Orioles Announcers, Where Would You Rank Them?

[isestrex]

Thorne is almost the perfect TV announcer for this area. Just throw out the mistakes, which I know is hard as they come pretty quick and often. As a TV guy he has two jobs: sorta keep tabs on the action (we can see it, that's the beauty of TV) and interact with the color. And he does those great, especially with Palmer. If you have access in some way, listen to some of the games Palmer did with Hunter the year before Thorne. You can hear the contempt in Palmer's voice, he had enough of that idiot jabbering next to him. Then, listen to the first month with Thorne, it was like Palmer was reborn. I think a lot of people turned around on Palmer at the same time Thorne started simply because Palmer went from being an arrogant egotist to being a confident HoF'er with appropriate anecdotes (even if they were mostly self centered). The fact he gets along so well with Thorne is HUGE. And he can even do some games with Hunter without sounding like he wants to kill him.

Thorne and Palmer bring out the best in each other. You want your TV broadcast crew to be two guys you're sitting with in the stands, talking the game with you. Or the bar, whatever. They're good at that. You're watching the game, that's how you know Thorne isn't entirely accurate pretty much constantly. But he's engagingly wrong.

Totally agree with this.

[johndeerebird]

Is it me, or has MASN all but done away with the field reporter since Amber left? I can't recall a reporter on the field at all so far this year.

I was thinking of this because I watched the NESN broadcast last week, and they had some 25-year old girl who couldn't speak (or read from a teleprompter) doing their on-field reporting. They would cut to her with no notice or transition. Really awful, unprofessional production value. We really are spoiled.

[linedrive]

I find this post amusing because the Yankee fans I know absolutely HATE Thorne. Every time the O's and Yanks play they spew disdain for him, which makes me love him even more!

[tccoach]

Here in the midwest, we have Rex Hudler doing Royals games in place of Frank White...Hudler is painful to listen to... Good thing they have Denny Matthews doing Radio or it would be unbearable. I am ok with Gary Thorne, as mentioned he may not be at the top of the list but he is better than most...

[footlong]

wonder where brother low is

[OFFNY]

wonder where brother low is

Love, Brother Love, Say Brother Love's Travellin' Salvation Show !!!

[byrdz]

I like Gary, but he's not very knowledgable about baseball.

I don't think anyone was expecting him to be. I certainly don't tune in to hear his detailed analysis of the sport. I thought that was Palmers et al's job anyway.

[OrangeJerseys]

I thoroughly love Gary and Palmer when I get the chance. Thorne is so unique and has a great voice while Jim's insight is irreplaceable.

I'm blessed to still be able to listen to Jon Miller on a nightly basis and he's still as good as ever. Kruk and Kuip are the best tv guys in my opinion. The fact that they played gets you to trust them and they don't get in the way of the game at all.

[jamalshw]

I find this post amusing because the Yankee fans I know absolutely HATE Thorne. Every time the O's and Yanks play they spew disdain for him, which makes me love him even more!

I'm fine with them hating Thorne, because if they put up with their radio announcers, I don't want whoever they like. Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling make the worst broadcasting team on any format, for any team.

John Sterling's home run calls are past the point of tolerable. I couldn't stand Joe Angel's Reynolds Wrap call when Mark was hitting homers, but at least he limited those 'cute' calls to a couple players. I drive home during many games (long commute) and am stuck with the Yankees feed on my Sirius XM radio for O's/Yankees games and more often than not find myself listening to non-Orioles games when they play the Yankees because Sterling and Waldman drive me crazy.

Waldman doesn't have the annoying habits of Sterling, but I feel like she either doesn't know the game or doesn't watch it. She makes comments that are either way too surface and obvious OR she makes comments that are just flat wrong. I've heard he stay things that directly contradict what Sterling just said regarding number of outs, runners on base, count, etc.

[Palmoripken]

Okay

TV:

Thorne: He could be better but he's got a great PBP voice.

Palmer: Our best. Great storyteller, knows what he's talking about, the best Orioles pitcher ever and he'll let you know it but he was so I am cool with that.

Bordick: Okay, not horrible, I like him since he's from the O's teams that I grew up following.

Hunter: Way too positive.

Dempsey: Similiar to Hunter except he's way hyperbolic when it comes to his favorite players.

Radio:

Angel: I love the guy. He gets high marks because he's great with names and I love his Orioles winning call.

Manfra: I don't dislike Fred but he's nothing special either.

Mu dream would be to have Angel and Palmer doing the games. Has Angel ever done TV?

[BirdinBama]

Down south here I put up the Braves. But Chip Caray and Joe Simpson are absolutely horrible. They'll talk for 5 minutes about a hot dog wrapper blowing across the diamond.

[fishbowlguy]

I probably agree with GMU alot on his analysis.... Some guys have the great voice(Thorne) some guys can still tell you things that you may not notice(Palmer) and some guys are pure entertainment value(Brother Low).

Thorne has the great pipes and meshes well with Palmer. I like him. I dont need him to give me any baseball knowledge or observations.

Palmer as others have said, is cocky as hell, but his knowledge and observations are really sharp. We are lucky to have him and Gary working together.

Joe Angel - back in my teens, when I was delivering pizza during the summers home from college, Joe Angel was like a god. Joe Angel is also really entertaining and funny. Self deprecating at times, and usually I will literally laught out loud a couple of times listening to him. He is phenominal. Jon Miller was also one of the best.

Manfra - he is fine. Good radio voice. Not Joe Angel, but good enough to listen to. We all know about his abilities with fly balls/HR's.

Bordick - Was absolutely horrible to start out with, but has really gotten better. Sometimes still searching for things to say and can be Captain Obvious at times, but he is still a work in progress and sometimes maybe we compare him to Palmer too much.

Hunter - Love the oriole enthusiasm, but he is better suited to the occasional watcher because he is so basic.

The Demper - As bad as he can be sometimes, he is still The Demper and if you were a kid and watched him slide around on the tarp during rain delays, you could never hate The Demper.

Flanny - really miss him. Could sound almost sullen at times, but he knew his stuff. Quick witted and also made me laugh alot. Will never forget the night the news broke about his death.

Trying to figure out who I missed. I do remember Chuck Thompson and he was great, but I was young. Didnt Mel Proctor do Orioles as well? I was a big fan of his - he did Bullets games as well.

[footlong]

mel proctor and brother low,say no more.

[orioles942]

My first post ever. But.... went without TV last year and listened to game on the radio and kept score at home. Have to say Fred Manfra is the worst radio broadcaster I have ever heard in my life. Manfra is wrong factually about what is happening on the feild so often you can't even count. Then he can't accurately describe what is happening on the feild without causing massive confusion. I can him the "manfra code" Nice person no doubt, but I hope he hangs it up.

Bordick is so boring, I have MLB.tv.com and listen to other teams feeds instead.

Palmer and Thorne make the game entertaining.

[The Wedge]

Manfra tries too hard. Especially in his descriptions. There are times when his descriptions of the action take so long by the time he's done, the next batter is striking out.