LouMer to be the primary color commentator on NESN...

[YTF]

Some slight changes for the upcoming season...
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/red-sox-are-changing-up-their-tv-and-radio-broadcast-teams/ar-AA1wksgJ?ocid=HPCDHP&pc=HPDTDFJS&cvid=a27911b0465946d28c75000468c136de&ei=12

 

[simplicio]

So no more Youk? That's too bad, I liked him. Article doesn't mention Millar but I hope he's done too.

 

[YTF]

So no more Youk? That's too bad, I liked him. Article doesn't mention Millar but I hope he's done too.

I don't think the article says Youk won't be back, but rather his contract as the primary guy was up. It's possible he could be back doing less games.

 

[the1andonly3003]

I don't think the article says Youk won't be back, but rather his contract as the primary guy was up. It's possible he could be back doing less games.

Don't think Youk too well to that scenario at the end of his playing career....

 

[steeplechase3k]

There is a possibility that Youk is looking to be there less, he's in the process of a significant expansion of his brewery.

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDuj3g3PxFz/?igsh=eHJ2ZWR1MzQxY2xp

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

There is a possibility that Youk is looking to be there less, he's in the process of a significant expansion of his brewery.

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDuj3g3PxFz/?igsh=eHJ2ZWR1MzQxY2xp

Yeah Youk and Millar have a lot of other balls in the air, but Lou does not have a daily radio show anymore so he can make this his focus. And has done a consistent job since his time at WEEI ended, in my opinion.

That said, the press release also says he is going to do "more than half the games", which could mean 85 or 155.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

I actually really enjoyed Middlebrooks

 

[Bergs]

I'm glad to hear this. I think Lou is great, and will be even better when they move on from DOB and get a PBP guy with a sense of humor.

 

[Norm loves Vera]

After Joe C, I always enjoyed Sean McD and Remy calling the games awhile back. I wish we could get Don O back,as the new guy sounds and feels like to me like what an AI pbp announcer would sound and act like. Sean and PC Friar Loumer would be one of the best combos imho

 

[Whoop-La White]

No mention of plans for McDonough in that article. I wish they could find a way to make him the primary PBP. He's been one of the best in my lifetime, in my opinion. Flemming's constant need to make issues out of things grates on me.

I don't have NESN so this means less Lou for me but he deserves an elevated role. He feels like a spiritual successor to Remy in a number of ways.

 

[joe dokes]

Selfishly, since I end up listening more than watching (Thanks, Dave!), I'd have liked Lou to be color on radio, where I thought he was quite good last year. (Surprise to me. Good for him. I underestimated him). He also seemed singularly effective in keeping Flemming from being his worst self as often as he might have been otherwise.

 

[Rusty13]

No mention of plans for McDonough in that article. I wish they could find a way to make him the primary PBP. He's been one of the best in my lifetime, in my opinion. Flemming's constant need to make issues out of things grates on me.

I don't have NESN so this means less Lou for me but he deserves an elevated role. He feels like a spiritual successor to Remy in a number of ways.

Same. Disappointing. But obviously his plate is still very full.

So it sounds like Lou, per the link above, will effectively be either doing radio or tv for every game? And then Middlebrooks will just be the fill in? That works for me.

 

[jose melendez]

I like having a mediocre second baseman with an accent. It's tradition!

Now fire Dave O'Brien.

 

[Rasputin]

There is a possibility that Youk is looking to be there less, he's in the process of a significant expansion of his brewery.

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDuj3g3PxFz/?igsh=eHJ2ZWR1MzQxY2xp

Looking at that second picture...is his beer made out of soylent green?

 

[Sausage in Section 17]

I like having a mediocre second baseman with an accent. It's tradition!

Now fire Dave O'Brien.

From your lips...or keyboard...

I think Loumer is the best of the former players in current rotation. He has New England credibility, and like Remy, shoots pretty straight in his criticisms of the team and its players.

I am not really a Youk TV fan, but I found him working with DOB to be insufferable, as they both have the same sort of hyperactive, Red Bull tinged, positivity and rah-rah style. Similar with Millar. I like Middlebrooks a bit better, as he is less in your face, but Merloni is the best fit, and a good counterpoint to the DOB style.

 

[simplicio]

DOB strikes you as hyperactive?

 

[Sausage in Section 17]

DOB strikes you as hyperactive?

Compared to someone like Orsillo, sure. Maybe that term doesn't apply quite as much to O'Brien as Youk, but I find both of them talk more than they need to, and sometimes over-explain things. Where someone like Castiglione (and Orsillo to a lesser degree) come off as folksy, man of the people, relaxed/regular guy-ish, I find O'Brien to be more like a salesman. He reminds of the people who used to run for class president.

He's pretty good at doing play by play. I just don't dig his humor or personality. It's a long season, with many boring games mixed in, so the announcers have to be good company, or it can become grating.

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

The Celtics find of Drew Carter suggests there are hungry professional PbP guys out there - heck Mike Monaco is one of them. Red Sox need to fire OB into the sun and grab someone who will do the work to energize the broadcast. Dave brings nothing to the table - no research, no wit, no fun, nothing.

Monaco and Merloni would be great, I think, but Merloni and a ham sandwich would be better than what we’ve got.

And please god no more Millar. He just makes the game unwatchable unless you turn the sound off and play music or something.

 

[JCizzle]

I actually really enjoyed Middlebrooks

I'm glad to hear this. I think Lou is great, and will be even better when they move on from DOB and get a PBP guy with a sense of humor.

I agree with both of these. I really like Lou, but Middlebrooks was second for me. I’d also like it much more with him paired up with someone like Monaco.

Regardless, I hope they have Merloni doing 120+ games, I like having the consistency rather than a new guy seemingly every series.

 

[simplicio]

Does anyone actually know how long OB's contract is?

 

[JCizzle]

Does anyone actually know how long OB's contract is?

I think they just resigned him unfortunately.

 

[simplicio]

Yeah I saw they had last winter, just couldn't find the term anywhere.

 

[Dewey's 'stache]

Selfishly, since I end up listening more than watching (Thanks, Dave!), I'd have liked Lou to be color on radio, where I thought he was quite good last year. (Surprise to me. Good for him. I underestimated him). He also seemed singularly effective in keeping Flemming from being his worst self as often as he might have been otherwise.

You read my mind… if Lou does more NESN, who will keep Fleming from being a whiney butt Stanford boy? Lou reigned in the worst of Will and brought out his best (IMHO), which appears to be pretty challenging for anyone else.

 

[Sprowl]

O'Brien has good rapport with Merloni -- more natural and relaxed than with Youk or Millar, both of whom make O-Brien seem rather stiff. O'Brien is fairly relaxed with Middlebrooks as well. Since O'Brien appears to have lifetime tenure, it's just as well to have a broadcast partner who brings out his best.

 

[simplicio]

Rich Hill and JBJ may be in the mix for color work on TV/Radio this year.
View: https://twitter.com/ChrisCotillo/status/1871293295852400869?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

 

[YTF]

After Joe C, I always enjoyed Sean McD and Remy calling the games awhile back. I wish we could get Don O back,as the new guy sounds and feels like to me like what an AI pbp announcer would sound and act like. Sean and PC Friar Loumer would be one of the best combos imho

No mention of plans for McDonough in that article. I wish they could find a way to make him the primary PBP. He's been one of the best in my lifetime, in my opinion. Flemming's constant need to make issues out of things grates on me.

I don't have NESN so this means less Lou for me but he deserves an elevated role. He feels like a spiritual successor to Remy in a number of ways.

I'm curious about McDonough's health. He had an undisclosed illness that he was battling through during the Stanley Cup playoffs and IMO he looked terrible on Friday night when he called the IU vs Notre Dame game.

 

[LoLsapien]

Late to this thread. I'll add to the chorus my disappointment that Merloni is leaving the airwaves, which is how I experience the games. I'll also add, and I might be on an island here, that I thought DOB was actually quite good on the radio. I wouldn't mind giving him another ride there. Of course, he was paired with the best in the business before. I'd like to see someone replace Fleming, regardless, as he does nothing for me.

Guh, losing Castig is so awful. The Sox radio broadcast really has the potential to be terrible this year. Hopefully the product on the field is good enough to overcome the lack of quality in the radio booth.

 

[teddywingman]

Maybe it was just the magic of the 2013 season when I listened to most of the games, but somehow O'Brien was great on the radio broadcast. I wish he was back in that booth.

I'm interested to see what JBJ can do.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

Late to this thread. I'll add to the chorus my disappointment that Merloni is leaving the airwaves, which is how I experience the games. I'll also add, and I might be on an island here, that I thought DOB was actually quite good on the radio. I wouldn't mind giving him another ride there. Of course, he was paired with the best in the business before. I'd like to see someone replace Fleming, regardless, as he does nothing for me.

Guh, losing Castig is so awful. The Sox radio broadcast really has the potential to be terrible this year. Hopefully the product on the field is good enough to overcome the lack of quality in the radio booth.

The reason why DOB was good on the radio is the same reason why he sucks on TV. He over explains everything and never lets the moment breathe.

Chances are I literally just saw what he’s now describing. You don’t have to do that on TV. Also he always leaves his color guys out to dry. Youks or Merloni or Middlebrooks will be telling a story and OBrien lets it just hang there.

No follow up questions, no chuckle, no acknowledgment of the story.

“And then I hit a game winning grand slam! It was great Dave!that kid in the hospital sure was happy”

(Nothing)

“Count is two and one to Devers. He just took a fastball right down the middle of the plate. Home plate which is painted its customary white with a thick black outline is shaped like an upside down house. Every Major League park had a home plate and they all seem to be uniform in size, shape and, yes color. Here’s the next pitch from Cole. The Yankees began their existence as the Baltimore Orioles but moved to Gotham …”

 

[LoLsapien]

The reason why DOB was good on the radio is the same reason why he sucks on TV. He over explains everything and never lets the moment breathe.

Chances are I literally just saw what he’s now describing. You don’t have to do that on TV. Also he always leaves his color guys out to dry. Youks or Merloni or Middlebrooks will be telling a story and OBrien lets it just hang there.

No follow up questions, no chuckle, no acknowledgment of the story.

“And then I hit a game winning grand slam! It was great Dave!that kid in the hospital sure was happy”

(Nothing)

“Count is two and one to Devers. He just took a fastball right down the middle of the plate. Home plate which is painted its customary white with a thick black outline is shaped like an upside down house. Every Major League park had a home plate and they all seem to be uniform in size, shape and, yes color. Here’s the next pitch from Cole. The Yankees began their existence as the Baltimore Orioles but moved to Gotham …”

That totally makes sense, that's exactly what I want from radio. Detailed explanation of what's happening in play, let the color guy do color during the quiet moments, and always remember to keep the focus on the game in play. You don't need to have banter between the PBP and color guy to make the radio product work, the chemistry is all in the timing.

 

[Al Zarilla]

There is a possibility that Youk is looking to be there less, he's in the process of a significant expansion of his brewery.

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDuj3g3PxFz/?igsh=eHJ2ZWR1MzQxY2xp

Manteca is in the middle of nowhere. I imagine Youk’ll be happy to get out of there at times.