Most/Least Clueless Announcers?

[ASA/NYSSOBLUE]

Bought the MLB,Tv package for my computer/streaming device for this season, and was wondering which announcers are most clueless about rules/mechanics, etc, and which ones actually might know something.

I ask because I am used to the YES and the Mets SNY guys, who mostly are pretty good about things. The YES guys, in particular seem to have a grasp of the idea that most umps are pretty good and know their stuf, and that they as announcers don't know enough to comment on sticky calls/situations. The Mets guys are pretty good also, although sometimes Hernandez might get a little upset a times. Both crews are populated by reasonably intelligent ex players like Singleton, Cone, Darling and the already mentioned Hernandez, and that helps.

[dash_riprock]

To me, Tom Seaver is the most knowledgeable. He correctly recognizes proper rotations, and he definitely knows the pitching rules.

Especially clueless:

Tim McCarver (The Babe Ruth of clueless announcers)
Joe Morgan
The entire YES team (Sterling is the captain)
Jim Palmer (it's a good thing for him there were seldom runners on base when he was pitching)

Edit: By the entire YES team, I am referring only to Sterling, Kay and Wuldman (I'd like to know who came up with the brilliant idea to have a chick with a Boston accent announcing Yankee games). I apologize in advance to Rita for the preceding sexist comment.

[Rich Ives]

Michael Kay makes an effort to learn. He'll actually look up rules and ask for help understanding them.

Suzyn Waldman is Mass born and raised but spent a bunch of time on Broadway and with WFAN and has seemingly become a New Yorker.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Michael Kay makes an effort to learn. He'll actually look up rules and ask for help understanding them.

I'll concede that one Rich. At least he has stopped describing the tailoring of the uniforms every game.

[UmpJM]

Tim McCarver and Joe Morgan make my most clueless list.

Joe Morgan and Hawk Harrelson make my excruciatingly boring list.

Steve Stone makes my "most knowledgeable" list.

JM

[TwoBits]

Any chance we will see national telecasts with a former umpire at the disposal of the announcers to explain rules similar to what FOX did during this past NFL season?

[MD Longhorn]

Any list not including McCarver and Morgan is sadly lacking. These two do more by themselves to force umpires to re-teach rules to coaches than all the rest of the broadcasters combined. McC is the only one I have ever hears actually say "The hands are part of the bat." on television. And after being corrected, he said, "Well that's the way I learned it..."

Ugh.

[Tim C]

When Harold Reynolds worked for The Mothership @ LL World Series for three straight years intoned: "the hands are part of the bat."

I tried to get his attention (I worked three of the Reynolds brothers in high school) but it fell on deaf ears.

Watching the MLB network one night Harold was taking and noted: "I always thought the hands were part of the bat . . . the hands are part of the batter's body."

Progess in baby steps.

T

[JRutledge]

Hawk Harrelson beats them all.

Maybe he bothers me more because he is a local guy, he is the White Sox announcer and goes crazy about every umpiring mistake that he thinks takes place and will go on and on for innings. He is just a complete idiot and maybe why he let Tony LaRussa go when he was the GM of the Sox soon after they had won division in 1983 (I believe). There are too many examples of how stupid he is. People from Chicago know how dumb he is.

Peace

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by Tim C

Watching the MLB network one night Harold was taking and noted: "I always thought the hands were part of the bat . . . the hands are part of the batter's body."

In a few years, he'll say "And we all know the hands are not part of the bat," giving the impression he's known it his whole life.

[Steven Tyler]

None of them really bother me, but Ken Harrelson is pretty bad for the most part. He does occasionally tell a good story or two.

Tom Grieve does a great job as an analyst. It just depends who they have as play-by-play guy nowadays.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)

Steve Stone makes my "most knowledgeable" list.

We can put Vin Scully in that club as well. What a legend!

[nopachunts]

I attended a clinic taught by a MLB and a MiLB umpire. We asked the MLB umpire about broadcasters. He replied that Tim McCarver is the only broadcaster not allowed in the umpire dressing rooms. Umpires are encouraged to have the broadcaster visit to build a relationship between the two groups. Surprisingly he spoke well of Joe Morgan except when it came to rule interpretations.

[ASA/NYSSOBLUE]

Originally Posted by nopachunts

I attended a clinic taught by a MLB and a MiLB umpire. We asked the MLB umpire about broadcasters. He replied that Tim McCarver is the only broadcaster not allowed in the umpire dressing rooms.

thats funny....

[Richvee]

In YES' defense. Clueless Sterling and Waldman work for WABC radio and not YES. I'm a Yankee fan, but if I'm at work or in the car, I'll listen the Mets because I just can't take Sterling and Waldman. I have the MLB package as well, and two guys that come to mind that will go on and on about any call that goes against their team is Duane Staats and whoever his partner is down in Tampa.