C-Mo gives Twins a lift in honor of Marilyn Monroe
Posted on May 12th, 2008 – 11:32 AMBy Joe Christensen
I got a text message this morning from a friend who covers the Detroit Tigers: “Gotta love C-Mo and his big home runs.”
Indeed, Craig Monroe turned in his first multi-homer game since Aug. 30, 2004, as the Twins defeated the Red Sox 9-8 on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.”
All night long, the Twins did a lot of real neat tributes for Mother’s Day. Several of the players’ moms were featured telling stories on the scoreboard between innings. It was cool for me because my mom and grandmother were at the game, too.
Monroe’s mom — Marilyn Monroe — was at his house, watching with his family. I wrote about Craig’s special bond with Marilyn for the Sunday paper.
Maybe it was the power of Mother’s Day. The light-hitting Twins have hit seven home runs using those pink bats in two years.
ESPN has a cameraman run right up to the players after their home runs, and at one point, Monroe looked right into the camera and gave Marilyn a special tribute.
“Maybe a little much, saying ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ to her on camera,” Monroe said. “But you know what? It’s emotions. It’s who I am, so it makes me feel good today to do something special.”
Note: The Twins are on ESPN and FSN tonight. Game starts at 6:05 p.m. Check back here for lineups mid-afternoon.
125 Responses to "C-Mo gives Twins a lift in honor of Marilyn Monroe"
“Maybe it was the power of Mother’s Day.”
Or, as Reusse pointed out on the radio this morning, maybe it was the 66 mph knuckleball that Wakefield left hanging all night…
We get the ESPN feed too, huh? Awesome!
I will be surprised if we can see the ESPN feed tonight. Should be blacked out due to MLB rules about local coverage.
So does this mean Craig might the son of Joe DiMaggio?
na… i think we get fsn and espn does out of state… it was the same for opening day
I noticed that about Monroe so far, he’s a very emotional and enthusiastic guy. Which would be good for the clubhouse provided he can keep hitting.
Him and Gomez seem to be the two “sparkplugs” in the clubhouse at the moment.
And I got nothing against what he said into the camera. It’s Mother’s Day, and he had a good day at the plate with some big hits. Why not take the opportunity to thank his mom on camera?
Heck, nobody seemed to have a problem with Ortiz fexing his muscles during Francona’s interview…
I sure hope the ESPN coverage is blacked out. I’m not sure there is a worse person announcing baseball than Joe Morgan. How does this guy still have a job?
well i say we either trade him at the deadline (livan) if hes doing amazing still… or if they dont think we can get a 3rd baseman top prospect then sign him too a 2-3 year contract… but by all means DONT NOT DO ANYTHING!!!!! IF HE WINS THE CY YOUNG AWASRD AND GETS LET LOSE I WILL STOP WATCHING THE TWINS!!!!
Was i the only one who was sickened by Jon Millers comments about how hard it is to hit a baseball? The lead in to Joe Morgans little bit about how much time a hitter has to react made me want to smack Miller. Did the revelation that hitters only have a split second to react to pitches just come to him last night?
Right T… only problem I have with C-Mo’s enthusiasm is that I am afraid he is going to break someone’s fingers with his enthusastic hand slaps after his dingers. lol
haha, I love Francona’s response too…I told him I can kick his a** too!
ESPN crew tonight will be Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, and Steve Philips…
Morgan’s bit on reaction time last night was a classic example of how he overanalyzes…including a classic John Madden-like line about how when the ball takes longer to reach home plate, the hitter has more time to react.
Having said that, the Miller-Morgan pair is still the best in baseball and I’ll take ESPN’s crew over Bert and Ernie…
Gotta love games against the Sox or Yanks. It might be the only time this team gets any national recognition.
“…[Nobody] worse than Joe Morgan”?? Are you nuts?! I would take the educated banter between Miller nad Morgan any day over Bert and Dick… They could be the most brutal duo broadcasting any sport… I am a lifelong Twins fan and it is really painful to show out-of-town friends both the Metrodome (thank God, this will be gone in two years) and our amateur duo during games (hopefully they’ll remain in the Dome)… Did you listen to Friday’s broadcast by chance..?? Just for one example out of countless.. Dick and Bert discussed Milk and Cookies for about 10 minutes.. This is baseball, not a children’s show… C’mon!!! Additionally, Did Bert graduate high school? His grammar (or lack - thereof) is deplorable… and he offers NO insight to the game… Did he pay attention at all during his career? –Maybe he was too busy dunking Oreos….
Yeah, but ESPN doesn’t like to see the Sox or Yankees lose to the Twins on a national broadcast.
I missed Dick and Bert last night…
at lest Bert and Dick can pronounce names. Christ, it’s like Morgan and Miller have never read before. It’s preposterous how bad they are with that. And it’s with every team too, not just the really really tough names like Mauer. (or Moyer as Morgan pronounced)
I’m really happy for C-MO. I think he’s be a good add to the Twins, if they will give hime enough at bats to get his groove. He’s a bigger home run threat than all but Morneau (what’s happened to him?!). I’d much rather see him DH than Kubel.
Jason if you rag on Kubel you will need aspirin near by where you are sitting. You will hear every stat from Half of last years run production to when Kubel doesn’t shave he hits for a higher batting avg on Tuesdays after 4:00P.M..
ESPN crew tonight will be Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, and Steve Philips…
I can put up with that if forced to. Though I can’t remember if that’s the same team that notoriously pronounced players names wrong.
i loved the friday night comments in the 9th with gomez on first he shouldn’t steal that way the hole between 1st and 2nd is bigger for lamb. first of all get the winning run to 2nd and second of all what are the chances of lamb pulling a 95+ mph fastball down the line? of course lamb could have dropped the head of the bat ……….. to many cookies imo.
Shulman, Hershiser, and Phillips are halfway decent. It’s Morgan and Miller that can’t pronounce names. For a solid 5 minutes Joe Mauer was pronounce “Moyer”.
Oh my God!! “circle me Bert, Circle Me!!!” — What the hell is that pathetic schtick and how is it persisting???… The two morons in the booth act as if they are on a PBS children’s program… Harry Caray used to drink 15 beers during games and still offered more insight than those yokels and their Land O’ Lakes Grab and Go’s…
Why can’t we have Tommy Lasorda and Kirk Gibson and Orel do the broadcast tonight. That would be great!!!!!!
See the great thing about Dick and Bert is that they sound like 2 buddies watching a game together and providing insight. FOX and ESPN crews sound way too rehearsed and forced. There’s something to be said about researching the team beforehand. If it isn’t the Sawx or Yanks, then the ESPN crews know nothing about the teams they are covering.
1 question, who talks about there playing days more Joe Morgan or Bert. They both annoy me when they can’t stick to the game
Random stat of the day:
Melky Cabrera has the same slugging percentage as our #1 slugger Justin Morneau - .459.
To Adam who is concerned about Dick and Bert-
They are an excellent and insightful team. I am not sure what you are looking for but Bert’s insight into pitching coupled with the professionalism Dick exudes put them up there with the best teams of all time. Steve Stone and Harry Carey have nothing on them, I mean one was an idiot and one was a drunk. I suggest you learn a thing or two about broadcasting before criticizing the excellent broadcast team we have.
Nick… Wow…!! That’s all I can say… I glad you think Dick and Bert “Do real GOOD on the air…”
jimmy bee,
I was thinking about that on the great thinking pot a few minutes ago, I came to a conclusion. Bert talks about his playing days in a joking, nostalgic manner. Morgan talks about his playing days in a egotistical, bragging manner. He loves to reference how good he was.
Dick and Bert do OK. Gladden is also much better. Remeber “I’ll tell you what?” Gordon is very tiring to listen to. He is very redundent. I mean he says the same things over and over again. I mean he repeats himself over and over again. Did I say he’s redundent? He does repeat himself a lot. I’ve noticed he says the same things over and over.
At least Dick and Bert stick to what they know. I just about had a brain hemorage when Morgan called the Metrodome a ‘home run’ park. The Metrodome is consistently in the bottom 1/3 of baseball for HR park factor. If your old school and don’t believe in that stuff fine, just don’t talk about it. That’s tons better than getting it wrong.
jimmy i can’t get enough history on the “big red machine”. I want them to use that real time clock to see how fast Gomez runs the bases.
Rotoblinders says:
May 12th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
jimmy bee,
I was thinking about that on the great thinking pot a few minutes ago, I came to a conclusion. Bert talks about his playing days in a joking, nostalgic manner. Morgan talks about his playing days in a egotistical, bragging manner. He loves to reference how good he was.
I completely agree regarding your observations. On a side note. I heard a comment earlier that Morgan called Mauer, “Moyer” while Bert calls Mauer, “Joe Blower” like flower with a “B” in the begining
and that turf at the dome. I tell you what. The Twins only get hits up the middle because of the turf. Honestly, I think Morgan gets hit in the head before broadcasts.
Not only was mauer Moyer on TV but I listened to the national feed on the radio and the guy kept refering to cu-die-YA not cu-DIE-er
Classic, gw
Adam I love how you are so appalled by the “children’s show” atmosphere but demand perfection when it comes to grammar. I guess how a old Cubs broadcast was on par with a Thomas Wolfe novel. Face it, your opinions are baseless and your arguments are about as well thought out as Nick Punto’s approach to bunting!
tk says: Joe “Blower” Mauer
Punto sucks at bunting, but he’s never been beaned while his leg was over the plate. Preposterous call on Ellsbury’s “bunt.”
Speaking of Punto. Our tradeoff of him going to the DL is Casilla? So an A+ defender to a D+ defender, with less offense. I’d rather see gardy try to field grounders up the middle.
“Morgan talks about his playing days in a egotistical, bragging manner. He loves to reference how good he was.”
That as much as he likes to name drop all the famous players (and people in general) he’s happened to play against/meet/see across the ballpark/be in the same state as.
Prime example, Miller goes on some pre-scripted schill for the new Frank Sinatra album. After which Morgan promptly points out:
“I already have Frank Sinatra on my iPod.” as though he’s the first person to have ever heard of the Chairman, and he’s somehow better than all of us common-folk who might also happen to enjoy music written in the past 5 years.
That little nudge rubbed me the wrong way more than some of his inane baseball ramblings.
What you people just don’t understand is that Joe Morgan knows everything about baseball and he was the greatest infielder to ever play the game. If you don’t believe me, just ask him.
Why does anyone want to hear some nonsensical ‘G’ rated stories from Bert’s past…??? I don’t doubt that he possesses the abilty to share some great ‘off the cuff’ baseball memories.. however, the broadcast is riddled with stupid “Minnesota Nice’ anecdotes… for lack of a better analogy… it’s similar to having the ‘goof on the roof’ (Paul Douglas; WCCO weather man) in the booth– rather than sharing the weather with me; I get some knucklehead either dressed in a ‘bunny suit’ blaying the drums, or a rep. from a pet store cuddling with a puppy… I don’t care.. I would rather hear expert analysis and technical observations (even if they are braggardly) than a story about Bert’s Birthday party or plans for the weekend… It’s romper room in the Twins Broadcast booth… utterly pathetic…
If only they could have put that real time clock on how long they spent going over the time a batter has to react to a pitch. Must have been 3 innings. Makes Gordo sound interesting.
Not only would Joe Morgan not shut his mouth about the indoor field being the reason for everything that went wrong for the BoSox, he kept referring to it as Astroturf, which the dome hasn’t had for 3 years now. Ridiculous.
By comparison, Bert’s discussion of his playing days are in more general terms. The reasoning behind a pitch, or the clubhouse atmosphere in certain situations.
Bert sometimes name drops, but its normally in the context of the game (if he played with a current coach, or if they’re discussing some historic event and he was involved with the game)
But it’s usually related in some form to the game. Not just a random: “You know I once played with Joe DiMaggio” when it’s Minnesota playing Kansas City…
I don’t mind listening to Gladden’s color commentary, but his play-by-play is awful. The inflection in his voice never changes, whether its a grand slam or a ground-out to the first basemen,it all sounds the same. He sounds like he’s bored with all of it.
i thought the clock on the pitches wa interesting — the first time.
I would rather hear expert analysis and technical observations (even if they are braggardly)…
Both of which are the last things I think of when I think of Morgan and Miller.
Morgan is a blowhard who loves to talk about Barry Bonds, the great things he thinks he did, and all the famous people he knows.
Miller’s job appears to be nothing more than a set-up man to this, and to feed Morgan a name or situation so he can relate to it for the next inning and a half.
Can both Bert and Morgan just keep quiet about there playing days and pay more attention to the games. We are not newbies to the game. We know both of them played and do not need to be reminded 12 times a game. Oh yeah also Kubel stinks still and great half of last season
I really do enjoy watching or listening to the games — no matter who’s announcing –except for Ken Harrelson!
I think one of the points you are missing about Dick and Bert (Bert in particular), is the sense of community they have created. I have traveled to see the Twins play and the passion the “traveling support” has because of “Circle me Bert” is great. I remember being at Kaufman Stadium, sitting among what must have been 7,000 Twins fans, all jazzed and most carrying signs that said “Circle me Bert,” I’ll put up with some G rated stories if it creates that kind of community.
Some of you castigate the Dick-Bert duo, but have you heard the White Sox coverage on WGN? THAT is truly embarrassing to witness as a non-White Sox fan.
Oh man gw, “The Hawk” is probably the worst! Don’t even get me started on that.
To anybody who thinks that DnB are somehow homers…Harrelson by comparison would be in uniform and on the field.
No announcer ever should use “we”.
Can we combo Reggie Jackson with Joe Morgan for an interleague game between the Reds and the Yank’s. I would vomit for distance during the simulcast
“We are not newbies to the game.”
Jimmy, how do you know that? You can’t generalize and assume the vast majority of the listening audience consists of baseball experts. Sometimes the announcing crew has to speak in terms that are simplistic to the novice fan. I have no problem with that. I find the Dick-Bert FAIRLY objective, versus clowns like the WGN crew, or Michael Kay of YES.
you think Kay is bad… listen to sterling on the radio.
First, Hawk and DJ are the worst thing to happen to baseball, period. (Steroids included.)
Nick, I was there too. It was incredible. Nothing like creating a home team advantage in a visiting ball park. You can definately thank Bert for some of that.
I’d agree that Dick and Bert personify Minnesota Nice, but isn’t that comforting to hear, rather than mindless dribble and banter created in White Sox broadcasts. I mean puhleeze.
Like T said. Morgan and Miller by no means give technical informational broadcasts. yes I enjoyed seeing the timing of swings, but they overdid it. Plus I kept thinking they stole that idea from that sports science episode that showed during a recent Twins rain delay.
I can’t wait for the outdoor ballpark so Morgan can complain that the Minnesota state bird (mosquito) caused Josh Beckett to give up a tater to Luke Hughes.
The only sense of community that they have created involves a group of individuals who don’t give a flying Fu&*… about the game of baseball… nor do they ever want to… what they do care about is making a sign, having a camera flash on them, and maybe, just maybe having this new, equally as pathetic, field reporter interview him/her… it adds nothing to the game of baseball and only further detracts from the broadcast (which is very difficult in and of itself)… Why does our broadcast team insist on playing this petty, childish games with the fans? The Twins are a legit club.. let’s treat them like it… it’s no longer the Twinkies of the early 80’s…
jimmy bee…how about our boy c. monroe…or is it c-mo now?? it was u and i it seemed against the kubel world the other day…i dont dare ask them what they are thinking now, but i sure know how i feel and its just…let monroe hit and hit and hit….he will get this job done….
T On a side note I was at Home Depot and I saw Kevin Mchale yesterday. I was going to call him McFail but when you see a HOFer in public you just can’t bring yourself to it.
“involves a group of individuals who don’t give a flying Fu&*… about the game of baseball…”
Well there we go. Adam’s argument is rendered invalid by means of the “No True Scotsman” falacy.
Adam,
I hate the fairweather nonfans as much as the next guy, but I have been enlightened by the business sense. If it wasn’t for these “individuals who don’t give a flying F—”, we wouldn’t have the Twins. It’s their tickets and quick buying of merchandise that keep the Twinkies afloat. The ballpark is a family experience, and for the most part Bert and Dick personify that. I see no reason for them to stop.
Oh durn, I think I spelled “fallacy” wrong. Guess that means I’m one of the ignorant unwashed masses that would dare enjoy a baseball broadcast tainted by those fools DnB.
mj1 says:
May 12th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
jimmy bee…how about our boy c. monroe…or is it c-mo now?? it was u and i it seemed against the kubel world the other day…i dont dare ask them what they are thinking now, but i sure know how i feel and its just…let monroe hit and hit and hit….he will get this job done….
The Kubelmaniacs are great and they will tell you stupid stats regarding 1/2 of a season. Oh well it must have been quite the second half of one single season. Mickey Mantle look out for Jason Kubel. Goooooooo Monroe
I would get started on Fox’s Buck, but his pompous holier than thou appearance would make me want to punt a baby or a small dog.
mj1 just need to work on getting Boof into the Bullpen next and yes it was us against an entire Blog of Kubelmaniacs
Yeah I really wish we had an atmosphere more like U.S. Cellular where drunken idiots beat up opposing managers. Now that is what I call baseball. In talking to people around the country the one thing they always say about the Twins is what a great and loyal fan base we have. We all know we are not the largest but we have passion and we travel, those were things that didn’t happen before Bert started doing the games.
Can we get Reggie Jackson and Joe Morgan to broadcast a game together
Here’s a stat:
If Mother’s Day falls on May 11th in 2008 and pink bats are being used, Craig Monroe will hit 2 homers.
TAKE THAT KUBEL!
Adam: why are you admonishing “childish” acts such as “Circle Me Bert?” There’s a reason why baseball is arguably the most fan-friendly sport, it’s because it caters to small kids (sophomoric in your book, I’m sure) as much as it does to thus of us who analyze a glut of various statistics, read box scores daily, and post comments to a baseball blog.
Regarding said “Circle Me Bert,” people love it…that’s not enough for you?
i wonder if releasing kubel has even crossed gardys and b smiths mind…if it were my ship i would let him go or try and trade him for a prospect of sorts and open up a precious roster spot for someone, as i believe kubel is now just dead weight and really doesnt have much to offer other than a left handed pinch hitter and im not sure we even need one of them…and theres no speed or defense…..makes sense to me–take it to heart billy, gardy
I love listening to Gordo, the voice reminds me of my youth. He may not be the best but i don’t care, he does the job and I think he’s great at it. Same with Dick and Bert, I like the bantering they do during the games. You guys are impossible to please, christ, if the Twins are winning you must find something to complain about so it’s the commentators. Lighten up guys, it’s a game and it’s fun to watch/listen to.
Plus Kubel’s ability to grow a goatee just infuriates Morneau as the Canadian was unable when he tried a few years ago.
mj1 In alaska when you get old they send you off to sea on a broken piece of ice only to have the piece melt and the person ends up dissapearing into the water
BTW Kubel spelled backwards is Le Buk, which in canadian means pop-out.
Does anyone notice how Joe Morgan always gets pitches wrong? Dick and Bert do that also…but not nearly as often.
I can’t stand Dick and Bert. If I won the lottery, I would buy the Twins and the first thing I would do is fire them.
I agree with Adam, the broadcast reminds me of an episode of Sesame Street. Childish and lame, not to mention complete PR spin, constantly regurgitating the company line, rather than offering honest analysis (IE - pretending Nick Punto is good)
Chazz, that would have to be one hell of a lottery you’d have to win, and I think you’d have a tough time firing Dick and Bert as the owner of the Twins since they aren’t employees of the Twins but Fox.
Chazz, how would a broadcast go if you ran a booth? Keep in mind the goal is to entertain the fans, not to conduct a Presidential Debate….
No… it’s a game that I love and display great pride for, however, it is ruined when you have individuals representing your team who would rather play with their Smartboard all day than offer information regarding the team that they cover. How about some Minor League news?? Maybe a some insight regarding players around the league… how about FSN springs for an additional camera or two..? maybe add a new toy (a la ‘K-Zone’) that the announcers can reference… the broadcast as it currently stands is definitely at a ‘B’ league level… it really depletes the Twins’ Image…
Adam, do you watch other FSN broadcasts? They are all the same. You will only find K-Zone and extra cameras with FOX and ESPN, as they have the funds to do so.
As far as playing with their smartboard. I think it happens 2-3 times a game and usually when they come back from commercial. You don’t lose out on the game.
With relevant info. They are constantly updating us on information. (IE Liriano’s rehab assignments, Punto’s DL trip, Neshek’s injury status). If you paid attention, you’d hear that.
Bert’s scouting reports are spot on and he gives us great analysis from the pitching perspective, albeit sometimes sarcastic and witty.
Plus they know things about the opponents, which is hard to say about many broadcast teams.
I’d say B+ at least.
I think we should have Chazz and Adam in the booth, I’m sure they would be much better than Dick and Bert.
I think the fact that the Twins are unable to resign any big name players depletes their image more than the lack of a “K-Zone.” Last time I checked Santana and Hunter did more to wins games and portray us as winners than some stupid graphic. If you were a real fan of the Twins you would place you anger where it should be directed, at our money grubbing owner. Dick and Bert are not the problem.
I’m thinking Chazz and Adam might actually be Joe Buck and Tim “Mr. Obvious” McCarver under different names.
“K-Zone” was an example… I don’t need copyrights and patents listed off to me… I am merely stating that the broadcast appears cheap… even in HD… And, Bert and Dick do not raise the quality at all… I would argue that they further diminish it… Roto… I have no clue what you are referring to … I watch the broadcasts and usually have to throw pilows or beer cans at my television because of the two imbeciles ‘discussing’ the game… Hell, Saturday… Bert told the entire broadcast nation that he did not know the Loon was the state bird… yeah, I listen… unfortunately.
constantly regurgitating the company line, rather than offering honest analysis (IE - pretending Nick Punto is good)
How is that any different than ESPN regurgitating the importance of “spunk” (IE - pretending David Eckstein is worth anything) and spending more than one AB discussing how fast pitches get to home plate faster than slow pitches?
maybe add a new toy (a la ‘K-Zone’) that the announcers can reference…
Oh yes…more meaningless graphics to play with.
The K-Zone is worthless, since the real zone changes almost by the batter these days. Not to mention there are times during broadcasts where even the annoucers will see the pitch out of their K-Zone and suggest that it was a good call (so then what’s the point of K-Zone if even THAT isn’t a worth while measure?)
How about some Minor League news??
They discuss minor league info when it’s important to the big league club. (Rehab starts, guys close to getting called up) Statheads may care that Trevor Plouffe went 0-3 with a walk, but I would guess the average baseball viewer wouldn’t know who he is.
Maybe a some insight regarding players around the league…
Except that’s ESPN’s job (or at least it’s supposed to be ESPN’s job when they’re not spending half of BB2N discussing the Yankees and how much they suck/rule this season.
Any broadcast should focus on the teams and players related to the game being played on the field. I don’t need to hear about Derek Jeter, Jimmy Rollins, or when I’m watching the Twins play the Sox.
how about FSN springs for an additional camera or two..?
Why? So they can become FOX and show more shots of the fans in the stands? Or so they can follow the guy as he trots home on a dinger for some reason?
The problem with ESPN (and especially FOX) is that they treat the game like some sort of production. Graphics, gimmicks, and all kinds of garbage that takes the focus off the game being played.
Bert told the entire broadcast nation that he did not know the Loon was the state bird… yeah, I listen… unfortunately.
Better than Morgan, who would go on and on for half a game as to how the Bald Eagle is his favorite state bird, and Minnesota is very patriotic for selecting it? (And how one time he saw a Bald Eagle while hunting with Jesse Ventura in the Dali Lama’s backyard)
All the while Miller sits there with his mouth shut, because he’s too busy trying to remember if it’s Josh Bartlett, Jason Bartlett…failing to realize he’s watching the Rockies play the Cubs.
T - Kevin MaFail at Home Depot coming stright at me like a 7′ft pale caveman
Nick,
Congratulations on just getting back from your trip to Mars. Sounds like you didn’t hear the news while you were floating around in space, but neither Santana or Hunter wanted to play for the Twins this year. Now that you are all caught up, you can quit talking about stuff that is completely irrelevant.
Adam- your utter lack of baseball knowledge really makes we wonder. You seem like the kind of person who wouldn’t know what to do if a ground ball was hit to you. When will you realize the Twins are not the Yankees and this is not New York. People want low key respectable announcers, much like Herb Carneal, who exuded class like no one else. They don’t want idiots that say “You can put it on the board….” Have you ever critically followed the media or do you just regurgitate the opinions of people like Jim Rome?
T- How about Reggie Jackson and Joe Morgan night in the broadcast booth
I would continue, but T was spot on. Well done.
I just figured it out… ‘T’ .. you’re Telly Hughes aren’t you?! You know, you’re new and play that “token” black guy role for the whitest state in the country’s broadcast (actually, that may be W Virginia- we’re close though) so I won’t rip you as much and DnB - you are a decent writer… you are God awful on television though.. I mean, seriously if you are going to read from a script… please, at least act like you completed the Dick and Jane series… where the hell did FSN find you?! Are you an intern? If so, I apologize, I know it’s prbably a lot of work…
See now Adam is just spewing garbage, because he realizes he lost the argument. I think that last post was essentially the concession.
E16- Why didn’t they want to play for us? A: Because we are a legitimate title contender every year with a payroll that could sustain the talent we find?
B: Our announcers were to annoying for them?
c: Although are attendance had been solid and our TV ratings are high we still couldn’t afford them?
Nick: They wanted a bigger spotlight.
espn is a shill for the “sox nation” a bunch of band wagon hoppers and the yanks. if they had their way they’d play 162 gms a yr against each other all on espn. lucky gammons was off or we’d have to listen to his sox babble for half the game. it’s the sox and yanks game and the reast of the teams get to pick up the crumbs.
we need to get shut out tonight and get punto back so we have something to complain about this winning sucks.
Nick says:
May 12th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
E16- Why didn’t they want to play for us? A: Because we are a legitimate title contender every year with a payroll that could sustain the talent we find?
B: Our announcers were to annoying for them?
c: Although are attendance had been solid and our TV ratings are high we still couldn’t afford them?
3 reasons
1. Bigger contracts
2. Talent Surrounding them
3. To play for a team that wants to win a World series with $$$ not an issue
4. More publicity
4 reasons
I like how Bert, Dick, and the Twins are being blamed for the quality of the presentation now. Anyone who has MLB Extra Innings can testify that every FSN broadcast is done the same way. Same equipment, same outline, everything. Sorry, the Twins don’t look cheap, becaues the entire league does with the exception of a few such as YES. That is because YES is not an FSN affiliate.
Great chatter for the afternoon…
someone earlier talked about “the professionalism of Dick (Bremer)”
umm, if by that he meant White House press secretary-like spinning of the facts, then yes, I guess he’s professional…
ESPN might pronounce local names incorrectly (which is inexcusible, granted), but at least they truly do operate professionally…the Dick and Bert show is for either A) age 10 or below or B) age 55 or above…not much in between…
AaronK…true on the production, but only Dick and Bert operate like the target age of the viewer is 9.
Like I said, we need Bert to drop another F-bomb to restore some credibility of that crew to the baseball world…or at least FORCE Dick to utter the phrase “Best Damn Sports Show Period”.
But in all seriousness, I’m not advocating for R-rated TV, let’s just acknowledge the fact that there are some mature adults in your viewing audience who maybe are more interested in baseball than gimmicks…and perhaps talking down to them with endless superlatives and hyperbole regarding the home team insults their intelligence.
Jason… Kudos… I am in complete agreement… either a daycare or lutheran church potluck…
by the way, the fans are to blame too…anyone between the ages of 13-55 who totes a “Circle Me Bert” sign to a Twins game ought to be removed from the stadium…
Honestly, when I was in K.C. in April three 20-somethings sat in front of us and held large Circle Me Bert signs in front of our faces between innings for the entire game…I had to personally apologize to the Royals fans behind us…how sad.
You had to apologize because someone held a sign up between innings? Why? Did they miss a t-shirt being shot out of a cannon?
It really is amazing that people are complaining about the local broadcast team. Of course they are homers. Every local broadcast has them. From the games I have watched in other markets, Dick and Bert are towards the middle of the pack in terms of “homer-ism”. Yeah, Bert kills me every time he says “good” instead of “well”. But I got over that pretty quickly - I hear worse from people around me every day.
The signs are pathetic… “Oh My God!! I love going to Twins games… Maybe a creepy old man will circle me!! Yes… Yes… Whatta Great game!!”
do people around you everyday present a broadcast on TV for hundreds of thousands of TV homes, Pete?
This isn’t about being a “homer”…every local broadcast involves some level of homerism…this is about being grown up, I guess.
I apologized for Minnesota fans who were more interested in getting on TV than enjoying the afternoon…people who were willing to stand with a sign held high for 2.5 minutes after every inning just for the chance to be on TV for six seconds…meanwhile, we got to enjoy their backsides instead of beautiful Kaufmann Stadium.
Dick and Bert are fantastic people. Get a grip. They’ve done a great deal for Twins baseball and they are not nearly as childish as some of you let on. Bert in particular gives great insight into the mind of a pitcher. He should get more liquored up before games though.
Agreed, studs….we need to see some of the real life Bert on camera…
By the way, on this topic, Dan Gladden gives by far the best insight of any Twins broadcaster….this guy’s an absolute stud…not afraid to call people out for lack of hustle, not afraid to tell it like it is…
Adam, ok you don’t like Dick and Bert. Get over yourself. I live outside of Twins Territory, so I get to see the other teams announcers for away games, and D & B are in the top tier of announcers versus the other guys. I hate to say it, but the Yankees have the best guys. KC’s guys are really great at breaking down every little thing. Texas’ guys are the worst.
I’d love to see the Twins play the Dodgers in LA just to hear Vin Sully do a Twins game. That would be awesome.
Jason -
Does it matter? Look at some of the most popular shows on television. They definitely aren’t for those who know the difference between “good” and “well”. The top shows on TV right now are reality shows. There is even a show called “Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?” And you want your baseball broadcast to be more “grown up”? I’m interested in what you would suggest they do.
As for the signs…who cares? It was between innings. At least they were considerate enough to not stand during the middle of the game. I don’t understand the allure of the Circle Me Bert signs. But obviously a bunch of folks do. And if they come to a baseball game with hopes of getting on TV, then great. That’s more gate revenue for the squads playing, which can only help to improve the level of play on the field.
So, in conclusion, you sound really elitist. Because someone does something you find childish, it’s childish and should be done away with. You don’t care if it adds to their enjoyment of the game, because for some reason it detracts from yours.
OK, DICK N BERT ARE THE WORSE EVER… IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE DELAY I WOULD MUTE THEM AND LISTEN TO GLADDEN AND GORDO… I CANT TELL U HOW MUCH I LOVE THE LONG RUNNING(WAY TO LONG RUNNING) COUNTDOWN TO BERTS B DAY… AND IS NOT “CHA-CAGO” .. DICK KILLS ME THE MOST, HE IS SUCH A FREAKIN HOMER.. I SICK OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT HOW GOOD BERTS CURVE BALL WAS… DICK GET OFF BERTS NUTZ… I LIKE JOE MORGAN.. HES A HALL OF FAMER… SO I WILL LISTEN TO HIM ALL DAY TALK ABOUT .0045 SEC TO HOME PLATE OVER DICK TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE WAS A KID HIS DAD WISH HE HAD BERT AS A SON.. COME ON!!!! NEW TV CRE PLEASE FOR THE NEW BALLPARK
IM SORRY IN MY RANT I MEANT THAT BERT PRONOUNCES CHICAGO “CHEE-CAGO”.. HES A MORON BUT HE PLAYED THE SPORT SO I WILL DEAL WITH HIM.. DICK.. I HAVE NO LOVE IN MY HEART FOR HIM OR HIS STUPID STORIES OF GROWING UP IN MINNESOTA… WHAT IS CALIFORNIA MATH????? CIRCLE THIS BERT!!1
Adam, a note from “Nick” has me quite curious - would you know what to do if a ground ball was hit to you? From your blogging (hey, at least you’re not vlogging), I find it very hard to believe that you’d know what to do if a ground ball were hit to you. Especially in Coed Softball.
I don’t mind hearing Bert and Dick do their play by play and commentary, but the Hawk has to be the all time worst announcer in any sport. I long for the days when Jim Kaat was doing commentary since you could always count on him to tell you something that was “relevant”. Those poor fans in Chicago have to suffer through listening to their terrible announcers and also deal with their team under-performing. We don’t have it bad in Minnesota - stop complaining.
Cat, I am so glad that you enjoy DnB flavored Kool Aid…
and mazaratirick wins the award for the best post by a 10 year old today. Round of applause everyone. I think it’s nap time.
Of the seven deadly sins…the greatest sin of Joe Morgan is PRIDE. Oh my aching head. He, like Billy Packer, will offer one nugget of insight early in the game…when by chance it comes to fruition, he will beat that horse until it is dead. The turf and dome type hits is one example. Pride keeps him from doing any research and actually finding out that the “homer dome” moniker is long since factual since the addition of air conditioning and the large baggy in right. I’m fine with Jon Miller…I think he is one of the better play-by-play guys in the game. I’m fine with Dick and Bert…everyone here should relax, the hometown network guys are supposed to be homers. At least Dick and Bert have no problems giving their props to the deserving players on the opposing team. Unlike guys like Hawk Harrelson. Believe me, these guys could be worse.
The day Billy Packer retires will be a great day for broadcast sports. On the flip side, we need more Gus Johnson. His enthusiasm is incredible. I get goosebumps just thinking about a great ending when he’s the announcer, especially in the NCAA tourney.
I’m ok with the ESPN broadcast, but for anyone knocking Dick and Bert, try watching some other homers for other teams. We have it pretty good. Bert gives great pitching analysis and Dick is a baseball Encyclopedia.
“I just figured it out… ‘T’ .. you’re Telly Hughes aren’t you?!”
I have to agree with Roto. At this point you’ve forfeited your side of the discussion.
I was willing to let the “No true Scotsman” fallacy pass, but to resort to “Well obviously you’re -insert hated person-” is admitting you have no valid point.
KB, you hit the nail. Morgan also bullies his opinions some, like he’s insecure or something. He’ll make the same assertion back-to-back 3 or 4 times like he’s afraid someone will disagree with him.
Jason, if the people around you wanted to see Kauffman stadium in-between innings, they (and yourself) can get off your asses and take a look around anytime you wish to. Kauffman is a beautiful park and deserves the attention of fans that cannot be seen merely by sitting in ones seat. I’m sure KC fans bring posters to games as well, and that’s their prerogative. Good for us and good for them, I say. Not my schtick, but whatever garners interest in the game is fine by me.
Agree with KB. Baseball knowledge is essential, but so is a bit of self-effacing humility, and I think that describes Bert perfectly. And it’s absolutely ludicrous that Bert’s not in the Hall of Fame.
It’s funny how some of you want to anoint Craig Monroe as the second coming and say Kubel sucks based on a quarter season yet you discredit Kubel’s second half last season and the fact that Monroe was as bad as Kubel’s been this year ALL of last year. Don’t get me wrong. Monroe has earned the right to play and Kubel has played himself out of a job temporarily, but how about a little grasp on reality?
