Orioles announcer Kevin Brown removed from booth for comments on lack of previous wins vs Rays

[soxhop411]

View: https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1688634791573262336

Where in the world is Kevin Brown?

The Baltimore Orioles’ lead TV play-by-play voice since 2022 on MASN has worked for the team in a variety of broadcast capacities since 2019, in addition to his work for ESPN (and no, he is not the former MLB pitcher, who did also play for the Orioles). Brown has been off the TV airwaves since calling the end of the team’s series against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 23. He shifted to radio for a series against the Philadelphia Phillies after that, and then has been off the air entirely since that series’ July 26 conclusion.

That led to a Reddit post a week ago wondering what’s up, and then to two tweets Monday saying Brown has been “suspended indefinitely” from Matt Jergensen, who has run Baltimore sports websites and podcasts:

That “The Orioles have won more games against them this season than the last two combined” comment appears to be at the heart of this. That comment was made ahead of the July 23 series finale against the Rays. Here’s a clip showing that

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Awful Announcing has confirmed through multiple sources familiar with the situation that Brown has been suspended indefinitely, that it came after the Rays series, that he only wound up on the radio for the Phillies’ series thanks to another controversy about a different announcer’s apparel, and that the comment here seems to be what’s at issue.

That report also got some further confirmation from a very unusual source in a very unusual place. That would be famed sports media figure Roy Firestone, who hosted the interview program SportsLook/Up Close on ESPN from 1980 to 1994 and has held several other significant sports media roles. It looks like Firestone, who as per his Wikipedia page is a lifelong Orioles’ fan and was a bat boy for the team growing up, confirmed that on message board Orioles Hangout. Here’s a screenshot of that

Yes, you read that right.... and Im sorry but this is a clown shoes move from the O's....Are their broadcasters not supposed to be critical of the team?
https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/kevin-brown-baltimore-orioles-masn-suspension.html

 

[jon abbey]

That’s not even being critical, just stating facts.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Isn't he basically talking about facts that were on the screen? It'd be one thing if he went off on an unplanned rant but that was all a part of a scripted segment. Were the producers suspended as well?

Also, that was not the Kevin Brown I was expecting when I opened the thread. I was fully expecting the guy who broke his hand punching a wall way back when. At least if he'd done something like that I could understand a suspension.

 

[LogansDad]

Insane. Any chance a good lawyer could take the team to task for this, assuming it is true?

Not to mention, it doesn't even make sense, since he is basically praising how far they have come in such a short time.

 

[cornwalls@6]

Good grief, that was as milquetoast a commentary as someone could make. If anything, it was a positive statement on their turn around. There has to be some deeper history to this.

 

[joe dokes]

Good grief, that was as milquetoast a commentary as someone could make. If anything, it was a positive statement on their turn around. There has to be some deeper history to this.

My thought as well. Like the story is wrong, and he's done something far worse.

 

[canderson]

If it is based off these comments, he should sue for everything they own. What a joke.

 

[joe dokes]

If it is based off these comments, he should sue for everything they own. What a joke.

As long as they keep paying him and dont trash him, he doesn't have much to sue for.

 

[Van Everyman]

If SoSH posters were on their A-game, they'd be suggesting a swap for DOB. Perhaps even cash considerations.

 

[bankshot1]

The Os should be ridiculed widely by broadcasting professionals the on air heavyweights with nothing to lose by mocking them, for this BS.

The Os from batboys to ownership should be proud of the turnaround of a once proud franchise, rather than once again shit all over themselves, over nothing but the truth.

 

[Zedia]

The story has to be wrong because it makes zero sense.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

I watched the clip and kept waiting for the offensive part and it never arrived.

If they suspended him for stating facts, O's ownership is softer than puppy shit.

 

[Comfortably Lomb]

The story has to be wrong because it makes zero sense.

Not seeing it reported by any more mainstream / reputable sources. I agree it doesn't make sense. The content of the video clip is standard pre-game talk.

 

[moondog80]

I actually took the segment as positive and upbeat -- the past sucked but things are different now. Crazy.

 

[Van Everyman]

My thought as well. Like the story is wrong, and he's done something far worse.

Like calling for the return of Melvin Mora.

 

[Trapaholic]

First thing that came to my mind was that the Orioles are now run by 2 guys that were vital in the Astros' turn around, Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal.

How would that come into play? Among other things, the Houston administration that brought us the trashcan debacle famously ran a very hostile workplace where people were often fired for no reason, and made to constantly worry about their jobs. Would not surprise me if there was some type of gag order placed on the on-air personalities.

I read a book by Evan Drellich (not sure if he is persona non grata here) but it really detailed how the Astros were run, and how McKinsey came in and ran the team like a corporation. Here is a link to the book: Winning Fixes Everything

The point of this post is that the people now running the Orioles are very cut throat and not welcoming of criticism, but they are all about criticizing others and eliminating anything that is not "optimal".

 

[LogansDad]

If SoSH posters were on their A-game, they'd be suggesting a swap for DOB. Perhaps even cash considerations.

Ha, my first thought was that Flemming and Castiglione wouldn't last an inning over there.

 

[joe dokes]

First thing that came to my mind was that the Orioles are now run by 2 guys that were vital in the Astros' turn around, Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal.

How would that come into play? Among other things, the Houston administration that brought us the trashcan debacle famously ran a very hostile workplace where people were often fired for no reason, and made to constantly worry about their jobs. Would not surprise me if there was some type of gag order placed on the on-air personalities.

I read a book by Evan Drellich (not sure if he is persona non grata here) but it really detailed how the Astros were run, and how McKinsey came in and ran the team like a corporation. Here is a link to the book: Winning Fixes Everything

The point of this post is that the people now running the Orioles are very cut throat and not welcoming of criticism, but they are all about criticizing others and eliminating anything that is not "optimal".

Even if all this is true, a listener has to be something close to stupid to call this "criticism." What's next, hauling an announcer off mid-sentence if he says, "Mullins is oh for three today" or "that hit breaks an 0-6 streak" or "the O's are coming up in the 9th trailing 2-1"?

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

I have to believe somebody in management explicitly told him not to report that and he did anyway. Some kind of insubordination.

Cuz in and of itself it makes no sense.

 

[Sad Sam Jones]

Does he create his own on-screen graphics since that showed the same thing he said? I don't know television, but I work in print publications and even at my small company nothing gets through without a minimum of 3 people seeing it first.

 

[TomBrunansky23]

Witness the inherent dangers of the broadcast outlet being essentially the house organ for the team. The Orioles hold a 75% stake in MASN. God forbid that the reporters and broadcasters employed by the network do any actual work that puts the team in a less than stellar light (which he actually did not do here - he went over a set of facts in recent team history which pointed to a new winning direction for a formerly moribund organization).

The Orioles were stupid enough to make this a thing when it was nothing more than stating facts. It happened there - and it can and will happen everywhere else that the arrangement is the same, including here with NESN. YES, SNY, Marquee, Sportsnet up in Toronto all spring to mind. It's not broadcasting, it's propaganda, and at the end of the day it's the fans who lose out on objective reporting about their team.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

For those who read the article when first posted, it has been updated with this: "Update: A senior Orioles official communicated to us “We don’t comment on personnel matters” and “We look forward to hearing Kevin’s voice soon.” Additionally, they dispute our reporting that any suspension took place."

There must be something more going on. Like he wore the wrong undershirt or used the wrong deodorant.

 

[pedro1918]

There must be something more going on. Like he wore the wrong undershirt or used the wrong deodorant.

Well, the Oriole logo on that shirt is way too big.

 

[Papo The Snow Tiger]

Ha, my first thought was that Flemming and Castiglione wouldn't last an inning over there.

Reading through this thread has me wondering WWED (What Would Eck Do)?

 

[Max Power]

Reading through this thread has me wondering WWED (What Would Eck Do)?

Yuck.

 

[Wingack]

View: https://twitter.com/mrgrozz/status/1688674725159960576?s=46&t=-M7K07aV9oTvsCKHtZkfZQ

 

[simplicio]

Reyes really fighting for the job tonight.

Edit: nightly burp post meant to go in the gamethread, but it's kinda funny here too. Give Reyes a job somewhere!

 

[Just a bit outside]

Ha, my first thought was that Flemming and Castiglione wouldn't last an inning over there.

They went off about it during the game tonight. Called out the Angelos ownership. Basically called them losers.

 

[azsoxpatsfan]

I saw announce suspended and immediately thought he’d said something wildly offensive. The clip shown literally can’t be the reason, it doesn’t make any sense

 

[Wingack]

Great job by GC here.

View: https://twitter.com/RTPiersall/status/1688709121472671745?s=20

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Here’s Kay as well:

 

[soxhop411]

as did Jason Benetti...

the O's deserve every bit of shit they are getting here...

View: https://twitter.com/NBCSWhiteSox/status/1688709182097145856

 

[bankshot1]

Nice to see Cohen and Kay, influential heavyweights, ridicule the idiots in Balmore.

 

[opes]

This is absolutely wild. Wtf are they thinking?

 

[soxhop411]

As did DOB
View: https://twitter.com/backaftathis/status/1688729840608739328?s=46

Pretty sure the asinine reason he was suspended is true as the broadcasting field is a fraternity of sorts. And there is no chance in hell they would all go on these rants without verifying the above info themselves beforehand

 

[CarolinaBeerGuy]

Baltimore looks so small. I love it.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Looks like the AL broadcaster listserv is firing on all cylinders

 

[canderson]

I’m going to assume tomorrow the O’s release a statement that he is reinstated after contract negotiations have been concluded (which will be a cover up).

I hope Palmer boycotts tomorrow’s game.

 

[bankshot1]

Looks like the AL broadcaster listserv is firing on all cylinders

Don't fuck with the Sonorous Sons of Vin Scully.

 

[soxhop411]

And Sterling
View: https://twitter.com/gershonline/status/1688725082074431488?s=46

and the Rangers radio broadcasters
View: https://twitter.com/threetwoeephus/status/1688734931306860544?s=46


Sterling: “We would get fired everyday. We comment that the Yankees have terrible batting averages and terrible OBP, and they can’t run. That’s the truth. Everyday that would be a problem for us”

 

[E5 Yaz]

If there's one ownership in MLB that won't care about this reaction, it's the Angelos family

 

[Wingack]

And Sterling
View: https://twitter.com/gershonline/status/1688725082074431488?s=46

and the Rangers radio broadcasters
View: https://twitter.com/threetwoeephus/status/1688734931306860544?s=46


Sterling: “We would get fired everyday. We comment that the Yankees have terrible batting averages and terrible OBP, and they can’t run. That’s the truth. Everyday that would be a problem for us”

That was a very Sterlingesque way to tell the story. Complete with Anderson getting HBP and him moving on. Loved it.

 

[Marciano490]

What really sucks for Brown is everyone seeing the headline assumes he said something racist.

 

[Wingack]

What really sucks for Brown is everyone seeing the headline assumes he said something racist.

What is good for Kevin Brown is that they might think it was the former All-Star pitcher that said something racist.

 

[Marciano490]

What is good for Kevin Brown is that they might think it was the former All-Star pitcher that said something racist.

That was, in fact, my second thought - damn, wall punch guy lost it again.

 

[soxhop411]

Add Wayne Randazzo to the pile on. Seems like every broadcaster is coming to his defense.
View: https://twitter.com/jayjayson111/status/1688750637935218688?s=46
View: https://twitter.com/CoryProvus/status/1688729715601752064?s=20

The Twins haven’t won a playoff game since October 5th, 2004. It’s negative but statistically accurate. Good thing I don’t work for the Orioles. Kevin Brown is a fantastic broadcaster and Baltimore’s ownership should know better.

Baltimore’s ownership, has managed to turn what has been a magical season for their team into a laughingstock. And their ownership deserves it.

Brown need not do much looking in the mirror. People can run afoul of all kinds of inane guidelines at MASN, which has helicopter parent oversight from Orioles CEO and managing partner John Angelos.
Employees at MASN have been asked to delete pictures of former players and executives from the site. Do you want to find the tense exchange between Angelos and reporter Dan Connelly when the owner famously promised to “open the books”? You won’t find it on the MASN recording, because it has been clipped out of the video (the keen-eyed will spot a skip at the 12:18 mark).
If Angelos worried that the Orioles’ 2020-22 record at Tropicana Field made him look cheap, the fact that on-air commentators are required to wear Orioles-branded polos that they buy themselves all but confirms it.
The best thing ownership has done for the Orioles is to delegate baseball duties to baseball people, which is paying off with wins this season in a front office run by Elias and Sig Mejdal. If you want insight into how smoothly other facets of the organization run, consider their response to The Banner: They can’t confirm or deny. If it wasn’t a suspension, the Orioles should just say so. “We don’t comment on employment decisions,” allows every free-thinking person to read between the lines.

https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/orioles-mlb/baltimore-orioles-kevin-brown-john-angelos-masn-broadcaster-espn-kyle-goon-5UPYRPQ5MJEZROBSDRB5XALEAU/

 

[DeadlySplitter]

Great thread compiling all these reactions, thanks.

 

[Marciano490]

Guess they all gotta do it now or be assholes. Like the ice bucket challenge.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Guess they all gotta do it now or be assholes. Like the ice bucket challenge.

And the ones that don’t do it are blinking three times.

 

[Van Everyman]

I hadn’t realized MASN also unceremoniously ditched Gary Thorne during COVID.

John Angelo’s seems like he has all of the terrible qualities of his father and none of the good ones. And there weren’t many good ones to start with.