3/4/24 1:05PM EDT Red Sox's @ Tigers

[gehringer_2]

47 minutes ago, mtutiger said:

Craig was better than normal, IMO, but definitely needs to not get in the way of Benetti as much as he did today.

he and Dickerson were also running into one another Sunday. Maybe Dan had gotten used to his sideman not offering a lot in Jim's last couple seasons but they spent much too much time talking over one another Sunday.

[chasfh]

12 hours ago, GoBlue23 said:

If I was making the lineup, I'd start putting Baez in the 9 spot.  Stop trying to coddle the dude thinking he's going to suddenly figure things out.  Maybe the embarrassment of being a 25 million dollar a year player hitting from the basement will help motivate him. 

I don’t think Javy is the kind of guy who will respond to negative motivation. I think he’s just very prideful and in his own head right now stressing out about getting better. That problem is that he has a particular set of skills and some specific flaws that he could exploit at age 25 that he can’t at age 31. He has instincts at short and enough athleticism to make plays even though he’s lost a step. But he doesn’t have the athleticism anymore to overcome his flaws at the plate, which are basically pitch recognition and a long swing. He might be out of the game before age 34. 

[1984Echoes]

7 hours ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

He is today 😅 or do you mean well?

"well" was the key word there...

Well enough to live with whatever his fielding shortcomings might be because the team can't live with Baez swinging at air anymore...

[chasfh]

Jason Benetti was a mixed bag, more good than not. He’s definitely more lively than Shep could ever hope to be, but I also think Craig is competing somewhat with Benetti for airspace, and maybe dominance. Maybe Craig feels he needs to flash both his analyst and tenure bona fides to establish himself in this new pairing, but he doesn’t have the articulation I think working with Benetti should require. I think Johnny Kane was a lot more relaxed. I actually think he was high.

Benetti was very stiff around Willie Horton, since Willie is big in Tigers history but nowhere in his. I think he felt really self-conscious there. He also botched who gave up the homer during the Willie segment (Benetti said Skubal, it was Holton), but hey, it’s spring training for him, too, isn’t it.

All in all, a decent start, but I think he needs to establish himself as the alpha quickly to really lead the broadcast. 

[casimir]

7 hours ago, chasfh said:

Jason Benetti was a mixed bag, more good than not. He’s definitely more lively than Shep could ever hope to be, but I also think Craig is competing somewhat with Benetti for airspace, and maybe dominance. Maybe Craig feels he needs to flash both his analyst and tenure bona fides to establish himself in this new pairing, but he doesn’t have the articulation I think working with Benetti should require. I think Johnny Kane was a lot more relaxed. I actually think he was high.

Benetti was very stiff around Willie Horton, since Willie is big in Tigers history but nowhere in his. I think he felt really self-conscious there. He also botched who gave up the homer during the Willie segment (Benetti said Skubal, it was Holton), but hey, it’s spring training for him, too, isn’t it.

All in all, a decent start, but I think he needs to establish himself as the alpha quickly to really lead the broadcast. 

Its kind of an impossible situation to interview Willie Horton and broadcast a game at the same time.  Everybody loves Willie.  When he speaks, you want to give him his space and not step on his words.  Rightfully so, he's a legend, he has some yarns to spin.  But its tough to weave that in with calling a game.

For what its worth, Horton really seems to love what he sees in Colt Keith.

[gehringer_2]

2 hours ago, casimir said:

you want to give him his space

Both Listening and watching games this preseason it's almost like the guys have forgotten how to deal with the pitch clock and. are constantly expecting to have more time. Monroe especially is too long with everything he's trying to say. Obviously a color guy today has to figure out how to break his offerings down into pieces he can slide in between pitches. Plus Jason has a lot more to say than Shepherd used to so Monroe has less time altogether. Also,  if we recall, with Step, he would often just let plays go uncalled if someone was still talking, one of the worst aspects of the previous Bally broadcasts. Benotti not so much yet (and hopefully never).

[oblong]

27 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Both Listening and watching games this preseason it's almost like the guys have forgotten how to deal with the pitch clock and. are constantly expecting to have more time. Monroe especially is too long with everything he's trying to say. Obviously a color guy today has to figure out how to break his offerings down into pieces he can slide in between pitches. Plus Jason has a lot more to say than Shepherd used to so Monroe has less time altogether. Also,  if we recall, with Step, he would often just let plays go uncalled if someone was still talking, one of the worst aspects of the previous Bally broadcasts. Benotti not so much yet (and hopefully never).

I pointed out the pitch clock issue last year around this time and that it would affect broadcasters.  That could affect guys like Jason who like to talk, in a good way.  So they have to decide to just let the play happen (We can see it) or not talk.  On the radio it could be a bigger issue.  I noticed it even with Dan.  Sometimes I would listen and really have no idea what's going on.... Before you'd get PBP on every pitch.... now often they are talking and play is happening and as a listener I don't know the count or even the batter.  

But we damn sure hear about Feiger Law and  all of that.

 

[chasfh]

2 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

Both Listening and watching games this preseason it's almost like the guys have forgotten how to deal with the pitch clock and. are constantly expecting to have more time. Monroe especially is too long with everything he's trying to say. Obviously a color guy today has to figure out how to break his offerings down into pieces he can slide in between pitches. Plus Jason has a lot more to say than Shepherd used to so Monroe has less time altogether. Also,  if we recall, with Step, he would often just let plays go uncalled if someone was still talking, one of the worst aspects of the previous Bally broadcasts. Benotti not so much yet (and hopefully never).

I really had the sense that Monroe made a decision to crowd Benetti off the mike, especially later in the game, and it was very noticeable on the back-and-forth with Johnny Kane in the eighth. It was the Craig-and-Johnny show. It was all Benetti could do to try to keep up with the pre-Benetti references they were making, like Monroe's impersonation of Jim Leyland, which went on for a long time.

Something I hadn't considered before the broadcast is that Benetti is actually walking into what might fairly be termed a tough situation. He is the one new guy coming into a booth that has all the same people still in it. They've been around for years and years together, and they all dominated the former guy like he was the beta kid in the classroom. Now here comes this new guy, this out-of-towner, this nerdlinger, obviously never an athlete, and a lifelong White Sox fan no less, being brought in and expected to take over leadership of the Tigers' broadcast. Add to that the fact that he's an already-well-known broadcaster with national experience who is considered one of the best in the game, who was hired with the explicit intention of substantially raising the level of the broadcast, attempting to herd the other four (or more) different rotating analysts like they're cats on the prairie, and accomplishing all that while missing at least 35 games during the season. That's a really tall order.

Meanwhile, the guys who have been there were already active contributors to what was widely regarded as the worst TV booth in the game. How much of that was Shep being solely responsible for bringing literally everyone else around him down, and how much of it is that these analysts are really not good at broadcasting ball games in their own right? I guess we're gonna find out in short order once Benetti has worked with each of them a couple times.

Edited March 5 by chasfh

[chasfh]

lol take a look at the list of broadcasters today on the Tigers website.

https://www.mlb.com/tigers/team/broadcasters

oops.

[Toddwert]

11 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I really had the sense that Monroe made a decision to crowd Benetti off the mike, especially later in the game, and it was noticeable on the back-and-forth with Johnny Kane in the eighth. It was the Craig-and-Johnny show. It was all Benetti could do to try to keep up with the pre-Benetti references they were making, like Monroe's impersonation of Jim Leyland, which went on for a long time.

Something I hadn't considered before the broadcast is that Benetti is actually walking into what might fairly be termed a tough situation. He is the one new guy coming into a booth that has all the same people still in it. They've been around for years and years together, and they all dominated the former guy like he was the beta kid in the classroom. Now there's this new guy, this out-of-towner, this nerdlinger, this obvious non-athlete, a lifelong White Sox fan no less, who's being brought and expected to take over leadership of the Tigers' broadcast. Add to that the fact that he's a well-known broadcaster who is considered one of the best in the game, who is explicitly being hired to substantially raise the level of the broadcast, attempting to herd the other four ( or more) different rotating analysts like cats on the prairie, and accomplishing all that while missing at least 35 games during the season.

Meanwhile, the guys who have been there were already active contributors to what was widely regarded as the worst TV booth in the game. How much of that was Shep being solely responsible for bringing literally everyone else around him down, and how much of it is that they're really not good at broadcasting ball games? I guess we're gonna find out in short order once Benetti has worked with all of them.

yeah it was getting to the point Monroe was breathless at times

[oblong]

19 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I really had the sense that Monroe made a decision to crowd Benetti off the mike, especially later in the game, and it was noticeable on the back-and-forth with Johnny Kane in the eighth. It was the Craig-and-Johnny show. It was all Benetti could do to try to keep up with the pre-Benetti references they were making, like Monroe's impersonation of Jim Leyland, which went on for a long time.

Something I hadn't considered before the broadcast is that Benetti is actually walking into what might fairly be termed a tough situation. He is the one new guy coming into a booth that has all the same people still in it. They've been around for years and years together, and they all dominated the former guy like he was the beta kid in the classroom. Now there's this new guy, this out-of-towner, this nerdlinger, this obvious non-athlete, a lifelong White Sox fan no less, who's being brought and expected to take over leadership of the Tigers' broadcast. Add to that the fact that he's a well-known broadcaster who is considered one of the best in the game, who is explicitly being hired to substantially raise the level of the broadcast, attempting to herd the other four ( or more) different rotating analysts like cats on the prairie, and accomplishing all that while missing at least 35 games during the season.

Meanwhile, the guys who have been there were already active contributors to what was widely regarded as the worst TV booth in the game. How much of that was Shep being solely responsible for bringing literally everyone else around him down, and how much of it is that they're really not good at broadcasting ball games? I guess we're gonna find out in short order once Benetti has worked with all of them.

I think given the fact Jason works for the Tigers gives him a lot of swagger and "hand" as they said on Seinfeld.   Keating is not long for that job in my opinion.  He's been around forever.  I don't think we have any kind of Harwell/Rizzs/Rathbun situation where the new guy is facing struggles with those already there. Those other people are expendable.  

[chasfh]

1 minute ago, oblong said:

I think given the fact Jason works for the Tigers gives him a lot of swagger and "hand" as they said on Seinfeld.   Keating is not long for that job in my opinion.  He's been around forever.  I don't think we have any kind of Harwell/Rizzs/Rathbun situation where the new guy is facing struggles with those already there. Those other people are expendable.  

Benetti definitely has the support of the front office, the fans, and the local sports media, at least here in the early going. And I think you're right: I would bet the returning analysts are all a little nervous about the future of their jobs, including the '84 Tigers.

[oblong]

Craig mentioned at the outing I went to a few weeks ago that he lives here now, made it sound like he just moved... so he has some skin in the game.  I think the others like Petry or Gibby can take it or leave it.  Not sure if Monroe has other business to require him to live here.

Until they announced the new lineup I didn't realize or pay attention to how many "reporters" they had.  Maybe it's to help off set the Wings/Pistons coverage during that time along with summer vacations and all that.

  

 

[chasfh]

27 minutes ago, oblong said:

Craig mentioned at the outing I went to a few weeks ago that he lives here now, made it sound like he just moved... so he has some skin in the game.  I think the others like Petry or Gibby can take it or leave it.  Not sure if Monroe has other business to require him to live here.

That makes even more sense as to why Monroe was perhaps big-timing Benetti in the booth. When it becomes inescapably clear the way just how great Benetti is shines a bright light on just how awful Monroe is, I don't know how Monroe keeps the job.

I would bet Benetti would have a lot less problem with Cameron Maybin or Austin Jackson.

[SoCalTiger]

Monroe was exhausting. He could talk half as much and it would still be too much. It’s TV. not radio. 

[Tigermojo]

We all knew it would be a problem when they only let Shep go. There are some weak links left. I still like Petry and I think he would be a good straight man to Benetti's wit. I look forward to what Pena can do. 

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

I really had the sense that Monroe made a decision to crowd Benetti off the mike, especially later in the game, and it was very noticeable on the back-and-forth with Johnny Kane in the eighth. It was the Craig-and-Johnny show. It was all Benetti could do to try to keep up with the pre-Benetti references they were making, like Monroe's impersonation of Jim Leyland, which went on for a long time.

Something I hadn't considered before the broadcast is that Benetti is actually walking into what might fairly be termed a tough situation. He is the one new guy coming into a booth that has all the same people still in it. They've been around for years and years together, and they all dominated the former guy like he was the beta kid in the classroom. Now here comes this new guy, this out-of-towner, this nerdlinger, obviously never an athlete, and a lifelong White Sox fan no less, being brought in and expected to take over leadership of the Tigers' broadcast. Add to that the fact that he's an already-well-known broadcaster with national experience who is considered one of the best in the game, who was hired with the explicit intention of substantially raising the level of the broadcast, attempting to herd the other four (or more) different rotating analysts like they're cats on the prairie, and accomplishing all that while missing at least 35 games during the season. That's a really tall order.

Meanwhile, the guys who have been there were already active contributors to what was widely regarded as the worst TV booth in the game. How much of that was Shep being solely responsible for bringing literally everyone else around him down, and how much of it is that these analysts are really not good at broadcasting ball games in their own right? I guess we're gonna find out in short order once Benetti has worked with each of them a couple times.

I can believe this. Another factor that may be in play is Monroe showing off for Pena. Monroe has on more than one occasion told the story that when they played together they were sort of blood brothers, both aspiring to get into broadcasting and doing mock PBP together. Now that Carlos has joined the group Monroe has even more reason to strut his stuff.

[gehringer_2]

And Johnny Kane has to go. He can't get through any kind of interview without either making it about himself or breaking down into schoolgirl twittering. He's embarrassing to watch and when, as it usually does, his silly mugging starts stepping on the game play, you've crossed all the lines with me.  Enough already.

Edited March 5 by gehringer_2

[chasfh]

29 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

I can believe this. Another factor that may be in play is Monroe showing off for Pena. Monroe has on more than one occasion told the story that when they played together they were sort of blood brothers, both aspiring to get into broadcasting and doing mock PBP together. Now that Carlos has joined the group Monroe has even more reason to strut his stuff.

That's right, I forgot all about Carlos Pena coming aboard. I would not doubt that we might see the Jason-and-Carlos show starting with 2025.

15 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

And Johnny Kane has to go. He can't get through any kind of interview without either making it about himself or breaking down into schoolgirl twittering. He's embarrassing to watch and when, as it usually does, his silly mugging starts stepping on the game play, you've crossed all the lines with me.  Enough already.

I still think he was high last night.

[Toddwert]

18 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

And Johnny Kane has to go. He can't get through any kind of interview without either making it about himself or breaking down into schoolgirl twittering. He's embarrassing to watch and when, as it usually does, his silly mugging starts stepping on the game play, you've crossed all the lines with me.  Enough already.

I did kind of enjoy the topless guy in the outfield

[casimir]

On 3/5/2024 at 9:05 AM, gehringer_2 said:

Both Listening and watching games this preseason it's almost like the guys have forgotten how to deal with the pitch clock and. are constantly expecting to have more time. Monroe especially is too long with everything he's trying to say. Obviously a color guy today has to figure out how to break his offerings down into pieces he can slide in between pitches. Plus Jason has a lot more to say than Shepherd used to so Monroe has less time altogether. Also,  if we recall, with Step, he would often just let plays go uncalled if someone was still talking, one of the worst aspects of the previous Bally broadcasts. Benotti not so much yet (and hopefully never).

That is something that a non broadcaster visiting the booth might not be aware of during the broadcast.  And so add this to what I mentioned above about not wanting to cut Horton off, and it is tough navigation for Benetti or anyone else to get through.

Just to clarify, I don't think chas was being critical in as much as just pointing out what was going on in the booth at the time.

[gehringer_2]

16 minutes ago, casimir said:

That is something that a non broadcaster visiting the booth might not be aware of during the broadcast.  And so add this to what I mentioned above about not wanting to cut Horton off, and it is tough navigation for Benetti or anyone else to get through.

Just to clarify, I don't think chas was being critical in as much as just pointing out what was going on in the booth at the time.

I'm more than willing to cut them slack for while Willie was there, but the problem extended through the whole broadcast when they didn't have a good excuse. 

To keep it simple. Craig is talking too much, both on the radio and tv.

Edited March 6 by gehringer_2

[casimir]

25 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

To keep it simple. Craig is talking too much, both on the radio and tv.

I think he'd be better in the studio, pregame/postgame.

[1776]

29 minutes ago, casimir said:

I think he'd be better in the studio, pregame/postgame.

Concur. I’ve said it before, I can’t listen to a game that he’s a part of. My dilemma, I know. Several times last year, I’d tune in to the opponent’s radio feed to listen to the game.