J T Snow & Doug Greenwald Don't Cut It On KNBR Giants Broadcasts

[DavidKaye]

I didn't realize how good things were...until hearing Doug Greenwald and JT Snow call the SF Giants baseball games these past couple days.

You wouldn't think that baseball announcers are all that different, but they truly are. Jon Miller has easy pacing, mellow tones, and a minimalist delivery that leaves you room to breathe. Likewise, Dave Flemming, who although quite young, is very good. Plus, Jon and Dave can co-announce a game and work together very well. They give space to each other. They don't step on each other. It sounds like a lot of mutual respect going on there.

I liken Jon and Dave to a balmy summer afternoon, relaxing with a mint julep and a good game.

Doug Greenwald and J T Snow were like fingernails on the blackboard. Doug seemed to want to talk about everything going on, everything that's happened, and everything that's about to happen in relation to a particular player or team.

J T Snow, on the other hand, seemed to be talking for his own amusement, stepping on Doug over and over, and apparently not watching the game at all. Snow had this tendency to talk right over plays until Doug interrupted him, then he'd go back immediately to what he was saying. Snow doesn't know when to quit.

Doug Greenwald could be a good baseball announcer if only he'd learn to slow down, take a breath, and shut up. Leave some breathing space. Savor the plays.

 

[DyingMedium]

Well, go back and listen to Dave Fleming's first season. Not great. It's not exactly a hop, skip and a jump from Minor league ball to the Majors. Plus, I'm pretty sure JT and Doug hadn't worked together before...and I think DG works solo in the minors, so that's a major adjustment right there and would explain why you may have thought of him as verbose. JT does need a lot of work...But, again, go back and listen/watch Krukow's first couple of years. Absolutely painful. Subbing in for play-by-play icons can't be an easy task. I thought DG did a good job.

 

[tripton99]

Doug did a radio play-by-play broadcast and JT sounded like he was doing TV.
Doug tries to do too much sometimes, but for radio I'd rather have that and some lazy-ass ex-jock any time.

 

[BossRadioDJ]

J.T. is, basically, a rookie in broadcasting. He's never had to work in the minors; he got promoted to the big leagues because he was a good guest on KNBR when he was still playing, and (here's a wild guess) he probably let it be known to guys like Krukow and Kuiper that he'd be interested in talking into a microphone when his career was over.

J.T.'s dad Jack made a pretty career out of being a color commentator on Rams radiocasts after his career in football was over, so who's to say that J.T. won't have a solid, if not spectacular, career after a few years of learning the ropes.

Doug Greenwald, on the other hand, is outstanding. I've listened to him for years. If J.T. has a bloodline in broadcasting, then Doug has an unmatched pedigree. (And he's really starting to sound more like his dad in the tone of his voice, if not his delivery.)

Remember, this was a quick call-up for Doug. He doesn't call Giants games on a daily basis. That he was able to jump in, on the road, with a barely-trained sidekick giving him little help, just think how good he'd be with a fulltime gig.

And I still think the A's should have hired him when they had the chance. But what the hell do I know.