It’s Outta Here! What’s your opinion on the Mets broadcast team?
A NYsportsGUY Exclusive
Every Mets fan has their own opinion on the how the team is going to perform this year. It appears that everyone is optimistic. We all expect them to increase productivity individually as well as exceeding the number of wins they had as a team last year. Lets all agree on that at least. Some of us feel that our starting right fielder should be Lastings Milledge. While others feel that Shawn Green’s recent spring training surge leaves him the front-runner for the open corner spot. Some insist that David Wright will be more effective hitting in the 2 spot. But naysayers insist that his RISP opportunities will decrease if stuck there. Many believe that our starting pitching is prepared and ready to roll over lineups. Others are petitioning that El Duque should look into rolling his 401k over. A lot of people think the bullpen is the strength of the team. While many others think that even David Wells is in better shape than Duaner Sanchez is right now. Whatever your opinion may be, you have no choice but to put your faith in Willie Randolph and hope that he was worth the raise that he received in the off-season.
One thing that often goes unobserved is the SNY broadcast booth. I mean some of us listen to theses guys over 162 times a year. We watch the players play, sit in the hard seats and hear the crowd roar when we are at Shea Stadium. But most of the time we either don’t have time to visit to the rickety old ballpark, can’t afford to go, or it’s a road game. I was fortunate to go to over 10 games last year and I plan to surpass that number this year. I watched almost every other game on television where Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez showcased their commentary skills. I wanted to talk about how I felt about these guys and I also wanted to see how other Mets fans felt about them.
One of my favorite parts of summer is waking up on Sunday morning (make that afternoon) after a foggy Saturday night and hearing the smooth, silky baritone voice of Gary Cohen. Formerly a radio play-by-play man (if you look at his picture you see why he was in radio), he paints the picture of the game like Seurat paints, well, Sunday Afternoon. Cohen is great because he is a true Mets fan and you can tell when he sometimes gets overtly excited about things that transpire on the field. Like “Its outta here!” his screeching catchphrase when a homerun is hit. Ron Darling is my favorite color commentary guy. He is poignant as well as knowledgeable about all aspects of the game not just pitching. He effectively analyzes pitching strategies in addition to offering non-biased opinions about the Mets and all of baseball. Ron and Gary both are Ivy League school graduates. Gary was on the Deans list at Columbia while Ron attended Yale University. Then there is Keith Hernandez.
I will always love Keith. He was my favorite player growing up and he epitomized the attitude of the 1986 team. I enjoy listening to him during the games for the most part. But anyone who listens to the games on TV frequently knows that he can be a little “off the cuff” occasionally. I personally like it when he says the ridiculous things he says. It offers some cheap laughs when the Mets are already blowing the other team out. Some of us are what’s called a “Hater”. You know, someone who hates for the pure fun of hating or that drinks “Haterade” very often. A good friend of mine despises Keith. In fact he refuses to even listen to the games he announces, preferring to sit in silence. Well actually, he prefers to watch the game at a bar in silence. He is such a hater that he wrote an email to SNY 2 years ago calling for his immediate resignation. It was actually pretty funny. He copied the email to me and I saved it. Here our some of the excerpts that exude an extra amount of hate:
Dear SNY Representative…I think your network has a bright young future with the New York Mets and I believe you soon will be broadcasting at the same level as MSG and the YES Network…I am of the younger generation and have been a fan since Straw and Doc were coming to the end of their careers and began a different type of lifestyle...I find it hard to watch the games without the television on mute because of the utterly atrocious performance of Keith Hernandez. He is the most unprofessional, incompetent, uninteresting, inappropriate broadcaster of all time…First of all, I find that he gets more passionate when speaking about the bend of a baseball cap as opposed to the topic of contemporary baseball…When Albert Pujols was brought up Keith replied that he is an excellent hitter...If it is not about the 86' Mets, fashion, a hitter's arm guard, or how "the pitcher got away with one"…Keith has nothing to say…On opening day when Keith concluded a story with, "That's the last time I ever drink Kahlua" and thought to myself, "Is this guy really on the air?" After another inappropriate comment about a woman being in the Padres' dugout sparking a national anti-Keith outcry I thought he was toast for sure, but not so…Keith is back to what he knows best, ruining my afternoon…Keith Hernandez should be a nobody. There should be no Seinfeld, no celebrity golf tournaments, no broadcasting career...He just isn't mentally equipped enough to commentate on a baseball game in an entertaining and informative manner… P.S. Ron Darling has been great!!…Feel free to contact me if necessary…
Sincerely, “A good friend of mine”
I cut this email down by more than half of its original length. I estimate that many readers will disagree with what was written but you can’t say that it wasn’t hilarious! Yes I’m sure that his boss wasn’t happy about him writing a 1000 word essay during work but your boss isn’t happy about you reading this article during your job right now. Get back to work!
BREAKING NEWS: Duaner Sanchez has been shutdown after suffering what has been termed a "setback" this morning. He was taken off of the mound by the trainer and has been sent to a doctor for further examination. Today was supposed to be the first day that Duaner was to throw live pitching. This doesn't sound good. Stay tuned.
Comments
Damn I hope Sanchez is OK. I happen to like our broadcast team on SNY. One guy I never liked was Fran Healey, he used to make me want to stick my fingers in my eye. I don't know how he lasted as long as he did.
Posted by: Daniel | March 22, 2007 12:32 PM
I think Keith at times, needs to "govern" his mouth. I will also agree that he does do the "Old AL Bundy" and run on about his heydays, but I think we all have a little of that in us. Otherwise I like his baseball knowledge and he's a good third wheel in contrast to Cohen, and Darling. I say keep him! Also let Kiner do the Korner every Friday!
Posted by: L.J. Phipps | March 22, 2007 12:36 PM
First off, NYsportsguy is right on. The reason I look foward to Keith Hernandez broadcasts is not because I enjoy his insightful and extremely depth analysis. Its because I cant wait to make fun of him with my friends. From his content, his look, his attitude, and even his actual voice, you cannot do anything but laugh at him. He is like the big fat kid in high school who thinks everyone likes him because he is big and fat and yells stuff out loud during class even though he has never kissed a girl and plays with himself more than video games. My personal hell would be being locked in a room, strapped down, while Keith Hernandez, Tim McCarver, and Joe Theismann broadcast a Nascar race that never ends and there is a gun just out of my reach.
Posted by: Borat | March 22, 2007 1:56 PM
I forgot to mention that Gary Cohen is only surpassed by Al Michaels when it comes to play by play. Maybe Cosell too.
Posted by: Borat | March 22, 2007 1:58 PM
Keith is informative and yes quirky sometimes, but that's why I love him so much. It's his job to keep us entertained and he certainly does that.
You want to talk about bad, how about Michael Gay, Susan Baldman, John Hurling!
Posted by: Stephen | March 22, 2007 4:51 PM
Keith Hernandez is my hero.
And if you see him out with Ron Darling in the bar and talk smack, they will fight you.
Posted by: t-bone | March 22, 2007 5:30 PM
For the record, i think our broadcast team is better than the one that does the yankee games. Also, i think that the redsox broadcast team is a complete joke and those guys bore the hell out of me. I know, kinda random but it was bothering me
Posted by: andy | March 22, 2007 6:09 PM
It's springtime and the smell of pine tar and leather is in the air. So are the voices of Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez. The best broadcast team in all of baseball. I look forward to nothing more then getting through the daily grind, fighting my way through traffic, flopping on the couch, and letting the smooth voices of the terrific trio carry me away.
Gary with those smooth baritone pipes helps me drift past the everyday pressures of my 9-5 and reminds me of a sunny Sunday afternoon in the park with good friends. Ron with his intricate knowledge of the game, interesting insights, and of course, first hand experience of Keith's off-field excursions always helps me come away from a game knowing more than I did going in.
What about Keith you ask? Who else in a play by play booth anywhere in baseball has such a unique perspective on the game? He was an absolute world-class first baseman with a borderline Hall of Fame career and one of the ultimate "playboys" in all of baseball lore. Not only was he the primary pickup (besides The Kid, my fav.) who brought another World Series to us Mets fans, he was also singlehandedly responsible for the return of fashion icon status to the mustache.
Who else could have acquired a record 11 Gold Gloves at first base, a League MVP, World Series Ring and tell us all about it through such luscious lip-hair? It is his ability to place a unique perspective on the daily grind of a baseball season that draws me into the telecast. Yes, he shoots off the cuff quite a bit, but in this over sanitized world we live in today, Keith brings a "guy down the block" outlook to many of the events that happen on and off the field. His "tell it as he sees it" broadcast allows me to see another palette of colors in the grand mural of our American Pastime.
Keith doesn't call games like a cleaned up for prime-time talking head. He calls them as a ballplayer might, as if he was out there shagging fly balls with me on that sunny Sunday afternoon.
Posted by: Mike D. | March 22, 2007 6:46 PM
I love Gary Cohen. When I go to Shea I miss hearing Gary Cohen's voice! I think the fans love him because he's knowledgeable, good at what he does, and is a true Mets fan just like the rest of us, and he gets excited when they do something good! I enjoy listening to Ron and Keith too, no matter what anyone says. Keith is so entertaining, you never know what you're gonna get! Regardless of what they think, I actually do listen to every word, all season long, and have heard some funny stories from Keith.
Posted by: MetsGal | March 22, 2007 8:00 PM
I like Gary Keith and Ron. I just think it's time for Ralph Kiner to give it up, even though he's only around every once in a while. I liked Kiner is his day but his day is long over. Cohen does a great job though.
Posted by: Metman | March 22, 2007 8:03 PM
Personally, I love the crew we have. Gary Cohen is one of the best to begin with and Keith and Ron are great together.
Posted by: Jay | March 22, 2007 9:15 PM
I don't live in the NY area so I watch the Mets on MLB.TV. This also enables me to watch other teams play when the Mets are off and trust me, there are ALOT worse anouncers out there than Keith Hernandez. We are very lucky to have the broadcasting team that we do. Imagine having to listen to the braves anouncers every night! Bottom line - we have the best broadcasters as well as the best team in all of baseball!!!! Lets Go Mets!
Posted by: Tony C | March 22, 2007 10:40 PM
Thanks for commenting everyone!
Great Comment Mike D... "Lucious lip hair" LOL!
MetsGal you are always on point!
Yeah I like when all three are together at the same time.
I forgot to mention Chris Cotter. Does anyone remember last year when he entered some burrito costume race?
Posted by: NYsportsGUY | March 23, 2007 11:36 AM
I do enjoy listening to the sounds of baseball - I'm a slightly older person (57) and grew up listening to the radio and TV broadcasts as my Dad enjoyed his Washington Senators. So the sounds of a baseball broadcast are very soothing and comforting to me. I like all of the Mets commentators, including Keith Hernandez. I especially enjoy when Hernandez and Darling are on together, and they are able to give the pitcher's and non-pitcher's viewpoint of different plays and situations. I think we've gotten so concerned about being politically correct that when someone (like Hernandez) says what's on his mind, we are quick to "hang" him. What I see are his love for baseball, his knowledge of the game, and besides, as he said, "I'm Keith Hernandez!" (apologies to Seinfeld.) I guess I'm loyal to one of the guys who made '86 happen.
Posted by: MUZ | March 24, 2007 8:04 PM
how can i email gary cohen
Posted by: mike ferraro | April 14, 2007 8:57 PM