Uecker to have Heart Surgery [Update, reply 84-ish: Ueck back in the booth Friday 7/23]

[Patrick425]

A coworker just told me that he heard on 620 that Uecker will have heart surgery. Apparently he will announce tonight and tomorrow then be out up to 12 weeks.

 

edit: Link: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/92205884.html

[MadScientist]

Get well Uke.

[Warning Track Power]

Bad news for sure...

 

Being in Southern California, listening to Ueck on XM is a real way to stay connected to Milwaukee summers. Hopefully we will hear him again sometime in July.

 

Provus has proven to be a good find though. Big shoes to fill kid, but you just called up to The Show (so to speak).

 

Safe recovery for Ueck. Won't be the same for the next 2-3 months

[Dragonbait]

HUGE loss for the team, the city, and us fans....

 

Summer wont be the same 'til he gets back.

 

So does Provus take over and do the whole game, or does Kent come in and help?

 

Bring in Robin as a color guy...

 

Bob Costas? (A guy can hope)

[CheezWizHed]

there is no replacement for Ueck...

 

Hopefully this is something minor.

[MadScientist]

there is no replacement for Ueck...

 

Hopefully this is something minor.

I think it is impossible to call any heart surgery minor. We can just hope for the surgery to be successful with no complications, and for Ueck to make a full and speedy recovery.

[Mr QL]

Hope Uke is alright.

[JoeHova]

Oh no! Hopefully Uecker recovers soon. Baseball wouldn't be the same without him around.

[Dragonbait]

Sportsbubbler is reporting that Davey Nelson, UGGGHHHH!!!, will take over color with Provus doing the majority.

 

http://twitter.com/SportsBubbler

 

 

-edit

 

Is it possible we can triple '!' and double pin this thread? Biggest injury of the year for the 'crew

[chuckiehacks]

JSOnline reporting that Davey Nelson is a short-term fix and that the team will re-evaluate after the roadtrip.

[JohnBriggs12]

Davey did color on Cub broadcasts for a year or so back before Santo started doing them in the early 90's. I thought back then he did a pretty decent job. I think he's better suited for radio color guy than he is on pre and post game TV.

[joepepsi]

I thought he sounded raspy and not well the first week of the season, but seemed his old self since then.

 

Get well soon Bob, we need you!

[brewerjamie15]

Man I hope things go well, and Ueck is back soon. I can not fathom Brewers baseball without him.

[getupgetouttaheregone]

Good Luck Bob Uecker. We'll be pullin' for ya.

[topper09er]

1) Get well Uek

 

2) Davey, LIVE on the radio is giong to be the trainwreck of the century: O boy, partner, I tell you what, um, Prince, is just, well, when he gets a fastball that cuts the plate, o boy, hahaha thats going to be hit well, i mean prince can hit the ball well. When Gallardo can throw all of his pitches, for um, strikes in the strike zone, boy I tell you he is hard to hit. Brauny had a nice game at the plate tonight, but he went 4-4.

[GormanHarvey]

1) Get well Uek

 

2) Davey, LIVE on the radio is giong to be the trainwreck of the century: O boy, partner, I tell you what, um, Prince, is just, well, when he gets a fastball that cuts the plate, o boy, hahaha thats going to be hit well, i mean prince can hit the ball well. When Gallardo can throw all of his pitches, for um, strikes in the strike zone, boy I tell you he is hard to hit. Brauny had a nice game at the plate tonight, but he went 4-4.

Hilarious - that is spot on topper!

 

Get well soon Ueck! Here's to a very speedy recovery and to you returning to a team in the playoff hunt!

 

 

[1992casey]

Davey did color on Cub broadcasts for a year or so back before Santo started doing them in the early 90's. I thought back then he did a pretty decent job. I think he's better suited for radio color guy than he is on pre and post game TV.

 

Davey is fine in an analyst role. When he first came on board, he had to function a lot as a host. He displayed definite shortcomings in that role, and I think that still sticks out in the minds of a lot of people. I don't think I'd want to see him doing a lot of interviewing, either.

 

A full game of play by play added to all the pre-and post-game stuff is a

lot for one person, and adding a color man isn't going to do a lot to lighten that load. I think we'll eventually see a currently employed or under-employed local announcer pitching in. How the jobs are divided up will probably depend on which people might be available and what their strengths might be. Cory would certainly have the ability to flex depending upon whom he might be working with.

 

There are probably a number of people around who can do the reporting and interviewing that goes on before and after the game. There are probably fewer that would be appropriate for play by play. Wayne Larrivee is the only play by play type that I can think of offhand.

 

Best wishes to Bob. It's not going to be the same without him.

[Schlitz001]

Hurry back Ueck! Baseball isn't the same without you!

 

If Provus gets sick I wonder if we'll have the dream team of Sommerfeld and Nelson.

[hawing]

I think it is impossible to call any heart surgery minor. We can just hope for the surgery to be successful with no complications, and for Ueck to make a full and speedy recovery.

I'm trying to take small comfort from knowing the surgery is scheduled for Friday, rather than underway right this minute because something severe happened. But MadScientist is right: no heart surgery is minor.

There's a 3:30 press conference at Miller Park. I imagine its contents will be simulcast on the radio and/or internets.

 

Most importantly, best wishes to Bob. I know he doesn't use his Pocket Doppler to read Brewerfan, but he should know he has a whole Brewer nation pulling hard for him.

 

Edit: The presser is going to be on AM 1070 in Madison, 620 in Milwaukee.

[endaround]

This will be a miserable 12 weeks and perhaps longer if Uecker stops traveling even for a little while.

As for fill-ins,there is Matt Lepay. I don't know Ted Davis' schedule after the Bucks. And Dennis Krause has done play by play before

[Invader3K]

Definite bummer to hear about, but hopefully Uke will be fine and be back to deliver play-by-play while the Brewers are in the thick of a playoff hunt.

 

Cory could probably handle doing most of the games himself at this point. Maybe this isn't feasible, but it might be kind of cool if they could rotate some guest commentators in while Uke is gone. Maybe Costas if he was available for a game (like someone mentioned), or even Matt Vasgersian. Kent Summerfeld has done fine in the past.

 

Actually, this is getting really obscure, but several years ago there was a game where both Uecker and Jim Powell were unavailable to do the broadcast for some reason; and the Brewers brought in a guy named Gary Douglas from the local Brewers Radio Network affiliate around here. He actually did a really good job from what I remember. I'm just saying there are people out there who can handle it.

[bjkrautk]

There are probably a number of people around who can do the reporting and interviewing that goes on before and after the game. There are probably fewer that would be appropriate for play by play. Wayne Larrivee is the only play by play type that I can think of offhand.

 

Best wishes to Bob. It's not going to be the same without him.

I still remember his last extended absense. Without reading the story, I couldn't have told you it was 1991...but it was memorable since there weren't nearly as many games on TV then as there are now.

 

I am curious as to whether Cory could cover a full game (with help from a color guy). Larivee makes some sense, as he's a Journal Communications employee already, but I've never heard him call baseball (basketball & football only). I'm sure Bill Michaels will also have an internal 'audition' for the role (since he has the sports / broadcasting background), and I'd think Drew Olson would also be considered for the role as well. Time will tell.

 

Get well soon, Ueck.

 

 

[hawing]

I thought he sounded raspy and not well the first week of the season, but seemed his old self since then.

I agree that he has sounded raspy, I would say for the last few weeks. Listening to the press conference, I think he sounds raspy right now.

 

Edit: the presser makes it sound like this is something they've been following for a while, which is encouraging (to an extent). Man.

Well, Bob, we'll keep the seats warm for you in the meantime. Take care.

[honuswagner21]

I am curious as to whether Cory could cover a full game (with help from a color guy). Larivee makes some sense, as he's a Journal Communications employee already, but I've never heard him call baseball (basketball & football only). I'm sure Bill Michaels will also have an internal 'audition' for the role (since he has the sports / broadcasting background), and I'd think Drew Olson would also be considered for the role as well. Time will tell.

 

I remember Michaels and Laravee filling in during a series in Colorado when Ueck was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Neither one was ready for the role and it was somewhat painful to listen to. I'd imagine that Cory will do all play by play and get someone for color. I think that teams like having a former player doing color commentary if possible so it may be possible that we see Davey for the entire time. I think that he will do better in a supporting role vs. some sort of hosting or play by play role.

[PKBadger]

Matt Lepay would be an ideal replacement....just named Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year, and he usually doesn't have a lot going on between April and July. Wonder if he's interested?