Tim McCarver Awarded Ford C. Frick Award, You Have Got to Be Joking

Tim McCarver was awarded the Ford C. Frick award for excellence in broadcasting Wednesday morning. Pardon our French, but what the fuck is this world coming to.

[FOX Sports]

Terry Francona is too Cool to Manage, Opts for Commentating

Terry Francona, after being ousted as the Boston Red Sox manager last weekend, has been offered a job as an analyst with FOX during the first two games of the American League Championship Series this postseason. Obvioiusly, he accepted since he doesn't really have much else going on.

The two-time World Series Champion skipper and curse-breaker, who was with the Red Sox for eight glorious seasons, maintains that he wasn't exactly fired, but he did mention that owner Jim Henry didn't really ask him if he wanted to stick around last Friday, either.

And maybe this whole Boston Bust wasn't his fault anyway. Apparently players were pounding beers during games and packing on the pounds this season. Kinda hard to hit or throw a baseball when you're buzzed. Take it from me.

Moving right along. Since Tim McCarver will be out of commission due to some mystery medical operation (hopefully getting his voice box removed) Francona will take his place alongside Joe Buck. Tito seems a little nervous about his new endeavor:

"I’ve only broadcast one other game in my life, and that was in the Arizona Fall League about 13 years ago and it was on radio and there were probably 12 people [listening] and I sucked. So this is going to be interesting.’"

This will likely be a complete disaster, but we're going to watch it unfold with the volume up anyway.

Game 1 of the ALCS is scheduled for Saturday with the Texas Rangers either hosting the Detroit Tigers or facing the Yankees in the Bronx. We can't wait.

[Boston.com]

Happy Trails, Jon Miller and Joe Morgan

Good news on the MLB announcing front today: after 21 years, Jon Miller and Joe Morgan will no longer be tag-teaming Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN.

The World Wide Leader's executive vice president had this to say in a prepared statement of total nonsense:

Over the last two decades, Joe went from Hall of Fame player to one of his sport’s top analysts and Jon’s Hall of Fame voice and tremendous knowledge of the game have connected with baseball fans everywhere. We owe them our deepest thanks for an outstanding body of work.

Griffey vs. Brantley

First of all, who doesn't want to give Jeff Brantley a beatdown?

Although, slashing his throat may be going a little overboard. Saturday night, Ken Griffey Jr. implied he'd like to do just that, making the gesture toward the booth after nailing his 607th career homer.

I Strongly Dislike Joe Buck

To your right you may notice a studio picture of color tv analyst Joe Buck, sporting his best Douchey McDoucherton face. Lovely, I know.

I try not to use the word 'hate' very often. It's like 'love' that way. The more you use it, the faster it loses its meaning. However, when describing the way Joe Buck makes me feel when I watch a FOX Sporting event, the word 'hate' does come to mind... along with classics like 'hurl', 'shut up' and 'bitch-slap'.

In any case, another guy that makes me feel this awesome is Colin Cowherd. *shudder* Just listen to this clip, via Awful Announcing, always looking out.

You don't like watching baseball? Please, by all means, watch the Bachelorette and find another profession. Ass.

[Awful Announcing] | [Fanhouse] | [Sports by Brooks]

Fun With Polls: Crappy Announcers

In our most recent poll, we asked you to predict the winner of this year's Midsummer Classic. Good work! Over half of you (55%) said the American League would pull off the win to gain home field advantage for the World Series.

The other 45% of you... well, there's always the next decade. We mean that in the most encouraging way possible, you know. Seriously, extra baseball was looming for a minute there. You can't get much closer than being down a run with the bags full.

So, we had a great time liveblogging the All-Star festivities over at Deadspin. It was a success. That is to say, nothing was broken and the Gawker hamster, Nibbles came off the DL after just a few innings. As we stated early in the game, Tim McCarver and Joe Buck make it easier to be funny.

Which brings us to our next poll! Who, of the 5 choices given, is the worst (current) prime time baseball announcer? This may be the toughest poll yet. Seriously. They're all terrible in their own special way.

Feel free to go on the record in the comments section!

• 
  Joe Buck
• 
  Tim McCarver
• 
  Chris Berman
• 
  Joe Morgan
• 
  John Miller

view results

[Awful Announcing - the master at his craft]