Do you like or dislike Buck Martinez as the voice of the Blue Jays?

[SaskJaysFan_2]

Over the last couple of years I've read a lot of Martinez hate on this forum, hate that I've never understood. I loved him as a player (I'm old) and I liked him as a manager (don't judge) and I love him on the broadcasts. I think he adds a lot. Is he a Vin Scully? No. But no one is. I love that fact that he's a homer and gets genuinely excited with the Jays when they are trouncing a team, but his exuberance for the home team is balanced with what I feel is good insight a lot of the time.

 

Anyway listen to this interview, I love his insight here, too.

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/martinez-tulo-fits-like-a-glove-his-bat-will-come-around/

 

So, to the poll. Do you hate Buck, or like him, or meh. I want to know.

 

Is this a needless thread? Maybe. I don't have a life.

[G-Snarls]

No poll

 

New thread?

If you make a new one I'll delete this

[SaskJaysFan_2]

No poll

 

New thread?

If you make a new one I'll delete this

 

There is a poll, I was just in the middle of things when you replied.

[ValiantJaysFan]

I don't like him but I voted "Meh" because the alternative is probably Rob Faulds or Jamie Campbell.

[baubau]

Having MLB TV and listening to other broadcasters from different teams make me realize how much Buck sucks. The only broadcasters I found worse than him are the Roayls.

[Krylian]

Buck was solid as a color guy when Dan Shulman was "The Voice". Bring back Shulman. Pay him whatever he wants and bring our boy home.

[reedjohnsonfan]

I like how he isn't a homer and is pretty lighthearted... Also whether people like to admit it or not he has an excellent TV friendly voice.

[Trouba95]

He's OK. Like him more when Siddall is in the booth.

[SaskJaysFan_2]

I like Siddall a lot. I agree with you there.

[L54]

Buck is harmless. He catches a lot of s*** and fondles the Yankees (Jeter's) testicles a little too much but other than that he's fine. Pat is way worse in my opinion. Buck and Siddall this weekend in Anaheim was actually a good combination. I just like to rag on Buck and assume every error he makes is because he's drunk.

 

Two of my favourite, signature Buck calls are:

-When he gets overly excited on a "deep fly ball"

-"A lil looper"

 

Feel free to add more!

[SaskJaysFan_2]

Having MLB TV and listening to other broadcasters from different teams make me realize how much Buck sucks. The only broadcasters I found worse than him are the Roayls.

 

I have MLB TV and I disagree with you. I dislike a lot of the other guys. Now mind you I've mostly only watched/listened to AL games (I don't give a s*** about the NL, unless the Dodgers are playing, they are cool to watch), but I think Buck is a lot better than some of those guys. But I'm a newbie. I've only followed the Blue Jays since 1984 so I might not know what I am talking about.

[Governator]

I like him and his drunk sounds. I find him less of a homer than most broadcasters.

[SaskJaysFan_2]

Buck is harmless. He catches a lot of s*** and fondles the Yankees (Jeter's) testicles a little too much but other than that he's fine. Pat is way worse in my opinion. Buck and Siddall this weekend in Anaheim was actually a good combination. I just like to rag on Buck and assume every error he makes is because he's drunk.

 

Two of my favourite, signature Buck calls are:

-When he gets overly excited on a "deep fly ball"

-"A lil looper"

 

Feel free to add more!

 

I like his get out, get out, gone! on Jays dingers.

[Governator]

I like his get up, get up, gone! on Jays dingers.

 

ftfy

[Trouba95]

My favourite PBP by far is Gary Cohen of the NYM. The sheer excitement in his voice.

[Brownie19]

Do we really need a debate on this? He's awful. We should have a thread dedicated to laughing at all the stupid and incorrect things he says.

 

I'm not sure on this (maybe others could confirm/deny), but I have to think he's told cater the dialog to suit the casual fan (ie, dumb it down). There's literally no way he could be so oblivious, when it's his job to know the game of baseball...right?

[Effit]

He makes far more mistakes than he should, and the false homerun calls are annoying. However, I don't find him as bland as many other broadcasters, I also find him quite humourous. A couple of gems for me during the series with the Angels; as they showed DeMarlo Hale making adjustments to the lineup sheet, Buck chimed in with "how do you spell this guy's name?". He also said that if he was an Angels reliever he would be hiding, and said "if the phone rings in the bullpen, don't answer it". That kind of humour is right up my alley, though I'm sure there are many who don't appreciate it the way I do. He also had a few funny quips whenever they showed Mike Scioscia. Buck amuses me despite his flaws, therefore I don't mind him as much as most people do. I realize his style is not for everyone.

[Effit]

I like him and his drunk sounds. I find him less of a homer than most broadcasters.

 

Here's lookin' at you, Hawk Harrelson.

[Caper]

People have to realize, 98% of people watching the game are casual fans, they want to here guys like Buck... They don't want to here about xFip, or UZR or wOBA or any other advanced stat. Buck provides decent commentary.... I even loved tracking Buck blunders, that was entertaining for me. I love when he almost goes nuts for a fly ball ball to the track... or "get up ball!!!" Buck is pretty good. All of them are pretty good really.

 

My one complaint is about the fan radio guys. You listen to the round table on PTS's and you can really tell there are 4 or 5 guys who are very much first HOCKEY guys and very much second everything else. You can really tell. John Shannon should go for a break every time he hears the word baseball. Brunt is very good, belongs and seems very much to know his limitations.

 

That station needs a guy like Drew Fairservice (I listen to his baseball pod) to take over the baseball planning for the station. Basic concepts like service time are lost on these guys sometime.

[Caper]

I like him and his drunk sounds. I find him less of a homer than most broadcasters.

 

Don't you want your announcer to be a homer? I guess where it gets out of hand is when say on a replay review they are obviously siding with the home team even though it's obviously should go the other way... But I don't find Buck does that much.

[GD]

I'd like him more as a sidekick tbh.

 

to Dan Schulman

[CrackerJack]

I go to most home games, so don't watch as many Jays telecasts as others, but my main complaint with Buck & Pat is just way too much conversation. I prefer other broadcast crews who have longer stretches of silence and let the sounds of the game and visuals do the talking.

[Governator]

Don't you want your announcer to be a homer? I guess where it gets out of hand is when say on a replay review they are obviously siding with the home team even though it's obviously should go the other way... But I don't find Buck does that much.

 

No, no I don't. I can't stand announcers losing their professionalism when doing play-by-play. I also can't stand when they don't do any research on the opposing teams prior to a series. Up until this year, most broadcasters only mention Bautista because of his accomplishments or Buehrle because he's Buehrle, they just assume everything and they take zero time to learn anything about rookies, or why less star players are doing well. They don't bother reading up about Pillar and Goins great defense or Colabello's lack there of. I find Buck at least attempts to give praise to others pretty fairly across the board regarding their strengths and weaknesses. He'll often say how he spoke to others prior to the game about X player and than relay that conversation. Many broadcasters simply don't follow the game much outside their team's bubble or don't bother doing any prep work.

[Governator]

I go to most home games, so don't watch as many Jays telecasts as others, but my main complaint with Buck & Pat is just way too much conversation. I prefer other broadcast crews who have longer stretches of silence and let the sounds of the game and visuals do the talking.

 

I'm the opposite though I do like Jerry much better. Radio broadcast really captures the sounds of the stadium so much better, I love hearing walk up music and stadium announcers.

[Brownie19]

People have to realize, 98% of people watching the game are casual fans, they want to here guys like Buck...

 

But would it kill them to introduce it a bit? Instead of saying "Hutchison knows how to win games, which explains why he's 11-2 despite a high ERA", could they not say something like "the advanced stats indicate Hutchison has been just as effective as he was last year, but has been hurt by an uncharacteristically high BABIP and low LOB%. He's had some bad luck this year and hopefully this means he'd due for some good luck moving forward".

 

I guess they've done the studies that suggest the casual fan wants to keep it basic....although I have a sneaking suspicion that Buck doesn't have to try very hard to dumb it down...

[Sammy225]

I like him Tabby makes the broadcast terrible though

[KingKat]

I like him Tabby makes the broadcast terrible though

 

I think Tabby and Buck are just about the worst combination possible. The whole broadcast becomes an echo chamber. Part of the proble is that Buck doesn't act like a true play-by-play guy. He wants to do colour too so you basically have Buck do commentary, Tabby merely repeats it back to them and they just stay stuck on the same, usually clichéd, point for long stretches.

[CrackerJack]

I'm the opposite though I do like Jerry much better. Radio broadcast really captures the sounds of the stadium so much better, I love hearing walk up music and stadium announcers.

 

I don't know how you're "the opposite?" ... I think we're agreeing that we like to hear the sounds of the game/stadium over mindless non-stop conversation.

[Sammy225]

I think Tabby and Buck are just about the worst combination possible. The whole broadcast becomes an echo chamber. Part of the proble is that Buck doesn't act like a true play-by-play guy. He wants to do colour too so you basically have Buck do commentary, Tabby merely repeats it back to them and they just stay stuck on the same, usually clichéd, point for long stretches.

 

i think it was 2 years ago Buck was doing color for Fox in the first round of playoffs and was great. It is all about who he is working with. He was very good to listen to.

[Sammy225]

I really don't mind him at all to be honest. If we replaced him with Dan Shulman and moved Buck to colour that would be ideal.

 

Shulman would not leave his sweet ass gig he has right now.