While much of the nation enjoyed ESPN coverage of last night's Sox-Yankees tilt at Fenway, those of us in the YES Network zone were forced to listen to the insufferable Michael Kay.
Twice he asked Al Leiter what he thought about being a lefthanded specialist. He also told the world that Al's real name is "Alois." I hope Leiter rears back and gives him a good lefthanded-specialist slap sometime.
When Wang came out of the game, the camera lingered on a shot of him in the dugout chatting with Ron Guidry -- instead of the action on the field. Evidently the growth of young Yankees, learning at the feet of their Jedi masters, is more interesting than the actual game.
When Ortiz hit the home run, Kay reported it AS A ROUTINE FLY BALL! "There's a fly to center. Damon drifting over. At the wall.... uhh, see ya."
Honestly, it made me long for John Sterling. I've said it many times before, but Sterling really does his homework on the Yankees' opponents. He actually seems interested in the other teams and players in the league. Kay apparently sees these games as mere sparring matches -- showcases for Yankee greatness. The Yankees are the Harlem Globetrotters and we're the Washington Generals. Our guys are just supposed to get out of the way and yield the spotlight to the "most storied franchise in all of sports."
You would think they'd have learned their lesson in 2004.
Are there others of you who have strong opinions on the YES Network? What do Yankee fans think of it?
Full Version: The YES Network
QUOTE(Clyde Engle @ May 2 2006, 07:18 AM) [snapback]510910[/snapback]
While much of the nation enjoyed ESPN coverage of last night's Sox-Yankees tilt at Fenway, those of us in the YES Network zone were forced to listen to the insufferable Michael Kay.
Twice he asked Al Leiter what he thought about being a lefthanded specialist. He also told the world that Al's real name is "Alois." I hope Leiter rears back and gives him a good lefthanded-specialist slap sometime.
When Wang came out of the game, the camera lingered on a shot of him in the dugout chatting with Ron Guidry -- instead of the action on the field. Evidently the growth of young Yankees, learning at the feet of their Jedi masters, is more interesting than the actual game.
When Ortiz hit the home run, Kay reported it AS A ROUTINE FLY BALL! "There's a fly to center. Damon drifting over. At the wall.... uhh, see ya."
Honestly, it made me long for John Sterling. I've said it many times before, but Sterling really does his homework on the Yankees' opponents. He actually seems interested in the other teams and players in the league. Kay apparently sees these games as mere sparring matches -- showcases for Yankee greatness. The Yankees are the Harlem Globetrotters and we're the Washington Generals. Our guys are just supposed to get out of the way and yield the spotlight to the "most storied franchise in all of sports."
You would think they'd have learned their lesson in 2004.
Are there others of you who have strong opinions on the YES Network? What do Yankee fans think of it?
At least you got Al Leiter as co-announcer. ESPN had Rick Sutcliffe, who is brutal. This gem last night from Rick (kiss of death for Mark Loretta?). After Loretta failed to bunt the runners along, and didn't dive to keep Cano's single in the IF, he said something like: "Give him time, and you Red Sox fans are going to love your second baseman, Mark Loretta". He said the exact same thing last year about (SS) Edgar Renteria. "You're going to love him, blah, blah, blah." I guess he has zero memory of what he says year to year. I do hope Loretta comes around. Big "game winning hit" last night.
I've never heard Michael Kay do a game. Lucky, I guess.
I also enjoyed Sutcliffe referring to Guidry as Mel Stotlemeyer for the first three innings of the game. Then going on at length about how of the four teams (NY, HOU, TEX, and BOS) currently interested in signing Roger Clemens that the Sox were definitely in fourth place. Sutcliffe sure was doing his best Tim McCarver impression last night.
Michael Kay usually gets on my nerves. However, I will take him over McCarver. As soon as I hear his voice, I feel like throwing my tv out the window
It's a shame Leiter is stuck in the booth with Kay. I like Leiter because he provides a lot of great insight, and he adds something beyond the normal ex-jock I need to interject my own personal playing time into every discussion. It was often forced on to him by Kay feeding him leading lines that required him to talk somewhat about his own playing time, but I've always enjoyed Leiter in the Fox broadcasts and last night.
I wouldn't mind seeing O'neill and Leiter with a non blowhard in the booth. YES could have an amazing broadcast team if they did that. Don't even get me started on having to listen to Justice (pre-game or when they decide to put him in the booth. Thankfully only pregame from last night since I skipped the postgame). Ugh!!!
The thing that really bugged me about last night was the Jeter play. I think anyone (without blinders on) would freely acknowledge that the play was close and it could have gone either way. I say this because none of the replays showed by YES were defnitive in anyway, but listening to Kay and Singleton go on and on about how "you can see he got his left hand in there" when none of the angles show where his left hand is a little much.
They acted like they had defnitive proof that the ump blew it. If they did, they never showed it on YES during the game. I turned off the postgame because I really can't take too much of YES. Did they show anymore angles of it in the postgame? Did NESN have any better angles?
Edit -- Cleared up a bad transition concerning Justice.
I wouldn't mind seeing O'neill and Leiter with a non blowhard in the booth. YES could have an amazing broadcast team if they did that. Don't even get me started on having to listen to Justice (pre-game or when they decide to put him in the booth. Thankfully only pregame from last night since I skipped the postgame). Ugh!!!
The thing that really bugged me about last night was the Jeter play. I think anyone (without blinders on) would freely acknowledge that the play was close and it could have gone either way. I say this because none of the replays showed by YES were defnitive in anyway, but listening to Kay and Singleton go on and on about how "you can see he got his left hand in there" when none of the angles show where his left hand is a little much.
They acted like they had defnitive proof that the ump blew it. If they did, they never showed it on YES during the game. I turned off the postgame because I really can't take too much of YES. Did they show anymore angles of it in the postgame? Did NESN have any better angles?
Edit -- Cleared up a bad transition concerning Justice.
I can't agree more. Listening to Kay announce a Sox/Yanks game is painful. I can't imagine the Yanks fans in Boston feel the same way when listening to Orsillo and Remy.
Listening to TSN is a little easier on the ears.
As for the ESPN feed, it must have been painful from reading the posts here. Sutcliffe is horrible....wish he did some research before opening his mouth. How in god's name could the Sox be behind Texas in the race for Roger? They have no shot of winning a title this year.
Listening to TSN is a little easier on the ears.
As for the ESPN feed, it must have been painful from reading the posts here. Sutcliffe is horrible....wish he did some research before opening his mouth. How in god's name could the Sox be behind Texas in the race for Roger? They have no shot of winning a title this year.
QUOTE(Clyde Engle @ May 2 2006, 10:18 AM) [snapback]510910[/snapback]
...
Twice he asked Al Leiter what he thought about being a lefthanded specialist. He also told the world that Al's real name is "Alois." I hope Leiter rears back and gives him a good lefthanded-specialist slap sometime.
...
When Ortiz hit the home run, Kay reported it AS A ROUTINE FLY BALL! "There's a fly to center. Damon drifting over. At the wall.... uhh, see ya."
...
Kay and Leiter are very good friends away from the booth, and Leiter's on Kay's ESPN radio show all the time. He refers to him there as "Alois" as a joke. Apparently they have great fun with it.
What bothered me about the YES broadcast last night were the sly, snide jabs at Fenway, such as these gems (it made me think that there was an MFY franchise effort to deride fenway, what with Torre's claiming the bullpen phone was broken):
All from the mouth of Kay, who I was actually starting to like before tonight knocked him back a bit:
1) "Look at the outfield... normally, it has a lot of patches of dead grass, but tonight it looks good."
2) "The infield here is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the league. That's common knowledge among AL infielders- they hate this infield. Lots of clumps and bumps, and knots in the grass. Derek Jeter says it's his least favorite infield."
3) "The visitors clubhouse here is a joke, small and smelly. It's tiny! A real throwback to the old parks of baseball."
These things might be true, but the tone taken seemed to be a bit over the top, as if there were an agenda.
QUOTE(Clyde Engle @ May 2 2006, 10:18 AM) [snapback]510910[/snapback]
When Ortiz hit the home run, Kay reported it AS A ROUTINE FLY BALL! "There's a fly to center. Damon drifting over. At the wall.... uhh, see ya."
That came after 2 full innings of "This game's going to be won on a single, bunt and single because NO ONE is going to get it out of this park. Giambi hit a rocket and it went nowhere."
Jeter being called out on his baserunning gaffe was hilarious - Kay: "You know Jeter was safe because he wouldn't be complaining to the umpire if he wasn't."
And best of all: Player of the Game: Robinson Cano!!!!
QUOTE
I wouldn't mind seeing O'neill and Leiter with a non blowhard in the booth. YES could have an amazing broadcast team if they did that. Don't even get me started on having to listen to Justice (pre-game or when they decide to put him in the booth. Thankfully only pregame from last night since I skipped the postgame). Ugh!!!
I'm always impressed with O'Neil when he does games. He is very insightful and pleasantly unbiased. Its always a little surprising as he was such a hot head/crybaby when he played.
QUOTE
All from the mouth of Kay, who I was actually starting to like before tonight knocked him back a bit:
1) "Look at the outfield... normally, it has a lot of patches of dead grass, but tonight it looks good."
2) "The infield here is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the league. That's common knowledge among AL infielders- they hate this infield. Lots of clumps and bumps, and knots in the grass. Derek Jeter says it's his least favorite infield."
3) "The visitors clubhouse here is a joke, small and smelly. It's tiny! A real throwback to the old parks of baseball."
These things might be true, but the tone taken seemed to be a bit over the top, as if there were an agenda.
1) "Look at the outfield... normally, it has a lot of patches of dead grass, but tonight it looks good."
2) "The infield here is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the league. That's common knowledge among AL infielders- they hate this infield. Lots of clumps and bumps, and knots in the grass. Derek Jeter says it's his least favorite infield."
3) "The visitors clubhouse here is a joke, small and smelly. It's tiny! A real throwback to the old parks of baseball."
These things might be true, but the tone taken seemed to be a bit over the top, as if there were an agenda.
Kay is the Tool of all Tools. I watch the YES broacasts with the sound off solely because of him. He's a smug, conceded, elitist, ignorant, ass kissing brown noser. I guess if I had to endure 81 games at one of the ugliest ball parks in baseball, I'd be taking pot shots at one of the nicest too. Kay's above comments about Fenway just make him out to be the bitch that he is.
QUOTE(Sox Sweep Again @ May 2 2006, 01:36 PM) [snapback]511030[/snapback]
2) "The infield here is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the league. That's common knowledge among AL infielders- they hate this infield. Lots of clumps and bumps, and knots in the grass. Derek Jeter says it's his least favorite infield."
3) "The visitors clubhouse here is a joke, small and smelly. It's tiny! A real throwback to the old parks of baseball."
I'm glad knowing that when other teams come here that they don't feel comfortable. What do we want fix our infield so Jeter can field more cleanly and appreciate coming here more? Do we really want them feeling comfortable in the locker room and in the dug out and having them like coming here?
QUOTE(bigbilly @ May 2 2006, 01:59 PM) [snapback]511042[/snapback]
That came after 2 full innings of "This game's going to be won on a single, bunt and single because NO ONE is going to get it out of this park. Giambi hit a rocket and it went nowhere."
Jeter being called out on his baserunning gaffe was hilarious - Kay: "You know Jeter was safe because he wouldn't be complaining to the umpire if he wasn't."
And best of all: Player of the Game: Robinson Cano!!!!
The first two were really stupid, but I think it's the "Yankee Player of the Game", isn't it?
QUOTE(Red Sox Fan2 @ May 2 2006, 02:02 PM) [snapback]511046[/snapback]
I'm glad knowing that when other teams come here that they don't feel comfortable. What do we want fix our infield so Jeter can field more cleanly and appreciate coming here more? Do we really want them feeling comfortable in the locker room and in the dug out and having them like coming here?
I agree. We all know that the new ownership expanded the home clubhouse and modernized it shortly after buying the Sox.
The hell with the visitors!
Leiter, much like McCarver, doesn’t shut up but at least he criticizes Yankee players (as does Kaat & Singleton), unlike Murcer & Justice who have been mercifully banished to the pre- and post-game studio.
It was refreshing to hear him question the intelligence of Posada’s pitch calls at Papi’s at-bat vs. Myers. He also picked up that Small held the ball differently than Mussina when throwing his circle-change (Small extended his middle finger while Moose extended his index). Good analysis.
However, he talks as if he is Sandy f-n Koufax…Al, you had a nice pro career, but take it easy. There’s a reason why you are in the booth now.
I agree with Ed on the Jeter play at second base. They were ADAMANT that the ump blew the call, but YES showed not a single replay that was remotely supportive of those opinions.
MEMO TO YES: less Tino-esque Yankeeographies, more cameras at the ballpark.
It was refreshing to hear him question the intelligence of Posada’s pitch calls at Papi’s at-bat vs. Myers. He also picked up that Small held the ball differently than Mussina when throwing his circle-change (Small extended his middle finger while Moose extended his index). Good analysis.
However, he talks as if he is Sandy f-n Koufax…Al, you had a nice pro career, but take it easy. There’s a reason why you are in the booth now.
I agree with Ed on the Jeter play at second base. They were ADAMANT that the ump blew the call, but YES showed not a single replay that was remotely supportive of those opinions.
MEMO TO YES: less Tino-esque Yankeeographies, more cameras at the ballpark.
The thing that would make me real real mad (if I was a Yankee fan) is the fact that the flagship station of the Yankees can't afford, doesn't want, or just doesn't think their fans deserve to have every game in HD. Thankfully the only times I watch games involving YES where they aren't playing at Yankee Stadium is when they play the Sox so it isn't a problem for me, but I believe they only show Mets and Sox away games in HD (or at least they did last year).
I wonder if that has changed since the Sox now show (as far as I know again) all games in HD on NESN.
I wonder if that has changed since the Sox now show (as far as I know again) all games in HD on NESN.
QUOTE(Wilhemus Remmerswaal @ May 2 2006, 02:32 PM) [snapback]511059[/snapback]
I agree with Ed on the Jeter play at second base. They were ADAMANT that the ump blew the call, but YES showed not a single replay that was remotely supportive of those opinions.
Did Jeter get back to the area of the bag before the tag was applied? No question. But here is the important point that Singleton & Co. missed - a player needs to make contact with the base! According to the replays YES showed us, we did not get irrefutable video evidence (as they would say in the NFL) that our Lord got back to the bag prior to the tag. They showed us that Jeter was able to get back to the vicinity of the bag in time, but they never showed that he actually touched the bag.
And it did see like Kay (and by extension, YES) has a vendetta against Fenway. I listen to a lot of visiting announcers during the course of the year, and none of them bash Fenway the way he does.
Rick Sutcliffe also went on a five minute rant about how Larry Bowa said, (and he agreed), that Derek Jeter never, (NEVER), makes mental mistakes. Rick mentioned that Larry Bowa has been around the game for a long time and said that Jeter was the only player he has been around that has never made any mental mistakes.
Oh yeah..... the next play was when Jeter was caught off of second. If you are going to argue that he was safe, don't. He should have never put the umpire in the position to blow the call. (Score one for mental mistake).
Oh yeah..... the next play was when Jeter was caught off of second. If you are going to argue that he was safe, don't. He should have never put the umpire in the position to blow the call. (Score one for mental mistake).
QUOTE(Sox Sweep Again @ May 2 2006, 10:36 AM) [snapback]511030[/snapback]
Kay and Leiter are very good friends away from the booth, and Leiter's on Kay's ESPN radio show all the time. He refers to him there as "Alois" as a joke. Apparently they have great fun with it.
What bothered me about the YES broadcast last night were the sly, snide jabs at Fenway, such as these gems (it made me think that there was an MFY franchise effort to deride fenway, what with Torre's claiming the bullpen phone was broken):
All from the mouth of Kay, who I was actually starting to like before tonight knocked him back a bit:
1) "Look at the outfield... normally, it has a lot of patches of dead grass, but tonight it looks good."
2) "The infield here is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the league. That's common knowledge among AL infielders- they hate this infield. Lots of clumps and bumps, and knots in the grass. Derek Jeter says it's his least favorite infield."
3) "The visitors clubhouse here is a joke, small and smelly. It's tiny! A real throwback to the old parks of baseball."
These things might be true, but the tone taken seemed to be a bit over the top, as if there were an agenda.
Even on ESPN, they were comparing coming into Boston to play the Red Sox with coming into the old Boston Garden when Red Auerbach was coaching, or later president of the Celtics, and the tactics he so called pulled. Like, no hot water for the visiting locker room showers, and no A/C in the visiting locker room when it was 97 in Boston for one of the NBA finals. Does my heart good to hear those old stories, and God bless Red Auerbach.
QUOTE(Sox Sweep Again @ May 2 2006, 01:36 PM) [snapback]511030[/snapback]
Kay and Leiter are very good friends away from the booth, and Leiter's on Kay's ESPN radio show all the time. He refers to him there as "Alois" as a joke. Apparently they have great fun with it.
What bothered me about the YES broadcast last night were the sly, snide jabs at Fenway, such as these gems (it made me think that there was an MFY franchise effort to deride fenway, what with Torre's claiming the bullpen phone was broken):
All from the mouth of Kay, who I was actually starting to like before tonight knocked him back a bit:
1) "Look at the outfield... normally, it has a lot of patches of dead grass, but tonight it looks good."
2) "The infield here is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the league. That's common knowledge among AL infielders- they hate this infield. Lots of clumps and bumps, and knots in the grass. Derek Jeter says it's his least favorite infield."
3) "The visitors clubhouse here is a joke, small and smelly. It's tiny! A real throwback to the old parks of baseball."
These things might be true, but the tone taken seemed to be a bit over the top, as if there were an agenda.
So you think Joe Torre, in an attempt to make Fenway Park and the City of Boston look bad, lied and said the bullpen phone wasn't working? As for the rest, everyone in baseball, our own players included say that our infield is horrendous. Edgar Renteria commented on it last season, and our guys agreed with him. And the visitor's clubhouse is one of, if not the smallest in the entire league. I don't know about dead patches of grass, but the other two things are absolutely true.
QUOTE(Red Sox Fan2 @ May 2 2006, 02:02 PM) [snapback]511046[/snapback]
I'm glad knowing that when other teams come here that they don't feel comfortable. What do we want fix our infield so Jeter can field more cleanly and appreciate coming here more? Do we really want them feeling comfortable in the locker room and in the dug out and having them like coming here?
Maybe we want to fix our infield to help our own players as well? Or maybe to avoid injury concerns? Or maybe just so our field looks respectable? The redid the entire thing, but the infield still sucked, so I think the problem may be with the land itself, and not with the Red Sox.
One question.
Why does Michael Kay insist on doing endless amounts of color commentary? Why does he do it while flanked with two color commentators? Especially as a play by play announcer.
I've personally beaten this horse to death way too many times, but not only is it annoying, he's just not qualified to be offering even an ex-jock simpleton level breakdown of what's happening on the field. There were a million examples of this last night.
I swear, if I were a Yankee fan and had to listen to this consistently, I'd pull my ****ing hair out. Say what you want about Orsillo, but at least he sticks with the play by play.
Why does Michael Kay insist on doing endless amounts of color commentary? Why does he do it while flanked with two color commentators? Especially as a play by play announcer.
I've personally beaten this horse to death way too many times, but not only is it annoying, he's just not qualified to be offering even an ex-jock simpleton level breakdown of what's happening on the field. There were a million examples of this last night.
I swear, if I were a Yankee fan and had to listen to this consistently, I'd pull my ****ing hair out. Say what you want about Orsillo, but at least he sticks with the play by play.
QUOTE(Sox Sweep Again @ May 2 2006, 02:04 PM) [snapback]511047[/snapback]
The first two were really stupid, but I think it's the "Yankee Player of the Game", isn't it?
I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think it is Yankee POG - I believe both teams' players are eligible.
"NOBODY goes back on the ball as well as Jeter, so for him to misplay a shallow flyball, YOU KNOW the wind must be ridiculous out there".
Michael Kay ballwashing Jeter last night....
How can anyone forget Kaat challenging Red Sox brass to remove a few rows of seats in RF after the Sheffroid incident last year...
On another broadcast from last year, the MFY's just got completely blown out and Kay gleefully announced that the play of the game was made by Jeter, who made a rather routine catch on a foulball. Was it a nice catch? Sure, but the play of the game? They just got routed! Somewhere along the way I have to think an opposing player must have done something in a 15 run drubbing.
YES is the al-Jazeera of baseball.
Michael Kay ballwashing Jeter last night....
How can anyone forget Kaat challenging Red Sox brass to remove a few rows of seats in RF after the Sheffroid incident last year...
On another broadcast from last year, the MFY's just got completely blown out and Kay gleefully announced that the play of the game was made by Jeter, who made a rather routine catch on a foulball. Was it a nice catch? Sure, but the play of the game? They just got routed! Somewhere along the way I have to think an opposing player must have done something in a 15 run drubbing.
YES is the al-Jazeera of baseball.
QUOTE(Foulkelore @ May 2 2006, 02:20 PM) [snapback]511138[/snapback]
"NOBODY goes back on the ball as well as Jeter, so for him to misplay a shallow flyball, YOU KNOW the wind must be ridiculous out there".
Michael Kay ballwashing Jeter last night....
How can anyone forget Kaat challenging Red Sox brass to remove a few rows of seats in RF after the Sheffroid incident last year...
On another broadcast from last year, the MFY's just got completely blown out and Kay gleefully announced that the play of the game was made by Jeter, who made a rather routine catch on a foulball. Was it a nice catch? Sure, but the play of the game? They just got routed! Somewhere along the way I have to think an opposing player must have done something in a 15 run drubbing.
YES is the al-Jazeera of baseball.
So, I'm not in hearing distance of either the Red Sox or the Yankees play by play radio and TV guys. Just a curiosity (and a loaded question, I know), do Yankee fans complain about Red Sox announcers when they are "forced" to listen to them, like our fans do about Kay, etc.? I'm is the SF Bay Area, and I don't think you could ask for a better tandem than Duane Kiper and Mike Krukow, who do Giants games. They are very knowledgable, and as homer-less as you can get. A's announcers Glen Kuiper and Ray Fosse are OK, but Fosse sometimes comes out with stuff like "wouldn't it be nice if 'Chavvy' hit one 450 feet fair right now"? Uh, OK, but what if I'm not an A's fan? Just curious.
QUOTE(Caspir @ May 2 2006, 01:53 PM) [snapback]511121[/snapback]
Maybe we want to fix our infield to help our own players as well? Or maybe to avoid injury concerns? Or maybe just so our field looks respectable? The redid the entire thing, but the infield still sucked, so I think the problem may be with the land itself, and not with the Red Sox.
Yeah, I thought I remembered reading that they redid the field just a couple of years ago, and I found this verifying reference.
At another site, I read that now-retired Joe Mooney used to trim the Fenway grass to just 3/4" (most lawns are at least twice that, if not more), and used pesticides and fertilizers weekly. I don't doubt that they're still doing that regimen.
I suspect that there's a lot of clay in the soil, to hold water. That'll contribute to a cycle of hardness, lumps & bumps, and grass that needs to be constantly coddled.
I once had a large front yard that was just pit-run gravel until we shipped about 20 truckloads of cow-pasture aged sifted soil and laid it out about 6" thick. We NEVER had to water that lawn, even in 90 degree summer. And it drained beautifully.
I oughta be the Fenway groundskeeper...
I think many of you guys would like the YES 'programming' if they were Sox oriented. Maybe NESN should take some notes on what Yankee fans are watching when games are not on.
The Yankeeography series is abosultely wonderful. It's like watching A&E's biography but it's always about Yankee players. Though I am curious as to why they'd do Jeter and Matsui so early since they may have to update them. Bio's on guys like Mantle, O'Neill, Gehrig, Fox, hell even the one they debuted last night about Tino Martinez were amazing. I had absolutely no idea the Red Sox drafter Tino out of HS but he opted to attend college instead.
Yankee classic games. I like these too. Hell they are about the only baseball I can get my fix with during teh offseason days.
The documentries on teams, postseason series, etc, etc bring back a lot of good memories.
This road trip njonsene is awful. Whoever thought of this was probably in on the Buhner for Phelps deal.
Really though, I think you guys would enjoy some of this stuff if it was Sox oriented. I think NESN shoudl capitolize on you guys because I have to believe if they ran a bio on Foxx, Yaz, Ted, etc, etc, you'd all watch it happily. Same deal with old games, documentries etc, etc.
The Yankeeography series is abosultely wonderful. It's like watching A&E's biography but it's always about Yankee players. Though I am curious as to why they'd do Jeter and Matsui so early since they may have to update them. Bio's on guys like Mantle, O'Neill, Gehrig, Fox, hell even the one they debuted last night about Tino Martinez were amazing. I had absolutely no idea the Red Sox drafter Tino out of HS but he opted to attend college instead.
Yankee classic games. I like these too. Hell they are about the only baseball I can get my fix with during teh offseason days.
The documentries on teams, postseason series, etc, etc bring back a lot of good memories.
This road trip njonsene is awful. Whoever thought of this was probably in on the Buhner for Phelps deal.
Really though, I think you guys would enjoy some of this stuff if it was Sox oriented. I think NESN shoudl capitolize on you guys because I have to believe if they ran a bio on Foxx, Yaz, Ted, etc, etc, you'd all watch it happily. Same deal with old games, documentries etc, etc.
I think that stuff is great. I have actually watched a bunch of those classic games, and I've watched a bunch of the old time Yankeeographies. They're great too. It's there production when it comes to the actual games that drives me batty.
As I said before Leiter, O'Neill, and a play by play guy that was even half decent would make them a great booth. They also need to jettison Justice on the same boat they send Kay out on. Nights last year where I caught Kay and Justice in the booth together were unimaginable horrors.
As I said before Leiter, O'Neill, and a play by play guy that was even half decent would make them a great booth. They also need to jettison Justice on the same boat they send Kay out on. Nights last year where I caught Kay and Justice in the booth together were unimaginable horrors.
QUOTE(Edmund Dantes @ May 2 2006, 04:09 PM) [snapback]511200[/snapback]
Nights last year where I caught Kay and Justice in the booth together were unimaginable horrors.
Yes. Yes, indeed.
I present to you:
QUOTE(theo @ Aug 31 2005, 09:07 AM) [snapback]383952[/snapback]
Um did anyone else hear Justice's rant last night about Hall of Fame balloting? Even Michael Kay thought it was crazy.
To summarize. Jeter just had his 1900 hit, and Kay brought up hall of fame. Justice says Jeter should be a unanimous vote. The kay listed all the baseball greats and showed how they were all not unanimous.
Justice vaguely hinted that racism was responsible for that. Then said how can you not vote Jeter in, say he has 3,000 hits all those champion ships and the ones he might still win, plus (and this is the kicker) he is a captain (oh like mIke sweeney) and he is on the Yankees.
I mean did he expect that he would now get some sort of promotion at YES b/c of this???
QUOTE(JohntheBaptist @ Sep 2 2005, 09:53 AM) [snapback]385663[/snapback]
The best was when Kay started to bring up Seaver, and how he had the highest election percentage, short of 100%, and Justice cut him off by saying "I don't know Tom Seaver. I don't know anything about Tom Seaver- to the point that, I don't know enough to know if he should even be in the Hall of Fame or not."
This is their color guy.
Oh agreed completely ED. Kay drive me insane, he's a blockhead. TheCharlie Brown of YES. Justice is annotying as well after the games - he opine's too much and beats non-issues into the ground. They should have grabbed Tino before he went to ESPN - Yankee fans woudl have been thrilled with that. Lieter and O'Neill are great. Even Kaat and Singleton are fine with me. They need a play by play guy though, someone good.
One pro to Kay being on YES is that it seperates him and Sterling who together made me avoid radio if I could. Sterling think's he is like Bob Sheppard's potential successor or something. It seems liek he's interviewing and tailoring his broadcatst to ingratiate him to stubborn Yankee fans liek me who get annyoed with his antics and constant pollyanna attitude. Key's just an arrogant know it all on the air - even to teh point of arguing about former players about.. well aspects of a game that announcers and fans do not know about or comprehend. Funny thing is I had a few beer swith him in like 97 or 98 and he could no have been a nicer guy, chatted, grabbed me some drinks, and told me about the Yanks - strange considering I had him pegged for an arrogant blowhard.
One pro to Kay being on YES is that it seperates him and Sterling who together made me avoid radio if I could. Sterling think's he is like Bob Sheppard's potential successor or something. It seems liek he's interviewing and tailoring his broadcatst to ingratiate him to stubborn Yankee fans liek me who get annyoed with his antics and constant pollyanna attitude. Key's just an arrogant know it all on the air - even to teh point of arguing about former players about.. well aspects of a game that announcers and fans do not know about or comprehend. Funny thing is I had a few beer swith him in like 97 or 98 and he could no have been a nicer guy, chatted, grabbed me some drinks, and told me about the Yanks - strange considering I had him pegged for an arrogant blowhard.
QUOTE(Caspir @ May 2 2006, 04:53 PM) [snapback]511121[/snapback]
So you think Joe Torre, in an attempt to make Fenway Park and the City of Boston look bad, lied and said the bullpen phone wasn't working? As for the rest, everyone in baseball, our own players included say that our infield is horrendous. Edgar Renteria commented on it last season, and our guys agreed with him. And the visitor's clubhouse is one of, if not the smallest in the entire league. I don't know about dead patches of grass, but the other two things are absolutely true.
No, I said in my post that these things might be true, but it was the snideness in their manner of verbalizing these truths that rubbed me the wrong way, in addition to the way they linked the bullpen phone not working to a new conversation regarding the cruddy visitor's clubhouse.
QUOTE(JamieNYY @ May 2 2006, 07:16 PM) [snapback]511205[/snapback]
Oh agreed completely ED. Kay drive me insane, he's a blockhead. TheCharlie Brown of YES. Justice is annotying as well after the games - he opine's too much and beats non-issues into the ground...
He does this on his radio show, too. He had a hard-on against the WBC, and now he's on an anti-Victor Zambrano kick where he has to repeat over and over how much he sucks, and what a stupid deal Kazmir-for-Victor was.
Yeah, he's right, but he rants a bit.
QUOTE(Malzone64 @ May 2 2006, 05:47 PM) [snapback]511151[/snapback]
Just a curiosity (and a loaded question, I know), do Yankee fans complain about Red Sox announcers when they are "forced" to listen to them, like our fans do about Kay, etc.?
Very good question, and I was hoping some of our Yankee friends answer this one. During the last few years of the Sean McDonough era, he and Remy became really hard to listen to. A broadcast with them seemed to be filled with stupid jokes and wisecracks, and the game almost became an afterthought. It was too bad - over the years, I've enjoyed Sean's work as a baseball broadcaster on WSBK, ESPN and CBS. Remy is great, and I like his games with Orsillo much better than when he was with McDonough.
In my mind, Orsillo and Remy are hard to dislike, but I am a bit biased. They don't spend a quarter of the broadcast bitching about outdoor stadiums, and questioning why Derek Jeter hasn't been cannonized yet. I'm sure a Yankee fan hears it differently than we do, though.
QUOTE(Malzone64 @ May 2 2006, 10:31 AM) [snapback]510916[/snapback]
At least you got Al Leiter as co-announcer. ESPN had Rick Sutcliffe, who is brutal. This gem last night from Rick (kiss of death for Mark Loretta?). After Loretta failed to bunt the runners along, and didn't dive to keep Cano's single in the IF, he said something like: "Give him time, and you Red Sox fans are going to love your second baseman, Mark Loretta". He said the exact same thing last year about (SS) Edgar Renteria. "You're going to love him, blah, blah, blah." I guess he has zero memory of what he says year to year. I do hope Loretta comes around. Big "game winning hit" last night.
I've never heard Michael Kay do a game. Lucky, I guess.
If you have never heard Michael Kay do a game, you are one of the luckiest people on the face of the earth. I'd like to point out a few things in this post about him.
1. When did he ever play baseball? and if so...
2. When did he ever play for the MFYankees?
3. Is he even from New York?
4. Does he know how annoying he really is?
I'm all for starting the "Let's Shut Michael Kay Up" campaign, I already have a bunch of people who feel the same way I do. A number of those are Yankee fans. I'm in New York, so whenever its Yankees-Red Sox, I'm forced to watch the YES Network, and I dread every minute of it.
He went to Fordham. I believe he grew up dreaming about being hte Yankee broadcaster.
The tip of the iceberg for Kay came last night when someone said he eluded to "Jeter must have been safe at second because you NEVER see him arguing a call." And I'm not going to bash Jeter at all on this one because, hey......every player in baseball argues a called strikeout (Papi does it every single time). But when Kay says s**t like that I want to literally punch him in the face because Jeter argues a strikeout every single time. I can't remember the last time I saw him give the prostate exam move on a pitch over the outside corner and then NOT argue it being a ball as he walked away. It's so blatant you can't not notice it. Just s**t like that makes me want to hit him square in the face (or nuts).
QUOTE(Caspir @ May 2 2006, 04:53 PM) [snapback]511121[/snapback]
Maybe we want to fix our infield to help our own players as well? Or maybe to avoid injury concerns? Or maybe just so our field looks respectable? The redid the entire thing, but the infield still sucked, so I think the problem may be with the land itself, and not with the Red Sox.
Meh, the way our D has been playing it's fine by me. At least they will know how to handle it better than visitors and maybe less nervous about fielding.
I'm a die-hard Yankee fan. I would be happy to give you my perspective on things.
QUOTE(Born in the Bronx @ May 5 2006, 09:56 AM) [snapback]513012[/snapback]
I'm a die-hard Yankee fan. I would be happy to give you my perspective on things.
is this a threat?.....
QUOTE(MTSUDaff @ May 2 2006, 11:48 PM) [snapback]511350[/snapback]
The tip of the iceberg for Kay came last night when someone said he eluded to "Jeter must have been safe at second because you NEVER see him arguing a call." And I'm not going to bash Jeter at all on this one because, hey......every player in baseball argues a called strikeout (Papi does it every single time). But when Kay says s**t like that I want to literally punch him in the face because Jeter argues a strikeout every single time. I can't remember the last time I saw him give the prostate exam move on a pitch over the outside corner and then NOT argue it being a ball as he walked away. It's so blatant you can't not notice it. Just s**t like that makes me want to hit him square in the face (or nuts).
For more on Kaye: The Official RSN Michael Kay Thread, NYC, Vent With Me!
QUOTE(BillyJo @ May 2 2006, 05:28 PM) [snapback]511288[/snapback]
Very good question, and I was hoping some of our Yankee friends answer this one. During the last few years of the Sean McDonough era, he and Remy became really hard to listen to. A broadcast with them seemed to be filled with stupid jokes and wisecracks, and the game almost became an afterthought. It was too bad - over the years, I've enjoyed Sean's work as a baseball broadcaster on WSBK, ESPN and CBS. Remy is great, and I like his games with Orsillo much better than when he was with McDonough.
In my mind, Orsillo and Remy are hard to dislike, but I am a bit biased. They don't spend a quarter of the broadcast bitching about outdoor stadiums, and questioning why Derek Jeter hasn't been cannonized yet. I'm sure a Yankee fan hears it differently than we do, though.
Orsillo and Remy are fantastic. In fact, when the Sox play the Yankees I'm grateful when I get the NESN feed over the YES feed on my EI package.
Having said that, I don't quite understand the consternation over YES broadcasters being homers. They broadcast for the Yankees, they're going to be biased. And they're not even the worst offenders of this. If any of you listen to an Angels FSN broadcast, you'll want to hop on a plane to Anaheim just to throw bricks at the Angels booth.
QUOTE(Born in the Bronx @ May 5 2006, 11:56 AM) [snapback]513012[/snapback]
I'm a die-hard Yankee fan. I would be happy to give you my perspective on things.
Go right ahead.
Personally, I can deal with Michael Kay, for the most part. I like his style, he's got a good voice and the right kind of enthusiasm, and he knows baseball inside and out. *
I'm happy with our guys, but if Kay were a Red Sox fan I'd love to have him call our games.
*-edit: I used to hate him until I started listening to his show every weekday on the drive home.
I would rather if they were going to be homers than to go all the way with it.
I was reminded by this in the "Best Boston Sports call" thread. Johnny Most was an unapologetic homer and was hilarious. I loved listening to him as did most New Englanders.
Jon Sterling is similar. But mMichael Kay up and down contends that he is not a Yankee fan and just calls it like he sees it. He believes that. He's enough of a homer to be wrong quite often, but not enough to entertain us.
(Sorry for the typos. I'm watching "Debbie Does Dallas". Good film.)
I was reminded by this in the "Best Boston Sports call" thread. Johnny Most was an unapologetic homer and was hilarious. I loved listening to him as did most New Englanders.
Jon Sterling is similar. But mMichael Kay up and down contends that he is not a Yankee fan and just calls it like he sees it. He believes that. He's enough of a homer to be wrong quite often, but not enough to entertain us.
(Sorry for the typos. I'm watching "Debbie Does Dallas". Good film.)
QUOTE(Sox Sweep Again @ May 5 2006, 01:46 PM) [snapback]513088[/snapback]
Go right ahead.
Personally, I can deal with Michael Kay, for the most part. I like his style, he's got a good voice and the right kind of enthusiasm, and he knows baseball inside and out. *
I'm happy with our guys, but if Kay were a Red Sox fan I'd love to have him call our games.
*-edit: I used to hate him until I started listening to his show every weekday on the drive home.
That's a first.
Bronx by the Bay,
Most Red Sox fans are completely obsessed with anything having to do with the Yankees. Conversely, most Yankee fans could care less about what is said on a Red Sox broadcast. I'm not sure if I've ever even watched a Red Sox broadcast (maybe once or twice, I don't remember).
One would think that 2004 would have changed things a little bit, but obviously that's not the case, many of them are still obsessed. I have to give them kudos though, they have great passion.
Most Red Sox fans are completely obsessed with anything having to do with the Yankees. Conversely, most Yankee fans could care less about what is said on a Red Sox broadcast. I'm not sure if I've ever even watched a Red Sox broadcast (maybe once or twice, I don't remember).
One would think that 2004 would have changed things a little bit, but obviously that's not the case, many of them are still obsessed. I have to give them kudos though, they have great passion.
QUOTE(BronxByTheBay @ May 5 2006, 10:38 AM) [snapback]513075[/snapback]
Orsillo and Remy are fantastic. In fact, when the Sox play the Yankees I'm grateful when I get the NESN feed over the YES feed on my EI package.
Having said that, I don't quite understand the consternation over YES broadcasters being homers. They broadcast for the Yankees, they're going to be biased. And they're not even the worst offenders of this. If any of you listen to an Angels FSN broadcast, you'll want to hop on a plane to Anaheim just to throw bricks at the Angels booth.
So you are a Yankee fan and are saying Orsillo and Remy are fantastic? That's the kind of feeback I was looking for, i.e., what fans of other teams, esp. the Yankees, might think of Red Sox home announcers. Thanks, puts more perspective on the grousing about YES and Kay.
I haven't heard the Angels' guys, but like I've said a couple of times in here, the Giants broadcasters are so good and unbiased sounding you almost couldn't tell what team they're affiliated with. Too bad I can't stand Barry Bonds!
Michael Kay is an occasional "reporter" on the Sports Reporters TV show on ESPN that I try to catch every week. For sure, Mike Lupica, Bob Ryan, Mitch Albom from Detroit and most of the others are more interesting than Kay.
QUOTE(Born in the Bronx @ May 5 2006, 01:51 PM) [snapback]513096[/snapback]
Bronx by the Bay,
Most Red Sox fans are completely obsessed with anything having to do with the Yankees. Conversely, most Yankee fans could care less about what is said on a Red Sox broadcast. I'm not sure if I've ever even watched a Red Sox broadcast (maybe once or twice, I don't remember).
One would think that 2004 would have changed things a little bit, but obviously that's not the case, many of them are still obsessed. I have to give them kudos though, they have great passion.
Says the Yankee fan posting on a Red Sox message board. Try harder to bait people, troll.
QUOTE(BronxByTheBay @ May 5 2006, 11:38 AM) [snapback]513075[/snapback]
And they're not even the worst offenders of this.
for my money, ken harrelson is by far the worst of the broadcast "homer" guys......very hard to listen to him even when i have money on the white sox.....
QUOTE(coloradojack @ May 5 2006, 11:13 AM) [snapback]513158[/snapback]
for my money, ken harrelson is by far the worst of the broadcast "homer" guys......very hard to listen to him even when i have money on the white sox.....
Forgot about Harrelson - good call. He is terrible. I've managed to block out the one season he did Yanks games.
QUOTE(Born in the Bronx @ May 5 2006, 01:51 PM) [snapback]513096[/snapback]
Bronx by the Bay,
Most Red Sox fans are completely obsessed with anything having to do with the Yankees. Conversely, most Yankee fans could care less about what is said on a Red Sox broadcast. I'm not sure if I've ever even watched a Red Sox broadcast (maybe once or twice, I don't remember).
One would think that 2004 would have changed things a little bit, but obviously that's not the case, many of them are still obsessed. I have to give them kudos though, they have great passion.
MFYFans.com starts a 100-page thread over every Red Sox trade.
No, Yankee fans aren't obsessed with Boston, but this shirt was one of the hottest-selling pieces of MLB apparel ever until it was pulled:
Welcome to the "Ignore" list, I see how you are.
Buh-bye.
Go talk to BronxByTheBay on MFYfans. They called for you, they miss their assclown.
Edit: Gratuitous 2004 reference:
Honest to God, if Michael Kay called Red Sox games I'd watch them on mute. I mean that 100%. I don't care that he's a homer at all- he's a misinformed, blabbermouth arrogant POS. That's why I don't like him.
QUOTE(JohntheBaptist @ May 5 2006, 03:30 PM) [snapback]513176[/snapback]
Honest to God, if Michael Kay called Red Sox games I'd watch them on mute. I mean that 100%. I don't care that he's a homer at all- he's a misinformed, blabbermouth arrogant POS. That's why I don't like him.
He does blabber a bit, but I don't see the "misinformed" angle... when he talks baseball off the cuff on his show, he's pretty spot-on, in both leagues. I couldnt claim to name the starting infield of, say, the Cincinatti Reds but he rattles stuff off fairly easily.
What I dislike are his rants that go on for several days. The current one is how stupid the Mets were to trade away Kris Benson. He's right, but, my gawd he does go on.
That said, I enjoy his style of calling games, and I really like Al Leiter, who does many games with him.
Hey, you can't argue taste. I'd rather drag my nuts over broken glass. I also think that, on YES, he's either misinformed, or willyfully says pretty stupid stuff just to get a reaction.
His most obnoxious trait is, no matter what city he's in, he feels like it's his duty to fill the audience in on every tiny bit of bad press every player gets. "So and so didn't run out a ground ball a week ago..."
"So and so was late to BP and got hell from the managers..."
And on and on. He's obsessed with stuff like that. I truly could go on for days over Kay, but it's played and I don't care anymore, honestly.
His most obnoxious trait is, no matter what city he's in, he feels like it's his duty to fill the audience in on every tiny bit of bad press every player gets. "So and so didn't run out a ground ball a week ago..."
"So and so was late to BP and got hell from the managers..."
And on and on. He's obsessed with stuff like that. I truly could go on for days over Kay, but it's played and I don't care anymore, honestly.
SSA,
Thanks for proving my point. Nothing but bile and hate from you.
As for the other more reasonable posters, most Yankee fans really don't care for Michael Kay either, he's a bit of a wise ass. Even Torre reamed him out in front of all the players in 1996. Torre called him a Rona Barrett (she was a gossip columnist)
One interesting tidbit about Kay, his uncle is Danny Aiello.
On the other hand, Leiter is fantastic in the booth.
Thanks for proving my point. Nothing but bile and hate from you.
As for the other more reasonable posters, most Yankee fans really don't care for Michael Kay either, he's a bit of a wise ass. Even Torre reamed him out in front of all the players in 1996. Torre called him a Rona Barrett (she was a gossip columnist)
One interesting tidbit about Kay, his uncle is Danny Aiello.
On the other hand, Leiter is fantastic in the booth.
QUOTE(JohntheBaptist @ May 5 2006, 03:45 PM) [snapback]513186[/snapback]
Hey, you can't argue taste. I'd rather drag my nuts over broken glass. I also think that, on YES, he's either misinformed, or willyfully says pretty stupid stuff just to get a reaction.
His most obnoxious trait is, no matter what city he's in, he feels like it's his duty to fill the audience in on every tiny bit of bad press every player gets. "So and so didn't run out a ground ball a week ago..."
Also in the NYC metro area, I sometimes watch the YES broadcasts when the 1080 AM signal is too weak. I've come to believe that Michael Kay has his job because somehow he must relate positively to the Yankees massive fanbase. If you listen to Bloomberg business radio, you'll know that there are some pretty distinguished and knowledgeable commentators. However, there also these get-rich-quick commercials featuring testimonials from really stupid sounding people with quotations like, "I made $100,000 with Trend Trading to Win and it was easy and it was fun." You wonder to yourself, "What fool would bite on this?" Someone who identifies with the lack of savvy and sophistication.
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