Well... bye

[MusicMan]

Ashly officially gone.

http://m.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Alan-Ashby-won-t-return-on-Astros-telecasts-10420194.php?cmpid=twitter-desktop


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[BizidyDizidy]

Thanks for your service Ash, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[MRaup]

Jesus, don't break your arm jerking yourself off, Ash.

""I'm proud of the fact that I showed the ability to do both jobs at what I thought was a high level," Ashby said. "I am grateful to the fans who have shown so much support and voiced their pleasure for the work I did.""

[David in Jackson]

Glad to read that Ford and Sparks will be back on the radio.

[Mr. Happy]

Now we are saved from all of the bitching about Ashby.

[BlownRanger]

Now we are saved from all of the bitching about Ashby.

I'm afraid the bitching will continue, because the attributes that would make announcers popular around here - baseball knowledge, brevity, focus on the game, Astros-centric in a non-company-line way - are probably not the attributes the Astros will be seeking.  I suspect Reid will find a couple of guys well-versed in pop culture who will be loved by millenials.

I'm not sure what to think about Blum.  I thought he was very good when working with Brown, but I got the impression he enjoyed it a lot more when he could wander off into goofy-land with Ashby.  I suppose the fact that Geoff wasn't jettisoned with Ashby is a good sign if he wants to stay.

[homer]

I'm afraid the bitching will continue, because the attributes that would make announcers popular around here - baseball knowledge, brevity, focus on the game, Astros-centric in a non-company-line way - are probably not the attributes the Astros will be seeking.  I suspect Reid will find a couple of guys well-versed in pop culture who will be loved by millenials.

It's intriguing that this is your summary of the complaints from this site. If these two pop culture loving announcers to be named later actually watch the game in front of them and make mildly relevant comments about it, they will be light years ahead of Ashby.

[BlownRanger]

It's intriguing that this is your summary of the complaints from this site. If these two pop culture loving announcers to be named later actually watch the game in front of them and make mildly relevant comments about it, they will be light years ahead of Ashby.

You misunderstood me if you thought I was criticizing the views around here.  The attributes I said would be popular around here are the exact things I would like to get in whoever they hire.  Unfortunately, the views of serious fans are no longer factored because they know we're going to watch anyway.  And that's not just true when it comes to broadcasting.  It's the reason ballparks are now amusement parks at which the game is just one of many attractions available to a ticket buyer, and it's why the timeout/between-innings blather at any sporting event is nearly unbearable.

[BizidyDizidy]

It's intriguing that this is your summary of the complaints from this site. If these two pop culture loving announcers to be named later actually watch the game in front of them and make mildly relevant comments about it, they will be light years ahead of Ashby.

With minimal sexual harassment.

[Nate Colbert]

So who does media insider Navin (who predicted Ashby not coming back several months ago) say the replacement(s) are?

[MRaup]

It's intriguing that this is your summary of the complaints from this site. If these two pop culture loving announcers to be named later actually watch the game in front of them and make mildly relevant comments about it, they will be light years ahead of Ashby.

I see what you did there.

[jbm]

Now we are saved from all of the bitching about Ashby.

More importantly, we are saved from the man himself.

Kudos to management for exercising common sense.

[BizidyDizidy]

I'm afraid the bitching will continue, because the attributes that would make announcers popular around here - baseball knowledge, brevity, focus on the game, Astros-centric in a non-company-line way - are probably not the attributes the Astros will be seeking.  I suspect Reid will find a couple of guys well-versed in pop culture who will be loved by millenials.

I'm not sure what to think about Blum.  I thought he was very good when working with Brown, but I got the impression he enjoyed it a lot more when he could wander off into goofy-land with Ashby.  I suppose the fact that Geoff wasn't jettisoned with Ashby is a good sign if he wants to stay.

If you want to be disheartened, read this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/59vsp4/alan_ashby_wont_return_on_astros_telecasts/

[MRaup]

If you want to be disheartened, read this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/59vsp4/alan_ashby_wont_return_on_astros_telecasts/

That was WAY less horrible than I was expecting.

[MusicMan]

If you want to be disheartened, read this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Astros/comments/59vsp4/alan_ashby_wont_return_on_astros_telecasts/

Reddit comments? Why don't I just jump on a bicycle with the seat missing instead?


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[MusicMan]

That was WAY less horrible than I was expecting.

You never learn.


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[MRaup]

You never learn.


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I also try some candy corn every Halloween...

[juliogotay]

On a semi-related note, ex-Astro Raymond of Do-Ray notoriety has been named Rangers PBP TV guy replacing Steve Busby who was a total buzz-kill.  Good for him. I came to appreciate Ray more when he  wasn't partnered up with Do.

[MRaup]

On a semi-related note, ex-Astro Raymond of Do-Ray notoriety has been named Rangers PBP TV guy replacing Steve Busby who was a total buzz-kill.  Good for him. I came to appreciate Ray more when he  wasn't partnered up with Do.

Wasn't he the one that sounded like Kermit the Frog when he got excited?

[chuck]

Wasn't he the one that sounded like Kermit the Frog when he got excited?

Yeah. He was the worse of the two by some margin. Which is exactly what I would wish on those Okie freaks.

I don't care who replaces Ash just so long as it's another foodie.

[MRaup]

Yeah. He was the worse of the two by some margin. Which is exactly what I would wish on those Okie freaks.

I don't care who replaces Ash just so long as it's another foodie.

Seriously.

I think Julia would be a better PBP guy than Ash. If it's Robert Ford, I'll be genuinely excited.

[chuck]

I think Julia would be a better PBP guy than Ash. If it's Robert Ford, I'll be genuinely excited.

Ford is returning to the radio team. The redditors (or was it the chron commenters?) were (are) convinced that Julia is going to step in and do color. Nothing prepares one for color commentary on a baseball broadcast better than stadium snack retrieval and intimate interviews of couples who came all the way from Refugio to celebrate their sixty fifth wedding anniversary at the ballpark.

[juliogotay]

Ford is returning to the radio team. The redditors (or was it the chron commenters?) were (are) convinced that Julia is going to step in and do color. Nothing prepares one for color commentary on a baseball broadcast better than stadium snack retrieval and intimate interviews of couples who came all the way from Refugio to celebrate their sixty fifth wedding anniversary at the ballpark.

As a native of South Texas I am very impressed with your Refugio reference. Of course I suspect you were trying to think of some shit-hole that no one knows where it is or how it is pronounced. Or maybe you went for the "Nolan Ryan landmarks for $100" category?

[austro]

As a native of South Texas I am very impressed with your Refugio reference. Of course I suspect you were trying to think of some shit-hole that no one knows where it is or how it is pronounced. Or maybe you went for the "Nolan Ryan landmarks for $100" category?

You can imagine how confusing Refugio was for a young lad of 18 freshly arrived from Chicago and driving down to the valley for a soccer match. Really? That's how that's pronounced? You're kidding me, right?

[chuck]

As a native of South Texas I am very impressed with your Refugio reference. Of course I suspect you were trying to think of some shit-hole that no one knows where it is or how it is pronounced. Or maybe you went for the "Nolan Ryan landmarks for $100" category?

My grandfather had a favorite place to eat there and would never miss an opportunity to travel to South Texas so he could visit the spot. We'd scarcely be clear of Rosenberg and he'd start in on what he'd enjoyed on previous trips and what he was planning on ordering that day.

He named himself, by the way. He was six and apparently he needed a name if he was going to go to school. His parents and siblings referred to him as Brother. (And they continued to do so until each's death.) So I guess one day they said, Now, Brother, you need a regular name so go ahead and pick you one out.

[homer]

A man at our church is named EJ. When he was filling out his paperwork to be shipped out for WW2 he was confronted for the first time in his life with the need of an actual first name. So he slept on it and chose Earl James.

He said all of his siblings were name similarly- AJ, CJ, etc.

[austro]

A UT prof who worked as a consultant at a previous job has a first name of J. It's not an initial or anything, just a single J. I've been told that it's not all that uncommon.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

The old "we're going in a different direction."

[HudsonHawk]

I work with a guy who's name is "Tejay", pronounced "T J".  I've known more than one person who's legal first name was "Junior". 

[drew corleone]

I know a guy named Tee Jay. Guess it isn't so weird after reading the last few posts.

[Bench]

A UT prof who worked as a consultant at a previous job has a first name of J. It's not an initial or anything, just a single J. I've been told that it's not all that uncommon.

The father of one of my daughter's friends is officially named "C".  I admire the simplicity.  It's not quite Seven but it's still pretty cool.

[Knoxbanedoodle]

Why is "J.V.", when denoting "Junior Varsity," always spelled out "Jay-Vee"?

[JimR]

Why is "J.V.", when denoting "Junior Varsity," always spelled out "Jay-Vee"?

I don't think it is. At McCallum, it was JV.

[BudGirl]

The father of one of my daughter's friends is officially named "C".  I admire the simplicity.  It's not quite Seven but it's still pretty cool.

I was thinking of him when I read this thread.

[Fredia]

have a friend whos name is not pronounceable so everyone calls her 6

[Knoxbanedoodle]

I don't think it is. At McCallum, it was JV.

I shouldn't have said "always". Was thinking specifically of the rash of instances when President Obama called out ISIL as "the jayvee team".

This piece shows both spellings, with the New Yorker, among others, using the "jayvee" spelling.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I shouldn't have said "always". Was thinking specifically of the rash of instances when President Obama called out ISIL as "the jayvee team".

This piece shows both spellings, with the New Yorker, among others, using the "jayvee" spelling.

I can recall seeing "Jayvee" in print, though I don't know why someone would do that. There has to be a reason!

[Nate Colbert]

On a semi-related note, ex-Astro Raymond of Do-Ray notoriety has been named Rangers PBP TV guy replacing Steve Busby who was a total buzz-kill.  Good for him. I came to appreciate Ray more when he  wasn't partnered up with Do.

And C.J. Nitkowski seems to be the favorite to split time with Tom Grieve in the color role.

[Reuben]

Have there been any whispers on who might take over on TV for the good guys? Any further hints of JD potentially ditching Chicago for a triumphant return?

I saw where Robert Ford on Twitter was saying he will remain the radio PBP man (ie. he won't be switching to TV).

[moriartp]

Have there been any whispers on who might take over on TV for the good guys? Any further hints of JD potentially ditching Chicago for a triumphant return?

I saw where Robert Ford on Twitter was saying he will remain the radio PBP man (ie. he won't be switching to TV).

Darn. I was really hoping for Ford to make the jump.

[Waldo]

Isn't it about time for the Mike Capps rumors to start swirling?  Happens every other time the Astros have an opening.

[JimR]

Isn't it about time for the Mike Capps rumors to start swirling?  Happens every other time the Astros have an opening.

not going to happen, but it should.

[Bench]

Todd Kalas and Geoff Blum will handle the TV duties for Root Sports, play by play and color respectively.  Who's Kalas?

ETA:  Apparently he's Harry Kalas' son.  He's been the pre-game and post-game host for the Rays since 1998.   Before that two years on Mets radio.

[Navin R Johnson]

Todd Kalas is in his 16th season with the Tampa Bay Rays and Sun Sports, where he currently serves in his primary role as pre- and postgame host and in-game reporter.

Todd also works for Sun Sports as a color analyst for select games and does fill-in play-by-play on both the Rays television and radio networks throughout the season.

He previously worked on the radio broadcast team of the New York Mets (1992-93) and the television broadcast team of the Philadelphia Phillies (1994-96).

----------------------

Never been a full time PBP guy, figures Crane would go cheap.  /sarcasm

[Ty in Tampa]

He does play-by-play when Dewayne Staats is off and he's very good at it. His voice is deep like his fathers but has more of a lilt to it than Harry. He certainly deserves a shot at a main PBP gig but I'm not sure how he will fit into the void Brownie left.

[Bench]

He does play-by-play when Dewayne Staats is off and he's very good at it. His voice is deep like his fathers but has more of a lilt to it than Harry. He certainly deserves a shot at a main PBP gig but I'm not sure how he will fit into the void Brownie left.

I'm sure he and Blum will be a vast improvement over anyone and Ashby, even the great Bill Brown. 

[juliogotay]

He does play-by-play when Dewayne Staats is off and he's very good at it. His voice is deep like his fathers but has more of a lilt to it than Harry. He certainly deserves a shot at a main PBP gig but I'm not sure how he will fit into the void Brownie left.

Thanks for the scouting report.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I loved his Dad. One of the all time greats.

[Reuben]

Thanks for the scouting report.

Yep, thanks Ty. I was hoping you'd posted about this.

[Navin R Johnson]

Found a sample of his PBP.  He does sound a lot like his dad.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfxl8VSVgL4

[Navin R Johnson]

fwiw, I heard tonight that the Astros did realize how much many of us love JD, and they did approach him about the job.   At the end of the day the Cubs job is just much much better.   It is what it is.

[Nate Colbert]

fwiw, I heard tonight that the Astros did realize how much many of us love JD, and they did approach him about the job.   At the end of the day the Cubs job is just much much better.   It is what it is.

Interesting. Good info, as always.

[Nate Colbert]

And C.J. Nitkowski seems to be the favorite to split time with Tom Grieve in the color role.

C.J. did get the gig and will work 100 games.

[Curly]

It will be good to have Kalas...he'll bring something to the mic that's been missing for a while.  Dewayne Staats...that's a blast from the past.  I get flashbacks whenever they have a Rays highlight on TV with Staats on the call. 

[Navin R Johnson]

JD just got a new contract with the Cubs thru 2019.