OnlyBucs

I used to watch the games with headphones plugged into the TV in my bedroom next to my computer due to the closeness of the living room TV. One evening I could hear all the sounds of the game - the fans, the ball hitting the glove and bat, the umps - but no commentary. I thought something was wrong with the broadcast. The next day was the same, though, so I tried it without my headphones and could hear it properly. I tried another headphone cable and the 'problem' was solved. I threw the broken cable away.



Now I really wish I had that broken cable still. It has gotten to the point where I'd almost rather turn off the sound altogether then hear them talking over the game - any of them.



Would you listen with NO commentary at all- only the sounds of the game, and do you think you'd enjoy it more or less?

Never in my long life did I not listen to the game on radio or tv except the first couple of yrs going to games. Then at age 12 I got my first "transistor" radio. Took it to games and held it to my ear and juggled it along with my scorecard lineup as I watched and kept score. Of course I had the opportunity to listen to the highly esteemed "Gunner" doing the games. Nobody could make listening to or watching the game so exciting.



To answer wvbucco's comment. Hey, my friend, just use the mute function on the remote and voila you don't need to listen to Block.

Nothing is better than Joe Block. Literally! ;D

I think it would probably be best with just one person doing play-by-play. It's a notion I've had for many years, though, so mayhe necessary information could be provided in graphics now.

One would work pretty well because then one guy wouldn't be rambling on endlessly. One guy would probably stick pretty close to just saying what he needed to.

I think part of the problem is the introduction of so much technology and stats into the game. Just watch a game and you can see just by the tech on the screen where the pitch is and how it breaks. You can tell the count, number of outs, etc just by looking at the tv screen. There really is not play by play needed except for the resulting play when a ball is hit. I do like the color work done by our color guys and they could chime in about the defensive positioning on a hitter and about his tendencies, etc. Like wvbucco says one guy in the booth could do it without all the rambling.

This was the ultimate in technology for me. I haven't ever enjoyed baseball so much as when I was a kid under the covers in my bedroom (after bedtime) listening to Bob Prince and Jim Woods through the single earpiece of my Magnavox transistor radio. The one below is the actual model I had which was my most prized possession as a 7 year old except for maybe my baseball glove. They don't make 'em like they used to, radios or especially play-by-play announcers.

03222A032820470 wrote: I think part of the problem is the introduction of so much technology and stats into the game.  Just watch a game and you can see just by the tech on the screen where the pitch is and how it breaks.  You can tell the count, number of outs, etc just by looking at the tv screen.  There really is not play by play needed except for the resulting play when a ball is hit.  I do like the color work done by our color guys and they could chime in about the defensive positioning on a hitter and about his tendencies, etc.  Like wvbucco says one guy in the booth could do it without all the rambling.
I don't want a broadcast with no commentary unless it's Joe Block. I often mute him anyway so what's the difference? I see many other teams' broadcasts and I've never seen an announcer constantly ramble on in a stream of consciousness as Block routinely does in an effort to talk nonstop. I've also noticed a difference in the analysts when they are paired with Block. Greg Brown often stops talking after a pitch and the analyst will chime in with something he noticed or was thinking about and a conversation about that ensues. But they don't get to do that as much with Block because he controls the conversation throughout the game with his nonstop blather and the analyst can only comment on what Block is saying.