While the Jon Miller hullabaloo has now exited center stage and he'll be ESPN-less for the SF Giants next season, the next chapter in broadcasting symmetry in your fear-the-beard wonders is about to take place...we think.
Both Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper's contracts expired last season and while its a good bet to think both will be back next season because, well, that's just the right thing, wait a minute.
I'm not privy to exact figures on K and K's salary numbers, but I do know that both want significant raises over their 2010 compensation packages. (Industry people I spoke to say both are paid in 'the high six figures." Add note: Both Kruk and Kuip are paid by the Giants, not Comcast and KNBR)
Keep in mind that this figures to be a pretty simple business transaction; the fan base gravitates to the 'atta babe and 'outta here! guy, but as I've said here countless times, Larry Baer, who ultimately makes the call in this dept. is known for his hard-line negotiating tactics, (which isn't such a bad thing, by the way).
Which means if you place common sense into the equation, "it'll get done" and everyone will live happily ever after, right? Uh, well sure. Maybe. Probably.
But say both the lads want a cool million each? That's a lot of pine, meat!
This much is simple: Miller is under contract for the Giants for the next two years. Negotiations with Krukow and Kuiper haven't started in earnest yet because of post-World Series business. A lot of "little things" on the agenda.
Usually by this time, broadcast talent has been handled and ready to go for the upcoming campaign. We don't anticipate a problem here because both sides tend to need each other. I suspect that Baer might want to take care of this before too long and I'd imagine Kruk and Kuip want their slice of the pie dished out fairly soon.
But at what cost? We shall soon find out.
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