Thorne, Bordick, Dempsey and Tom Davis amongst those let go

[Sports Guy]

https://theathletic.com/2340440/2021/01/22/sources-masn-planning-major-programming-and-personnel-cuts-for-2021-season/?source=user_shared_article
 

On Friday, longtime broadcaster Jim Hunter tweeted news of his departure, which he said “was not his choice.” Others who were let go from the Orioles include Mike Bordick, Dave Johnson, Tom Davis, Rick Dempsey and Gary Thorne. 
 

 

No More pre game show either.  MASN cutting costs.

[lovetoaster]

Wow. I just finished reading this article. Really sad to see Thorne go. I know some people had problems with him, but I really enjoyed listening to him call a game. He’d miss a detail here and there, but I was always entertained. 

I’ll miss the other guys to varying extents as well. I had issues at times with guys like Bordick, Johnson and Dempsey, but it’s going to be weird for them not to be there. And I never thought I’d see the day that Tom Davis was let go. I just assumed he’d always be somewhere in or around Camden Yards. 

[Frobby]

I hear Siri is going to do the play by play, with Alexa doing the color commentary.   

[lovetoaster]

So I guess this upcoming year will be similar to last year. Which is OK, I guess. From an analyst perspective, I’m happy to see that McDonald and Palmer are not on the list, and I think Kevin Brown did an outstanding job when he was calling games. I’ll be happy if he does most of the play-by-play work. He’s a smart guy that is very entertaining as well. As @Tony-OHmentioned in the other thread, I think he’s a future national broadcaster.

I think Arnold and Newman did a solid job as well, all things considered. They weren’t perfect, but they were put in kind of a weird situation themselves and were kind of growing on the job. I’m definitely willing to give them another shot in circumstances that will hopefully be a little more normal as time goes by. 

[lovetoaster]

6 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I hear Siri is going to do the play by play, with Alexa doing the color commentary.   

Maybe crowdsourcing. Twitter contests to call an inning. 

”And now for the bottom of the 4th, Os4Life96 from Glen Burnie.”

[Frobby]

Putting aside the discharge of the various announcers, the news that MASN isn’t going to pay for pre-game or post-game shows strikes me as ludicrous.    Sounds to me like more MASN-related litigation is coming in the near future, and/or that MLB is going to need to intervene here.  

[MDtransplant757]

We’ve gone from an amazing broadcast to one with the personality of a rusted nail. A+ there Angelos boys 

[scOtt]

Thorne. Damn!

[Philip]

I’m really sorry to lose Thorne, I loved him and sometimes remember his voice more than the play itself.

Bordick departing is a relief. Gosh he had an annoying voice and said nothing with it.

Disappointed that others who should be gone aren’t.

[Philip]

The sad thing is that they aren’t being let go because they are bad, it is merely a cost-cutting measure. That’s disappointing.

[accinfo]

10 minutes ago, scOtt said:

Thorne. Damn!

Agreed.  I won't miss Bordick, Johnson or Dempsey.  I assume Dempsey's restaurant at Camden Yards will get renamed.  I feel bad for Tom Davis.  He has said many times he never wanted to retire.  Tom is a good guy but I kind of saw that coming as well.  In that article is says one of the main writers on the MASN web site is let go as well.  That has to be either Roch or Melewski.  I am going to assume it is Steve but I am sure Roch is the higher compensated.  

[Legend_Of_Joey]

I wonder if they will add any new commentators or just run with what they have for now.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Gary Thorne is the best play-by-play announcer the Orioles have had since Jon Miller left. I don’t like this one bit. 

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

I wonder if they will add any new commentators or just run with what they have for now.

I doubt they’ll add anyone.   They still have three relatively young play by play announcers (Brown, Arnold, Newman), three relatively new ex-players (McDonald, Roberts, Olson), one veteran PBP guy (Garceau) and the Hall of Famer (Palmer).    I think the younger announcers did a solid job last year and will get better with experience.    That’s plenty of staffing.  

Honestly, you could see this coming last year when they hired all these new folks.   
 

[fansince1988]

This is terrible news if you are a long-time fan. Further adds to the theory that a for-sale sign may be going up in the near future. I'll miss Tom, Dave, Mike, and Rick.