Call to the pen
Fansided

Rating the TV booths: The AL West

By Bill Felber

MESA, AZ - MARCH 8: Broadcaster Glen Kuiper Jr. of the Oakland Athletics works from the pressbox during the game against the Chicago White Sox at Hohokam Stadium on March 8, 2015 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
MESA, AZ - MARCH 8: Broadcaster Glen Kuiper Jr. of the Oakland Athletics works from the pressbox during the game against the Chicago White Sox at Hohokam Stadium on March 8, 2015 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images) /
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The versatile Dave Sims. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images)
The versatile Dave Sims. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images) /

Seattle Mariners: Dave Sims, play-by-play; Mike Blowers, color analyst

With good reason, Sims has won wide respect within the play-by-play industry. He is frequently called on for network-level assignments in MLB, basketball and football, and his media chops are sufficiently respected to have co-operated a media advisory group for college athletic programs.

He is also seen from time to time on MLB Network, where he slides easily into a variety of duties that do not need to be team-related. Need a temp host for the morning show? Dave Sims can smartly herd the cats that would befuddle many experienced announcers in such a fill-in scenario. In fact, he has done so.

Blowers enjoyed an 11-season major league career with the Yankees, Mariners, Dodgers and A’s before retiring in 1999 and launching his media career. He has been the principal color analyst in Seattle since 2007.

In those duties, Blowers is competent, lacking only the joint flare or humor of Fosse and Braden, and perhaps the same level of exceptional chemistry with Sims that Fosse and Braden share with Kuiper. Again, this is no knock on Blowers or Sims; there’s nothing wrong with average chemistry.

Indeed, the difference between the Oakland and Seattle color teams might best be described this way: Blowers has spent 17 years learning how to be a good analyst. Fosse and particularly Braden give every indication of having come by that skill naturally.

Experience: 4

Likeability: 4

Knowledge: 5

Humor: 4

Rapport: 4

Oratory: 4

Total: 25

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