Lessons Learned from Out of Town Announcers

Another guest post this week from Mark Leonard. Mark is a Lorain native and journalist following the Tribe outside of Ohio. His first guest post on potential NFL trades can be found here. Just to be clear, the opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of WFNY or myself in particular.

Having the opportunity to occasionally sample the broadcast team from another television market while your own favorite team is performing is often a fortuitous and educational experience.

For example, last May, Cleveland Indians RHP Mitch Talbot righted himself after one of his characteristic early-game struggles, proceeding to stifle the Baltimore Orioles’ lineup long enough to gain a win because of late-inning heroics by, among others, Austin Kearns. O’s Hall-of-Famer Jim Palmer was functioning as in-game analyst and was effusively impressed with Talbot on several counts.

Hearing such commentary about what was then a virtual unknown component provided sizeable encouragement to this Tribe fan and heightened one’s appreciation of him. Palmer admired Talbot’s composure, his capacity to trust his modest stuff and not be intimidated, particularly after his difficult beginning. He loved the way Mitch pounded the strike zone, threw his change with courage and consistency, controlled the few Baltimore baserunners and generally exhibited calm and mastery of both himself and his repertoire, as well as of the situation. In summary, Palmer perceived Talbot as a legitimate keeper.

More recently, Chicago’s tandem of Ken Harrelson and Steve Stone enhanced this viewer’s enjoyment of an otherwise disappointing 8-3 Indians’ Saturday afternoon loss. Hawk can be tough to take with his homerism and hokey catch phrases, aspects that so endear him to Sox fans; but he is also very insightful insofar as knowing how to attack oppositional hitters.

Last year, Hawk was repeatedly assessing Russell Branyan as completely powerless against pitches waist-high or above. So severe is “the Muscle’s” upper-cut that he can’t touch such offerings, reality that somehow escapes Indians’ pitchers whenever they oppose the three-times Tribesman.

Saturday, Hawk remarked how comparably inept is Shin-Soo Choo when confronted by sliders down-and-in, odd because most lefty bats have that as their power zone. Choo K’d all four trips that day. Both Hawk and Stone acknowledged how Choo badly mis-played a slicing shot between himself and the RF line, allowing it to fall for a base-hit.

As blessed as NE Ohioans have been over the years with enjoyable broadcasting teams, this is not the type of analysis and commentary typical of Tribe telecasts, though this piece will include little more in evaluation of them.

Another example of difference—significant because of what it does to educate the listening audience—occurred after Chisox OF Carlos Quentin opened an inning with a double. As AJ Pierzynski dug-in, Harrelson off-handedly remarked: “AJ has a job to do here.”

That was all he needed to articulate, confident fans understood AJ’s assignment would be to at least ground to the pull-side, to the right-side of the infield, so as to advance Quentin to third with fewer than two outs, increasing the odds he’d eventually score.

Not only has this often been a fundamental ignored, disdained or unaccomplished by Cleveland batters over the years, but it has too-often been one about which local fans have remained oblivious, based upon the content of criticisms they’ve offered when assessing team deficiencies over time. In Chicago, apparently, the value of moving a runner along is such common knowledge an announcer needs only remind via so sparse an utterance as “AJ has a job to do here.”

Pierzynski ripped a shot to right, Quentin earning third, but nothing more, in deference to Shoo’s quick charge and feared throwing arm. One wonders if Cleveland pitcher Carlos Carrasco even tried keeping AJ from pulling in that scenario.

As for Stone, the one-time Cy Young Award winner from Kent State and Lyndhurst’s Brush High identified Matt LaPorta’s hole as being right above the hands when probed hard inside, the same ailment that so afflicted Michael Brantley for so much of last season.

That Sox listeners are regularly treated to testimony of how to approach and dispose of oppositional hitters is cause for some feeling of jealousy relative to what Clevelanders are instead exposed to. These tidbits provide reward for those left to embrace what WGN offers alternatively.

Quite possibly one is imagining commentary was also rendered in silence when reflecting upon the call of Gordon Beckham’s bases-loaded three-run smash off the RF fence, a ball which Choo shied from challenging. A more aggressive, capable and confident fielder might’ve gloved that drive; instead Choo allowed it to deflect damagingly off the wall, halfway up and to his left. Only Beckham’s originally missing first base kept him from making it a double.

Another alarming moment presented itself during a middle inning, when the Tribe put two on with two out. As Travis Buck approached the plate, his team trailing 6-3, Hawk opined: “This may be the most important out of this ballgame to this point,” intimating the Tribe was not only threatening but also that Chicago starter Edwin Jackson might be wobbling and in need of relief.

Presumably, Buck was not thinking likewise, as he grounded meekly to first on the very first pitch. So much for working to maximize a situation.

This year’s Indians’ squad is reportedly the third-youngest roster in baseball. Their relative inexperience seemed especially evident when contrasted to Chicago’s batsmen at the dish. The Sox were selective yet aggressive; the Indians indiscriminate and feeble. Though it was but one game in a lengthy season, one wonders if part of the disparate awareness stems for an audience more demanding from having been responsibly educated by its baseball announcers.

Whereas one outfit was playing to win, alert to every pitch and opportunity, the other was going through the motions, perhaps unwittingly and unsuspectingly, not quite savvy enough to recognize there is a whole ‘nother way to play the game.

So, the question arises: Are the Chicago players required to attend to details because doing less would be exposed to the fans by broadcasters knowledgeable, experienced and forthright enough to report things as they deserve to be? Or might shortcomings/failures go unnoticed and therefore tolerated were they to be unreported, either deliberately or inadvertently?

Things are probably not nearly that simplistic, though it cannot be all payroll and seasoning that distinguishes the perennial contenders from the annual also-rans.

———————–

LaPorta (6-2 210) has always brought to mind a former Indian from the club’s distant past, a comparably-built (6-3 210) RH 1b named Tony Horton, whose best season was constructed at age 25, a year short of the very age at which Matt is playing 2011.

Both came to the Wigwam in an exchange involving an established pitcher and were desired for their potential to generate the longball. Horton played in Cleveland from 1967 through 1970, averaging 26 doubles, 19 dingers, 76 rbi and .268, with his best campaign ’69, when his numbers were 25, 27, 93 and .278, a season during which his K/BB ratio was 91/37.

Those are figures the Indians would be very happy to see from LaPorta this or any season, quite a step-up from the 12 homers and 41 rbi he produced last year. Matt’s career totals sit at 28, 19, 62, .232 with a K/BB ratio of 119/58.

When 26, Horton was finished as a big leaguer, his career derailed by a nervous breakdown. He played in but 115 games that final go-round of 1970, ruined by a drive that required of himself superior production than he’d managed the prior campaign.

(image credit: Sports Time Ohio)