In terms of language assimilation generally and pronunciation aptitude in particular, I just hope Koji realizes that Boog may have difficulty articulating “Boog.” But that’s OK, he’s got “barbecue” down perfect!

This moment also provided a nice little object lesson in annoucing, as it happens, which is very timely here given our recent posts on Jon Miller. OK, there’s Memlo, running into the Twilight Zone on the basepaths again, making a pointless no-out attempt to advance from 1st to 3rd. Ferd, as ever, is right on top of the play-by-play:

Ferd Manfraud: …and Mora is out at third. [pause] Yes, he’s out at third. [pause] Um, the next batter…
Joe Angel: Wow, that was a really dumb mistake— a fundamental baserunning error. The rule is “Never make the first or third out at third base.”
Ferd: And he was out at third!
Joe:…Um, that’s right, Ferd. That’s one of those plays where if you make the attempt on your own initiative, you have to succeed— or it goes as a bonehead play. And that was what Mora just pulled.
Ferd: That’s right, Joe: he was out at third.
Joe: Everybody knows Francoeur’s reputation— Mora was asking for it, and he got it.
Ferd: So, out he was. At third.

Not an unusual play, unfortunately— especially for (a) us and (b) Memlo. Anyway, there are three three basic comments to make on it— quote the standard baserunning rule, point out who’s in RF and note that Memlo is, groan, a bonehead (again). Often the points would be raised in tandem by the broacast partners, one after the other. But Joe has long since gotten used to doing it himself, and the only way he can— in dialogue with himself, carefully leaving space for Ferd to jump in on the off-chance that lightning strikes his brainpan or something (which could only help)— ’cause Ferd is, a good 98% of the time, just plain

a. too busy looking at his shoes;
b. unaware of (or doesn’t recall) the necessaries (the fundamental baserunning rule or who’s in right);
c. not allowed (or is simply job-afraid) to say what the thousands watching know: that an Oriole player did something stupid.
d. all of these.

Guess what: it’s d! Any competent announcer, on play-by-play or color, sees to it that the three things are passed along (the third with varying degrees of annoyance / disapprobrium / like that). Your standard radio-listening fan nods his head; semi-fans, young fans and Little Leaguers still learning the game are edified; and the game goes on. Except if Joe is getting a hot dog or something, Oriole listeners are left with a big nothing…

Sorry, I raise all this just to illustrate that Oriole fans’ longstanding disssatisfaction with Ferd’s “announcing” isn’t subjective—some kind of irrational harshing on Ferd (who may be a wonderful human being for all I know— hey, let’s hope he is). We’re just talkin’ facts here, ma’am. Ferd harshes on Ferd better than anybody else could. He’s so bad he makes Suzyn Wombat sound like a frickin’ Socrates of baseball (with a nails-down-the-blackboard voice).

But a larger problem for many is this: when we all just sit around silently, not mentioning the obvious about an “announcer” who announces only the obvious (or nothing) and is almost invariably late doing it— it’s hard not to feel you’ve become a party to his incompetence. And that’s what kills many of us— the assumed indifference to this incompetence on our part by the people who decide how the team will be described to the world near and far, the people who long ago concluded that (a) the audience doesn’t care and (b) what’s the difference anyway— announcing is annoucing, anybody can do it. Aaaaaaaarrrrgggggghhhhhh!

Thank you for calling! Your impotent rage is important to us. Please stay on the line, and the next indifferent Warehouse dimbulb will answer your call as soon as he is available— and then forget it immediately. Thank you for ca— [click]

Bring back Jon Miller.

Please.

We’ve got a ton of starting pitchers percolating in Norfolk and Bowie. Let Bass continue to kick ass out of the bullpen.

And perhaps changing roles might be bad for Bass. No reason to move him into the rotation because we’re going to lose a lot of games this year anyway.

I got a good feeling whenever Bergesen is on the mound. Even on a Sunday.

The game last night was pretty killer. I went with a Braves fan and another Orioles fan. I was just happy to tie the game in the 7th after Melmo’s gaffe.

Is that a Ron Bass reference? If so, this rasslin’ fan tips his hat to you.

i thought there were a bunch of candidates. i really think melmo and doc jones were solid candidates. brian roberts multihit game was nice, his jeterian defense annoyed me, but his backbreaking double swayed me in the final analysis.

there were a lot of braves fans there and when chipper hit that ball, people seemed to think it was gone. felix p.a. go a nice read on it, though.