Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Jon Miller and Joe Morgan's 21-year run on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" is over.
Morgan's contract is expiring and he will not be renewed. Miller's contract is also expiring though he may remain at ESPN working the "Sunday Night Baseball" series and postseason baseball for ESPN Radio.
I consider this something of a mercy killing, Morgan hadn't brought anything to the job in the way of enthusiasm since the first few years. I was left with the impression that Morgan saw the gig as his job, his motivation was entirely the paycheck, his output the minimum required to keep going. Joe didn't do his homework. Unwilling to make the effort to understand and employ modern analysis tools, he instead relied on old school cliches and recycled conventional wisdom to form his opinions. Now and again it was apparent that Morgan wasn't even listening to what Miller was saying because Joe would counter it with something seemingly unresponsive or unrelated.
While he was active, I had formed the impression that Morgan must be a pretty smart fellow. This was based on:
A) His skills were congruent with those skills which Sabermetrics were just then revealling to be heavily underrated. This left the impression that Morgan was a superior player because he had made himself into one by having a superior understanding of value.
B) Morgan played smart on the field. He spent three of his last four seasons with the Giants and A's, and I witnessed several examples of Morgan showing quick thinking or exceptional anticipation
C) Morgan was a good businessman. Instead of pissing away his earnings, he had invested in the Wendy's chain and owned three Bay Area franchises.
So, I had high expectations for him as a commentator. These were somewhat diluted when I read Morgan's first book which came out before he joined ESPN. The book was cliche riddled and offered no special insights. It did not appear to have been the product of much effort.
Morgan's first couple of years as a commentator were not too bad. He was more into it, offered more sidebar stories and seemed to be having a reasonably good time. Somewhere in the early '90's he apparently got bored and started phoning it in, and we've suffered for this ever since.
If Morgan's replacement is able to convey the sense that he wants to be there, that he is enjoying the game, he will already be one step toward improvement.
Now if only Joe Buck and Tim McCarver would retire.....
Joe is going to be around at least until 2040, and no doubt will have a son who will be just as bad as Chip Caray.
Joe Buck has made one important contribution already during his career. He is the only play by play announcer to be mooned by a player on the field while doing a game.
Joe is going to be around at least until 2040, and no doubt will have a son who will be just as bad as Chip Caray.
Joe Buck has made one important contribution already during his career. He is the only play by play announcer to be mooned by a player on the field while doing a game.
Joe Morgan doesn't bother me, but I cannot stand listening to Chris Berman.....especially that idiotic "back back back" call of his.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
