The vast majority of MLB fans enjoy the sport through the eyes and lips of their favorite team’s play-by-play and color guy. Although this is particularly true in a Covid-driven era of limited in-stadium attendance, it’s really been substantially so since widespread access to televised games became available anywhere and any time through various media.
But that, in turn, means that a lot of the buzz we draw from a game hinges on the skill, passion, knowledge, and oratorical talents of each team’s telecasters. As in any field, some are better than others.
Ranking the MLB team broadcasters – the AL East
In the series that begins here, each team’s primary TV crew is rated based on six criteria that are important to fan enjoyment of a game. The criteria are:
1. Experience: How deep and constant is the attachment between the announcing crew and the team?
2. Likeability: Does the announcing crew genuinely come across as people a fan might enjoy spending an afternoon or evening with?
3. Knowledge: This criterion does not require description.
4. Humor: Does the announcing crew make an appropriate effort to entertain without being clownish?
5. Rapport: Do members of the announcing crew seem to get along easily with one another?
6. Oratory: Do members of the announcing crew evince a comfort level with proper techniques of English language delivery?
Focusing only on TV announcing crews – they’re the ones most readily available on more than a regional basis – the evaluation considers the main play-by-play announcer plus the principal color commentators or, if you prefer, expert analysts.
This analysis specifically does not consider pre-game or post-game personalities, or in-stadium interviewers.
We’re going to approach the task in six parts, one installment for each division. Announcing teams can receive a max score of five points in each category: with six categories that make 30 points a perfect score.
We begin today with the AL East