Murphy in the Booth

[MFS62]

According to SNY, Daniel Murphy will be joining the SNY broadcast booth for two games in Spring Training.
Is it an audition for a longer gig?
Stay tuned.
Later

[Frayed Knot]

Keith, who turned 70 last October, is currently in the midst of what I suspect might be his final contract. So it's never too early to think of replacements.

[metirish]

Good call on Keith

[Centerfield]

Keeping in mind I've never heard Daniel Murphy in the booth, my immediate reaction is that I don't feel like I'd enjoy Daniel Murphy in the booth.

I'm wondering if it's just the homophobic comment or if there's more to it. But to be honest, the Mets make up a big part of my nights during the summer, and the announcers are a huge part of that. I'd rather not listen to a homophobe.

[metsmarathon]

i do wonder if in the intervening years he's finally come to jesus...?

[Edgy MD]

The best way to ensure smooth transitions is to give potential successors exposure — always maintaining a three-person booth by rotating a cast of substitutes in on the days when one of the three mainstays in unavailable. Presumably, if Murphy subs for Keith during a series in April, Cliff Floyd subs for him during a series in May, and Brian McRae steps in for a West Coast series in June, one of them will find his speed and reveal himself to be the right fit and the obvious choice when Keith does retire.

In the meantime, the booth maintains its same dynamic, and the other two wouldn't have to change their roles to cover for an absence.

Also, it's not really fair that the only time Todd Zeile or Jerry Blevins get called on to provide real-time analysis is when they are the only analyst in the booth.

[metirish]

Can't wait for Apple , Murphy and Ziele substitute weekend

[kcmets]

Gary Cliff and Ron has a really nice ring to it.

(Cornelius Clifford Floyd, of course)

[Lefty Specialist]

I've heard Murphy talk and as a broadcaster he's a great second baseman. Zeile is okay, but he has a little too much Fran Healy in his voice. Not crazy about Floyd. Haven't heard Brian McRae so I can't judge.

Maybe I need to hold Hadji hostage so Keith stays put.

[Edgy MD]

I just floated those guys out there as a f'r'instance. I'm not advocating for them per se, but for maintaining a three-guy booth at all times — a play-by-play specialist, an analyst specializing in the pitching side of things, and an analyst specializing in the batting-and-defense side.

[Lefty Specialist]

These days it's a two-man booth as often as not. Ronnie and Keith get plenty of off-days, and Ronnie has his TBS commitments. Gary is the only constant.

[Edgy MD]

Indeed, but I'm advocating for otherwise.

[metirish]

[G-Fafif]

Except for saying he played “in” rather than on Long Island for the Ducks, I found him a smooth listen the couple of innings I was tuned in for. There’s a zen quality to Murph talking baseball.

[Fman99]

I thought he was too cryptic. Didn't care for him. I like the idea of using guys with Mets pedigrees but he speaks in some kind of odd cypher that I can't decode.

[Frayed Knot]

Remember that the early reviews for Ronnie (on a one year stint w/the Nats) were at least the length of a Pete Alonso HR from being good.
Now there were extenuating circumstances: he was rushed into the job with little prep time and essentially had to get to know his pbp man
(Bob Carpenter) on the fly. But, still, he came off as stiff and uninteresting both from the one or two times I heard him back then, and from
other more professional opinions, and also by his own admission. But I think most of us would agree that he's grown into the job and the
suits at least three networks seem to agree. (SNY, TBS, MLBN).

So give Murph some time. It's his first toe-dip into the water and it's not a given that he's even going to want to pursue this as a full time
gig (he's got four kids at home). Besides, it was kind of nice having someone in the booth who had actually played against some of the
guys on the field rather than against their fathers or against the elder members of the coaching staff. A couple of fewer 'back in my day'
comments might be a welcome change whether it's from Muffy or someone else and it's going to be somebody else before too long. No
broadcast team lasts forever and this one is already the longest lasting one we've had.

[MFS62]

Remember that the early reviews for Ronnie (on a one year stint w/the Nats) were at least the length of a Pete Alonso HR from being good.
Now there were extenuating circumstances: he was rushed into the job with little prep time and essentially had to get to know his pbp man
(Bob Carpenter) on the fly. But, still, he came off as stiff and uninteresting both from the one or two times I heard him back then, and from
other more professional opinions, and also by his own admission. But I think most of us would agree that he's grown into the job and the
suits at least three networks seem to agree. (SNY, TBS, MLBN).

Saw this today, posted on that international baseball site I frequent (membership only)

By hours I'm sure I also watch the most baseball. There are a few booths that I will automatically go to. The Mets booth is the best in baseball, hands down. Gary, Ron, and Keith have great chemistry and talk about relevant topics around the league.

The guy who posted it lives in Ohio and is not a Mets fan (as far as I know)
Later

[kcmets]

I watched some yesterday and today.

Let's trade Moiph to Washington for a fill-in booth guy to be named later.

[Frayed Knot]

Saw this today, posted on that international baseball site I frequent (membership only)
By hours I'm sure I also watch the most baseball. There are a few booths that I will automatically go to. The Mets booth is the best in baseball, hands down. Gary, Ron, and Keith have great chemistry and talk about relevant topics around the league.

And that's fine ... but it doesn't change the math on the topic.
Ron, the youngest member of the booth, will turn 64 this summer with network commitments and a young son to deal with.
Keith hit the 7-0 mark last autumn and has various physical ailments plus interest in the job that, let's say, wavers at times.
Gary is somewhere in between in age and, while I assume wants to continue for the foreseeable future, is also is starting to
increase his days off compared to previous seasons, even if only slightly.

This isn't an endorsement of Muffy as an heir apparent -- there's no reason to even think that far ahead yet -- nor do I think
SNY should restrict their considerations to only him or even only to ex-NYMs. But I think our comfort with the current booth
has created an almost knee jerk reaction where we're too quick to trash anyone who's Not one of the GKR trio, even one still
just getting his feet wet. And, btw, I think this reflex applies to national voices as well as local.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Maybe they can give Steve Albert another chance.

[bmfc1]

I watched some yesterday and today.

Let's trade Moiph to Washington for a fill-in booth guy to be named later.

WSH has one of the worst, if not THE worst, TV booths in the game.

[nymr83]

I get the impression, and this is just an impression as I'm sure he wouldn't say it out loud, that Keith would love to semi-retired an s just do Sunday afternoon games or WPIX games or whatever. I don't think he wants to be home doing nothing, but I don't think he has any interest in 162 or even 62.

As for Murphy, I didn't listen so I don't have an opinion on him specifically, but I like the idea of having as many former Mets with interest in broadcasting as possible do spring training games. Those that work out well can be invited back for some regular season fill-ins, and we can go from there when a job opens up. This way we have tested out all the guys with Met connections like a sort of minor leagues, instead of bringing in some yankee-stenched broadcaster or something when a need arises.

[kcmets]

I watched some yesterday and today.

Let's trade Moiph to Washington for a fill-in booth guy to be named later.

WSH has one of the worst, if not THE worst, TV booths in the game.

I mean like wayyyyy later.

[Edgy MD]

Important Daniel Murphy Trivia: When Daniel signed with The Nationals, The Mets were granted a compensation pick in the following amateur draft. Who did they take with that pick?

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Nate Lavender