What makes an ideal "sideline" reporter in baseball?

[HOF4canrake]

Aside from picking an attractive female for easy viewing, what actual characteristics do you look for in a sideline/dugout reporter in baseball?

Knowledge of team/baseball...
Inside info on players/coaches...
Relaxed demeanor...
Humorous at times, serious at others...

Just throwing some things out there. I would like this to be a serious "discussion" as I know most of us watch a majority of the games on TV.

[hawing]

Someone who can/is willing to ask more than the obvious "How did you feel when you (made the big play)?" type questions of players and staff.

I suppose to an extent, maybe they're asking what they're told to ask - but since you're asking my ideal, there you go.

 

I'd also like a degree of personal enthusiasm for the team the reporter is covering, or at least the capacity to develop said enthusiasm. Brewers fans got that with Trenni. I've made the comparison before, it has always felt like Ann Carroll (though not a sideline reporter) was just reading what was on the teleprompter. I felt like Trenni was personally rooting for the Brewers.

 

Also, an ability to speak reasonably articulately. I don't mean that I'd turn on a reporter if s/he flubs a line once, but if that Youtube clip of Telly Hughes were somehow indicative of his on-camera skills, I'd be disappointed. Bob Brainerd might not have quite met this standard.

[logan82]

As long as they don't take me out of the telecast of the game.

[yfinn6]

Pretty sure that (for most males) the top priority is female and a good looking female. Their story will most likely come second to their looks.

 

And seriously, does anyone REALLY care about sideline reporting when it comes to anything other than an injury update? Usually I watch the game to watch the game, not to find out some quirky thing that Ryan Braun does. Maybe that's just me.

[RobDeer 45]

I just want them to be able to speak with out screwing up all the time! Makes me feel uncomfortable.

 

 

(edit: over-punctuated --1992)

[joepepsi]

Honestly, the world is full of attractive females. So why's so hard to find one who can actually do their job? Trenni was perfect.

[bjkrautk]

Honestly, I don't know why baseball needs a sideline reporter.

The strategy discussions do not happen within earshot of the reporter, injured players cannot return to the game (once they've been replaced), etc.

 

Post-game interviews, sure....but all of the in-game appearances really don't add anything that couldn't come from the booth. Most of the time, the reporter presents some pre-packaged piece of information regarding a player or community outreach, instead of actual reporting.

[Tailgat0r76]

Trenni Kusnierek

[Diskono]

Someone who will ask those crazy dudes in the Buckethead Brigade the tough questions like "where did you get all that cardboard?"

 

Oh Bobby Brainerd, where have you been?

[brewerjamie15]

I'd like to see the sideline reporter go away. Honestly. Not needed.

I'd also like to see the cameras show the actual defensive positioning more often, and the case coaches more often. Not gonna happen I'm sure, but it would be a bit more like being at the game if I could see more.

[MBHA]

Someone who can ask intellegent questions which refer directly to that players performance that game.

I don't want to hear: How did you feel rounding the bases after hitting that HR? Or how big was that win today? How about that crowd, hey?

I want to hear: Did you have an idea of what the pitcher was going to throw in that situation?
How accurate are the scouting reports on opposing players?

[Brian the Automator]

I'd like to see the sideline reporter go away. Honestly. Not needed.

I'd also like to see the cameras show the actual defensive positioning more often, and the case coaches more often. Not gonna happen I'm sure, but it would be a bit more like being at the game if I could see more.

Agreed. I like the idea of having a sideline reporter to get post-game comments and perhaps pre-game comments, but leave the rest of the action alone please.

[pitchleague]

I agree with most comments, but I disagree about a report about injuries. I actually like to know the scoop about a player and what may have happened to cause a player to leave a game. It also is kind of nice to know the severity of the injury. Could it wait until the post-game? I suppose so, but I appreciate knowing before hand, as it can possibly calm me down a bit and let me breathe again. Of course, in the case of severe stuff, it could probably cause small waves of panic and terror.

 

Otherwise, the sideline-reporter stuff is just fluff and isn't necessary. Is it me or does it seem like there has been less of the "fluff" pieces with fans and crazy stuff in the past 1-2 seasons? There are the interviews with the guest relations people and the coaches, but those are to inform the fans, not entertain. I can't remember any interviews that were "goofy" talks with crazed fans or anything.

[Fatter than Joey]

Agreed. I like the idea of having a sideline reporter to get post-game comments and perhaps pre-game comments, but leave the rest of the action alone please.

 

I would also agree with this in a large part -- but I think that there are times in a game where Bill and Brian have no idea what is going on and it helps to have someone on the field -- like if a pitcher is suddenly removed from a game, or a position player does not report to the field after an inning -- perhaps if there was an injury, weird ruling by an umpire, ejection or some other event that is not obvious to the TV booth.

[bjkrautk]

I agree with most comments, but I disagree about a report about injuries. I actually like to know the scoop about a player and what may have happened to cause a player to leave a game. It also is kind of nice to know the severity of the injury. Could it wait until the post-game? I suppose so, but I appreciate knowing before hand, as it can possibly calm me down a bit and let me breathe again. Of course, in the case of severe stuff, it could probably cause small waves of panic and terror.

It doesn't have to wait on the radio side of things. If the press box is quiet enough, you can often hear the injury / scoring decisions being relayed (from Media Relations?) to the announcers, who give out the information to the audience a few seconds later. I'm assuming that the sideline 'reporter' is getting the same information from the same source, rather than the result of some independent inquiry. It's just an excuse to make it look like the sidelines reporter is doing something....maybe he / she will also relay how concerned the other players on the team looked when he came off the field, but that's about all they're really adding to the equation (which is to say, not much).