Fox Baseball Analyst Tim McCarver To Retire

[Joseph_Gallant]

After some three decades as a top baseball TV analyst on three different networks (ABC, CBS, and Fox), Tim McCarver has announced that he will retire after the soon-to-start 2013 season.

Fox Sports story:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/tim-mccarver-to-step-down-after-season-032713 .

McCarver is 71, so I suspect he'll simply retire from broadcasting.

Also, if my memory is correct, Fox's over-the-air MLB coverage is going to be dramatically reduced starting in 2014. I thought I read somewhere that the network's coverage starting next year will shrink to between 16 and 19 games, twelve prime-time Saturday-night games during the regular season (most weeks between April and August, with some pre-emptions for MMA, NASCAR, or in August, pre-season NFL games) and the World Series.

It will be interesting to see who might become McCarver's replacement. Certainly, Ron Darling, Jim Katz, Orel Hershirer, Rick Sutcliffe, or Fox's own Bob Bremley might be "in the mix". I could also see Steve Stone, Tom Glavine (the former two are analysts for local baseball telecasts this coming season) or Curt Schilling be contenders.

Needless to say, the executive offices of Fox Sports will be flooded with tapes!

 

[mgsports]

Millar,Reynolds or Karros or so on from MLB Network.

Also Fox is not reducing Games but adding Games to Fox Sports 1 that's coming.

 

[buster2]

Bob Brenly isn't a FOX employee, though he may have done some work for them. For several years, he was the Cubs analyst and before that, managed the Arizona Diamondbacks to their World Series title. Prior to that, he was the D-backs analyst, which, ironically he now is again since the club hired him back in the off-season. All that being said, Bob would be excellent on the national broadcasts, and would certainly be available on a limited basis.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Also Fox is not reducing Games but adding Games to Fox Sports 1 that's coming.

Fox is adding games to their new Fox Sports 1 cable network, but it is my understanding the number of games on their over-the-air network will be reduced to 12 regular-season contests and the World Series.

 

[Mr Tony]

Also Fox is not reducing Games but adding Games to Fox Sports 1 that's coming.

Fox is adding games to their new Fox Sports 1 cable network, but it is my understanding the number of games on their over-the-air network will be reduced to 12 regular-season contests and the World Series.

correct

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

I, for one, will miss McCarver's analysis. I grew up in New York during the '80s when he was doing TV for the Mets, and even though the Yankees were my team I always learned something new from listening to him. The three years he spent in the Yankees' booth with Bobby Murcer on WNYW were, in my opinion, a perfect match.

So I have never understood all the hate for McCarver. I would guess they come from two factions: 1) people who were never talented enough to have caught for 21 seasons in MLB like he did; and 2) a younger generation of ESPN-raised fans who prefer loud, catch-phrase spouting analysts who use numbers as a crutch -- basically, a Sabermetric version of Dick Vitale. Sorry, not my style.

The catcher-pitcher relationship is a unique one, and McCarver's perspective on that has always been enlightening. If he is heading into retirement, good luck. My top choice to replace him would be Bob Brenly also, but if I were Fox I'd see if I could pry Ron Darling away from his weekend job at TBS.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

So I have never understood all the hate for McCarver. I would guess they come from two factions: 1) people who were never talented enough to have caught for 21 seasons in MLB like he did; and 2) a younger generation of ESPN-raised fans who prefer loud, catch-phrase spouting analysts who use numbers as a crutch -- basically, a Sabermetric version of Dick Vitale. Sorry, not my style.

I believe that broadcasters have shelf lives of about ten years. McCarver's several decades of national exposure have given baseball fans a lot of chances to grow to dislike him.

McCarver probably isn't helped by sitting next to Joe Buck, who may be the least liked baseball announcer in the TV era. Seriously, its hard to find anyone who has a better opinion of him than microwaved oatmeal.

 

[DToTheJ]

... I grew up in New York during the '80s when he was doing TV for the Mets, and even though the Yankees were my team I always learned something new from listening to him. The three years he spent in the Yankees' booth with Bobby Murcer on WNYW were, in my opinion, a perfect match...

T-Mac is the only broadcaster to work games for both the Mets (1983-98) and the Yankees (1999-2001); in fact, by the end of his run on WNYW, his previous employer (WWOR) would become WNYW's sister station. McCarver also did a year of Giants games on KTVU (another Fox O&O) in 2002, as well.

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

I believe that broadcasters have shelf lives of about ten years. McCarver's several decades of national exposure have given baseball fans a lot of chances to grow to dislike him.

McCarver probably isn't helped by sitting next to Joe Buck, who may be the least liked baseball announcer in the TV era. Seriously, its hard to find anyone who has a better opinion of him than microwaved oatmeal.

So I guess you must feel the same way about guys like Dickie V and John Madden, or the numerous play-by-play voices who have been doing it for 20+ years, huh?

Joe Buck has admitted that he got to where he is because of who his father was. But that doesn't mean he didn't work hard in proving himself to stay there. He obviously has, even if you don't care for him.

I think TV makes it look easy just because it's TV. Radio play-by-play and analysis is harder because you have to be more descriptive. To me, that is the real test of a sports announcer. If Buck and McCarver were doing radio, would they get this much hate?

McCarver also did a year of Giants games on KTVU (another Fox O&O) in 2002, as well.

KTVU is an affiliate, not a network-owned station.

 

[cd637299]

There's no doubt that McCarver knows his stuff....but it's possible that that is the problem that folk have with Tim. I think it's the sense that Tim seems to talk down to the viewer.

For folk watching baseball for the first time, I guess it's okay.

There used to be a website, shutuptimmccarver.com ---no more, but much of his repertoire has been saved here:

http://sports-boards.net/forums/showthread.php/184486-Shut-up-Tim-McCarver

....not that I like reading *some* of the wording there....

The Bill Simmons blog/post there will be the one remembered most often, I think.

cd

 

[KeithE4]

I believe that broadcasters have shelf lives of about ten years. McCarver's several decades of national exposure have given baseball fans a lot of chances to grow to dislike him.

You mean folks are growing to dislike Vin Scully? They must be, because he's been broadcasting baseball for over 60 years. :

McCarver probably isn't helped by sitting next to Joe Buck, who may be the least liked baseball announcer in the TV era. Seriously, its hard to find anyone who has a better opinion of him than microwaved oatmeal.

Buck's problem is that, unlike his dad, he doesn't seem to like doing baseball other than for the money. He does a much better job on NFL games because he acts like he wants to be there. Of course, having Troy Aikman as his broadcast partner instead of McCarver helps. McCarver may be knowledgeable, but he's too condescending and just plain annoying.

But Buck isn't the least-liked baseball announcer in the TV era. He's a close second, but that award has to go to Hawk Harrelson. ;D

 

[mgsports]

Joe Morgan?
Ozzie Guillen?
Mark Grace or Steve Sax?

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

You mean folks are growing to dislike Vin Scully? They must be, because he's been broadcasting baseball for over 60 years. :

It is my understanding that this year, Scully will not do all 162 Los Angeles Dodgers' games, but just 132 (home games plus away games in Anaheim, San Diego, San Francisco, and Phoenix), although it's also my understanding that if the Dodgers make the postseason, he would call all playoff games, whether home or away.

 

[ShawnHill1]

You mean folks are growing to dislike Vin Scully? They must be, because he's been broadcasting baseball for over 60 years. :

It is my understanding that this year, Scully will not do all 162 Los Angeles Dodgers' games, but just 132 (home games plus away games in Anaheim, San Diego, San Francisco, and Phoenix), although it's also my understanding that if the Dodgers make the postseason, he would call all playoff games, whether home or away.

He's worked a reduced schedule for at least the last 8-9 years now, although he would make an occasional trip east of Denver; up until a year or two ago, he did all road games within the National League West, as well as the interleague games in Anaheim, and some years in Oakland and Seattle during interleague play.

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

For what it's worth, Scully is also scheduled to do the Dodgers' interleague series at Yankee Stadium this year (June 18 and 19).

There is also Jerry Coleman, the voice of the Padres since '71 and a broadcaster for half-a-century now. Like Scully, he works a limited amount of home games and road contests. At 87, three years older than Scully, he still sounds sharp. So did then-88-year-old Ernie Harwell during the Tigers' post-season run in '06.

While these are extraordinary examples, to to set ten years as the shelf life of a broadcaster or an analyst is pretty short-sighted.

 

[KeithE4]

For what it's worth, Scully is also scheduled to do the Dodgers' interleague series at Yankee Stadium this year (June 18 and 19).

He probably still has family and friends in the NYC area and wants to see them. Harry Caray only did Cubs road games in St. Louis and Atlanta at the end of his life, for that reason.

There is also Jerry Coleman, the voice of the Padres since '71 and a broadcaster for half-a-century now. Like Scully, he works a limited amount of home games and road contests. At 87, three years older than Scully, he still sounds sharp. So did then-88-year-old Ernie Harwell during the Tigers' post-season run in '06.

Nobody ever used "Jerry Coleman" and "sharp" in the same sentence before. He's not called "The Master of the Malaprop" for nothing. ;D

While these are extraordinary examples, to to set ten years as the shelf life of a broadcaster or an analyst is pretty short-sighted.

To put it mildly. Scully, Ernie Harwell, Harry Caray, Phil Rizzuto, Jack Brickhouse, Bob Prince, Jack Buck, Vince Lloyd, Lou Boudreau, Mel Allen, Red Barber, Bob Elson, Herb Carneal, Bob Uecker, Ralph Kiner, and many many others had very long careers broadcasting baseball.

 

[cd637299]

Speaking of Jerry Coleman.....

http://funny2.com/coleman.htm

The "Winfield" entry (#11) is my fave.

cd

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I believe that broadcasters have shelf lives of about ten years. McCarver's several decades of national exposure have given baseball fans a lot of chances to grow to dislike him.

So I guess you must feel the same way about guys like Dickie V and John Madden, or the numerous play-by-play voices who have been doing it for 20+ years, huh?

Yes, most definitely.

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

Speaking of Jerry Coleman.....

http://funny2.com/coleman.htm

The "Winfield" entry (#11) is my fave.

cd

And Dave Winfield is my all-time favorite player. You can hang a star on that one, baby.

I believe that broadcasters have shelf lives of about ten years. McCarver's several decades of national exposure have given baseball fans a lot of chances to grow to dislike him.

So I guess you must feel the same way about guys like Dickie V and John Madden, or the numerous play-by-play voices who have been doing it for 20+ years, huh?

Yes, most definitely.

How would you like to be told at your job, which you might be good at, "ten years and you're out"? Should you feel entitled to stay as long as you can get the job done? Most definitely. I don't think it's far for you to make that kind of narrow-minded assessment of someone's job ability.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

How would you like to be told at your job, which you might be good at, "ten years and you're out"? Should you feel entitled to stay as long as you can get the job done? Most definitely. I don't think it's far for you to make that kind of narrow-minded assessment of someone's job ability.

It isn't 1960. No one is entitled to keep their job.

Moreover, I make no judgment on Mr. McCarver's ability to analyze baseball. Its about the audience growing tired of the same analysis after many years.