I thought this would be worth sharing with our readers. On Saturday, Bob Klapisch of The Record reported that the negotiations between David Cone and the YES Network have soured and that Coney may be looking for a new home.
It appears Cone’s short but brilliant run in the YES broadcast booth may be over. Sources say Cone is out after a heated disagreement with network executives.
A spokesman confirmed via e-mail: “David’s contract is up. We’d love to have him back, but he’s in the process of evaluating his various options. … He may not be back based on what he decides.”
Klapisch likens Cone to SNY’s Ron Darling in that they both have a graceful way of analyzing the game for viewers in a manner that suits both hard core fans and casual fans alike. Unlike Darling though, Cone is on top of the latest advanced metrics and frequently incorporates them into each broadcast.
Can you imagine the animated dialog between him and the old school Keith Hernandez when Coney attempts to explain UZR to the eleven time Gold Glove winner?
That alone would be worth the price of admission.
With Ron Darling being called on to help out more frequently in the pre and post game shows, along with his expanded duties with TBS, Cone would easily be able to do 40-50 games a season for the Mets if not more.
He would also be able to do guest spots on radio, provide some on the field analysis in between innings, and add more depth to what is already a solid broadcast.
One other area that might work is pairing the cool and calm Cone with the more fiery and intense Bobby Ojeda in the post game show. (Leave Chris Carlin in the pre game show.) Their contrasting styles would make for some excellent exchanges especially after a particularly tough loss.
What are your thoughts?
