GKR @ Five

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

We went cable-less for most of last year, so even when not carbound, I experienced a bunch of moments-- including some key ones, like Mr. Luis' travails in the Bronx-- via Messrs. Rose and Hagin.

Like I said before, Hagin's a polished, professional guy... but that's it. A workaday guy with a generic announcer voice who is slow on the PBP draw at times, and often sounds like he's working very hard to ingratiate himself with some imagined, easily amused casual listener.

It's just that he has the misfortune of working to serve a fanbase that (A) generally knows/is very much "into" its team-- and franchise-- history, and New York baseball history beyond that and ( has been very much spoiled, radio-and-TV-voice-wise, over the course of its history. So the bland, cheery professionalism, minus knowledge of historical context, rankles here more than it would in Colorado or Florida or Tampa... and about as much as it would MFY or Dodger or Tiger fans (presumably).

He's perfectly passable, as long as he's not your primary window to Metsdom, or you don't think/talk about him too often.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Maybe the Mets would be better served if they put a next-generation Howie/Gary in the booth. A 30-something who grew up rooting for the Mets and has broadcasting chops. (I'm sure there's a bunch to choose from.) This new guy would, presumably, know more about Edgardo Alfonzo than Ken Boswell, but it's not too early to start grooming the guy who will be potentially to voice of a future generation.

As I've said, I know little about Wayne Hagin, (including his age) but I'm getting the sense that he's not going to be that guy.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Wonder what our own Gary Cohen Jr. is up to.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Maybe the Mets would be better served if they put a next-generation Howie/Gary in the booth. A 30-something who grew up rooting for the Mets and has broadcasting chops. (I'm sure there's a bunch to choose from.) This new guy would, presumably, know more about Edgardo Alfonzo than Ken Boswell, but it's not too early to start grooming the guy who will be potentially to voice of a future generation. As I've said, I know little about Wayne Hagin, (including his age) but I'm getting the sense that he's not going to be that guy.

This seems the right way to go.

(Hagin's 53, and keeps his home in Castle Rock, CO. The season's like one long road trip, I'd imagine.)

[Fman99]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Maybe the Mets would be better served if they put a next-generation Howie/Gary in the booth. A 30-something who grew up rooting for the Mets and has broadcasting chops. (I'm sure there's a bunch to choose from.) This new guy would, presumably, know more about Edgardo Alfonzo than Ken Boswell, but it's not too early to start grooming the guy who will be potentially to voice of a future generation. As I've said, I know little about Wayne Hagin, (including his age) but I'm getting the sense that he's not going to be that guy. This seems the right way to go. (Hagin's 53, and keeps his home in Castle Rock, CO. The season's like one long road trip, I'd imagine.)

Used to call Rockies games, still lives in Colorado. He's a mercenary and a hack and he should go to Vail and throw himself down a ski slope, head or ass first. I'd like to seem him crash Lindsey Vonn style into a barrier of some sort and break his face like Roger Ebert.

OE: OK that may be a bit much.

[MFS62]

Number 6 wrote: I'm a picky, opinionated, and generally ornery fan, and bad announcers drive me bonkers; Fran Healy, for instance, significantly and negatively impacted my enjoyment of Mets baseball. Watching Healy's Mets broadcasts was like eating a perfectly prepared steak while being repeatedly poked in the nuts.

That just got you a BOC nomination.
And, Fman, that was not a bit too much.

Later

[seawolf17]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Maybe the Mets would be better served if they put a next-generation Howie/Gary in the booth. A 30-something who grew up rooting for the Mets and has broadcasting chops. (I'm sure there's a bunch to choose from.) This new guy would, presumably, know more about Edgardo Alfonzo than Ken Boswell, but it's not too early to start grooming the guy who will be potentially to voice of a future generation. As I've said, I know little about Wayne Hagin, (including his age) but I'm getting the sense that he's not going to be that guy.

Sonovabitch. Knew I should have stayed in radio. Coulda been ME, DAMMIT! ME!

[Benjamin Grimm]

But because it's not going to be you, we're all faced with the dread thought that it might be podcaster SteveJRogers.

Thanks a lot!

[MFS62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: But because it's not going to be you, we're all faced with the dread thought that it might be podcaster SteveJRogers.

That thought prompted the need for my wife's 9-1-1 call. But I'm apparently OK now.

Later

[G-Fafif]

Wayne Hagin is a splendid listen in exhibition games that are going from bad to worse. While Sean Green was allowing a parade of Oriole baserunners this afternoon, he told a delightful story of how he almost missed the bus when he was broadcasting for the A's. Manager Billy Martin told him, "Never be late," and for 28 years, he said, he's followed that credo...until this morning, when the itinerary had been changed on him and the Mets' bus from St. Pete to Sarasota pulled away without him and he had to hitch a ride on the equipment truck, loaded by, among others, Tim Hume, brother of Tom Hume, the ex-Red.

Even as Ed Coleman kept stepping all over the story, Wayne was engaging and gripping, throwing in details about Chris Majkowski calling him at 9:17 AM to tell him the bus left at 9:15, and how Madge is generally coming into the hotel late enough to hand him his USA Today while Wayne is waking up, and so forth. I knew Wayne made it to Sarasota because I was listening to him, but I found myself worried that he wasn't going to make it hours earlier. Just a swell blowout baseball tale, perfect for the last day of Spring Training when your team is getting clobbered.

Hope he has no reason to fill air time that way the rest of the year.

[ashie62]

Listening to Wayne Hagin is a form of Euthanasia

[Fman99]

Wayne Hagin is a splendid listen in exhibition games that are going from bad to worse. While Sean Green was allowing a parade of Oriole baserunners this afternoon, he told a delightful story of how he almost missed the bus when he was broadcasting for the A's. Manager Billy Martin told him, "Never be late," and for 28 years, he said, he's followed that credo...until this morning, when the itinerary had been changed on him and the Mets' bus from St. Pete to Sarasota pulled away without him and he had to hitch a ride on the equipment truck, loaded by, among others, Tim Hume, brother of Tom Hume, the ex-Red. Even as Ed Coleman kept stepping all over the story, Wayne was engaging and gripping, throwing in details about Chris Majkowski calling him at 9:17 AM to tell him the bus left at 9:15, and how Madge is generally coming into the hotel late enough to hand him his USA Today while Wayne is waking up, and so forth. I knew Wayne made it to Sarasota because I was listening to him, but I found myself worried that he wasn't going to make it hours earlier. Just a swell blowout baseball tale, perfect for the last day of Spring Training when your team is getting clobbered. Hope he has no reason to fill air time that way the rest of the year.

I'll say it again. Fuck Wayne Hagin right in his fucking fuckhole.

I wouldn't trust this guy to call Fgirl filling a diaper without making a mess of it (pun intended).

[ashie62]

Fman, please tell us how you really feel. Make no mistake, I do agree.