In a transfer that exhibits how most modern-day baseball house owners view their broadcasters, the Baltimore Orioles reportedly took play-by-play man Kevin Brown off the air for mentioning the staff’s difficulties profitable video games in Tampa Bay.
The Orioles have gone from laughingstock to one of many sport’s finest groups since hiring Brandon Hyde as supervisor to information a well-executed rebuild. Brown was merely mentioning how far that they had come of their rivalry with the Rays, who’re chasing the O’s within the American League East.
But the Angelos, who personal the staff and a part of MASN, the community that airs Baltimore’s video games, have by no means been grounded in actuality. So Brown quietly was faraway from the broadcasts within the warmth of the pennant race to serve his penance.
New York Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen was amongst Brown’s friends who referred to as out the Orioles for the transfer, which was extensively panned throughout baseball. Brown, who has not commented on his scenario, is anticipated again within the sales space Friday, in accordance with the Baltimore Sun.
It’s a really completely different story on the South Side of Chicago, the place Ozzie Guillén, the highest studio analyst for White Sox video games, has carte blanche to criticize the staff and supervisor — and often has completed so on this practice wreck of a season.
I not too long ago requested Guillén, who’s employed by NBC Sports Chicago which is partly owned by the White Sox, if he’s ever had any blowback from the Sox for his usually biting commentary.
“They can’t (say anything),” Guillén replied. “And I can’t watch for that to occur. Why? Because I’m not mendacity and I see the information. I don’t make stuff up so folks watch our present. I don’t have the precise to say that. Most of the time I say one thing, I don’t criticize the White Sox for the strikes they make. ‘Why did they bring in this guy? Why did they pinch-hit this guy?’ It’s none of my enterprise.
“But after I see one thing I don’t assume is sweet, I’m not going to guard myself from the White Sox and never inform the followers what they should hear. If the White Sox or the participant don’t like what I say, too dangerous. I by no means say, ‘This guy should be fired,’ or ‘That guy should be hitting there.’
“When I say something, I use facts. I could criticize this team every inning, but I never did that. This is my job. Do I have an easy job? No. But the reason I have it, the reason they picked me to do this job, is because the fans know I will tell the truth. If someone (from the Sox) doesn’t like what I say, well, I’m here. I hope they (say something). I can’t wait for them.”
The solely time a Sox participant has publicly pushed again on Guillén’s commentary was in May 2022, when Guillén mentioned shortstop Tim Anderson ought to’ve performed within the second sport of a doubleheader as a substitute of resting. “Ozzie need(s) to stfu sometimes … talk too much!” Anderson tweeted.
Then-manager Tony La Russa mentioned it was his resolution to relaxation Anderson to protect his legs for the lengthy season. Guillén disregarded Anderson’s response on the time as a part of the job and he’s by no means wavered since from criticizing Anderson or supervisor Pedro Grifol, whose postgame press briefings sometimes flip right into a scripted protection of what went flawed.
Guillén identified he has by no means cursed a participant out or informed followers to not watch Sox video games. Those is likely to be fireable offenses by some organizations.
But he has been a steadfast critic, particularly throughout this season of nonstop miseries. Guillen was interviewed by normal supervisor Rick Hahn for the Sox supervisor’s job final winter, however was by no means severely thought-about. The job went to Grifol, a baseball lifer with out major-league managing expertise.
Once a firestorm-starter each as participant and supervisor, Guillén is now offering evaluation of the 2023 meltdown. Grifol is at present embroiled in the midst of KeyGate, a brand new controversy surrounding the sagging Sox tradition ignited by the “no rules” accusations made by whistleblower Keynan Middleton, a center reliever traded by Hahn earlier than the commerce deadline.
Now with the New York Yankees. Middleton stood his floor a few lack of accountability by the Sox, that means administration, Grifol and the teaching employees. Hahn and Grifol admitted the clubhouse was in dire straits, however pushed again on the specifics of Middleton’s claims, going as far as to disclose he additionally was an issue.
Both mentioned the elimination of alleged leaders who pulled the Sox clubhouse aside and a staff assembly in Cleveland have been indicators of a renewed method to creating a greater clubhouse tradition.
One of Guillén’s most oft-used strains after Grifol’s postgame briefings are aired is “White Sox fans are not stupid,” suggesting they weren’t shopping for into no matter Grifol had simply mentioned. Guillén maintains he solely cares about what the followers assume, not any of the folks he’s commenting on.
“I’ve never lied to the fans,” he mentioned. “I’ve never said something like ‘How does this guy have a job?’ My business is what I see in the game and what the manager says about it. That’s it. If a player says something stupid, I will say something about it. ‘What? Excuse me?’ Really?’ If I don’t say anything, that means I agree with them. I own the trust of the fans. I’m working for them, I don’t work for the White Sox. They don’t pay me.”
Still, if the Sox needed Guillén out, it wouldn’t be tough to drag the guillotine. They additionally pushed Guillén out as supervisor in 2011, although his relationship with then-general supervisor Ken Williams was irreconcilable at that time and Guillen needed out.
The group beneath Reinsdorf additionally pushed out analyst Jimmy Piersall and let legendary announcer Harry Caray bounce to the Cubs earlier than being pushed. Caray and Piersall have been essentially the most outspoken announcers in staff historical past and two of essentially the most beloved. After Caray’s exit, the Sox employed staff cheerleader Ken Harrelson, whose unapologetic homerism apparently is what the Orioles house owners are on the lookout for.
When the Orioles misplaced play-by-play man Jon Miller to the San Francisco Giants in 1996, proprietor Peter Angelos mentioned he needed an “advocate” for the staff.
“They’ve got to bleed a little bit for the Orioles,” Angelos mentioned.
Guillén gained’t bleed for the Sox. He not works there.
He prefers they win as a result of thirty fifth and Shields is the place he grew to become a major-league participant and supervisor — and it additionally makes his job simpler on the postgame present.
That hasn’t occurred a lot this yr, and the South Side cleaning soap opera has two months remaining earlier than the ultimate episode.
Tune out the Sox? Why would anybody do this now?
The finish sport is likely to be extra fascinating to look at than the primary 4 months, particularly earlier than and after the video games.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com