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Catch Phrases

Centerfield Aug 06 2007 02:19 PM

Both Gary and Howie are on record saying they hate them...Gary went as far as to cite the lack of one as one of the great things about Vin Scully. But both have phrases that come close to being "catch phrases." You could make the argument that Gary's home run call "it's outta here!" and Howie's game ending call "Put it in the books!" both fall into this category. Do you agree? Disagree? Up until he started TV, all of Gary's home runs were called that way. And I have never heard Howie Rose call a last out any other way (except modified versions of the phrase). We all know that John Sterling's "It is high, it is deep..." garbage is probably the worst offender. I think Michael Kay's "see ya!" is contrived and annoying too. But are we just using Met blinders here?

soupcan Aug 06 2007 02:25 PM

After the last out last night Howie said "Put It In The History Books!" I vote catch phrase for both of 'em.

Edgy DC Aug 06 2007 02:28 PM

Some are just what people say, and some are trying hard to brand their signature in there, so not all are equally conetemptible. But yeah, outa here is one.

metirish Aug 06 2007 02:39 PM

="Edgy DC"]Some are just what people say, and some are trying hard to brand their signature in there, so not all are equally conetemptible. But yeah, outa here is one. Agree. For me some are annoying and others are just fine,some take away from what just happened which I hate.

G-Fafif Aug 06 2007 02:41 PM

soupcan wrote: After the last out last night Howie said "Put It In The History Books!" I vote catch phrase for both of 'em. Shut off the ESPN idiots to hear Howie's call. It was worth it.

A Boy Named Seo Aug 06 2007 03:41 PM

Totally catch phrases. Maybe they're not unique baseball phrases, but each has his own signature way of delivering them.

G-Fafif Aug 06 2007 03:49 PM

Howie used to force the catchphrases when he started doing TV PBP. Lots of "put a circle around it!"and "we've got a brand new shiny one!". Even put it in the books sounded concocted. He lets the game come to him now. I like the self-awareness of "put it in the history books" for Glavine or "put THAT in your books!" for Wright's walkoff hit last year against the MFYs. Nothing wrong with a catchphrase if it sounds natural enough. "It's OUTTA here" fits that description like a glove.

metsmarathon Aug 06 2007 04:44 PM

if gary called "its outta here" for an inside the park home run, then it would be the near equivalent of what sterling does, when low line drives barely squeak out over the shortest part of the park are still described as "high, far, etc" therein, perhaps, may lie the difference between "signature" and "catch"

holychicken Aug 06 2007 04:45 PM

Does "back back back back back back back back back back back back" count?

SteveJRogers Aug 06 2007 04:49 PM

holychicken wrote: Does "back back back back back back back back back back back back" count? Oh oh oh doctor!

Benjamin Grimm Aug 06 2007 04:54 PM

I think it's a Florida announcer who yells "Get out of here, ball!" when a Marlins player hits one deep. That one always makes me cringe.

Iubitul Aug 06 2007 05:00 PM

Back before ESPN had its lobotomy, I always got a kick out of one of Keith Olbermann's catch phrases. Whenever he was calling a home run highlight, he would say, "and.. he hit the ball real hard" I had a sense that he was poking fun at all of the outlandish home run calls

TheOldMole Aug 06 2007 05:14 PM

Both catch phrases, but not obnoxious ones. I like "put it in the books." Of course, the best catch phrase of all by a Met announcer was "happy recap."

Gwreck Aug 06 2007 05:27 PM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I think it's a Florida announcer who yells "Get out of here, ball!" when a Marlins player hits one deep. That one always makes me cringe. Almost as bad as "You can put it on the board....YES!" (White Sox announcer Ken Harrelson). Put him and Sterling in a booth togther. They deserve each other.

metirish Aug 06 2007 05:30 PM

TheOldMole wrote: Of course, the best catch phrase of all by a Met announcer was "happy recap." Yeah that was great... What announcer wanted his Aunt to open the window when he was calling a home run.....not even sure if I am making sense.

SteveJRogers Aug 06 2007 05:53 PM

Rosey Roswell of the Pirates during the real cruddy years of the 40s and 50s. Bob Prince would replace him. He was a real character and made listening a real experience, kind of like John Sterling of his day.

metsmarathon Aug 06 2007 07:25 PM

="SteveJRogers"]Rosey Roswell of the Pirates during the real cruddy years of the 40s and 50s. Bob Prince would replace him. He was a real character and made listening a real experience, kind of like John Sterling of his day. sterling is an experience, fer sure... just not a good one.

soupcan Aug 06 2007 07:45 PM

Where's "Goodbye Mr. Spaulding!" from? Was it from the movie 'The Natural' or was there a guy that actually used that? Either way I like that one.

G-Fafif Aug 07 2007 01:03 AM

metsmarathon wrote: therein, perhaps, may lie the difference between "signature" and "catch" That's a wonderful way of putting it.

Edgy DC Aug 07 2007 06:13 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 07 2007 06:59 AM

When these things outshine your work is when you're in trouble. I don't think you oft hear exchanges like: "Do you think Cohen does a good job?" "The 'it's outa here' guy?" It's not too hard, by contrast, to imagine someone dismissing Frannie as the 'cahnfidence' guy' or the 'can of corn' guy.

MFS62 Aug 07 2007 06:32 AM

Les Keiter recreated SF games back to New York for a few years after they moved West. He was reading the ticker recount pitch-by-pitch and making them sound as though he was broadcasting live. Two of his catch phrases were: "Here come ____________ (usually Willie Mays), here come the ball. He BEAT the ball. He BEAT the ball!" and every extra base hit was "BOOM, off the top of the wall" (Usually followed by the catch phrase call above. BTW- When I read the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be ways different announcers describe a catch - e.g.- "a can of corn" to describe an easy catch. Maybe another thread? Later

Frayed Knot Aug 07 2007 07:06 AM

I guess I don't mind "catch" phrases as long as they're; a) not annoying -- subjective as hell, I realize b) used somewhat judiciously rather than just because you can and, perhaps most importantly, c) used in addition to calling the play rather than instead of The last one is the main objection to Sterling's 'it is high ... it is far ...' call. Not only is it a call he uses for all HRs, even those which are neither high nor particularly far, but it makes all HRs sound the same. Howie's 'Put it in the Books' is nothing more than an after-game exclamation point; and even Gary's 'It's Outta Here!' HR call isn't used every time (he sometimes skips if for less dramatic ones) and is only used after he decribes what lead up to the ball being 'Outta Here'

G-Fafif Aug 07 2007 11:39 AM

Edgy DC wrote: I don't think you oft hear exchanges like: "Do you think Cohen does a good job?" "The 'it's outa here' guy?" I sure wish Carlos Delgado would be referred to in this manner.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 07 2007 11:42 AM

Delgado had a horrendous April, and a poor June. But other than that he's been okay. Would you rather have Jason Phillips?

G-Fafif Aug 07 2007 01:21 PM

Clarification alert: I want Carlos Delgado to be the "Outta Here! Guy" as in I hope Gary Cohen has 15 or 20 occasions to use his signature line on his behalf between now and season's end.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 07 2007 01:24 PM

Ah! Now that makes more sense!

Willets Point Aug 07 2007 02:03 PM

If it's any consolation G-Fafif, I got what you meant.