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| Larry Baer |
415 Media has learned Giants' President and CEO, Larry Baer, recently had a closed-door meeting with team officials over the many, lengthy, broadcasters non-Giants activity, commonly referred to as "on-assignment" duty.
The meeting last week saw Baer fuming and angry to the point of him (Baer) having to call off the sit-down and retreat back to a conference room to personally vent. The meeting consisted of at least two, high-up, team employees who were not named but heard the brunt of Baer's frustration.
Keep in mind, it was Baer himself that signed off to the schedule before the season knowing the arrangement but apparently was still angry over the current trend of repeated off time for the bulk of the season, especially late in the '18 campaign.
Baer's temper hit the boiling point in mid August; immediately after the LA Dodgers' series, the Giants took to the road in Cincinnati where three of the regular broadcasters; Jon Miller, Dave Flemming, and Mike Krukow were absent both on TV and radio. Adding insult, Miller not only missed the entire Reds series but the first game in NY too (against the Mets) --Furthermore, Miller was already in NY the prior Thursday and had dinner that night (with his wife) with a friend, Herb Cohen.
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| Left to Right: Dave Flemming, Jon Miller, Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper |
The Cincy broadcasts were left to Kuiper, ex-Miami Marlins broadcaster, Rich Waltz, and Javier Lopez. Not helping matters, the Giants were swept by the last-place Reds and the entire series amounted to a perfect metaphor for the 2018 season. Whatever the case, Baer was unhappy.
And still is today.
All current broadcasters are under contract for the 2019 season.
Baer's anger might be muted when the season comes to an end but don't be shocked if someone off the current roster were to retire or take a permanent break.
Krukow I can understand, he gets a big pass due to medical. But the other guys, man are they off a lot. They're off usually Oct 1 to Feb 15 or so- 4.5 mos off. When had to import a guy from MLB Net just to get a body, that's too much IMO.
ReplyDeleteNo one watches the game for the announcers.
ReplyDeleteThe announcers are employees of the baseball team. Their duties, time off, outside assignments and anything else are written into the contract. Each announcer and team management signed the contract.
If Larry Baer is really upset, he has only himself to blame. Framkly, he should focus more on the team's lousy performance.
Baer obviously is aware that the wording is in the contracts, but with the team not doing good again this year, and attendance down (both tickets sold and actually seats filled), and TV ratings down, so revenue is down the time off suddenly becomes an issue.
DeleteMy family and I were at the August 27th game against the Diamondbacks, announced attendance of 38,808 but the stadium was maybe half full - and from where we were seated behind the Giants dugout you could see that Baer wasn't even at the game that night!!
These announcers' (Kuip et.al.), absences make it appear as though they don't like the Giants anymore. haha..I don't blame them.
ReplyDeleteI listened to Rich Waltz for a few minutes, but when he introduced Kuip as a Hall of Famer, he lost all credibility. Kuip isn't even in the top five of all-time Giant broadcasters, let alone the rest of MLB. Russ Hodges, Lon Simmons, Al Michaels, Hank Greenwald, and Ted Robinson were markedly better. Hell, even Lindsey Nelson was way better than Kuiper!
DeleteBaloney about Lindsey Nelson's being better than Kuip. Lindsay Nelson would miss a call and then have to backtrack to describe what had happened a minute ago. He did not last long in the Bay Area and just wasn't a fit. Al Michaels was overrated and couldn't fill Lon Simmons' shoes.
DeleteWhen Lindsey Nelson came to the Giants, his prime had passed. Al Michaels had a different style than Lon Simmons, but when they were paired together in 1976, it was some of the best radio PBP ever. It's obvious Waltz was trying to suck up to Kuiper. He probably made a mess. But Waltz is probably brain damaged after doing Marlins games.
DeleteAl Michaels didn't need to fill Lon's shoes. They worked
Deletetogether.
Sounds like Baer's priorities are out of line. His team hasn't done anything in the past couple of year's and he's concern with his announcers???? Since when do the announcers win you a World Series?
ReplyDeleteRemember Baer keeps Amy G around for good luck. Maybe its time for Baer to go on Assignment
DeleteExactly, 9:36! While many of the 2019 contracts should just expire at the end, especially those who clearly mail it in at times, it is also possible that AT&T Park is seeing a drop in attendance not just because of too much losing, but because they are avoiding the inane Amy G like the plague. I can't watch Giants home games anymore because Amy G is that insufferable. If that's what fans who want to return or watch again want is for Amy G to be dismissed, than Lockstep should finally listen to his fan base who have stopped coming to AT&T. It might also light a fire in the right uninterested booth voices.
DeleteI heard Javier Lopez on the last Giants road trip. He sounds like a seasoned radio veteran, although I think he's only been retired for a couple of years from the Giants. Excellent chemistry between him and both Jon Miller and especially Dave Flemming. I hope he's going to be around for awhile.
ReplyDeleteAgree.
DeleteIt was a pleasant surprise to hear Javier Lopez.
He his delivery was comfortable and not forced.
Totally agree with the above; earlier in the year Lopez was a bit reticent and sort of feeling his way, but real improvement recently and is a pleasure to listen to! Keep it up, Javy!
Deletethe sooner miller is gone the better, can take everyone but him, with his stale boring stories, going long segments of talking about topics that have nothing to do with the game, and his usual disintrested sounding style
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the Giants is not the announcers. The franchise can't develop an outfielder to save its life. Chili Davis was the last Giant outfielder drafted by the organization who made an All-Star Game.
ReplyDeletethis is really non-news. the time off is most certainly written into all 4 contracts. when flemming, kuip or miller are off the duties are shared across TV + radio. I really like being able to hear Kuip on the radio - he and flemming have a real give + take on the air that isn't always there btw DBF and miller. i suspect what the CEO is really mad at is his ratings are down across all the platforms so less ad $$$ [although KNBR has become ridiculous with the high number of ads/sponsored items]
ReplyDeleteExactly. Advertisers buy the whole Giants "package" including their TV announcers.
DeleteExpect Greg Papa in the Giants radio booth next year.
ReplyDeleteThe Giants will buy out the remainder of Jon Miller's contract then he will be on assignment permanently.
Dave Flemming is headed to ESPN.
Sounds like Miller is pulling the same 'I need some time off' bit he used in the last year of his final ESPN contract (2010). Back then, he started staying for Sunday Giants games, and would joke around with the others about ESPN(at the time, they had a guy named Steve Phillips joining as the 'third' SNB announcer with Miller and Joe Morgan, and it was not exactly a secret that he and Miller didn't get along). Now, it sounds like he should just retire, if not gracefully. Probably should have walked away after 2014.
ReplyDeletePeople tune in to Giants games for the product on the field, not on the booth. Put a competitive team on the field and no one will care who's on assignment and who isn't. Simple as that.
ReplyDeleteHey Baer what do you expect? You put a lousy product on the field and you expect these guys to get excited, contract or not?
ReplyDeleteMost of these guys are an overrated bunch of blowhards. Krukow and Kuiper are not Hall of Fame worthy. Whoever was the brainiac that conjured up that ill-fated campaign a few years ago should be flogged. Miller should go on a indefinite sabbatical. He's bored. Flemming should get the hell out. He's got talent.
ReplyDeleteIt's so funny to see the wheels coming off the Giants bus. The on-field product is mediocre. You can only sell the ball park for so long (see Cleveland and Baltimore). But hey, there's Lisa G happy talking her way to another money making venture for the Giants.
And folks, that's what it's all about. Making money. Selling Panda hats. Buster T-shirts. Madbum jerseys. Barry Bonds Hall of Fame plaques (not).
Giants are in denial, they have bad contracts especially in the Pitching and relief staff and why is Hunter Pence still on the team?
ReplyDeleteI've never understood the love for Kruk and Kuip. Kuip has been mailing it in for years. You can usually count on him getting something wrong 3-5 times a game, whether it's pitch count, balls and strikes count (both of which are on a damned screen 4 feet from his face), or just getting other basic info wrong.
ReplyDeleteKruk is just shtick and cliches. Every time he predicts what a pitch is going to be, it's usually the opposite. And the silly telestrator bullshit, the "I wanna get that" chant when they show a giveaway, or every time he says "in the squat" as if he has a speech impediment are so tired and hackey.
Let Miller run out his contract and pass the baton to Flemming and Lopez. Both Dave and Javier have a great call and none of it is forced or hackey... just no-nonsense calls. Keep Miller on radio or replace him with Papa... whatever, but Kruk and Kuip passed their use-by date a long time ago.