Rating MLB play-by-play and color analysts: The AL Central
By Bill Felber
Kansas City Royals: Ryan Lefebvre, play-by-play; Rex Hudler, color
Lefebvre, son of former MLB player Dick Lefebvre, is a solid play-by-play announcer who could, if needed, function smoothly as a one-man team. Although his on-field career peaked when he was named All-Big Ten at the University of Minnesota, he displays a consistent depth of knowledge of the game’s technicalities likely gleaned both from his own college experience and from watching his dad, who was a superb coach as well as a player.
Too bad Lefebvre is forced to share a booth with Hudler, whose main color analyst credential is that he is sort of a goofball. It’s all about the ratings, baby.
Presumably, that’s OK with Royals fans, who can get the cogent explanations from Lefebvre. From Hudler, they get whatever entertainment derives from listening to a guy get paid to stumble through a succession of loosely organized thoughts expressed in a way that he probably, but not necessarily, understands himself.
Stylistically, Hudler shares a flaw many athletes who try to make the transition to behind a microphone run afoul of: their mouth gets ahead of their brain, creating a message mish-mash.
It’s humorous…if you like demolition derbies. And Hudler gets high marks on the likeability scale. But the telecast is not informative unless Lefebvre himself makes it so.
Experience: 3
Likeability: 5
Knowledge: 3
Humor: 5
Rapport: 4
Oratory: 3
Total: 23