Miami Marlins: Paul Severino, play-by-play; Todd Hollandsworth, color.
All Severino needs is time – plus, of course, a far larger Marlins audience – to improve his stature. His journalistic skills are clear.
Born in Bristol, Ct., home of ESPN, Severino is in his third season with the Marlins. He learned his craft at ESPN before moving to MLB Network, where he was a prominent on-air personality for seven seasons. He also did hockey.
He knows his stuff, and he is witty when the moment calls for it. What is missing, then, is the sense of identification between announcer and team that requires time to take hold.
His color guy, Hollandsworth, had a 12-season big league career as an outfielder with eight teams. The 1996 Rookie of the Year – his career highlight – he came to Miami four seasons ago from Chicago, where he gained experience in various roles with the Cubs telecasts.
The knocks on the Severino-Hollandsworth team are primarily experience-related. Three seasons may sound like sufficient time to build a rapport, but given the importance of creating a bond with viewers – a special challenge considering the Marlins’ slim audience – it isn’t. Hollandsworth’s modest on-field credentials compared with peers such as Darling, Hernandez and Glavine make it all the more important that he wear his personality as well as his knowledge on his sleeve. That, however, is not Hollandsworth’s thing.
The result is a telecast that, while entirely competent, sometimes lacks entertainment value.
Experience: 3
Likeability: 4
Knowledge: 5
Humor: 3
Rapport: 4
Oratory: 4
Total: 23