Gary Cohen, along with his fellow SNY broadcasters Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling make up one of the best baseball broadcast teams in Major League Baseball.
Yet, recently, we see more and more grumblings about this “best booth in the business”. These complaints are nothing new to us, of course. We talking about one of the worst broadcasts we’ve seen here:
https://fearlessbaseball.blog/2019/06/08/the-worst-sny-mets-broadcast-of-2019/
Let’s be clear to start. Gary Cohen is the best broadcaster at calling a ball game. When Gary is on point with the play by play, there is no one I would rather listen to.
Tonight’s broadcast, however highlighted some of the main complaints we’ve seen from others as well.
It was still early in the game. First at bat for Javier Baez, Michael Conforto and J.D. Davis. 3 important at bats with the Mets already down 3-0. It would be nice to get some solid early abs from these 3. Maybe even a run or 2. Put the Mets back in this game!
To me, these at bats were an exciting a key moment in the game. 3 guys that could put the mets back in this game with just a couple of hits. These are 3 guys that hit the ball hard and far. 3 guys the Mets need to catch fire.
This certainly wasn’t a dull moment. Or a moment that needed extra filler. These were 3 of the Mets most exciting players!
Gary starts the inning talking about the two celebrity deaths. “Mr. Ranger” Rod Gilbert and Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts both passed away recently.
The booth spends most of the inning on this topic. Not the Mets at bats. Not the play by play, which completely stopped. We no longer here “fastball in there, strike one”.
The booth turned into a podcast just like that.
Baez had a wild swing during his at bat. This video is now making it rounds on social media. The accompanying audio has the booth continuing to ignore Baez’s at bat.
I can see how 3 boomers in NYC would want to mention these passings on air. But, as the game unfolded, there were (unfortunately) plenty of time to fill.
The next half inning featured the bottom of the Giants lineups. Can’t you mention Rod Gilbert while the hitless opposing pitcher is batting?
So why, during some important at bats from some important and exciting mets players, did the broadcast think it was a good idea to stop calling the game?
This never would have happened under Bill Webb.
Maybe I’m petty. Maybe I’m just silly. Or maybe I’m just a typical Mets fan looking for anything to complain about.
Or maybe I just really like when Gary Cohen calls a Mets game. Maybe I just really like when Gary does the play by play – for the Mets!
The Mets have been struggling against the fastball, obviously. And the young pitcher has a great curve. It would have been nice to hear Gary talk about how this pitcher would attach these dangerous Mets batters.
Gary used to do this. In August of 2015, he was in his prime. Gary would call each pitch in a way that would make you want to hang on ever word. He added a ton to the broadcast.
Now, I see more and more comments from people, saying they flipped to the radio. They want to hear someone calling the game on the field.
Tonight is just one example of Gary Cohen abandoning the play by play to just talk. When he’s know as the best play by play man in the business, this rubs many fans the wrong way.
Just call the game, Gary!
Fearless Baseball 