Top Ten Worst MLB Announcers Today

After reading Sports Full Circle’s Jon Alba give his take on the top ten worst sportscasters of all-time, I began to wonder who the top ten worst MLB announcers today would be. Since I have the MLB.TV subscription service, I’ve been “blessed” with the opportunity to hear virtually every MLB announcer of every team. Therefore, here’s a list of some sportscasters that cause a groan and make me watch the baseball game while listening to music. I guess it’s understandable. Not every team can have a legendary voice like Vin Scully (Dodgers) or a fun, dedicated play-by-play team like Daron Sutton and Mark Grace (Diamondbacks).

10. Thom Brenneman (Reds; FOX): I actually liked Thom when he was the play-by-play voice of the Arizona Diamondbacks and when he was more often featured on FOX Saturday Baseball. Now that he announces games for his hometown Cincinnati Reds, though, his favoritism has come out. Amidst all the Reds’ struggles, he also increasingly sounds like a bitter man. He routinely criticizes the Reds more harshly than any play-by-play voice I’ve ever heard criticize the home team. He also is quick to unleash on opponents. It leads to a depressing listening experience.

9. Rich Waltz (Marlins): Another PBP announcer guilty of showing favoritism to the point of being a homer. I understand that local announcers can show favoritism, but his shrill voice yelling “BALL GAME!” at the end of a Marlins win or “HIS NAME IS DAN UGGLA!” after a Dan Uggla homer is never welcome. Okay, that’s kind of a cheap criticism, but man, those are annoying.

8. Mike Krukow (Giants): The color commentator of the Giants uses such antiquated baseball terminology that he’d feel the need to explain half of them and cause me to look up the other half afterward. To speak in cliches is cheesy and annoying, generally. The man also uses a telestrator at times to draw pictures on fans, and that’s never acceptable or funny.

7. Joe Buck (FOX): A man who recently admitted on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” on ESPN Radio that he no longer enjoys baseball or watches much of it outside of FOX Saturday Baseball. Maybe that explains that all he does is echo national opinions most of the time. He dares to have this opinion of baseball and yet take such strong stances from time to time? I understand that people are busy, but that’s a shocking revelation from Buck. Say what you will about him, but I at least thought he still loved the game.

6. Tony Gwynn (Padres; TBS): I’m sure this is a surprising pick to some. Now these announcers on this list might be bad, but at least most of them show an excitement. Gwynn will barely comment during some Padres’ games, expecting PBP man Matt Vasgersian to fill the silent moments. He follows the game, as it’s his job, but it seems like he’s really disinterested in his work. This leads to his commentary being soft-spoken and often boring to listen to.

5. Bob Carpenter (Nationals): The PBP man of those pesky Nats is somewhat apt for the job. For a team perennially in the cellar, he is overly excited, and to be the Nationals’ broadcaster for the past few seasons, you need to be. He’s also quick to compare some Nats players to more successful players in ridiculous comparisons. The biggest criticism could be that he’s just bland, making vague calls on plays.

4. Joe Simpson (Braves): Grant it, somebody who isn’t a Mets fans would probably feel less strongly about this pick. But man, Simpson has proven to be a major shill for the Atlanta Braves organization. He rarely gives credit to N.L. East rivals, principal among those the New York Mets. He comes off as a bitter homer during broadcasts, always taking the opportunity to rub in victories, both moral and on the field for Atlanta. Perhaps different from others on the list, he does provide quality analysis, but it’s just his angry demeanor that makes him among the worst.

3. Jon Miller (ESPN): He’s like the Pat Summerall to Joe Morgan’s John Madden for all these years, constantly allowing Morgan to walk all over him. He’s most infamous for always either mispronouncing names of foreign-born (as well as some American players). Then again, he might be the only one who bothers to correctly pronounce them, but it seems doubtful with players like Wilson Betemit. Carlos Beltran is not a robot, Jon. Miller’s analysis usually goes no farther than the national perspective. He and Morgan sometimes get distracted by the ESPN updates about other sports, going on to talk about NBA and tennis for way too long.

2. Hawk Harrelson (White Sox): He’s been the worst play-by-play broadcaster in Major League Baseball for years. His annoying southern twang and unabashed favoritism for the home team makes watching White Sox’ broadcasts unbearable. “Get back!” Harrelson yells, hoping a ball will clear the fence. “You can put it on the board!! Yes!!” He shrilly screams as a homer leaves the park. He basically uses every old-school baseball term in an attempt to cheer on “the good guys.” White Sox fans should be ashamed.

1. Joe Morgan (ESPN): Morgan is so bad he has inspired a Web site called Fire Joe Morgan, as well as perhaps the funniest page of the SAS Wiki (NSFW). The man hates sabermetrics for whatever reason. He routinely over-analyzes simple plays and acts like partner Jon Miller knows nothing about the sport. In fact, he acts that way with everybody he’s been in the booth with. He usually echoes whatever is the most popular national opinion about a player, which is the cardinal sin of all national broadcasters. In short, he makes watching ESPN Sunday Night Baseball a chore.