Tim McCarver, former lead analyst for FOX baseball the past 18 seasons, started his new job as part-time analyst for Fox Sports Midwest last night during the Cardinals game versus the Brewers.
McCarver is slated to call 30 games for the Cardinals in 2014, including tonight’s game and then the Cubs series this weekend in Chicago.
Here’s an unpopular opinion: this is a big upgrade from Rick Horton and Al Hrabosky.
Broadcasters, especially national ones, are lightning rods for vitriol. Name anyone that is employed by ESPN, FOX, NBC, ABC or CBS and you’ll get a faction of people that will rail on them anytime you hear their voice.
Joe Buck doesn’t get excited. Jim Nantz is too sappy. Verne Lundquist can’t remember players names. Heck, even Gus Johnson is feeling the heat after transitioning to soccer. If you’ve got a job that involves a microphone in a stadium, you will be hated.
McCarver is no exception. Here is a link to the ‘I Hate Tim McCarver Home Page‘. Featured on said page is a Family Guy clip that makes fun of McCarver.
Why? Why do people hate announcers?
1) It’s easier to bitch. It just is. People do it because it’s harder to think about things from different perspectives. It’s harder to be nuanced. It’s harder to be funny or entertaining. But it’s real easy to just fire off a Tweet of FB post about how you’ve been annoyed or slighted in the least. Go through your feeds right now and find the people bitching about something. Now think about how much value they add to your life. The answer? Minimal.
2) They’re jealous. Calling sports is a pretty tight gig.
That’s pretty much the list. And it’s kind of ironic that the trenchant insight these same people seek from announcers can be found on hundreds, if not thousands, of outlets all over the web. If you don’t like Troy Aikman or Joe Morgan or Johnny Miller, all you have to do is Google whatever game you’re watching and a plethora of perspective will be found.
But it’s easier to bitch.
Candidly, I don’t have much of an opinion on McCarver, or really any announcer or commentator for that matter. I’m watching games, making my own opinions, and relying on them to explain a situation or two that might come up in a game (like an injury or the like). Announcers don’t add much or detract much from my enjoyment of sports.
When Peter Borjous laid down a bunt late in Monday’s game to the third base side after the Brewers had already shown they were charging in, McCarver called him out. Said it was a bad play. I don’t think I’ve heard Hrabosky or Horton call out any Cardinal player since 2009 without a big fat caveat at the end of their statement for fear of getting their hands slapped by the team.
That’s fine. Al and Rick want to be loved by the Cardinals management and the players. I know this going in and take their analysis with a grain of salt. McCarver seems to not care as much. Personally I prefer that approach. So I guess I prefer McCarver.
Again, probably not popular.
But I’d posit to you that if you’re worked up by the announcers in a big way, then you’re already on social media posting about how stupid this whole post about McCarver is.
After all, it’s just easier to bitch.
Photo: Huffington Post
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