Good Read on the fall of Baseball Tonight (and overall on the WWL)

Baseball tonight, at least to my knowledge, doesn't have an equivalent (yet) of the horrible television that is Sean Salisbury screaming at and insulting John Clayton, like the NFL shows.

How anyone can think that is not painful to watch is beyond me.

 

Why does this blog use the acronym BBTN. Wouldn't an acronym for "Baseball Tonight" be BT? I know, it's crazy talk. Sure, AP uses BBN, BBA, BBC and BBO as a wire code. But "TN" for tonight? Huh?

If Olney, Kurkjian or Gammons is on, then it's usually a decent show. But it's still slanted toward the Red Sox and Yankees.

I'll take the decline of "Baseball Tonight" over the demise of "NHL Tonight."

 

You mean HKTN?

 

"Hi! I'm Steve Phillips. Other than 2000, the Mets sucked until they got rid of me. I wanted to trade Jose Reyes and David Wright. You should listen to everything I say."

 

At some point during last season Baseball Tonight officially became unwatchable.

 

Yet still the most watchable show on ESPN until College Football season starts.

 

Baseball Tonight is unwatchable.

Where is Jeff Brantley?

 

Reds radio.

I listened to the Reds-Pirates game on XM on Memorial Day. Brantley does a nice job on the broadcast.

 

No matter how hard they try, they haven't been able to fuck up Game Day.

Yet.

 

Excellent article, well written and thought out. Baseball tonight has lost something this year and I am sure Steve Phillips is dragging the show down but losing Harold Reynolds was not that big of a deal as it is made out to be. I can tolerate John Kruk but sometimes he is irritating to listen to. Bringing in some real insiders would help the show but it is not the cure all. The biggest thing the show needs to focus on is what sells it the most which is amazing plays. Adding in some more time for fantasy baseball information would also boost the show. I still feel it is a very good show and I will continue to watch it despite the apparent flaws.

 

Thanks for the update, OnTheRiver.

Brantley was great on the show. He'd let people have it when it was just. Not a jock-sniffer at all.

I liked Reynolds, too -- don't give a shit what he is alleged to have done there -- he brought a genuinely boyish love for the game paired with insight that so few of the athlete-broadcasters at the WWL have.

 

As long as it's real useful fantasy info instead of "I would start Derrek Lee this week because he might win the triple crown."