, definitely not looking forward to the prospect of him being on Fox for the next 30 years, spouting opinions based on how "he perceives things." But then, frankly, probably better there than on the MLB Network anyway, considering that I would mute the Fox games regardless, and maybe the MLB Network will actually get someone decent to replace him.

 

[Al Zarilla]

Just looking at MLBN with Reynolds and Vasgersian for a bit and it dawned on me why Reynolds may be the frontrunner for the Fox job. Reynolds may be the closest match, intelligence-wise, with the average baseball fan that they can see. I'll admit that he is also caring and personable. Main point, maybe Fox just does not want a guy with a lot more intelligence like a Hershiser or a Schilling. After all, look at the guy Reynolds would be replacing.

 

[glennhoffmania]

Just looking at MLBN with Reynolds and Vasgersian for a bit and it dawned on me why Reynolds may be the frontrunner for the Fox job. Reynolds may be the closest match, intelligence-wise, with the average baseball fan that they can see. I'll admit that he is also caring and personable. Main point, maybe Fox just does not want a guy with a lot more intelligence like a Hershiser or a Schilling. After all, look at the guy Reynolds would be replacing.

 
I think that you're giving Fox way too much credit. 

 

[Yaz's '78 Popup]

I'd rather listen to Scully and Garagiola (currently, 85 and 87, respectively) than Buck and Reynolds.  Gawd!
 
I think Eck would have been a better choice: he is passionate about the sport, a HoF member, smarter than most broadcasters regarding in-game happenings, and has the kind of exuberance and unpredictable bombast that Fox seems to love.  (I think Fox would think their viewers would love to know about hairy, cheesey fastballs.)
 
Fox has deep pockets, they can afford to get Eck to travel.

 

[Al Zarilla]

I'd rather listen to Scully and Garagiola (currently, 85 and 87, respectively) than Buck and Reynolds.  Gawd!
 
I think Eck would have been a better choice: he is passionate about the sport, a HoF member, smarter than most broadcasters regarding in-game happenings, and has the kind of exuberance and unpredictable bombast that Fox seems to love.  (I think Fox would think their viewers would love to know about hairy, cheesey fastballs.)
 
Fox has deep pockets, they can afford to get Eck to travel.

 
Is it that he hates flying?
 

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

 
Is it that he hates flying?

 
The reason Fox doesn't hire Eck won't be his distaste for travel.  He's already doing the same kind of travel that Fox would require while fulfilling his TBS Sunday afternoon duties.  His travel issues are entirely based on traveling full time with a team all season long, not traveling for one game a week.

 

[Ferm Sheller]

Can I ask a dumb question? Why do broadcasters even need to be at a game in order to provide commentary? I mean, why couldn't they just sit in a studio in front of several monitors showing different camera angles and call the game remotely?

EDIT: IOW, for road games, couldn't Eck and Orsillo call the games from the NESN studio?