Baseball Announcers

This might be an odd topic now that I'm in China and unable to catch Giants games regularly, but this issue has been on my mind for a long time, and a column is well overdue. First, I need to clarify a few things. I've been bred on Giants baseball, from commentators like Ted Robinson and Joe Morgan in the mid-90's to the present day crew of Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper, Jon Miller, and Dave Flemming with periodic guest appearances from Greg Papa and Lon Simmons. As such, I've been regularly spoiled with terrific commentary and witty humor, as well as been sheltered from the announcing pitfalls of the rest of the world.

MLB.tv has opened my eyes over the past few months. Just today, when catching the Padres-Giants game, I was subjected to the relative torture of an overaggressive play-by-play man, who was intent on defining each event of the game as the culmination and embodment of the greatness of the sport. Let's face it guys; baseball is a lot of fun to be around - there's enough pressure, strategy, and execution to raise any true fan's blood level. But the game has also been around for over a century, and there are few occurences that happen today that have never happened before. When a rookie pitcher strikes out the side, it's not time to annoint him the second coming of Nolan Ryan. Nor when a player makes a great catch, is it time to compare it to the likes of Willie Mays' famous snag. We should appreciate these modern day feats, but not exaggerate their significance.

From my viewings of present day, there are several types of announcers, who can probably be categorized into three general groups. I'll give a few examples of each, but I'm too lazy to look up announcer names. They are as follows:

1) The extremely boring, tiresome old men who agree that silence is the best way to watch a game. In fact, when this voice cuts through the silence, it almost lingers with awkwardness. At other points, I almost feel as if I'm listening to a Charles Dickens novel on tape. Old school.
Examples: Vin Scully (Dodgers), the late Bill King (A's), and the Phillies play-by-play guy

2) The young, overly excited announcer whose harsh voice grates in your ears, as he emphasizes the significance of every minute detail. Such announcers are traditionally play-by-play guys, who overdramatize the game.
Examples: Joe Buck, pretty much 1/2 of the rest of the population

3) The good ones. They may not be particularly exciting, nor lull you to sleep, but they provide a steady balance of good insight and let the game take its course. They remember that they do not determine the game; the game determines how they interact with their viewers.
Examples: The entire Giants staff, many color analysts (ex: Ray Fosse), etc.

So now that we've defined the three types of announcers, what makes a good one? It takes a wide variety of skills. First, there is a vocal quality that is essential. Boring voices lull you to sleep; harsh ones make your ears hurt. A steady, deep voice is often soothing and allows you to enjoy the game as it happens. Of course excitement is necessary at the right times, but as is distress, melancholy, and modesty. As great as a homer announcer is, he can't be completely biased.

Next, is wit. Let's face it, we all love laughter, and humor is a great way to feel as if you're connecting with the announcer. It might be witty, dry humor (best epitomized by Miller), or crude less-sophisticated humor. Either way, the listener enjoys his experience, and the announcers connect with a chemistry that is essential to a good crew. If the announcers aren't on the same page, it just doesn't work.

Lastly, the listener has to feel a sense of enjoyment, that the announcers love what they do and love the game itself. Listeners don't like it if the announcer has to explain every detail to them, but at the same time, a good color guy that provides excellent insight makes the game a more wholesome experience. Overanalyzation is bad, but an explanation of how players, managers think in a firsthand experience is invaluable, and cannot be obtained by anyone else.

These ingredients are all necessary to become an excellent baseball announcer. Baseball is different from more uptempo sports such as basketball and football, because there is more of a lull between plays. Announcers need to pass the time with anecdotes and banter, as they become a part of the entire experience. There isn't always action, and baseball contains more intellectual strategy than any of the other major sports, which emphasizes the need for knowledgeable, entertaining commentators.

So what makes the Giants crew so great? Well, first, there's chemistry. Kruk and Kuip work as well together as anyone in the game today. Kuip provides the steady play-by-play, allowing Kruk to work freely within the context of the game. They set each other up, they feed off each other, they make fun of each other, they're friends with each other. Kuiper steadily calls the game as it is, not forcing the action, while Kruk, the star of the show, definitely adds the extra spice and punch that is both insightful as well as entertaining.

Next, there's the wit. I urge you to listen to the postgame show in the radio. Jon Miller is an exceptional announcer, informing viewers during the game as well as maintaing a sense of naiivete that implies that he isn't the know-it-all, just a lucky guy calling the game as it is. But in terms of dry wit, intelligence, and nearly poetic speech, Miller is as hilarious as Stephen Colbert, if only in a different context. And of course, as the counterbalance to Miller's outstanding mind, Dave Flemming translates steadily for the listeners, keeping everything under control and moderated.

Let's face it. These guys all love the game of baseball. Moreover, they enjoy being with each other, talking about the game they love and sharing their passion with their fans. If they can make fun of each other, even better. I've literally laughed out loud, by myself, just listening to the postgame show. These guys have all the ingredients necessary to become the ultimate broadcasting team, and to listen to them work is truly a pleasure. Perhaps someday, other parts of America will appreciate how great the Giants broadcasting squad truly is.