The thought crossed my mind when we were talking about Thom Brennaman and the Cubs, where he used to do the middle innings on TV while Harry did them on the radio. This seemed widespread back in the day, with Jack Buck doing 4-5-6 on TV for the Cardinals, and I think Marty Brennaman doing the same for the Reds. Having Ron Coomer or Mark Grote do radio play-by-play is less than ideal, so maybe the Cubs could revisit this with Len doing a couple innings on the radio while Pat does TV, where he can talk a little less.

I was watching David Wells's perfect game on youtube a while back and the MSG telecast had this weird announcer shufffle going: it was Jim Kaat on play-by-play with Ken Singleton on color for the first three innings, then longtime MSG guy Al Trautwig on play-by-play in the fourth with Kaat moving to color, then Singleton moving back to color for the fifth, then Trautwig left after the fifth so it was Singleton on play-by-play and Kaat on color for the sixth and seventh, then flipped back to their original roles for the eighth and ninth. Would have been Sterling and Kay on the radio in those days, so I'm guessing no one moved to the radio booth then, just took the innings off. That's a bit convoluted (and downright Reinsdorfian in its insistence on having jocks do play-by-play when Trautwig could have called all nine innings just fine), but I do sorta like the way other voices would get involved over the course of the game. ~150 games of 9+ innings of Len Kasper wears you out.

The Sox should get it over with next year and flip Benetti and Farmer's roles.

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I have no idea what you just wrote.

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Should the radio broadcasters call part of the television broadcast and vice versa, as was once the style at the time?

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Thank you. My answer is no because of their voice brand. I like turning on my radio and hearing Pat Hughes. It signals to me that the Cubs are on, and I'm gonna hear how the grass smells. And I might not tune in until the 7th.

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I don't see anything wrong with it. I think announcers know how to bring content to the audience no matter if its radio or TV. Sure Pat Hughes does a great job of visualizing the game on radio, but I'm sure he has the great stories that complement a TV broadcast. Same for the Sox. I'm enjoying what I've heard so far from Benetti.

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Yes. I like the variety...and I would much rather hear Len do PBP than Coomer.

This seems to be every exchange between the two:

Len: "The Cubs are doing a great job of waiting for their pitch. Their approach has been unbelievable, resulting in a high number of walks and this incredible run differential that everyone has been talking about. The amazing part is that its not just one or two guys, its the whole lineup. Even the bench guys have bought in to this philosophy of patience at the plate.

Coomer: "Yeah Len, walks are good."

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I think the Brewers have done the best job with the radio broadcasts. Uecker does 6-7 innings mostly solo and now mostly home games, his sidekick does 2-3 innings when Uecker is there and 6 innings when he isn't, and their #3 guy does 3 innings on the road and does updates and social media.

The list of Brewers' sidekicks is pretty good, beyond Pat Hughes it includes Corey Provus (MIN) and Joe Block (PIT).

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

Is Len doing radio this year for national games? He was good on the radio in the playoffs last year.

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He'll probably do an inning or two in the playoffs. Plus he was also the guy that went to the dugout in the 9th to get post game interviews for the radio.

Fun fact...or not.

Who knew that Harry Kalas was born in Naperville? I did not know that.

He started the swingers parties.

I gotta say, Coomer is the worst PBP guy I've ever heard and I've been listening to sox games for 35 years.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

I seem to remember Harry Caray & Jimmy Piersall switching from from television to radio during the middle innings and Loren Brown(?) & Joe McConnell(?) filling in from the radio booth during Sox games in the past.

Old school White Sox fans - does that sound right?

Edit: Wasn't Rich King involved somehow with Sox & 670? Maybe pre & post game? Fill in color guy?

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

I thought Harry and Jimmy did a simulcast. Maybe just for a few years. I know there was a Joe McConnell who did radio for the Sox for a year or two, but Reinsdorf fired him for not being a former player.

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Could be at one time, CH... I honestly can't remember.

However, at one time I do remember Loren Brown and Joe McConnell on the radio side for sure.

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

I think he went to St. Louis?

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

Yeah, looks like that would have been early '80s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_C ... oadcasters is a total mess.

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Oh, thanks - great link. I forgot about John Rooney - I think he was the one who went to the Cardinals.

I vaguely remember Mary Shane...

Forgot they jumped to WBBM for two years and then back to WMAQ.

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

You forgot about John Rooney? He called your world championship, and he was always the one Sox broadcaster everyone didn't hate. And seeing Gary Thorne in there is weird. I know he's been calling O's games for a while now, but I still think of him as a hockey voice.

DeWayne Staats did the middle innings on TV for the Cubs, too. Harry must have gone to TV-only when Pat Hughes came on board.

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I never liked John Rooney.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Yeah - I mixed up Joe & John misremembering they were the same person... my bad.

Good history on that link - Vince Lloyd, Hawk & Wimpy, Billy Pierce.

Who could forget the Hawk & DJ years?

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

Yeah, he was on the broadcast for a couple of years, I think he was their more subdued version of Grote.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

This clown Benetti is about as bad as they come. He has an annoying bad-Simpsons character voice, has absolutely no flavor, sense of humor or passion for the game. Now that Stone seems to be taking over the broadcasts, it's only gotten worse. He's picked up the horrible habits of rooting for possible three run home runs,
talking about scenarios that haven't yet presented themselves and an idiot's use of arcane stats to prove nothing. Hopefully Jerry feels no loyalty to either of them and fires both their asses quickly.

They've done what I thought was unthinkable, forced me to appreciate Ed Farmer.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

@Curious Hair - My answer to your original question is, yes.

I think it is a good idea to have the television & radio guys rotate for a few innings.

Most of the color guys trying to do PBP is awkward and unpleasant at times. Makes for a clumsy broadcast.

It also gives both broadcast teams an opportunity to connect with a new audience on a regular basis.

I like it. It's old school and I think it worked well back then.

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

That reminds me - anybody catch Jason Benetti throwing attitude at Dave Kaplan during a STL White Sox pre game on location at The Cell this week?

Kaplan introduced Benetti as "Steve Stone's Partner" and Jason's back hunched up like a wet cat. He was obviously not happy. Jason quipped something back at Kap and answered the Sox question.

When it was time for Jason to rotate off the panel he said good bye to Kap by calling him "David Schuster's neighbor" (Score's Schuster was sitting to Kap's left between him and Jason). IIRC, Kaplan said something back trying to difuse the conversation and digress.

Jason then said to Kap with attitude - "If you can call me Steve Stone's Partner, I can call you David Schuster's neighbor".

Commercial break immediately followed.

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

Do the chickens have large talons?

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Maybe his boyfriend wouldn't like that?

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

WTAQ AM 1300

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Coomer makes Moreland sound good.