Yesterday, the Texas Rangers made official the poorly-kept secret that John Rhadigan, regional sports media icon, is their new TV voice.Several thoughts:
1. I think John Rhadigan will do fine. Not because he's been around for 30 years, or because he listened to Ernie Harwell as a kid, or because he knows this team inside and out. It's because he's a professional and he does everything well.
2. Baseball broadcast folks have it tough. And I think it's why so many were anti-Josh Lewin (a sentiment I had no idea was so rampant until he was fired) folks. There's 162 games in the MLB season per team. I'd guess a vast majority of those that watch one game, on average, catch probably 20 total. Remember, there's probably a shitload more that watch five games than those that watch 100. Or 115. So the average person catching a game might listen to Lewin 15 times a season. Or less. So all it takes is a stinker, 10-0 loss or nice Rangers-Royals affair where nothing is happening for the random drive-by fan to catch Lewin dishing pop-culture references.
Point is: Lewin didn't issue three pop-culture references an inning. Probably less than one per game. Baseball broadcasters are in a no-win situation unless you get to stick around for 50 years. Then you're just accepted.
3. I was mildly shocked they went with Rhadigan when I thought they were attempting to go a different direction from Lewin. I kind of put both guys in the same arena: Not the typical "baseball" guy, outsiders (although Rhadigan's been around for 30 years ... he's still from Michigan), guys that cut their teeth on pop culture and both are slightly irreverent. I wouldn't be shocked if Rhadigan (unless instructed not to) didn't throw out his own brand of comedy during a random sixth inning.
4. I've heard that folks think Lewin and Tom Grieve didn't have chemistry. I couldn't disagree with that more. I really thought they had a good relationship. I thought Grieve did an excellent job, over time, in playing along with Lewin's humor. I think Grieve is a sweet guy and learned quickly it's a lot more fun drudging through 162 games if you learn how to laugh a little bit. Yes, Grieve was left on an island with some references, but he played an excellent foil for Lewin.
5. I do wonder how Rhadigan will handle the strain. Not to downplay his last 15 years, but doing post-game and anchor gigs at Fox Sports Southwest in the friendly confines of a studio do not compare to 162 gruelling games, rain delays, road trips, blowouts, pitching changes and West Coast first pitches.
