Sportscaster Role Reversal

So here I am, the first day of baseball playoffs..... excited to see the Red Sox whoop it up on the Angels (yet again). It was earlier in the afternoon, the Sox didn't start until 6:30pm. I figured I would watch a bit of the Rockies/Phillies game while doing other stuff around the house in order to clear my schedule for the Sox later on. After a few minutes something is bugging me.... that voice! I know that voice! Who is it? Actually at first I thought it was Sean McDounough since he has no regular gig any more, right Mike? Then I realized it was Don Orsillo! For the uninitiated, Don is the play by play guy for the NESN broadcasts of the Red Sox. And now he's doing a National League playoff game when the Red Sox are supposed to start in a few hours! Who scheduled this? After a few minutes I come to my senses and realize that I'm being too much of a homer fan to expect the lords that be to allow Don Orsillo to broadcast the Sox games on TBS. It will be enough for the Red Sox to win the World Series and it just isn't the same to have Don without Jerry Remy. I confess, after the first game I continued to watch the Rockies/Phillies just to see Don as much as to see the Rockies continue their streak.

But here is the real twist!!!! The next day, I'm watching the Indians/Yankees game and I have deja vu all over again..... That voice! I know that voice! It's Chip Carey, the voice of the Atlanta Braves. Living here in the south, the Braves are the big team and since they are in the National League and Boston has no NL team, they're my home NL team and I can root for them up until they meet the Sox in the World Series. The Braves are also on cable TV everywhere on TBS. I've seen the Red Sox play the Braves 3 times in Atlanta. And have actually met Chip Carey doing a live broadcast before a game there. And here he is doing an American League game. Oh the irony!

Why do this? Why are the baseball broadcasting gods playing Mr. Potatohead with these guys? Wouldn't it make more sense to have Chip Carey do the NL game since he knows the game and players better. Or have Don do the Indians/Yankees game if he can't do the Sox/Angels. Well maybe that wouldn't be a great idea. Anyway, I did like the contrast of the mix up. Chip Carey actually took a dig a Jeter in game 1 when he was batting with runners at 1st & 2nd with none out. Chip said "In the NL, Jeter would be bunting here to move the runners to 2nd & 3rd with 1 out." He implies that Jeter is a selfish hitter that would rather get the Sportscenter RBI with the big hit than a quick productive out that puts the team in a better spot to score runs. Of course he is right about everything. The fat guy is Tony Gwynn enjoying the HOF buffett.



I wonder who the broadcasters for the league championships will be.....