Black is possibly the one announcer I would not want to replace Faulds. As bad as Faulds is, at least he seems to be genuinely interested in baseball. I'd rather they dug up Harry Caray, sat him in the booth, and looped some tape-recorded calls.

If anyone from Rogers is reading this, please give the job to Mike Wilner.

Would Toronto One take games away from TSN as well? I suppose that the non-Ontario audience would take a slight hit as I imagine T1 won't be available outside the province. I wonder if the overall number of games broadcast would change much.

Surely he won't settle for Rod Black?! Come off it. Rod Black is a turd! Black makes Fauldsy sound good. Coincidentally, his father taught me power skating as a kid. What a mean SOB he was...

My vote is for Wilner. Let's face it, Shulman is way too high profile now. He's got to be in line to take over for Miller on the Sunday night game, not to mention all of teh high profile NCAA stuff he gets.

Cerrutti's time has got to be up as well. Candiotti is all right in my opinion.

I think Wilner would be great for colour but I think you need a more polished, experienced voice for play-by-play.

If you can't get Schulman which seems unlikely given his US broadcasting ties right now, I would prefer someone like Don Chevrier and maybe you can slide in Wilner to split time with Cerutti and/or Candiotti eventually.

Wilner has been doing some radio broadcasts this year. I think that's all the experience he needs. The main thing is that he knows and cares about baseball.

I would prefer someone like Don Chevrier...

And maybe we can dig up Barfield to play RF, too.

I'd much prefer Wilner to stay on the radio. I'm a big fan of the Tom, Jerry and Wilner radio broadcasts. While I agree, of course, that Rob Faulds sucks, that Rod Black sucks, I don't watch baseball on television, so anything that disrupts the terrific radio team for the sake of television would get the thumbs down from me.

Tremble before me, Rogers.

http://economics.about.com
There's probably atleast 30 good AAA and AA TV annoucers who have years of experience and paid their dues. Why the heck can't Rogers bring one of those guys in?

Mike

I hate Rod Black about as much as it's possible to hate someone I've never met. Actually, my wife, who is a casual fan but watches a lot of games, hates him *even more*. I won't have the sound on ever if it's Black; I'll put the radio on instead.

Is there some evidence that having ex-players in the booth boosts ratings, even if they aren't good announcers? I've been critical of Cerutti, Candiotti and Tabler, but their "analysis" might improve with a Shulman (or a Wilner) giving them something to talk about. When the play-by-play guy says, "inside, for a strike," the colour man has a lot to explain. Black, like Faulds and Brian Williams, rarely understands what's happening, so the analyst constantly has to bring him up to speed. A good play-by-play man goes beyond the obvious in his call of the action, allowing his partner to embellish what has already been said, which raises the quality of the dialogue considerably.

Excuse me, I have to dust off 10,000 horse race calls (that's a one-man booth) and make a demo reel.

I second giving the job to Wilner. I think he's outstanding. I'm not sure he has any experience in front of a camera but, he has a passion for the game. Wilner's relative youth would also serve him well demographically given the new logo and image this team is trying to move towards.

Would Toronto One take games away from TSN as well? I suppose that the non-Ontario audience would take a slight hit as I imagine T1 won't be available outside the province. I wonder if the overall number of games broadcast would change much.

The piece only mentioned CTV, I just looked for it on-line but I couldn't find it. It seemed this was pretty much at the rumour only stage, but given that Toronto One has made a commitment to baseball by picking up the playoffs, it would make sense. I think the number of games would stay the same.

Craig media has channels in Alberta and Manitoba - I wonder if they'd pick up Toronto One's Jays games too.

The problem with using ex-players in the booth is that they don't really understand what the hell is going on out there. They sit there an repeat time honoured cliches, and provide little in the way of actual analysis.

Not to say there aren't intelligent ex-players out there. Having someone like David Cone or Jim Bouton in the booth would be hilarious. I wonder if Bouton has done any TV work...

Are there any other current or ex-players people think would make good colour guys? Come forth with your suggestions!

While I am a huge Wilner fan, isn't he being groomed to take over the radio broadcasts when Tom and/or Jerry retire?

I've found Faulds a little more tolerable recently -- sometimes he sounds like he's just as fed up with Cerrutti as I am. Still, I can't say that I really like him.

Will Toronto 1 be available on satellite packages as one of the local channels? If they move a bunch of games to the channel and then StarChoice doesn't offer it, well, I'd be annoyed.

Are there any other current or ex-players people think would make good colour guys?

Larry Walker would be fun.

I never saw The Best Damn Sports Show Period, but John Kruk must have been pretty funny.

I totally agree with Moffatt about calling up somebody new. (That's kinda what I was implying with the Barfield crack.) Wilner would be good, but if he's not leaving Rogers should go down to the minors to find somebody new.

Doesn't J.P. have any influence in these decisions? Shouldn't Rogers be trying to find somebody who is saber-friendly in order to better explain to the casual fans what the team is doing?

I have no idea whether Coach was being serious, but my vote is for Kent Williams. For those of you that have not spoken with him, the man's got some dulcet tones.

I've been critical of Cerutti, Candiotti and Tabler, but their "analysis" might improve with a Shulman (or a Wilner) giving them something to talk about.

Which, by the way, is exactly what happened with Buck Martinez.

My general attitude is 'more power to Mike Wilner', but I don't necessarily think he's the best choice for the play-by-play job. I think we tend to fall into a trap in the Toronto sports scene in thinking that there's only one person who can possibly help our favourite team, the Toronto Uniforms, with whatever their problem is now. When Ash was fired, nothing would do but that the Jays bring Gillick back from Seattle. The Argos have become accustomed to turning to Pinball Clemons to solve all their problems. And now here we are talking about Wilner and Shulman like they're the only ones who know which end of the microphone to talk into. Mike Moffatt and Jurgen are right: there must be all kinds of promising young commentators out there, and Rogers should start beating the bushes.

Matthew,

The problem is that its unlikely TV is going to truly search out the best candidate. If they did this with any regularity, we wouldn't have had the excruciating parade of Brian Williamses, Rod Blacks and Rob Fauldses.

More than likely, they're going to choose someone who has ties to the Toronto media.

More than likely, they're going to choose someone who has ties to the Toronto media.

Let's say you're right. What that might give us? Erin Davis doing play-by-play and Richard Griffin doing colour?

Perhaps Ben Chin is slated to do the Toronto One games ;-)

Here's an idea Rogers. Audition for the job (AAA and AA broadcasters as noted above) and hire the best guy. Hell, don't even audition, just listen to some tapes.

See, people don't care if it's just an ex player, or just a guy with a good voice. Pick someone who both knows what's going on and who can call a game. Is it really that hard for you Rogers flakes to find one person like this? If you don't find someone who's not a complete doorknob by next year, whoever it is in charge of these earth shattering decisions is fired.

Hijack:

Over at ESPN, Joe Morgan's latest drivel, er - column, has been posted; he discusses the MVP and Cy Young races. This quote summarizes it best:

Tejada's fellow shortstop, Alex Rodriguez, has good numbers again (.297, 44 HRs, 112 RBI, .395 OBP). But because A-Rod plays for the last-place Texas Rangers, those numbers aren't good enough to displace Posada or Tejada, who play for teams with strangleholds on the postseason.

Yes, he thinks Tejada is an MVP candidate (Posada being the other).

Rob Neyer has an article about Arod not being considered for the MVP, with this little gem:

I'm tempted to simply consign those people to the lunatic fringe...

BTW: for the my previous post, the drivel adjective was for his comments regarding the AL MVP; I do agree with some of the other things he says (especially regarding Cy Young awards, except the wins criteria).

Are there any other current or ex-players people think would make good colour guys? Come forth with your suggestions!

Not that I think he'd be doing Jay's games but Paul O'Neill is on the Yankee broadcasts occasionally and I think he's really good. I'd like to see ESPN scoop him up. He'd certainly be better than Justice or a few others, and he'd probably even sit up straight.

I remember a few years ago, I was listening to Cerutti talking about Jays baseball on Sportscall on the Team here in Ottawa. I remember being shocked at how useful and smart he sounded once he had been detached from Brian Williams ("1:15am here in Nagano"). I definitely agree that one poor sports broadcaster in the booth can drag the whole thing down.

On a related topic, one of my dream jobs is to become senior on-air personality in the sports department of a Canadian televsion network. That way, no matter my qualifications or passions for a sport, I get to take the "best" job available.

Cheers,
Paul

Cerutti plays a minor role as an intelligent, well-spoken young pitcher in Roger Angell's book, "Season Ticket".

It's hard to believe it's the same person.

\Will Toronto 1 be available on satellite packages as one of the local channels? If they move a bunch of games to the channel and then StarChoice doesn't offer it, well, I'd be annoyed.\

It turns out I get Toronto One on ExpressVu (channel 224). I imagine StarChoice would carry it as well.

Those games shouldn't be blacked out, either (unlike the Leafs and Raptors). When CFMT carried some Jays games last season, they were available across the country.

I seem to remember Jamie Campbell doing a game on Sportsnet either earlier this year, or sometime last year, and really liking his style. I think all the regular stiffs had other engagements, so he was the last resort for the game. It was a one-time deal, but I enjoyed it. Campbell and Wilner would be a great young, energetic booth is you ask me. Just don't hire any of those other dopes at Sportsnet - Darren Dreger and Mike Toth should both be shot.

Which gets me thinking.....if I ran a network, I'd start a new reality show where Canadian sports announcers somehow were rendered unable to perform on-air any longer. Think about it...you could have Faulds, Black, Dreger, Toth, Dutch, Bob MacKenzie - all the idiots. Some sort of 'Running Man' game where the last one is maimed...or has his larynx ripped out so we didn't have to listen to the inane babble...I'd watch.

O'Neill is on the Yankee broadcasts occasionally and I think he's really good

I don't speak for Coach but something tells me you'd have to promise him Paul O'Neill isn't his sidekick.

From William Houston's article: the work of Faulds and Cerutti is viewed by many as nothing more than average.

Maybe in the Lake Wobegon way that everyone is average or better.

Mike D on Coach: For those of you that have not spoken with him, the man's got some dulcet tones.

On the subject of dulcet tones, sadly I think the absence of such will work against Mike Wilner in his career. Don't get me wrong, he's the best candidate for the job and I could personally care less that he doesn't have Shulman's silky smooth delivery, but I can't help thinking that he's going to face a lot of prejudice with his "regular guy" voice.

Hell, he shares a radio booth with Tom Cheek who has parlayed his dulcet tones into a broadcasting career despite very little knowledge about the sport he ostensibly covers every day. If Cheek had Wilner's vocal chords, he'd be selling used cars somewhere.

Think about it...you could have Faulds, Black, Dreger, Toth, Dutch, Bob MacKenzie - all the idiots.

I object to Mike Toth being called an idiot. In my opinion, he's the best broadcaster on RSN, TSN or the Score. He sometimes goes a little overboard, trying to do the Sportsnight thing without Aaron Sorkin's writing chops, but he's a top notch broadcaster.

That said, I don't know that he'd necessarily be a good choice as Blue Jays' play-by-play announcer. He seems best suited for his "anchor" job and seems to have a much greater afinity for hockey.

Here's an idea Rogers. Audition for the job (AAA and AA broadcasters as noted above) and hire the best guy. Hell, don't even audition, just listen to some tapes.

You don't think there's any more cousins and brother-in-laws, etc., who are owed favours? (I am presuming that Faulds is someone's brother-in-law. I mean, he certainly didn't get the job on merit unless the job description were: seeking mediocre broadcaster with no understanding of baseball.)

Steal Rod Smith away from TSN, who is being criminally underused, and has had experience filling in a couple of times as the TSN baseball play-by-play man. Rod's got this slightly askew point of view, and he seems like he's got a sharp mind, if TSN would only trust him to use it freely.

There's a lot of talent going to waste on Headline Sports, too. (By 'going to waste', I mean 'hardly anybody watches the channel, so nobody gets to see them')

I agree with the popular sentiment here that Rod Black is a step backwards. Okay, a leap backwards.

I wouldn't have any problem with R Billie's idea of bringing back Don Chevrier, though. He was okay.

Italics begone.

Mark Hebscher hates sports, accordign to Mark Hebscher, and thinks sports fans are a bunch of morons.

The thing that bugs me most about Cheek and Howarth is their mispronunciations. Cheek can't say 'Rodriguez' and Howarth can't say 'Guerrero'. Instead they say 'Rodriquez' and 'Guewero'. Drives me up the wall.

Tom Cheek? The guy who goes entire innings without giving the score, keeps the number of outs a mystery and failed to deliver one moment of legitimate insight in almost three decades on the job?

That Tom Cheek?

Ugh.

I don't like "Guewero" either, but y'all are way too irritable if you don't like Jerry Howarth -- one of the nicest men and most descriptive broadcasters you'll ever meet.

My main problem with Faulds is how predictable he is. During AB's he basically just says the count: "Halladay deals a strike; 0 and 1. The 0-1, a ball, 1 and 1. The 1-1, inside for a strike, 1 and 2...", he's practically just reading off what is on the viewer's screen.

He also repeats words/phrases way too often (deals, drives, "excuse me swing", "seeing eye single", muscles it, belly down, etc.). Watching the Dodgers telecast last night was borderline blissful. It was so refreshing to hear analysis such as how many pitches certain hitters had seen in previous at-bats, for example.

During the last two broadcasts on TSN, I would guess that Black and Tabler spent ~85% of the time talking about Halladay and the Cy Young. It is so disheartening to hear the intro music to the TSN telecasts and then realize that you won't be listening to Shulman/Martinez.

[about Tejada for MVP]: now, i am not making the argument that he is the best player in the AL, that would indeed be crazy, and nor would i vote for him, if i had a vote, but going by the voters' usual MVP "reasoning" i think he's likely to get a lot of votes.

Mark, I very much agree with you that Tejada will receive and deserves votes for MVP (in the top 10, that is); I was actually complaining about Morgan's reasoning. What I especially dislike is that, according to him, players need to be on winning teams to earn an MVP, because it demonstrates they had a positive contribution to the team; and yet, he often states how winning is a team game. Those things seem to contradict each other.

He also considers wins the most important factor in determining a Cy Young candidate, which again contradicts his "team game" mantra (with which I agree, by the way).

Back to the topic:

As far as announcers are concerned, I was going to say it couldn't get any worse than Faulds or Black, until I remembered a few early broadcasts on the Rogers community channel picked up from the Yankees YES network. It's the baseball broadcasting equivalent of a techie getting "help" at Future Shop. Oh, they were horrid. The only time I ever felt sympathy for a Yankee fan. :-)

On topic, does anyone remember Rod Black during the 1994 Olympics interviewing Paul Kariya?

Trying to resist the urge to mention the name "Todd Hlushko"...

Mark Hebscher hates sports, accordign to Mark Hebscher, and thinks sports fans are a bunch of morons

Hebsy was absolutely awful in his stint as a Leaf broadcaster. From what I've heard, he was hated by most people at Headline Sports... seems there's a reason he bounced from job to job. Too many bridges burned for him to get back into the sportscasting world.

As far as announcers are concerned, I was going to say it couldn't get any worse than Faulds or Black, until I remembered a few early broadcasts on the Rogers community channel picked up from the Yankees YES network

Having Extra Innings this year has been an eye-opener. There seem to be an awful lot of terrible broadcasters out there. Faulds and Brian Williams aren't the only ones who have trouble differentiating between home runs and flyouts. I do find the blatant homer-ism on so many telecasts to be quite amusing, though. It's also nice to hear Buck Martinez again, on the O's telecasts (the play-by-play guy even sounds a bit like Shulman to me...)

As far a homerism goes, nothing tops the White Sox broadcasters, not even the old Buffalo Sabres crew.

I would hate to see the current radio broadcast team broken up to accomadate the needs of the TV side of things. Tom and Jerry have been doing a great job for too long to break them up now and Mike Wilner is ****ing amazing.

Most of the comments here are quite critical of Tom and Jerry but I suggest that we cut them some slack. While I am as annoyed as the next guy when all Jerry can say about a Josh Phelps bomb is "Yes Sir, let's admire that one, there she goes!", listening to anyone on a nightly basis for decades will get annoying. These two veterans have experience, know all there is to know about Blue Jays' history and have yet to lose their enthusiasm.

As for Mr. Wilner, he does an incredible job on the post game show where he has some free reign. He interacts with the fans with courtesy, knowledge and excitement providing listeners with a real idea as to where the Blue Jays are going. It would be a shame to separate him from fans and our querries. Having said that, does anyone else feel that he takes way too long on the scoreboards and not enough time talking to the fans?

Here's to the same radio crew for '04,
Ben NS

As far a homerism goes, nothing tops the White Sox broadcasters, not even the old Buffalo Sabres crew.

This is true. The White Sox guys are even worse than the Leafs radio crew, who *must* be the worst homers in hockey. I remember last winter, around the middle to the end of the season, Sonya and I were travelling a lot getting things ready for the baby to arrive, so the Leafs were usually on the radio (Sonya is a huge Leafs fan, I am a Canadiens supporter for 25 years now... just to show you that people can marry happily and sccessfully across religious lines). *Every* game the color guy would go on a long rant, usually by the middle aof the second period, about a bizarre conspiracy theory that the league and the referees had a pact to make calls against the Leafs to protect the other teams.