MLB: ***Official 2019 Chicago Cubs Season Thread***

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throwittoblythe

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Aug 7, 2006
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Matt Vasgersian does not work for the Cardinals. He works for MLB Network. Drinkin' Dan McLaughlin is the Cardinals TV PxP guy.

That said, A-Rod talks just to talk. It's like he can't handle silence. I really like Jess Mendoza but she gets talked around and talked over so much it drives me nuts.

Only two more Sunday Night Baseball Appearances. Next week in Los Angeles and August 18th against the Pirates in Williamsport.

I can't agree with this more. A-Rod uses the same diction every time, too. He makes a statement, and then ends with a one or two word phrase. "Rizzo is the kind of guy who ignites an offense. Strong, steady, and dependable. Book it."

When STL turned a DP early in the game last night, A-Rod just yells "Cardinals Baseball!!!" My wife and I both looked at each other like "Wtf was that?"
 

Walden4Prez

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Jul 8, 2014
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Matt Vasgersian does not work for the Cardinals. He works for MLB Network. Drinkin' Dan McLaughlin is the Cardinals TV PxP guy.

That said, A-Rod talks just to talk. It's like he can't handle silence. I really like Jess Mendoza but she gets talked around and talked over so much it drives me nuts.

Only two more Sunday Night Baseball Appearances. Next week in Los Angeles and August 18th against the Pirates in Williamsport.
I watched the game with my kids last night and even they were annoyed with that crew. If any game is on ESPN I typically watch on mute.
 

Clonefan32

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Nov 19, 2008
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Matt Vasgersian does not work for the Cardinals. He works for MLB Network. Drinkin' Dan McLaughlin is the Cardinals TV PxP guy.

That said, A-Rod talks just to talk. It's like he can't handle silence. I really like Jess Mendoza but she gets talked around and talked over so much it drives me nuts.

Only two more Sunday Night Baseball Appearances. Next week in Los Angeles and August 18th against the Pirates in Williamsport.

The worst part was having had Buck and Smoltz call Saturday's game. Smoltz is terrific. He's a natural and does a great job breaking down the game. A-Rod is a bumbling idiot who refuses to yield the floor. I was about to punch the television listening to them talk about "catchers interference" on the play Rizzo threw home on Goldschmidt until Mendoza restored sanity.
 
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1UNI2ISU

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Jan 30, 2013
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The worst part was having had Buck and Smoltz call Saturday's game. Smoltz is terrific. He's a natural and does a great job breaking down the game. A-Rod is a bumbling idiot who refuses to yield the floor. I was about to punch the television listening to them talk about "catchers interference" on the play Rizzo threw home on Goldschmidt until Mendoza restored sanity.

Agree. I know I'm in the minority but I think Joe Buck is pretty much GREAT at everything he does. Imagine how good he'd be calling football if he had Romo instead of having to carry Aikman. Hell, he somehow made Tim McCarver tolerable for a decade plus.
 

Walden4Prez

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Agree. I know I'm in the minority but I think Joe Buck is pretty much GREAT at everything he does. Imagine how good he'd be calling football if he had Romo instead of having to carry Aikman. Hell, he somehow made Tim McCarver tolerable for a decade plus.

I respectfully disagree. I think Buck does a good job at football and baseball, he sucks at golf. No one, and I mean no one can make McCarver listenable.
 

psychlone99

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Apr 6, 2006
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I watched the game with my kids last night and even they were annoyed with that crew. If any game is on ESPN I typically watch on mute.
Overall, I like the ESPN production, but the in-game analysis has become too much. There is just too much talking, period. I like analysis, but I don't need every bit of baseball minutia analyzed. There's a sweet spot in there somewhere, and too much becomes distracting.

Also, the tendency to over-analyze just leads to weird takes. Last night, for example, A-Rod stated that "what separates a really good team from a championship team is the ability to bunt." Really??? That's the criterion that separates those teams?
 

JP4CY

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I respectfully disagree. I think Buck does a good job at football and baseball, he sucks at golf. No one, and I mean no one can make McCarver listenable.
Mike Shannon is possibly the worst announcer of all time.
 

Walden4Prez

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Jul 8, 2014
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Overall, I like the ESPN production, but the in-game analysis has become too much. There is just too much talking, period. I like analysis, but I don't need every bit of baseball minutia analyzed. There's a sweet spot in there somewhere, and too much becomes distracting.

Also, the tendency to over-analyze just leads to weird takes. Last night, for example, A-Rod stated that "what separates a really good team from a championship team is the ability to bunt." Really??? That's the criterion that separates those teams?

I can't for the life of me figure out how ANYONE, let alone someone who is actually in charge of putting talent on the air, thinks that A-Rod should be on TV talking in any capacity.
 
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cyfanatic13

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Overall, I like the ESPN production, but the in-game analysis has become too much. There is just too much talking, period. I like analysis, but I don't need every bit of baseball minutia analyzed. There's a sweet spot in there somewhere, and too much becomes distracting.

Also, the tendency to over-analyze just leads to weird takes. Last night, for example, A-Rod stated that "what separates a really good team from a championship team is the ability to bunt." Really??? That's the criterion that separates those teams?
The worst was Joe Girardi for the Nationals game a couple weeks ago. Dude couldn't get out of his own way. Had some analysis on every pitch. Even the radio guys don't do that because you have to let the game breathe. I'm all for good baseball analysis but most people watching games on TV have watched enough baseball to know why a pitcher didn't throw a strike on an 0-2 count
 
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throwittoblythe

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Aug 7, 2006
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Mike Shannon is possibly the worst announcer of all time.

As a Cards fan, I wholeheartedly agree with this. The dude is 10 beers deep before the game even starts. He constantly slurs his words, gets half the names wrong, and usually doesn't have a clue about what's going on in the game. Other than the occasional slip up that is solely entertaining, I can't stand listening to his broadcast and wish he'd retire.
 
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