MLB Post Season Viewing Options

During the Division Series, TBS gave viewers four different play-by-play & analyst combinations, one for each series it was broadcasting. This meant that viewers were only forced to listen to Chip Carey once every four games. Now that the playoffs have reached the League Championship Series level, Fox (Big Fox) has picked up the AL Series and TBS brings us the NL Series. Now viewers are forced EVERY game to listen to HORRIBLE play-by-play broadcasters who live on their family names (Jack Buck of Cardinal's lore paved the way for Joe while Harry, who was a drunken, slobbering fool, and Skip, who was excellent, have made Chip Carey's path resistance free).

Do you know who Joe Buck's biggest fan is? I do. Its Joe Buck. On Sundays when I have a choice of two NFL games to watch at the same time, I will most likely choose the CBS game because their is no Joe Buck. Fox Baseball also makes viewers suffer through Tim McCarver. I never saw McCarver play catcher, but I understand he was very good. Its too bad that the same is not true for his analyst work.

Chip Carey is fantastic... at over-sensationalizing EVERY play. He often botches his play-by-play as well. Many a time I have heard him have to correct himself in the middle of a play where he first called the play completely incorrectly. Just this evening I was watching Game Two of the NLCS. The Dodgers executed a sacrifice bunt with a man on first. Carey called the play saying that the Phillies' pitcher, Pedro Martinez, had only one play which was to first. Before the next batter, as the crew was recapping the bunt on video, both Ron Darling and Buck Martinez, who were working with Carey, pointed out that Pedro likely had a legitimate play at second, but with one out already, he chose to take the safe play at first.

Poor broadcasting makes me sad. Being given no alternative makes me sadder. Maybe I am spoiled by growing up listening to Pete Van Wieren, SKIP Carey, Joe Simpson, Don Sutton, and Ernie Johnson SENIOR. Jon Sciambi proved the last two years to be quite proficient himself. He also proved to be outstanding with factual knowledge, even of baseball that was before his time (He is only 39 or 40). He is an outstanding study of the game. Fox Sports Net in Atlanta definitely lost a good one. ESPN has won a victory for its viewers here.