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GKR @ Five

G-Fafif Mar 02 2010 12:12 PM

Neil Best in subscription/Optimum-only Newsday covers the big three as they start their fifth season: For Mets fans of a certain age, Bob Murphy, Ralph Kiner and Lindsey Nelson forever will be the voices of their youths - a trio that reigned on TV and radio for the franchise's first 17 seasons. But SNY's Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez are well on their ways to filling the same role for a new generation of fans. Cohen and Hernandez signed new deals after last season, so now all three are under contract to SNY at least through 2013, which would be their eighth season together. "I think it's fantastic for all concerned," said Cohen, who unlike his partners grew up listening to the original broadcasters. (The only surviving member is Kiner, who still contributes to SNY.) "The way the players change, managers change, general managers change, in many cases the one thing that remains stable is the announcers." That theory works only if fans actually like the announcers, and SNY's have received mostly good reviews as they begin their fifth season at 1 p.m. Tuesday when the Mets play the Braves in their exhibition opener. Said Darling: "We all have our strengths and weaknesses, but together, it kind of makes sense." Cohen recalled a similar dynamic among Nelson, Kiner and Murphy, although in that era, they rarely were heard together because they divided TV and radio duties. (Speaking of which, Howie Rose brings a long history of his own with the team to Mets radio.) "Let's call it for what it is," Cohen said. "This really works, and we're all really happy . . . Where are any of us going?" Cohen noted that in addition to the on-air team, SNY has kept the same well-regarded game production leaders in producer Gregg Picker and director Bill Webb. Although no one at SNY seriously worried that Hernandez would leave, he did raise the issue publicly after the 2009 season finale. "It's something that I probably shouldn't have said; it just kind of came out," he said. Now that the deal is done, he is "very thrilled." "We've been together so long, we know our moods and idiosyncrasies, and it's quite a little comfort level," he said. "We know we've got each others' backs." Darling also works for TBS on its national package. Cohen could be in the TBS mix, too, perhaps for a wild-card series. But even more so than Darling and Cohen, Hernandez is irreplaceable, thanks both to his quirky humor and his status as one of the most important players in Mets history. Thus it was a big story when he tutored first baseman Daniel Murphy last month. Might that put him in an awkward position if Murphy messes up while Hernandez is in the booth? "I don't believe it compromises me at all or puts me in a tough position," he said. "There is no reason, if he makes a mistake, physical or mental, that I cannot objectively comment on it." And if the subject of how well Murphy was taught comes up during a game, Hernandez can guess how the conversation will go. "There would be a little comedy," he said. "We'd joke and have fun with it." Bonus material from Keith: Leftover stuff from Keith Hernandez that I didn't get into the newspaper version of my story about SNY's Mets announcers: Hernandez said he gets along well with Gary Cohen and Ron Darling. That's quite an accomplishment after spending many months every spring and summer sitting very close to them in the comically small home-team TV booth at Citi Field: "I would say 99.9 percent of the time [there are no problems]," he said. At worst, someone might say or do something that rubs someone else the wrong way. "And 'rubbing the wrong way,' might be an extreme way to put it," he said. "Sometimes you might be sick or not in the most patient of moods, but we're not spending 24 hours a day together." It helps that every game is unique. "It's not like doing a rock concert and playing the same songs in a different town," he said. Here's Hernandez on the Mets' prospects for 2010: "I always like a team that's come off a bad year and players that have come off a subpar year and have track records, because they'll work hard in that offseason to have a bounce-back year. "The Mets have five guys with the potential to be the Comeback Player of the Year. "I think this team is going to hit and score runs and be fine offensively. But health is important. "To me it all boils down to pitching. If I could have both, I'd take a team like the '69 Mets with great pitching as opposed to an offensive team with mediocre pitching." Hernandez on the challenge of working meaningless games late last year: "It's much more fun when they win and they're competitive and it's down to the wire, and we had that three of the last four years. When you're playing it out like last year, there's not the intensity and you can be more relaxed. "Guys in the truck would say, 'These are the games now where you have to hold the audience.' But ultimately we're not going to bring the audience. The team is what gets people to sit down on their couches and come to the ballpark." Former Cardinal Hernandez on Mark McGwire and steroids: "I don't think he should be banned from baseball and coaching. If that's what he wants to do he should be doing it, and good for him. "But you know know how I feel about guys who did steroids, and my opinion will never change on it. I feel they knew what they were doing and why they were doing it and it was dishonest. "They put a stain on the record book that will forever be a brown spot on every page. They should never be under consideration for the Hall of Fame."

Frayed Knot Mar 02 2010 12:25 PM Re: GKR @ Five

"It's something that I probably shouldn't have said; it just kind of came out" -- I think Keith had this phrase made into a rubber stamp so it's easier to trot out on a press release every few months as needed.

metirish Mar 02 2010 12:29 PM Re: GKR @ Five

They should never be under consideration for the Hall of Fame." Could be a whole lot of guys when all is said and done. We are fortunate to have a great TV crew and a great radio crew. I do like me some Howie but I just wish he had a partner I liked more. I always feel like Howie is carrying the load in that booth.

Ceetar Mar 02 2010 12:34 PM Re: GKR @ Five

As one of those newer generation of fans (although I'm not that new, I do have a connection to Murphy and childhood that will always be special.), this article was excellent. Gary Keith and Ron really doa great job. They're the right mix of knowledge history and experience, they have a connection to the team, and they're in no way reserved or white-wash things. Spring Training is great for the 'baseball is back' aspect, but most of the games on tv are kind of boring. GKJ are entertaining in their own right, and if you've never listened to a spring broadcast with them, especially late when they're basically planning their evenings, you're missing out. In season they're obviously on the game, but in spring it's almost like they're just three guys sitting next to you in the stands.

Ceetar Mar 02 2010 12:36 PM Re: GKR @ Five

metirish wrote: They should never be under consideration for the Hall of Fame." Could be a whole lot of guys when all is said and done. We are fortunate to have a great TV crew and a great radio crew. I do like me some Howie but I just wish he had a partner I liked more. I always feel like Howie is carrying the load in that booth. I've grown to like Wayne Hagin. I understand what you say about carrying the load, and it's true in some aspects, but Wayne has some surprisingly accurate observations and very interesting insight into what's going on. I feel like he really gets you into the game and thinking about it as he raises some interersting points.

G-Fafif Mar 02 2010 12:44 PM Re: GKR @ Five

We've just completed the second consecutive offseason during which Wayne Hagin never crossed my mind. Howie and Gary cross my mind every day -- and twice on Sunday. They equal Mets. Keith and Ron equal Mets. Ed Coleman and Kevin Burkhardt equal Mets. Wayne Hagin's an enjoyable enough announcer who happens to broadcast Mets games 150 or so times per season. He does not equal Mets.

Ceetar Mar 02 2010 12:50 PM Re: GKR @ Five

G-Fafif wrote: Wayne Hagin's an enjoyable enough announcer who happens to broadcast Mets games 150 or so times per season. He does not equal Mets. I've always wondered why, given two opportunities recently, they didn't give the job to Ed Coleman. I mean, they have him fill in anyway, especially when Howie's doing Islanders games, so what is it they don't like about him?

metirish Mar 02 2010 12:50 PM Re: GKR @ Five

When it was Gary and Howie we were spoiled , those two could go back and forth on Mets history or on any number of things. Why do the co-announcer ting on the radio, why not get a good color guy in there with Howie . Wayne is OK and pretty good when the Rockies are the other team.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 02 2010 12:57 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Total lunchpailer, and he's a little much in spots. But hey-- he's not silence, or Ted Robinson, so he's got those things going for him.

seawolf17 Mar 02 2010 12:58 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Heard ol' Teddy during the Olympics, and I couldn't remember his name at first. I knew I recognized the voice, but couldn't figure out who he was.

metirish Mar 02 2010 01:04 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Mets Classics featured Fran Healy the other night, I think the game was Piazza's first as a Met. Fran was all about Carlos Baerga and how his personality never changes from slump to slump to hot streak......."It never changes , what a guuuuuuuuuy"

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 02 2010 01:08 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Ceetar wrote: G-Fafif wrote: Wayne Hagin's an enjoyable enough announcer who happens to broadcast Mets games 150 or so times per season. He does not equal Mets. I've always wondered why, given two opportunities recently, they didn't give the job to Ed Coleman. I mean, they have him fill in anyway, especially when Howie's doing Islanders games, so what is it they don't like about him? I can't speak for them but Ed tends to bore me and is especially disappointing as a "reporter." His favorite phrase is "you may be right" Dog C used to call him The Enuch, and I tend to agree.

G-Fafif Mar 02 2010 01:10 PM Re: GKR @ Five

I wanna be in Eddie C.'s corner for the booth, but every "cut on and missed" makes me yearn for whomever he's filling in.

metirish Mar 02 2010 01:14 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Ed is just not an announcer , he's at least seven seconds behind the play and starts telling stories at the wrong time, like 2 outs.

Valadius Mar 02 2010 01:15 PM Re: GKR @ Five

I'm surprised they haven't been able to grab someone like Al Leiter for the broadcast booth - a former relatively-recently-retired Met.

metirish Mar 02 2010 01:16 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Valadius wrote: I'm surprised they haven't been able to grab someone like Al Leiter for the broadcast booth - a former relatively-recently-retired Met. No thanks , I really dislike the boys club they have going over at MLB Network.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 02 2010 01:19 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Valadius wrote: I'm surprised they haven't been able to grab someone like Al Leiter for the broadcast booth - a former relatively-recently-retired Met. YLDB [url]http://web.yesnetwork.com/announcers/bio.jsp?id=aleiter

Gwreck Mar 02 2010 02:40 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Coupla thoughts: Neil Best wrote: But even more so than Darling and Cohen, Hernandez is irreplaceable, thanks both to his quirky humor and his status as one of the most important players in Mets history. I guess Best means in terms of ratings. I like Keith just fine but they could boot him right now and the broadcasts wouldn't suffer. In many ways the Cohen-Darling broadcasts are the best as the three announcers together can be bogged down by Keith's antics. (The truly irreplaceable person is Gary). G-Fafif wrote: We've just completed the second consecutive offseason during which Wayne Hagin never crossed my mind. Howie and Gary cross my mind every day -- and twice on Sunday. They equal Mets. Keith and Ron equal Mets. Ed Coleman and Kevin Burkhardt equal Mets. Wayne Hagin's an enjoyable enough announcer who happens to broadcast Mets games 150 or so times per season. He does not equal Mets. That's a pretty tough standard to meet, no? You've got 2 iconic former players and 2 announcers who have such a long personal history with the team that they're the only conceivable people on whom I *might* bet against if they were in a Mets trivia contest against G-Fafif.* Wayne has grown on me considerably over the past few years and while I still wish he was quicker to tell me how the runners are advancing on a particular play he has shown to be pretty good at his job. I could certainly see him growing into the role so that he could equal Mets in, say, 10 years or so. *Assuming Gary and Howie were given a 5-question handicap.

Frayed Knot Mar 02 2010 02:47 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Ceetar wrote: G-Fafif wrote: Wayne Hagin's an enjoyable enough announcer who happens to broadcast Mets games 150 or so times per season. He does not equal Mets. I've always wondered why, given two opportunities recently, they didn't give the job to Ed Coleman. I mean, they have him fill in anyway, especially when Howie's doing Islanders games, so what is it they don't like about him? If they gave it to Eddie they'd have to find someone else to do his job - and he's not really a p-b-p guy. He's OK on a fill-in basis but even then you run into the problem of having him wear too many hats. - his main job has him doing the pre- and post-games gigs where you have to stay on the good side of everybody - then there's the radio booth where being critical is more allowed - and then he sometimes has to carry some regular (non-NYM approved) time on FAN where Met-ripping is sport of the day and it all makes for awkward transitions, especially as how those jobs often run back-to-back-to-back. Howie Rose ran into the same problems when he worked Eddie C.'s job and, although HR handled it better than EC, it still caused some ruffled feathers here and there. Best to keep all those jobs separate. Hagin's merely OK IMO, but the fact that he essentially replaced Gary and is next to Howie and all their ridiculously deep NYM DNA means that holding him (or any successor) to their standard pretty much assures it that we'll never be satisfied with anyone who occupies that chair. oe; {see GWreck above}

seawolf17 Mar 02 2010 04:22 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Gwreck wrote: (The truly irreplaceable person is Gary) Unquestionably. If I'm the Wilpons, I sign him to a thirty-year, $100 million contract now and make sure some owner/broadcaster elsewhere in the country doesn't get any crazy ideas. The loss of Gary Cohen would be as big of a crushing loss for me as the Mets trading David Wright and Jose Reyes for Derek Jeter and the remains of the dead guy from Mariano Rivera's pool. If not bigger. He's a legend to me; I'm openly jealous that SK is FB friends with his wife.

themetfairy Mar 02 2010 04:44 PM Re: GKR @ Five

I'm sure she'd friend you seawolf. She's a truly sweet person.

G-Fafif Mar 02 2010 04:50 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Agreed that Gary's the indispensable man in the booth. I love Keith (and like Ronnie well enough) but Gary transcends everything. Radio stopped being wonderful when he left...and I love Howie plenty (lotta love here; I feel like Nicolette Larson). Wayne technically replaced Tom McCarthy, not a hard act to follow.

Kong76 Mar 02 2010 05:15 PM Re: GKR @ Five

tmf: I'm sure she'd friend you seawolf. She's a truly sweet person <<< She unfriended me, but I'm obnoxious and generally disliked. (now I'm going to have that 1776 song in my head all night)

Number 6 Mar 02 2010 11:18 PM Re: GKR @ Five

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. Given that, I'm very, very fortunate that the teams I care most about are the Mets and Devils. Doc Emrick and Gary are utterly indispensable as the lead parts of their respective broadcast teams and to their orgs as a whole. Due to a few jobs I've done I've heard every TV broadcast team in baseball at least twice. That doesn't make me an expert by any stretch, but FWIW I wouldn't trade our guys for anyone.

Fman99 Mar 03 2010 05:25 AM Re: GKR @ Five

GKR are great, I have no problems with any of them. Rose, too. Wayne Hagin can eat a dick. He's the worst, with his "radio voice" and spotty knowledge of all things Mets. He's got no pedigree. Fortunately for me, most of my Mets absorption comes over TV and not radio so my exposure to him is limited to weekday matinees and weekend games when I'm in the car traveling.

Benjamin Grimm Mar 03 2010 07:10 AM Re: GKR @ Five

Fman99 wrote: Fortunately for me, most of my Mets absorption comes over TV and not radio so my exposure to him is limited to weekday matinees and weekend games when I'm in the car traveling. Yeah, me too. I've heard so little of Hagin that I have no opinion of him at all.

metirish Mar 03 2010 07:18 AM Re: GKR @ Five

Gary is great but I don't doubt for a second that Howie is and has been just as good in the TV booth.

Edgy DC Mar 03 2010 07:28 AM Re: GKR @ Five

Lock me in a room and tell me to distinguish Wayne Hagin from Ted Robinson from Ed Coleman, and I'd probably need a few guesses. Ted was a little slow on the draw, I remember that. But I also remember he did know the team's hist'ry.

metirish Mar 03 2010 07:34 AM Re: GKR @ Five

I thought Ted was ok, certainly a calm voice to Healy's loud one. Ted did know the history IIRC and his style was one where story telling was part of it all. Seemed to really like the baseball Giants(he called them for years) and loved it when the Mets were on a home stand during the US Open going on in Flushing.

MFS62 Mar 03 2010 07:41 AM Re: GKR @ Five

G-Fafif wrote: Wayne Hagin's an enjoyable enough announcer who happens to broadcast Mets games 150 or so times per season. He does not equal Mets. I think last year I posted that Wayne has "no Mets soul". While I had that feeling all season, what finally crystalized it to me was that he said (I paraphrase, its been a while) "Ex- Tiger Dotel is now pitching". He totally didn't know that Dotel had pitched for the Mets. Later

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 03 2010 08:44 AM Re: GKR @ Five Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 03 2010 02:32 PM

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 (B) 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 Mar 03 2010 08:52 AM Re: GKR @ Five

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.

Edgy DC Mar 03 2010 09:16 AM Re: GKR @ Five

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

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 03 2010 10:00 AM Re: GKR @ Five

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 Mar 03 2010 10:17 AM Re: GKR @ Five

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 Mar 03 2010 10:21 AM Re: GKR @ Five

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 Mar 03 2010 02:29 PM Re: GKR @ Five

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 Mar 03 2010 02:36 PM Re: GKR @ Five

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 Mar 04 2010 08:13 AM Re: GKR @ Five

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 Apr 03 2010 04:12 PM Re: GKR @ Five

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 Apr 03 2010 09:05 PM Re: GKR @ Five

Listening to Wayne Hagin is a form of Euthanasia

Fman99 Apr 04 2010 05:04 PM Re: GKR @ Five

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 Apr 04 2010 05:49 PM Re: GKR @ Five

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