Tagged: YES

In The Booth With John, Suzyn And….Ted Williams?

By now everyone’s seen the story about “the homeless guy with the golden voice,” right? He’s been making the rounds and been offered all sorts of broadcasting jobs. What I don’t think anybody’s asked him is: “Are you a baseball fan?” And, more specifically: “Are you a Yankee fan?” He’s from New York with the accent to prove it, so why not hire him for occasional announcing duties during Yankees games or maybe for some of the programming on YES?
Well, there is one problem. He might have to change his name.
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Why Can’t TBS/FOX Have One Local Voice?

I was getting excited today thinking about the start of the playoffs tomorrow night – planning my game menu, making sure my lucky clothes were clean, vowing not going to panic if things don’t go perfectly (fat chance). And then I remembered that YES wouldn’t be doing the broadcasts for any of the games and I’d be listening to “strangers” for the duration of the postseason. And it bothered me. Why do these generic announcers for networks that don’t cover us on a regular basis have to parachute in every year? OK, I know why. They have contracts. But couldn’t they at the very least include one local guy from each playoff team? Would that really be so difficult? It would certainly improve the quality of my fan experience. And apparently, I’m not the only one who feels this way. No sooner did I rant about this to my husband than I read Raissman’s column in today’s Daily News. Seriously, Ernie Johnson, Ron Darling and John Smoltz doing my team’s games? When Bud Selig asks his committee for suggestions about improving baseball, how about somebody mentioning a mistake that’s so easy to correct? Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled that the Yanks are even in the playoffs; Dr. Phil could be calling the games and I’d be fine with it. (Not really, but you know what I’m saying.) I just wish we didn’t have to listen to stories we’ve heard a million times and “analysis” from people who don’t especially care. 

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New York Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay is relegated to pre- and postgame duties as a national broadcast team takes control o
f the play-by-play for the Bombers.

RELATED NEWS

Near the end of the Yankees‘ loss toBoston Sunday in the regular-season finale, Michael Kay, in a funereal tone, said the Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network would be turning postseason coverage of the team over to “the network.”

This was not the first time a YES voice has lamented the fact he would be turned into nothing more than a hood ornament on the Bombers’ playoff sedan. You cannot blame Kay, or any other mouth, for feeling blue.

It’s cold being turned away at the door when the party is about to start.

YES‘ cast of thousands does six months of heavy lifting, then another broadcast team parachutes in, landing on prime playoff real estate. It’s even worse for Yankee voices. Don’t ever forget the regular season is relatively meaningless for the Bombers. The “mission statement,” often repeated on YES (it’s written in blood and locked in a safe), is that anything short of World Series victory is failure.

In April, year after year, it’s presented as a given that the Yankees are guaranteed a postseason berth. Making 15 trips in the last 16 seasons validates the mantra. These cats mean what they say. So now after regular season hors d’oeuvres have been served by YES voices, TBS’ crew comes in to work the banquet. YES mouths do get to sweep up. They are working pre- and postgame shows.

There use to be a time, many moons ago, when a network with postseason TV rights would add a local voice to its broadcast team. Not only would this lend some educated insight, it also would be of great appeal to fans in the market.

That all changed when the money got big. Fox (NLCS/World Series and TBS (LDS/ALCS) are paying Seligula & Co. a combined $3 billion in baseball’s current TV deal that runs through 2013. Both outlets also air regular-season packages but the bulk of the dough is spent on acquiring postseason inventory.

For that kind of cash, TBS and Fox suits (besides praying each series goes the distance) do their own thing. They want their baseball brand to be “pure.” That means using theirvoices, the guys they are totally invested in. Under this philosophy, there is no room for one of the participating team’s voices, even if it might rid the booth of a perception problem.

Not only do fans believe these national crews don’t have intimate knowledge of their squad, they swear they are rooting against them. Of course, this is nonsense. No matter. It happens every year without fail.

As they did last fall, some Yankee fans will be pointing fingers at TBS’ booth. Ron Darling, the Mets‘ SNY analyst and a regular on TBS’ Sunday afternoon baseball cablecasts, will be working Yankees-Twins along with John Smoltz and Ernie Johnson.




Jeter Likes The Yankees – – DUH

I know things are dull in Yankeeville right now, but I had to laugh when I went on YES’s web site and there was a link to an AP story with the headline: “Jeter likes Yankees’ chance to repeat.” The article, which consisted of about four sentences, said Jeter was working out in Tampa and told the reporter, “I like the team that we have.” How’s that for earth-shattering news?
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My question is…What was Jeet supposed to say when asked how he likes the 2010 version of the Yankees and whether they’ll retain their title as champs? I suppose he could have said:
* “I’m picking the Mariners to win it all.”
* “I’m really mad that Cashman didn’t bring back Damon.”
* “I’ll be crossing my fingers that Nick Johnson doesn’t land on the DL on Opening Day.”
* “I haven’t gotten over how Javy Vazquez caved in ’04.”
* “I don’t want Granderson telling me what I can and cannot eat.”
* “I think A-Rod needs to get back together with Kate Hudson in order for us to win.”
Come on, YES web site. I look to you for actual Yankees updates. You can do a better job. You know you can.

My Tuesday in New York City

Where’s summer? It’s cold here! Brrr.

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Oh, well. I guess it’s better than sweltering in the heat.
This morning, I headed downtown from my hotel to SoHo, where I spent two very enjoyable hours being interviewed for Barbara Kopple’s ESPN documentary on the Yankees. A two-time Oscar winner, Barbara couldn’t have been more welcoming, and it was a pleasure to meet her. My husband Michael took a photo of me with her.
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It was her very capable and enthusiastic associate, David Cassidy, who conducted the interview. He’s a diehard Yankee fan, so there was lots to talk about.
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I have no idea if I said anything useful, but I guess I’ll find out after the documentary airs next year.
Then, it was back uptown to the studio where they tape YES’s “Yankees Magazine.” I had a lot of fun answering questions posed by George Pisanti, who’s been producing the show for several years. I’ll post my air date as soon as I have it.
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Later, it was off to dinner with this guy….
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…Alphonso, the infamous pessimist who makes special appearances on the Yankees blog, “It Is High.”
I had told him I wanted to watch the Yankees-Nats game, so he thoughtfully chose a restaurant with a TV tuned to the game – only to tell me over and over again why the Yankees would lose.
“No, they won’t,” I said, as the Yanks went up 2-0.
“Yes, they will,” he said, as the Nats went up 3-2.
OMG, I thought. Anderson Hernandez, the guy who never hits homers, according to my scouting report, smacked a three-run shot off CC!
“See how they can’t score any runs off this nobody pitcher named Martis?” said Alphonso, as he polished off his second Manhattan. “And look at A-Rod. Another terrible game for him. They’re a third place team, I’m telling you.”
“They are not,” I said, giving him a nudge in the ribs as Tex tied the score with a double.
“They’ll find a way to lose, and it’ll be an embarrassment,” he said, popping an oyster into his mouth and risking some dreaded food poisoning.
“Oh yeah?” I said just as Cano smacked a double off Ron Villone in the seventh, driving in the go-ahead run.
“But Joe’s bringing Bruney in for the eighth,” he said. “He’s not ready for this. It’s his first day off the DL.”
Bruney was more than ready. So was Mo. And then there were the dazzling defensive plays by Pena and Cano, who went 4-for-4. Except for Jeter coming out with ankle stiffness, it was a nice, neat 5-3 victory for the Yankees.
“But they should have beaten the Nationals 50-0,” said Alphonso.
“A win is a win!” I maintained, my frustration boiling over.
I hate to admit it, but I couldn’t contain myself a minute longer and threw my piece of salmon fillet in his face. He retaliated by dumping his entire serving of cherrystone clams on my head. What should have been a friendly dinner between bloggers disintegrated into pure chaos at the restaurant, which, by the way is called Docks and serves excellent seafood.

Revenge of the She-Fan

OK. Enough is enough. The Red Sox have now beaten the Yankees six times in six games this season, and tonight’s 7-0 shutout at Fenway was the last straw. I’m officially angry, and if I were the Yanks I’d be afraid. Very afraid.

How dare AJ embarrass me like this? I realize that he was going on two extra days rest, but seriously. He couldn’t even get through three innings, never mind the fact that he walked five. He looked as disgusted as I was as he made his exit.
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And I was worried about Wang? What a joke.
So we were stuck with Bombko, who gave up a run in the fourth, and Veras, who teed one up for Nick Green in the seventh. Nick Green! Give me a break!
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So much for good pitching. And then there was our hitting – or lack thereof. Sure, Beckett was on his game, but he had bouts of wildness – and was the beneficiary of a few sweet strike calls – and yet everybody seemed to be straitjacketed.
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The Yanks were up there hacking at the first pitch as if they had a plane to catch. Well, not everybody. Tex did walk twice, and A-Rod worked the counts before succumbing to mediocrity. The truth is, our hitters looked like this tonight.
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I mean, two measly singles over nine innings? Did the Bombers somehow mistake this game for a little girls’ dress rehearsal?
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Then there was our defense – from Posada’s passed ball in the first to A-Rod’s bobble of Green’s routine grounder in the second. And Swisher made every catch in left an adventure.
Was there a silver lining in the game – something positive to take away? Um…..no.
Well, wait. There was levity if, like me, you were watching NESN. (The Extra Innings package didn’t offer the YES feed.)
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Dennis Eckersley, the perenially-tan former pitcher who’s been filling in for Jerry Remy, enjoyed the shot of Papelbon sitting on the bench napping in the seventh inning. “It takes all kinds,” he said.
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Back to the game. I feel better now that I’ve unleashed my inner She-Monster. I am no longer mad at the Yankees and am looking forward to tomorrow’s contest. Yes, I’m over it. I just hope the Yanks are over whatever was ailing them tonight.