Brian Anderson's Job Stability

[Gobias Industries]

Powell is the absolute best as far as I'm concerned.

 

I thought Anderson was decent last year, but yeah, I think he's continually getting worse.

 

Schroeder is a hell of a lot better than he used to be. You can tell the guy has learned a lot about the game from even 5 years ago, which is much more than other broadcasters his age can say. He's not too much of a homer, calls out an ump or a player when need be, and generally seems like a pretty good guy.

[jason21nl]

I'm not sure if its been mentioned, but every time a ball is hit he says the same 3 things. Still hasn't locked down if a ball is going to be a HR or a routine fly ball. I think he watches the batter to see if its gone or not. Thats why he says, he loves it! I think he has gotten worse this year.

 

Bill is a bonehead, but I think he knows the game very well and I like him.

Bob is getting up there in age, but I still love listening to him. When he gets a home run call correct there is no better call in the game.

Jim I think is one of the best. I was listening to him the other day when he was talking about the Cardinals losing, and he was talking about waking the sleeping giant and it was back to sleep. I couldn't stop laughing, it was great.

[pebadger]

Jim Powell is one of the best in the business. I love his "I hope she's feeling better" ine after someone butchers the national anthem.

 

I haven't had a problem with BA, Rock, or Daron in the recent past. It's not an easy job at all, and it's much harder than just working a game or two a week like a lot of the football/hoops guys do.

[logan82]

SeriesFinale wrote:

My Favorites: the Mets and Rockies' guys;

Really, the Rockies guys? I saw part of a spring training game with those guys and I really, really didn't like them.

[brewjihad]

I don't particularly dislike BA or anything, but every single routine flyout, the batter either "got jammed" or "hit it off the end of the bat". I'm convinced he just alternates which explanation he uses for why they didn't hit it hard.

 

In general, I don't like many TV play-by-play or color guys, you can already see what's happening so they're left to tell you what you don't know. If you know the game, the don't bring much to the table. I prefer turning down the TV volume and listening to Bob and Jim, they tell you what's happening, and I love the long pauses. I think BA and Rock should let the story tell itself more often, like they did when CC got that K to end the seventh the other night.

[Bruce Ciskie]

As a current PBP guy (in hockey, mind you), I echo pitchleague's sentiments.

 

And as a guy who is a religious user of the MLB TV package when it's on free preview (http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif), I agree with those who have said other teams have it much, much worse.

 

The current lack of TV PBP talent around baseball tells me that there simply aren't enough good broadcasters who are willing to commit to that work/travel schedule. I do a 40-game season with travel from here (Minnesota) to places like Anchorage, Denver, Colorado Springs, and (this year) Sault Ste Marie and Marquette, Michigan. I can't imagine working BA's schedule and maintaining some semblance of sanity in a family.

[hawing]

Jim I think is one of the best. I was listening to him the other day when he was talking about the Cardinals losing, and he was talking about waking the sleeping giant and it was back to sleep. I couldn't stop laughing, it was great.

 

He's been referring to St. Louis as "the sleeping giants" (instead of the Cardinals) a good bit since that Villa-Pujols thing. I'm partly hoping it becomes as consistent a part of his vocabulary as "Meltdown Bradley." I'm an unabashed fan of Jim Powell, and I hope he stays with the Brewers for a long time.

 

To keep this post at least a bit on topic, Brian Anderson's style is a better match for me than was Daron's. I don't have a problem with BA staying on, though admittedly I turn to the FSN team much less often than I do Bob and Jim.

 

 

[wisconsinfan47]

Honestly, at this point the "hardest" of our 4 announcers to listen to is Ueck. On Saturday I was listening to the 9th inning of Sheets shutout, and with a few men on, someone (Venable?) hit what Ueck called a "liner to right". I thought the shutout was gone and I was pissed...it wasn't till a few seconds later that he mentioned that the ball was foul. This is now the norm.

 

BA and Rock are fine and have developed a good relationship. I think it's funny how Schroeder hasn't quite grasped the concept of the Aflac trivia question...You're not supposed to give away the answer if you know it!

 

Powell is just spectacular. He's clear, crisp, knowledgable, and never misses a play. Not to mention he's rather witty.

[joepepsi]

Brian isn't great; doesn't always seem to understand the game completely, but I'll take all the Brewers announcers over anybody else out there. Brian's better than most. I think he and Rock are working much better this year.

 

I have extraInnings so I watch a lot of other broadcasts. One thing I've noticed is Brian and Bill are the only ones who talk about what the next pitch will be. The production crew will show closeups of the pitcher gripping the ball and slo-mo replay of his pitch as the announcers talk about the motion. Trust me, most other broadcasters don't do this. They just say things like"ball one. Strike one. Low and away".

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

I think BA is outstanding. I agree with those who have the Extra Innings Package or MLB.tv...our guys are in the upper tier of broadcasters. Every team has their homers...I think BA strikes a great balance. He's fairly objective, but he's part of the team.

 

When he leaves, it will be on his terms to a larger market.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Im not a big fan of Anderson or Schroeder but I can tell you from watching the games on MLB Extra Innings we could do worse. Try listening to the Pirates announcers some time or the Royals. The Pirates guys are the worst I have ever heard do any sport. As far as guys I do like the Houston announcers are excellent especially Deshaies. SF also has excellent announcers as do the Red Sox.

[Diggr14]

Yeah, there is nothing wrong with the Duo.

 

 

Anderson is a much better baseball guy that I thought he'd be. Or at least more polished on the play-by-play side than I ever thought he'd be coming over from golf.

 

 

Rock is Rock. He is a big doofus, but he works decent in the role. He knows alot about the game and he doesn't come across as abrasive or condescending. It's weird seeing him become a semi-icon at Miller Park though. Seeing a large crowd of brewer fans at summerfest chant "Rock..Rock..Rock" was pretty funny too. I never thought that he would catch on like he has around here.

 

As for Davey Nelson... I don't mind him either. He obviously knows the game very well being an ex-coach. He might search for a word or two on some nights on the air... but come on, he knows what he is talking about he's been in the game for decades. I think he is fine as well, I have no trouble listening to him nightly.

 

I think their crew works great together. We are lucky to have an entertaining crew like this.

[jwill535]

BA is fine when he sticks just to PBP or when he is setting up Bill. When he starts getting into knowledge of the game is where he is over his head.

 

The one thing that always bothered me and Sutton was that he alwasy talked in hyperbole(i think that is the right word), especially when he would relate his conversations about conversations with players and coaches. It was a like a Kevin Smith film in terms of it would make me think "who talks like that?".

[Nottso]

I'm a definite BA fan, and I think his style complements Rock's style tremendously. I don't have a tv in the room where the computer is (remember... I'm old, crazy, and technologically impaired) and I don't own an am radio. There are times when I have to be in here doing something when the game is on, and believe it or not, listening to BA and Rock with no pictures is almost like listening to the radio. Every play is explained in enough detail for me to be able to follow the game quite well. Try it for half an inning; you just might be surprised.

 

Another plus (for me) is that while BA is not as knowledgeable as Rock, he doesn't attempt or pretend to be. He lets Rock do the explaining, as opposed to Sutton arguing trivial little points all the time. For those of us that aren't so deeply steeped in baseball knowledge, this is key. Rock is actually pretty good, now that he has the opportunity to be.

 

That being said, I have one teeny tiny complaint with BA. When the Crew is batting, I don't like it when he says "(insert player name here) would be next." It has a negative connotation to it. I'd much rather he say "(insert player name here) will be next." It just sounds better.

[jeffy]

I think it's funny how Schroeder hasn't quite grasped the concept of the Aflac trivia question...

 

Yeah, he apparently thinks the question is for him not the audience http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif. I'd like to hear the "guys in the truck" trying to keep him from giving the answer away.

 

 

[logan82]

The only thing that bothers my about Schroeder is his love of small ball. He always seems to be talking about bunting runners over, getting runners in motion, etc.

[TooLiveBrew]

Gotta go the opposite way!

 

 

I'd put this in the "be careful what you wish for" category. With the MLB package, I hear much, much, much worse.

 

I'll echo this, too. Our TV duo (believe it or not) really is, at worst, in the top 10% of MLB TV announcing teams. Add Trenni into the mix as the sideline reporter, and you're probably talking top 5%.

 

I personally like the Marlins' guys, the Astros' guys are solid, and beyond that it becomes more individual announcers that I like (Ken Singleton on YES, Vin Scully for the Dodgers, etc.). I'm probably forgetting a team or two I like, but for the most part the broadcasters are either very, very average, or just flat-out obnoxious.

[And That]

I think the Brewers keep Schroeder around because he appeals to the Milwaukee core fan base: he's a beer drinking, big gregarious guy, down to earth and has a sweet 'stache. Plus he kind of looks like the brunette version of Bernie Brewer - anyone else notice that? He doesn't bother me as much as he used to in part because I can mentally tune him out when I need to.

 

Anderson is pretty decent, and I think in a few years after he gets more major league game calling experience, he could be a pretty good one. As has been mentioned, he doesn't know the difference between a warning track dead duck and something that has a good chance to get out of the park, but I'm willing to cut him a little slack for a little while longer. Like the saying says, the grass is always greener...

 

While I admit that I don't listen to much radio play by play outside of the Brewers (and occasionally, the Twins), I have a difficult time believing there's anyone better out there than Ueck and JP. They're both treasures.

[TooLiveBrew]

I think the Brewers keep Schroeder around because he appeals to the Milwaukee core fan base: he's a beer drinking, big gregarious guy, down to earth and has a sweet 'stache.

 

One thing that I still love about Rock is that he's been there through the absolutely pitiful seasons, and has been 'our guy' for some time now. He makes his boneheaded comments (and believe me, that's just par for the course when it comes to MLB color announcers), but his enthusiasm & passion for Brewers baseball is one of the biggest reasons I enjoy tuning in for a FSN broadcast. Rock certainly can make me laugh (both with & at him), and I agree 100% on the nice relationship that has developed between BA & Schroeder, and to be sure, Trenni as well.

[Bring Back the Stein]

By the way, I wonder if BA reads this board. The other night, he let the crowd noise alone speak for CC getting out of a jam going in to a commercial break. I liked that a lot.

[pitchleague]

I think it's funny how Schroeder hasn't quite grasped the concept of the Aflac trivia question...

 

Yeah, he apparently thinks the question is for him not the audience http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif. I'd like to hear the "guys in the truck" trying to keep him from giving the answer away.

Not sure about other teams, but the D-Backs (Sutton and Grace) do this, too. In fact, they throw out their answers and the guys in the truck respond with a "buzz" (wrong) or a "ding" (right) that goes over the air so we all hear it.

 

 

Anderson is pretty decent, and I think in a few years after he gets more major league game calling experience, he could be a pretty good one.

Don't know how many of you remember this but Jim Powell was VERY green when he first started on the radio with Uecker. He had broadcast games before but not at the major league level. Plus, he had to try to be a partner of Bob Uecker and replace an "icon" in Pat Hughes. Not sure if it was nerves, not wanting to step on toes, or what but he was very raw when he first started. I did not like him at all. But over the years, he got better. You need experience to be good at. And that goes with any job out there--teachers, construction, plumbing, computer IT guy, etc.

[RockCoCougars]

Don't know how many of you remember this but Jim Powell was VERY green when he first started on the radio with Uecker. He had broadcast games before but not at the major league level.

I'm pretty sure that he did some fill in work for the Twins on WCCO pre-Brewers, but not very much. At the time the Brewers hired him, I didn't really think that anyone could fill Pat Hughes shoes adequately, but he has.