Dear TBS,
I enjoy the four-story tall billboard of Josh Beckett that you have in New York's Time Square, advertising your coverage of postseason baseball. It's like a constant daily reminder to them that they are not playing baseball in October for the first time in 14 years.
But with that said, I don't think I can handle your announcers for another five years of postseason baseball coverage.
Your announcers are biased and un-able to commentate a game from a neutral stance. Chip Caray announces a home run for one team in a dry, monotone, anti-climatic voice, which, if it weren't for my sense of sight, I would have thought was a foul ball.
However, when the other team delivered a shot to almost the exact same spot, Chip nearly fell out of his chair in excitement yelling, "A HARD HIT BALL DEEP INTO THE DARK OF NIGHT! THAT BALL IS OUTTA HERE!"
A comment I find especially interesting considering the game was being played inside of a dome, so how exactly is it hit deep into the dark of night?
- B/R Ticket Guide
Perhaps it's the stats you give that also add to my distaste in your coverage. How much longer will it be until you start saying things like, "This guy has yet to reach base during this at-bat."
Or, "These guys are going to have to outscore those guys if they want to win this matchup."
Just because you know how to talk doesn't mean that you have to, nor does it mean you have something interesting to say, because no one wants to listen to you.
You could also increase your field reporter's salary so they don't have to shop for suits at the Goodwill. I'm sick of the god-awful wardrobe that Craig Sager continues to embarrass himself in every night.
A better option might be to get rid of Sager all together. When your field reporter is reporting on chewing gum and admitting that he doesn't understand the game, most people would take that as a sign that he's not the right man for the job.
Find an attractive woman to replace him with, that way I only have to mute the train-wreck of a report, rather than changing the channel completely.
Maybe you could fix the problem with the announcers, and make your coverage of postseason more enjoyable to watch, by simply eliminating your commentators all together. Just mic the crowd, or play some mundane elevator music. Anything is better than your current situation.
Please tell your announcer's booth to either headbutt a speeding locomotive, pick a fight with Chuck Norris, or spare them by giving up your rights to a real sports broadcasting station much like Fox or ESPN. We beg you, for the sake of baseball fans, stop covering the sport we love and stick to showing reruns of Dawson's Creek.
Sincerely,
Baseball Fans Across America
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about 1 month ago
Hey now let's not blame TBS for Craig Sager's lake of taste. He probably pays more for his technicolor dream coats than a regular suit.
from about 1 month ago
Haha, I think you nailed it with the "technicolor dream coats." Nice work!
Seriously though, where does he find those? A costume shop?
about 1 month ago
Hey, Harold Reynolds, Ron Darling, and Dick Stockton in the booth commentating on the game. What more can you ask for?
That team is like John Madden, Chris Berman, and Rich Eisen calling a canadian football game. Its brutal. No enthusiasm at all. I'd rather watch FOX.
from about 1 month ago
I agree, I wish the ALCS was on Fox like the NLCS. Only 5 more years until that deal with TBS is up! I may have to start muting the broadcast and turning on the radio.
about 1 month ago
I personally like Ron Darling as a commentator but when i heard them calling the white sox rays series it was not pretty at all. Both MLB and NHL need to break off their deals with these cable channels that hardly anyone cares about and return to more extensive coverage that they would get on ESPN.
from about 1 month ago
Agreed. It seems like they're upsetting their normal audience by broadcasting baseball, instead of the programs their regular audience wants to see. And they're upsetting baseball fans with their poor commentary.
I guess when it comes down to it the only motive they have is big bucks. I'm sure companies pay a boat load more to run their ads during MLB Playoff games than they do to be aired during House of Payne.
about 1 month ago
I enjoy watching the playoffs on FOX. TBS is horrible and I usually mute the TV so I don't have to listen to horrible commentary.
from about 1 month ago
I watched the entire ALCS game 3 tonight on mute with music playing, and when it was over I certainly wasn't frustrated at the commentating like I usually am. But then I started to get angry at not being able to be angry at them....I probably shouldn't admit that. But hey, baby steps towards recovery.
about 1 month ago
TBS has the worst announcing crew. Tom Verducci from Sports Illustrated as an announcer? He looks almost uncomfortable up there. I can't stand the announcers on TBS. I mute the TV because it's so bad. Sager needs to hire someone to pick something that is DECENT for national television. We don't like in the 80's anymore!
Great article!
from about 1 month ago
Hey Allen,
I'm glad you enjoyed the article. I did, for the first time, watch the entire game on mute tonight while listening to music. But as I mentioned above when all was said and done I wanted to know what bad comments I had missed. But luckily a friend of mine had DVR'd the game and watched it when he got home from work, so I was getting text messages from him of selected gems.
I guess there was something said along the lines of "The bad calls behind the plate are good because it makes batters more aggressive." Did anyone else catch that?
about 1 month ago
I couldn't agree more. I was actually relieved last night to watch the NLCS on Fox and I am not a big fan of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. The TBS crew is so awful it seems like everyone I talk to has said that they end up muting the games so they don't have to listen to their announcers. Sager's wardrobe is awful. Whatever happened to putting people on TV that are appealing to look at, it's not the radio people can see him and his awful clothes. Chip Caray is brutal as the play by play guy and most definitely NOT biased when he calls a game. To me, the baseball post season means the Fox network, not TBS. I know TBS has covered the Braves' games over the years but they aren't exactly known as a sports network so there is no connection to the audience with the announcers like there is on stations like YES, ESPN, SNY, and FOX. MLB really needs to re-think that contract because a lot of people are turning off the TV in favor of the radio or muting the games. Bring back all the games on Fox.
from about 1 month ago
Hey Marisa,
Thanks for the comment. I agree 100% that TBS isn't exactly known as being a sports network, though I'm aware of the past Braves connection. I was just wondering today why they want postseason baseball. I have a lot of friends who hate baseball, and they've been complaining over the past couple of weeks because they turn on the TV to watch their sitcoms and get baseball. Of course when they see me they vent their frustration and tell me how they hate baseball more now because it's interrupting their regular schedule of shows. One would think, or at least hope, TBS would have thought that if what they're trying to do is pull in a new demographic they're upsetting their target audience. And apparently not doing such a great job at winning over their new demographic.
I'm glad to hear a ladies input on getting appealing people to look at and know that it's not just me thinking that way. I don't care if it's a male or female, just someone who doesn't provoke a conversation about the person and what they're wearing every time they come on camera, when we should be listening to a thought provoking or informative report. Also, said new field reporter definitely shouldn't admit on camera that they don't understand the game. Stick Jim Rome down there, he'll shake things up down on the field and do some thought provoking reporting.
And did I pick up a bit of sarcasm in the Chip Caray is definitely NOT biased comment?
Thanks for the comment!
about 1 month ago
was Don Orsillo doing the ALDS for the Rays-ChiSox? I thought I heard his voice, but never actually saw any names.
from about 1 month ago
Yeah he was doing it with HR.
from about 1 month ago
Nino nailed it.
But on the topic of Don Orsillo, are Rem Dawg and him biased when they cover games for NESN? Or are they in fact biased but people just don't pick up on it as well since they're biased towards the Sox?
about 1 month ago
i would be a great announcer apparently compared to these guys lol give them my mumber ! mikefish33935@yahoo.com nfl mikee
from about 1 month ago
people should make audition tapes and start sending them to TBS.
about 1 month ago
lol number not mumber!
about 1 month ago
i personally like Craig Sager's sport jacket but TBS coverage is terrible, I hate Dick Stockton calling baseball although I do like him calling Football on Fox...
from about 1 month ago
Sager's jackets are conversation starters, there's no denying that.
about 1 month ago
great article--loved the writing in this and the humor. Five stars and POTD!
from about 1 month ago
Hey Kristin,
Thanks for the feedback, comment, stars, and POTD, I appreciate all of it! I'm glad you enjoyed the article!
about 1 month ago
i like the subtle pun in the title. Just Shoot Me is a TV show that TBS airs. or it could be a plea from the author for some one to literally shoot him because the coverage is so bad on TBS.
well done
from about 1 month ago
YES, I'm glad you picked up on that! I wasn't sure if people would catch that.
Thanks for the comment!
about 1 month ago
haha way to voice my issues. great job! they suck.
from about 1 month ago
Hey Anthony,
I'm surprised at how many people agree with this, I wonder if TBS is aware of this?
Thanks for the comment!
about 1 month ago
Just shoot me if I have to listen to Dick Stockton one more time.
about 1 month ago
His voice has great tone...his words are complete nonsense.
from about 1 month ago
Seriously, I think at this point Larry Merchant would be considered an upgrade.
about 1 month ago
I thought the Frank TV ads were bad last season... I'm going to die if I see another ad. I also love it when TBS or TNT show a "celebrity" from one of their shows at the game. At first glance, millions of Americans are saying, "Who the hell is that guy?" Thank goodness we have Chip to tell us that the celeb stars on "House of Payne." Very funny.
from about 1 month ago
haha. House of Payne... does anyone watch that show? Very funny. that is great. Good piece here, I loved it.
from about 1 month ago
Awesome! Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the article!
about 1 month ago
Yep they suck ass for sure, especially Chip because as soon as he left chicago as the cubs announcer I thought I would never have to listen to him again, but I digress
from about 1 month ago
He's going to give me nightmares now.
I think if they're going to have a biased announcer they should have one for each team. That would not only balance it out but also make for better arguing and commentary during the broadcast.
about 1 month ago
Dude I'm so glad you wrote this. SCREW TBS
from about 1 month ago
Hey Matt,
Glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully they get some new people on that staff, because we're going to have to put up with this for another 5 years.
Thanks for the comment!
about 1 month ago
TBS announcers - just another reason to own a radio.
from about 1 month ago
I second that. I enjoy watching it, but may have to try just listening to the radio for the commentary. Anything's better than TBS announcers at this point.
about 1 month ago
Did anyone else catch Cal Ripken's analysis where he was talking and then suddenly said, "I just lost my train of thought...". Great article. TBS baseball is just terrible. To reiterate a point you touched on, when BJ Upton hit one of his homeruns in the ALDS, Caray didn't really seem to care.
from about 1 month ago
Hey Pete,
I didn't catch the Iron Man losing his train of thought, bummer.
I watched the game on mute this afternoon, but a friend told me there was conversation about Varitek at one point that went something along the lines of "The nice thing about Varitek as a catcher is that he can still have an impact on your team while doing essentially nothing offensively."
I mean sure, the guy's not having a great year at the plate, but that's kind of brutal don't you think?
Talk about a backhanded compliment.
about 1 month ago
National announcing on the whole is pretty terrible. Stockton's gone senile, Buck is perpetually bored, Caray is homerish (and this isn't even talking about color commentary; McCarver is the worst), and really all these networks go by is a name.
Gus Johnson during March Madness is really what more announcers should be like. That guy's a fan.
about 1 month ago
It's true. I'm starting to think that the job should be awarded to one die hard fan from each team. In a day where reality television dominates the networks, why not? And like I said earlier, I don't think it can get too much worse.
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