As a journalist, a sportscaster, whether a play-by-play man, analyst, or studio host, needs to maintain a certain degree of neutrality, even if he (or she) works for a specific team.  However, it seems to me that broadcasters lately have been using their roles to voice their own opinions about teams, players, coaches, and especially umpires.

I can understand that a broadcaster for a team has a right to get excited when that team does something good (like getting a walk-off hit to end the game) and be lower key if the other team does – after all, you have an audience to cater to.  But this does not allow a broadcaster to, for instance, accuse an umpire of blowing a call just because it happened to go against your team, even if the fans might think so.  Your job is to report, not judge.

Witness the recent incident in Chicago with Mark Buerhle.  In the second inning, Buerhle, a lefty, began his pitching motion but then instead threw to first base.  The Official MLB Rules says:

8.05
If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when —
(a) The pitcher, while touching his plate, makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery;

Based on the above, Buerhle committed a balk.  However, it ultimately ends up being a judgment call by the umpire as to whether or not the early stages of Buerhle’s motion should have been considered as “naturally associated with his pitch.”  Umpires have been very liberal with this rule over the years, allowing lefties like Andy Pettitte and Buerhle to develop effective pickoff moves.

Enter “Cowboy Joe” West.

Joe West, a veteran and crew chief, called a balk from first base. Buerhle got upset, and of course, Ozzie Guillen, who argues just about every call that goes against his team, came out to argue and was ejected (and not for the first time by West).  One inning later, Buerhle made the same move, was called for a balk again, threw his glove down in disgust, and then joined his manager in the clubhouse.

I watched the clip on MLB.com, which was taken from the WGN (Chicago) broadcast.  Ken Harrelson, the Sox play-by-play man, admonished West and said, among other things, he should be suspended and that he was “a disgrace to the umpiring profession.”

Um, time and a place, Hawk.

Similar situation in Kansas City, when manager Ned Yost got tossed by AAA fill-in umpire Mike Estabrook after defending catcher Jason Kendall in an argument about the strike zone.  Royals broadcaster Ryan Lefebvre accused Estabrook of “baiting a player” and said that Estabrook should be fined or suspended if the same happened to Kendall or Yost.  This is clear example of a broadcaster choosing sides without even knowing what Kendall said that would have caused Estabrook to come out from behind the plate to argue.  How do we know Kendall wasn’t making nasty remarks back there?  We can’t see his mouth move through the catcher’s mask.  Even veteran catchers will have it out every now and then, and Kendall is lucky he didn’t get tossed for his antics.

Baseball isn’t the only sport where broadcasters are under scrutiny.  Look what happened to Marv Albert, fired by MSG for criticizing the Knicks play.  And he’s the greatest play-by-play man in basketball broadcasting history (in my opinion, natch).

Bottom line, broadcasters need to leave their opinions at home.  Let bloggers like me handle that.  And if you wonder why I defend the umps so much, I’m a part-time Little League umpire, and I’ve had my share of Ozzie Guillens and Bobby Coxs to deal with.  And after all, as Joe West put it best,

“You can’t throw an umpire out of the game.”

See you next time.