I really shouldn't be blogging today, but I saw that I missed this yesterday. I can't let that go without a few words of tribute. Jon Miller makes my life better six months out of the year. Just imagine being stuck day in, day out with Ken Harrelson, Joe Angel, Tom Brennaman, or any of the legions of blowhard, bag-of-hammer broadcasters out there. If you're a TV-only kind of Giants fan, please turn it off once in a while and switch on the radio.
Even better, do as I did when I was a kid. I'd put the game on the radio, lie on my bedroom floor and toss a baseball into the air, catching it just inches above my nose. With each Giants pitch, I'd toss the ball up. My eyes were open, but my body was not in my room. It's amazing what a good radio description will do for your imagination. Let your mind's eye run free, and let Jon Miller's voice draw you through the door.
Swing...and there it goes! A soaring majestic drive, deep into the San Francisco night! That one's headed for Berkeley....! ¡Adios, pelota!
Thanks Lefty. You just took me back to my days of doing the exact same thing on the floor of my own house (although I was set up in the basement - shared bedroom with stupid brother) listening to Hank Greenwald. Man I miss that guy. Congrats to Mr. Miller. Part of a great tradition of Giants broadcasters. You're so right about those other clowns. I cannot stand to listen to those hacks.
Any one who has been around a long time and has visited other cities knows what gems we have now (John Miller, et al), have had in the past (Russ Hodges, Lon Simmons, Hank Greenwald) and will have in the future (Kruk, Kuip, and Dave). Must mention the forgettable Ron Fairly. Ours have been and still are the BEST in the land even surpassing Vin Scully who only had himself to talk to.
Jon Miller is special. Or at least it feels that way.
I'm with you Lefty. I've told this to people before, and meant it, that if I was stranded on a desert island with only one thing to listen to in the whole world, it would be every broadcast Jon Miller ever did.
I could listen to him describe an apricot orchard and just be fascinated and entertained.
Truly one of the greats.
According to a friend in Baltimore, people there are still mad about letting Jon Miller go. We are fortunate to have a great team. I grew up listening to Harry Caray and Jack Buck in suburban St. Louis - listening to baseball on the radio takes me back to summertime when I was young.
I think we are extremely lucky to have Jon Miller but he isn't the only great announcer we have in the Bay Area. I was a big Ted Robinson fan as well and although he isn't quite as good in my opinion, everyone seems to like Flemming. Kuip is another great announcer albeit mostly on tv and if they could just find someone to replace Kruk we would have an allstar broadcasting crew!
Got to disagree with your distain for Kruk. I think his analysis of what is going on between picher and hitter is first rate and a real peak into the relationship between battery-mates. This stands in stark contrast to national game-of-the-week broadcasts where it seems the announcers will talk about any subject (this guy's family, that guy's charity, what they did in the playoffs three years ago, etc.) so long as they don't have to talk about the game at hand. Some have called him a homer but I've never heard him fail to call out a boneheaded play or classless move regardless of who committed it. I've also heard some call him goofy or frat boyish, which I can hear, but I personally prefer his style to the deadpan offerings of most. Lastly, it's hard to really like Kuip but not Kruk. Their relationship from their playings days to the broadcast booth makes them greater than the sum of their parts. Neither is as good alone as they are together. I will concede that Kuip can do play-by-play and color while Kruk is purely color.
"That was the WORST baserunning in the HISTORY of baseball!!" should go right into the freakin' Smithsonian.
Congratulations, Jon Miller - well deserved.
Lefty, I STILL do the floor-baseball toss thing, and I'm 34. Didn't know it was a common thing to do for baseball radio listeners. Thank you!
I know I'm probably alone with this - but I love having a 'homer' like Kruk do announcing. You can tell he loves this organization and when he's announcing he shows his loyalty. It makes me feel like I'm with a fellow fan.