Listening to Jon Miller and Joe Morgan is always a bittersweet experience. There is hardly anyone better in the game than Miller when it comes to letting the game do most of the talking while providing context and description that only adds to the experience.
"Double play! Beautiful! Dustin Pedrioia took it the only way it could've been done."
Damon hits into a 4-4-3 double play. (Author breathing easily.) That was classic Miller -- no frills, proper excitement. This is a guy who realizes that the game is being broadcast on TV and that his audience is able to see what is happening. Another great talent that Miller has is the set-up. Too often a lost art, Miller's color commentary consistently places his partner in the position to offer cogent and timely observations...which brings me to "the other guy."
Quickly, however, Joe Morgan jumps into the action. Certainly Morgan has been doing this a long time and has impeccable playing (read: HOF) credentials, yet I think his analysis lacks evenness and depth. Too often, Morgan describes something that the audience can plainly see, thereby covering over more intelligent analysis that he also provides just a few seconds later.
Earlier in the 8th, Miller and Morgan cut away to an in-game conversation with Peter Gammons (who is not only a HOFer but also will go straight to heaven if God is even slightly just) for a discussion about PEDs. (Isn't it sad that PEDs are just as commonly discussed as RBIs and ERAs?) But I digress: the conversation between the three is wrapped up and Morgan says (and I'm paraphrasing): PEDs weren't part of the game, there were players who made it part of the game because they were using them. But there were plenty of players who didn't use them and make them part of the game.
Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough on the keyboard to type his comments down verbatim, but I came away thinking: whhhhat? This is Emmy quality reporting? Not as bad as Charlie Steiner, but we don't need Joe Morgan speaking as if he gets paid by the word, thank you very much.
You're not going to find another Big Papi or Manny in the next few years...
more penetrating analysis from Joe! (Umm Joe, have you seen any Brewers or Phillies games?)
And while I'm thinking about....does ESPN realize that the entire country doesn't want to see the Phillies, Mets, Sox or Yankees every dang weekend?
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