DON'T KNOW WHO BUT CHANGES are definitely coming to the Giants' broadcaster booth in 2019, bet on it.The Latest? CEO and Prez, Larry Baer had another closed-door meeting this past week and is more than likely planning on moves come the '19 campaign.
As I wrote recently, Baer is not happy over the current system with too many shuffling broadcasters.
This past season several of the announcers took time off to either take a break, broadcast other events (like Dave Flemming) and that flabbergasted Baer to a point where he (Baer) wants more cohesion.
Flemming is probably going to stay on because he's heir apparent to Jon Miller, who recently said he'd like to return next year (and beyond) but Baer might not be so willing to pay premium price for Miller's frequent off days.
Mike Krukow? Very popular with the fans but it wouldn't shock me if Krukow were to say bon voyage and hang it up. He's nearing 70 and his ongoing health malady makes it impossible for him to navigate broadcast booths. We'll see.
Duane Kuiper seems to be set for 2019 but is Baer set for Kuiper?
Too funny, Baer making the announcing team his personal punching bag when the real problem since 2015 is the team on the field HE signed off on. Look in the mirror, Larry!
ReplyDeleteChanges in the Giants broadcast booth?
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, this story will never find it's way to the SF Chronicle.
The executive editor over there, will quickly quash it.
Move on, nothing to see here.
In the past, play by play announcers like Lon Simmons and Hank Greenwald would work the entire 162 game schedule without taking one day off.
ReplyDeleteNow it has become a guessing game.
I'm on the verge of opting out here, just like I opt out on a daily basis when it comes to reading any portion of the newspaper's sports section.
ReplyDeleteI can't even consider contributing to a blog that all too often discusses the practice of grown men bouncing/throwing/kicking/batting balls around, and the obnoxious types who cover it on the airwaves, particularly the unbecoming and abrasive females.
Start a separate blog or provide a separate optional section on this topic that is of absolutely no consequence other than to line the pockets of poster boys for criminal behavior.
as a former professional athlete i'm glad Rich "covers all the bases" in discussing Bay Area media.
DeleteMay you spend the month of October locked in a room with Amy G.
DeleteMaybe Rich can set up a separate sewing blog just for you.
DeleteBye...
DeleteWhy do people who dislike sports have such stupid meltdowns? 'Grown men prancing yada yada...' Oh, and the shot at 'females'.
DeleteThere are plenty of places on the internet for that garbage.
You can't contribute? Then what was that? Nice non contribution...
DeleteHey 1258, go have a drink with an umbrella in it and kick rocks.
DeleteDid the jocks bully you in gym class?
DeleteWow, you cave men came through like champs!
Delete@ 9:10 PM: Contribute money, not commentary. Thanks for reinforcing my overall assessment of the competitive sports enthusiast community.
DeleteOh yeah, I took weight lifting in gym class. Nobody bullied me, fella.
Hopefully all this turmoil won't get in the way of Giant fans giving Larry Baer their money. Perhaps the team could set up collection boxes around the city so fans can easily drop off their cash whenever they're out and about. Always remember: Together (our team, your money) we're Giants!
ReplyDeleteLet Bevis and Butthead call the games, nobody cares. Baer needs to do a much better job putting better talent on the field. This team hasn't done anything well over the past 2.5 years. They continue to over pay older players as a thank you for what they have done in the past. Why? Aren't they paid to play well in the first place. GET YOUNGER LARRY, and do a better job with your minor league system.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of all of them.....
ReplyDeletepaging Doug Greenwald
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good pickup...he has been a dedicated baseball radio voice for decades of minor league ball...just needs someone to banter with!
DeleteDoug Greenwald??!!?? Hopefully, we are not that desperate!!
DeleteSo then...where then would the Giants go? There's no free agent broadcasters out there as good as Miller/Flemming/Kuiper and their attempts to develop a replacement for Krukow haven't worked. Which is what gets me about these posts. Problems are pointed out but you give no indication that a solution is being kicked around.
ReplyDelete"their attempts to develop a replacement for Krukow haven't worked"
DeleteI couldn't disagree more. While Affeldt clearly needs more time, Lopez has been quite good doing color and Javi's been able to do it without all the silly Krukow shtick like "wannagetthat wannagetthat wannagetthat" or the whole speech impediment inflection of "in the SQUAT".
Kuip is 68; Jon is 66 going on 67 in October; Kruk is 66 ("nearing 70"?). It would be good to keep Flem for continuity and a connection with the three World Series wins. Jon Miller has flubbed some big calls (e.g., Ishikawa's pennant winning HR, Buster Posey's good friend Hunter Pence, etc.). I would not bring in someone just for the sake of past history (e.g., Doug Greenwald, Joe Angel). Bring in someone who is upbeat with talent and energy. If they replace Kruk and Kuip, hire replacements who won't get into fisticuffs.
ReplyDeleteHad to laugh about the claim that Krukow is popular with Giant fans. He's not popular with any of the fans I know.
Delete"Homers" have never played well in San Francisco.
Larry Baer needs to worry a little more about the product on the field. Not so much who the talking heads are.
ReplyDeleteThe question should be who leaves first, Miller or Bochey. The team could use a reboot. They've been paler imitations of their WS teams as the years go on.
ReplyDeleteWould not be surprised if the Giants pony up for Harper. They have the cash
Oh, SF has a Baseball Team?? The low budget A's are playing Damn well!!
ReplyDeleteAnd haven't won a damn thing in 30 years. Billy Beane has won zero pennants in 20 years but hey, let's make a movie about him! Low budget--what a myth. That team collects 30 million dollars a year in revenue sharing plus compensation picks. If they don't spend the money on talent that's on ownership because I know for a fact they make money each year. All those years Beane shipped out veterans for prospects-- some of that's starting to pay off on the field this year but this was the year it screamed for the A's to move some of those prospects to land a top notch starting pitcher and Beane didn't do it. That will come back to haunt them come playoff time..
DeleteYes, SF has a baseball team. Not a Major League calibre baseball team, but a baseball team nonetheless.
Deletejust hope the uber driver or brown nose murphy or not part of any "pre game show".. you see how bad it is on the A's side with too much "uncle towney" and the insufferable boring rick title
ReplyDeleteRick Tittle Good...but the real story would be getting that guy in the middle of the photo to broadcast again, and for the Giants!! What a scoop!!
ReplyDeleteYou did have to wonder when this was going to be a breaking point for Larry Baer. Yeah, you can understand Dave Flemming has his ESPN commitments, and Jon Miller and Duane Kuiper might need a breather every now and then, and Krukow doesn't do games past Denver, but at the same time, it got ridiculous this year.
ReplyDeleteThere were some series where I can understand Jon Miller or Kuiper taking a break (I think Jon Miller missed that disatrous Reds series in Cincinnati and he missed this series in Milwaukee, Kuiper missed the Mets series in New York, and I think he missed the short two game Seattle series), but you also wonder if all the travel over the years is taking a toll on them, especially now that they're getting up in age.
I know this sounds weird, and I brought this up before but, maybe the Giants can bring back Ted Robinson. I think I saw somewhere that his contract with the Niners is up after this year, and maybe the Niners could look for a new radio play-by-play guy in Greg Papa since Greg Papa is now doing Niners pre and postgame on NBC Sports Bay Area.
ReplyDeleteIf the Niners decide to go in that direction and not bring back Ted Robinson, then the Giants should go after him. Yeah, he would be kind of a 5th wheel for a few years, but he probably would be available when Kuip and/or Jon Miller can't go, and the Giants wouldn't have to worry about trying to find an out of town guy (with all due respect to the guy that filled in during the Reds and Mets series last month) to fill in for them. Ted Robinson could also fill in for Dave Flemming when he has to go and do ESPN games.
We'll see what happens, but I'm kind of surprised they haven't reached out to Ted Robinson, who I think does a better job calling baseball games than he does football.
The only thing funnier than the Giants circling the drain this season is Larry Baer thinking he is a ladies man.
ReplyDeletePam keep an eye on your husband!!
Let Lisa G call the games. She can pump up all of the Giants money-making ventures. It's not about the product on the field, it's all about the product off the field that really matters with the Giants. Meanwhile, the Oakland Athletics are going to be very stealth-like entering this postseason. They're going to surprise a lot of people. They may play in anonymity, but very soon that's gonna change.
ReplyDeleteMurphy turns against ANYONE who didn't come up a Gnat. The ultimate brown nose homer. Mac doesnt have the brain to know any better.
ReplyDeleteSince we're on the topic of baseball I need to mention this-
ReplyDeleteA's - 30 games OVER .500 with one of the smallest payrolls in baseball.
Giants - 8 games UNDER .500 with one of the largest payrolls in baseball.
So who do the Giants fire? Sabean, Evans, Bochy? All of the above?
I think Baer should look at who authorized the trade with Tampa Bay for taking on Longoria's contract who is past 30 years old. When they should go young and cheap. They also traded Duffy in a separate deal where Duffy is not only a fan favorite, was making a low level contract and playing well in Tampa. On the field performance is first priority not who is, "On-assignment."
ReplyDeleteCorrect on Longoria. I can understand the signing of
DeleteMcCutcheon as it was for only year, but the Giants owe
Longoria over 70 million and they are stuck with him
FOREVER!!! It would have been nice to have Duffy, but they
could also have re-signed Nunez and paid him the same as
the Bosox -- two million. Horrible mismanagement on the
part of Bobby Evans.
10:27 PM - I agree on all your points.
DeleteEvans should be fired immediately...
They traded Duffy for Matt Moore, one of the worst trades in recent history.
ReplyDeleteDuffy hasn't done well with his new team.
Delete10:28 PM - Duffy is hitting almost .300, he was hurt last year, get your facts straight...
DeleteKruk to retire because he has difficulty navigating the broadcast booth? I realize he needs a cane, but even with two crutches or a mobility scooter, why would that stop him? He sits. Kruk is too good to lose. They say he’s pushing 79. He’s the same age as Miller...65 and he’s younger than Kuip.
ReplyDeleteIf Kruk left, I would start watching again. It would be even better if Kuip went with him
Delete5:33 PM - agree 100%.....
DeleteLOL, 1:44, and 3:56 is spot on with the need to improve the minor league system. Looks like the players, like the fans, want to steer clear of Amy G, so she better be part of the likely overhaul.
ReplyDeleteone more season of miller-if they flop next year, then he should retire, one more chance he gets.
ReplyDelete