Twins Broadcast Team and Sugarcoating

[nicksaviking]

http://mcfeely.areavoices.com/2016/05/19/dick-bremer-you-cant-really-sugarcoat-things/

 

A local reporter in my area has Dick Bremer on his radio show on a weekly basis. In his blog he talks about how Dick and Bert present themselves on air. The humorous take away from this one is Dick being quoted as saying, "You can’t really sugarcoat it, although I’ve been accused of that from time to time" as very few people would think that Dick doesn't sugarcoat nearly every thing.

 

However there were a few interesting bits in here. It seems while Bert mostly holds his tongue on air, he is pretty opinionated off air. Also, Dick was confronted by a player in the clubhouse about being too critical of the team on air. Dick didn't say who it was, but getting upset about criticism of the team sounds like something a vet would do, not a rookie.

[Mike Sixel]

I imagine it is a hard line to walk, being critical and having to work with the players every day. Dick and Bert and others on the broadcast are NOT reporters, or analysts. They are part of the team......I don't know why anyone listens to the tv broadcasters, frankly. 

[TheLeviathan]

The Cubs broadcasters went through a big thing like that a few years ago.  

 

It says something about how overly sensitive players are to criticism/analysis when they harp on what the radio or TV guys are saying about them.

[Kwak]

Omitted from the story was an outsider's analysis of Twins BB announcers (3 points out of 10 was their score) claiming they are [homers].  The very next game Blyleven lit into Dozier concerning the AB with Plouffe on 2B.  Maybe (maybe?) there was some feedback "from above" that encouraged a "certain amount of realism is now permitted" in their play-by-play coverage?

[Kwak]

 

The Cubs broadcasters went through a big thing like that a few years ago.  

 

It says something about how overly sensitive players are to criticism/analysis when they harp on what the radio or TV guys are saying about them.

 

I remember Harry Caray "Oh, fer cribs sakes" statements he would sprinkle in his coverage.  Of course, there was the occasional "ka-kushh" during the broadcast.

[nicksaviking]

 

Omitted from the story was an outsider's analysis of Twins BB announcers (3 points out of 10 was their score) claiming they are [homers].  The very next game Blyleven lit into Dozier concerning the AB with Plouffe on 2B.  Maybe (maybe?) there was some feedback "from above" that encouraged a "certain amount of realism is now permitted" in their play-by-play coverage?

 

Maybe, but it always sounds to me that Bert's frustration has been masked, but is only held down by about an inch of self control and he's no more than a 12 oz beer away from having a full on cuss filled outburst on air.

 

And man, that would be awesome.

[HitInAPinch]

Well, yeah.      Part of there job is to prop up the Twins so they'll have listeners.  I suppose they could say "Well folks,  what do ya say?  Let's just call it a year now.  See you in Spring Training!"

 

My favorite from Harry Carey:   "Booze, broads, and bull****. If you got all that, what else do you need?"

[Blake]

Bert slips up once in a while. Recently Bert commented that he thought Dozier was being stubborn in regards to going the other way with the ball.

 

Another time, I heard Bert say "no no no" in regards to either a bad pitch sequence or an egregious fielding blunder.

 

Also, recently, Bremer sounds rather resigned this year and is just going through the motions. No amount of verbal lipstick is going to make this pig of a Twins team look better.

[kwazie71]

Tell the player(s) that is complaining to play better and he/she won't have to hear about it. I feel really bad for both Dick and Bert. I have the option of turning my computer off when things are going bad. They however, are obligated to watch this really poor product and have to bite their tongues almost every inning. I have not seen this fundamentally bad baseball for many years and I am a life long Twins fan. The M & M boys and their contracts killed Twins baseball and the reason I liked to watch. Bring back small ball and fundamentally sound baseball. Beating teams with passion, skill, determination, and grit is the best and only way to win in baseball. Moreover, winning like that demoralizes the other teams. I used to love the sh*t eating grin on Gardy's face when we stole bases and manufactured runs to beat the likes of the Yankees, White Sox, Tigers, etc... 

[Vanimal46]

We have a real thin skinned athlete on this team if he's complaining to Bremer about things he said on the TV broadcast. In seasons like this, being a play-by-play guy would be extremely difficult. Not only do you have to bite your tongue to please the team you're representing, you also have to come up with stories/content that will actually keep viewers tuned in. 

It's seasons like this where I'm glad I'm a fan with no affiliation to the team. I can turn the channel whenever I feel like it, and not tune into games at all! These guys have to sit through every excruciating pitch and pretend things are on the up and up.  

[DaveW]

I'm one of the few who like DickBert, it's hilarious someone got mad at Bremer for being critical, good lord, if you want people to praise you perhaps you should start winning more than 25% of your games.

 

This org is thin skinned/soft from the front office down to the players. They would never survive in a market like LA, Chicago, Philly, NY, Boston, etc

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Thanks for sharing. Great article from a source that I certainly wouldn't find on my own. I imagine Dick and Bert have really hard jobs right now, not openly bashing an embarrassingly bad team.

[Riverbrian]

It's a really easy line to walk in all honestly. 

 

Remember who pays the bills and enjoy getting paid to watch baseball... even if it's horrible baseball. He has a great job if you discount the time away from family he must suffer through. 

 

Dick understands this and he's not stupid and it's why he has been a part of us for a long time. 

 

If Dick has a criticism... I would certainly listen to him because he has enough direct access to everyone important and the experience of watching more games than I. 

 

I'd love to have dinner with the guy and talk baseball off the record. 

[Sarah]

And keep in mind that these guys get paid very handsomely for watching baseball - even if it's bad baseball.

[jokin]

 

This org is thin skinned/soft from the front office down to the players. They would never survive in a market like LA, Chicago, Philly, NY, Boston, etc

 

In a nutshell... THIS

[bird]

The obvious homerism and sugarcoating aside, Dick and Bert are more boring than my mother-in-law's deaf beagle. I'd rather read the Catechism cover to cover than listen to those guys for two consecutive games. Hell, the games are bad enough.

 

Oh, and if I'm the GM, I'm trading the first player I catch concerning himself with criticism from the booth. He can go take his lack of focus elsewhere, and I want everyone in uniform to know why the guy's going bye-bye.

[Loosey]

I assume the player who was critical of his analysis was a pitcher.  I don't know how a player would hear what DickBert has to say during a game when they should be playing in the game.  Most logical explanation would be a pitcher who was pulled and had the game on in the clubhouse.

 

if it is an everyday player who is complaining based on hearsay then it is even worse. . .

[jokin]

 

In agreement with both Dave and Bird, and them in agreement with each other, on the same day? I don't have a window in my office... Is the Sweet Meteor Of Doom visible on the horizon?

 

[notoriousgod71]

 

Tell the player(s) that is complaining to play better and he/she won't have to hear about it. I feel really bad for both Dick and Bert. I have the option of turning my computer off when things are going bad. They however, are obligated to watch this really poor product and have to bite their tongues almost every inning. I have not seen this fundamentally bad baseball for many years and I am a life long Twins fan. The M & M boys and their contracts killed Twins baseball and the reason I liked to watch. Bring back small ball and fundamentally sound baseball. Beating teams with passion, skill, determination, and grit is the best and only way to win in baseball. Moreover, winning like that demoralizes the other teams. I used to love the sh*t eating grin on Gardy's face when we stole bases and manufactured runs to beat the likes of the Yankees, White Sox, Tigers, etc... 

 

Gardy beat the Yankees?

[Monkeypaws]

Maybe if a member of THIS Twins team has a problem with criticism coming from a HOF pitcher, they should have a nice, warm cup of shut the hell up.

[zenser]

 

Gardy beat the Yankees?

I was thinking the same thing.  I remember beating up the AL Central but not so much the Yankees or anyone from the AL East.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I assume the player who was critical of his analysis was a pitcher.  I don't know how a player would hear what DickBert has to say during a game when they should be playing in the game.  Most logical explanation would be a pitcher who was pulled and had the game on in the clubhouse.

 

if it is an everyday player who is complaining based on hearsay then it is even worse. . .

I would guess it was hearsay. Although if the TV broadcast is on in the clubhouse areas, with the volume up, players could easily hear some of it directly if they pop in (to go to the bathroom, etc.) when they're not in the field or at bat.  Or a bench/bullpen player could hear it and pass it along to his teammate.  Or a friend or family member watching the TV broadcast at home. Or a reporter looking to stir things up...

[notoriousgod71]

 

Maybe if a member of THIS Twins team has a problem with criticism coming from a HOF pitcher, they should have a nice, warm cup of shut the hell up.

 

I would direct them to this site for further criticism.

[d-mac]

 

I assume the player who was critical of his analysis was a pitcher.  I don't know how a player would hear what DickBert has to say during a game when they should be playing in the game.  Most logical explanation would be a pitcher who was pulled and had the game on in the clubhouse.

 

if it is an everyday player who is complaining based on hearsay then it is even worse. . .

 

I bet it was, and based on Twitter this week it was player who's last name rhymes with barbecues. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

I bet it was, and based on Twitter this week it was player who's last name rhymes with barbecues. 

 

In fairness......questioning Hughes toughness is BS imo....

[Craig Arko]

Out of curiosity, if any of us were in the booth (and let's pretend we wanted to keep the job, just to make it interesting) what would we be saying?

[d-mac]

 

In fairness......questioning Hughes toughness is BS imo....

 

Yeah, but openly complaining about fans on Twitter, when you have an ERA over 6 on a team that's on pace to go 41-121... I really like Hughes, but that kinda irked me. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Out of curiosity, if any of us were in the booth (and let's pretend we wanted to keep the job, just to make it interesting) what would we be saying?

 

Assuming I had played:

tell lots of stories about baseball

also, not talk so much if on tv...and ask for the stadium sounds to be turned up

 

Assuming I had not played:

tell lots of different kinds of stories

also, not talk so much if on tv...and ask for the stadium sounds to be turned up

[Vanimal46]

 

Out of curiosity, if any of us were in the booth (and let's pretend we wanted to keep the job, just to make it interesting) what would we be saying?

Exactly what Dick and Bert are saying. They're not dumb, and want to keep their jobs. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Yeah, but openly complaining about fans on Twitter, when you have an ERA over 6 on a team that's on pace to go 41-121... I really like Hughes, but that kinda irked me. 

 

I don't care what they say, for the most part.

 

though, you should never complain about the people that pay your way....