I know not everyone is a big Jim Hunter fan...

[OldKingClancy]

We don't want our local announcer to be an optimistic "homer"? Enjoyable.

[The Wedge]

We don't want our local announcer to be an optimistic "homer"? Enjoyable.

There's being a homer, and there's being Jim Hunter. Before he took a backseat to Thorne he was even worse, which is actually hard to imagine. But Hunter was unrepenting. His commentary allowed no room whatsoever for criticism. And the teams he saw during his tenure as the A team play-by-play ran the gamut to boringly mediocre to downright putrid. When you're watching absolute crap and the guy calling the game is both over exaggerating the good and completely downplaying or downright excusing the bad, it gets old fast. By the end, you could tell Jim Palmer was about to strangle him.

It's a fine line to walk, but Hunter can't seem to pull it off. You want to be for the home team, but not blindingly so. Palmer does this very well. He obviously still loves the franchise, but he is never afraid to call out the bad when he sees it. Which is where you could tell he was about to kill Hunter a few years ago. He'd take someone to task for what had happened at any given moment, and Hunter would either try to somehow spin it positive, or just whitewash the whole thing. I still remember the first week or so of Thorne and Palmer being together, and me and my friends were like "is it just me, or is Palmer more humorous and loose with Thorne?" And then Thorne had another obligation, Hunter was back in the booth, and it was like a switch got flipped. Except now, Palmer actually did kind of make pointed comments about Hunter. And after that, I noticed Hunter toning it back somewhat. He went to probably being a skosh behind Hawk Harrelson for being the most rose tinted homer announcers in MLB, to being probably about average for local crew announce teams. Which is still too much of a homer for me, and for a lot of others.

[LA2]

The man just exudes optimism in every thing he says and does.

I thought tonight, Jim's call as it really started pouring was Jim Hunter personified. Jim said something along the lines of "...As the rain starts to pick up alittle..." Bordick followed by sarcastically chiming in "Yea, just a little." Hunter then goes on to seemingly try and convince us and maybe even himself, "...that the grounds-crew are not set up by the tarp. So this must not pose an imminent threat to to conclusion of the game." Or something like that. All the while, it is absolutely pouring. Then as the Ump called it, Hunter seemed genuinely depressed by the delay.

I find it hard to hate on a man that has remained so optimistic through out all of these years of sucktitude. Outside of maybe Markakis or Roberts, I doubt there's anyone more grateful, appreciative and deserving of the new-found winning ways then Hunter.

Thanks for the detailed, amusing account!

[mark_beckens]

...but he can be a great announcer. His call on the Wieters double was fantastic.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_05_07_kcamlb_balmlb_1&mode=video&content_id=26926063&tcid=vpp_copy_26926063

I miss Jon Miller.

[UpstateNYfan]

You know the O's are doing pretty well when it's down to complaining about announcers. It's worse when you have a homer and the team is poor. Let him enjoy it too.

[Frobby]

...but he can be a great announcer. His call on the Wieters double was fantastic.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_05_07_kcamlb_balmlb_1&mode=video&content_id=26926063&tcid=vpp_copy_26926063

Certainly nothing wrong with the call here, but what's fantastic about it? Seems pretty standard to me. The moment itself was pretty fantastic, though.

[Dipper9]

And yet he also said 'most teams want to make Wieters hit righty because he doesn't do it that often'. He should stick to calling what's happening on the field, and try not to absorb Dempsey's habits of just making stuff up. No one is mistaking him for Vin Scully that's for certain

Speaking of this, the Dodgers games have been on the MLB Network a few times in the past 2 weeks, and while Scully "calls" a solid game, his monotone and dry calls are rather....boring! There, I said it. Maybe I just like Gary Thorne and his excitement and voice inflections, but to listen to Scully call a game alone, with no real conversation...well, its just not my thing.

[bobmc]

Speaking of this, the Dodgers games have been on the MLB Network a few times in the past 2 weeks, and while Scully "calls" a solid game, his monotone and dry calls are rather....boring! There, I said it. Maybe I just like Gary Thorne and his excitement and voice inflections, but to listen to Scully call a game alone, with no real conversation...well, its just not my thing.

I'm a little prejudiced but I listened to Scully when he was a Brooklyn Dodger announcer and hated him for that reason alone but totally agree on your ass - essment. Hunter's staccato delivery makes me want to hurl. I won't give you my review of the revered Chuck Thompson here but suffice it to say I was not a big fan of his emoting and lack of baseball knowledge-base.

[Going Underground]

Speaking of this, the Dodgers games have been on the MLB Network a few times in the past 2 weeks, and while Scully "calls" a solid game, his monotone and dry calls are rather....boring! There, I said it. Maybe I just like Gary Thorne and his excitement and voice inflections, but to listen to Scully call a game alone, with no real conversation...well, its just not my thing.

I also find Scully dull. I was out in LA and heard him about three times and a couple of times on XM Radio. Alot of times you like the play by play guys you grew up with. Hunter does not annoy me as much as the Nat TV crew. Bob Carpenter blames umpires too much and he is also homer man.

[isestrex]

...but he can be a great announcer. His call on the Wieters double was fantastic.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_05_07_kcamlb_balmlb_1&mode=video&content_id=26926063&tcid=vpp_copy_26926063

This seems a little desperate to me. Yes the call was nice but not "fantastic".

[SeaBird]

I like Angel and Manfra on the radio and Thorne and Palmer on TV.

Hunter and Dempsey are unbearable.

[weams]

...but he can be a great announcer. His call on the Wieters double was fantastic.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_05_07_kcamlb_balmlb_1&mode=video&content_id=26926063&tcid=vpp_copy_26926063

I thought so too. That was a darn fine call.

[crowmst3k!]

Certainly nothing wrong with the call here, but what's fantastic about it? Seems pretty standard to me. The moment itself was pretty fantastic, though.

Liked his enthusiasm. I probably liked the moment more than the call, but enjoyed how super happy he sounded when it happened.

I like happy people. It was a happy night.

[LookinUp]

Dang, this thread is haterville USA. Yes, Hunter's a homer but that was a very fine call.

[nyjimbo]

Living in Upstate New York, I have to endure John Sterling and Susan Waldman calling stupid Yankeee games. Enough said.