The Jason Benetti and Sox Announcing Thread

[Sarava]

I think Benetti is alright. He sounds like a well trained announcer. But that's a lot of why I always liked Hawk, that he had an actual personality and wasn't your standard boring announcer. Yeah I prefer Hawk, but I knew it would be a drop-off no matter who they brought in. It could have been worse.

[Wanne]

He's like that friend or relative at a party that has to try to be the funniest person there all the time. If they didn't try so hard, they would be hysterical, but since they have to have some funny quip about everything, it just makes you groan and roll your eyes.

 

As for some of the other stuff some said, yeah he isn't an ex player, but he appears to know plenty. Seems well prepared, and IMO can be excellent. Just stop trying so hard to have everything that comes out of your mouth funny.

 

this is exactly how I feel...I get sick of them trying to be Laurel and Hardy. Every once in a while....fine. But it's EVERY. SINGLE. INNING. now. Was Stone this stifled by Hawk that all of a sudden he's like a little teenage wallflower that's broke loose. It's almost embarrassing at times. As for Benetti....meh. I don't mind him. But not every inning needs to be "grab-ass"...as my dad used to say.

[FT35]

I think he's fine, but for some reason, he and Steve seem to think they are at Zanies doing 3 hours of stand up. Not everything has to be a clever joke. If they cut out the bit about trying to be cleverly hysterical all the time, they could be funny and provide quality game content.

 

The current style doesn't bother me so much I can't listen, but it seems obvious it is 2 guys trying too hard to be funny for 3 hours straight. Just call the game and let the humor happen. Don't force it.

 

Exactly. The reason it drives me nuts is that each one of these guys seems to have the same tendency to default to that cute/silly humor. They bait each other and they ALWAYS take the bait. You know whatever they are about to say they are going to try to 1-up each other on the witty scale and the result from the viewer is "yeah, yeah, yeah..." And like others have said--they need to try to be serious sometimes because the moment calls for it. Instead of researching the players, they should spend a little time researching the fan/viewer base. Thinking of the typical fan who tries to catch as many broadcasts as possible--those are your more serious/hardcore fans who actually care about the team more than just a few "casual, live game fans". Another word would be "intense." Steve knows the game, but he doesn't have much of an edge--Benetti doesn't know what having an edge means. Neither comes across as a competitive person--and I absolutely miss Hawk's competitiveness.

 

I'm not saying the TV personalities shape a team's idenity or gameplay, but it does kind of shape a fan base's perception of the team. When these guys start to be good, you'll start to see more and more intense, meaningful, competitive moments in games...it worries me to go through those moments with a laid back Steve and a quirky, happy-go-lucky Jason calling the game through a concrete smile. I want to feel excitement/anticipation, I want to feel the letdown--sometimes anger/frustration, I want to feel joy. That's baseball!! It's mental, it's emotional, and that's ALL missing from our broadcasts right now. Give me the impression that these players are maturing--turning into men, heroes, beasts...don't saturate us in candy and cute humor--that yields the perception even more that we still have a bunch of kids for a team. Technically speaking, the correct emotion is there sometimes...but it's all book training--excitement generated by volume only. No real, genuine emotion. Right now, all I feel is the same--a heartbreaking moment happens and it's on to the next batter and time to report all the quirky research we've done on them that day and trying to figure out if Rick Hahn has ever been to Hahnville. While they've moved on to the next scheduled segment of content...my head is still in my hands and I'm still trying to decide which direction to throw my remote!

 

I appreciate the work that goes into a broadcast, but I'm not tuning in to hear what Steve and Jason come up with next. Some of that can imprve by the TYPES of research findings the guys bring to the booth--all the research facts are currently things to make you go..."huh...ok." Shallow, or inappropriately deep. Maybe it's time to bring some different types of stories to the table that invoke different types of emotions for the viewer. Tell me Yoan Moncada was in the weightroom until 3am because he missed a grand slam by about 3 inches. Tell me about Tim Anderson making 100 throws to first base before he leaves a stadium at night to improve his fielding% from his league worst last year. Report growth. Maturity.

 

I'm tuning in to live and die with my team and to fight hard with them and to watch them become fierce competitors/warriors/champions. I don't care if a player likes twinkies--and to have that launch into 40 different twinkie jokes...I care about them doing whatever humanly possible to beat their opponent and looking for content that supports that quest. Stay relavent--if a converstaion genuinely goes in a particular direction, fine. But it sounds way too much like there are forced cues to tell specific comments about something they did research on. Deliberately teed-up lines to lay ground for a silly joke--all decided on at a short game-prep lunch meeting rather than something that comes up during the game naturally.

Edited April 5, 2018 by FT35

[caulfield12]

:hawk:

Exactly. The reason it drives me nuts is that each one of these guys seems to have the same tendency to default to that cute/silly humor. They bait each other and they ALWAYS take the bait. You know whatever they are about to say they are going to try to 1-up each other on the witty scale and the result from the viewer is "yeah, yeah, yeah..." And like others have said--they need to try to be serious sometimes because the moment calls for it. Instead of researching the players, they should spend a little time researching the fan/viewer base. Thinking of the typical fan who tries to catch as many broadcasts as possible--those are your more serious/hardcore fans who actually care about the team more than just a few "casual, live game fans". Another word would be "intense." Steve knows the game, but he doesn't have much of an edge--Benetti doesn't know what having an edge means. Neither comes across as a competative person--and I absolutely miss Hawk's competitiveness.

 

I'm not saying the TV personalities shape a team's idenity or gameplay, but it does kind of shape a fan base's perception of the team. When these guys start to be good, you'll start to see more and more intense, meaningful, competitive moments in games...it worries me to go through those moments with a laid back Steve and a quirky, happy-go-lucky Jason calling the game through a concrete smile. I want to feel excitement/anticipation, I want to feel the letdown--sometimes anger/frustration, I want to feel joy. That's baseball!! It's mental, it's emotional, and that's ALL missing from our broadcasts right now. Give me the impression that these players are maturing--turning into men, heros, beasts...don't saturate us in candy and cute humor--that yields the perception even more that we still have a bunch of kids for a team. Technically speaking, the correct emotion is there sometimes...but it's all book training--excitement generated by volume only. No real, genuine emotion. Right now, all I feel is the same--a heartbreaking moment happens and it's on to the next batter and time to report all the quirky research we've done on them that day and trying to figure out if Rick Hahn has ever been to Hahnville. While they've moved on to the next scheduled segment of content...my head is still in my hands and I'm still trying to decide which direction to throw my remote!

 

I appreciate the work that goes into a broadcast, but I'm not tuning in to hear what Steve and Jason come up with next. Some of that can imprve by the TYPES of research findings the guys bring to the booth--all the research facts are currently things to make you go..."huh...ok." Shallow, or inappropriately deep. Maybe it's time to bring some different types of stories to the table that invoke different types of emotions for the viewer. Tell me Yoan Moncada was in the weightroom until 3am because he missed a grand slam by about 3 inches. Tell me about Tim Anderson making 100 throws to first base before he leaves a stadium at night to improve his fielding% from his league worst last year. Report growth. Maturity.

 

I'm tuning in to live and die with my team and to fight hard with them and to watch them become fierce competitors/warriors/champions. I don't care if a player likes twinkies--and to have that launch into 40 different twinkie jokes...I care about them doing whatever humanly possible to beat their opponent and looking for content that supports that quest. Stay relavent--if a converstaion genuinely goes in a particular direction, fine. But it sounds way too much like there are forced cues to tell specific comments about something they did research on. Deliberately teed-up lines to lay ground for a silly joke--all decided on at a short game-prep lunch meeting rather than something that comes up during the game naturally.

 

 

Hard to argue with much of that...especially the rehearsed/forced parts that get interjected and often fall short of their mark.

[Knickname]

I refuse to pay for tv.

 

When games are on broadcast TV I usually mute it and listen to Ed and DJ. After their first season together they seemed to get to know each other well enough to allow humor to defuse any potential antagonism.

 

It's a long season.

 

I don't have a problem with the tv guys.

 

I enjoyed Hawk with Drysdale.

[FT35]

I refuse to pay for tv.

 

When games are on broadcast TV I usually mute it and listen to Ed and DJ. After their first season together they seemed to get to know each other well enough to allow humor to defuse any potential antagonism.

 

It's a long season.

 

I don't have a problem with the tv guys.

 

I enjoyed Hawk with Drysdale.

 

Not a bad solution--I like Ed a lot. And I don't mean to bash Steve and Jason as people...I know it sounds like I totally just did, lol. But I'm sure they are nice guys and do a lot of good things for the team. Just not my idea of what I look for in a good broadcast. Far from it actually. Too millenial, no grit. Too much candy in a meat-earter's world. I understand it could be just my personality...but I've been a Sox fan for nearly 30 years--there are a few things that are consistent traits of most other Sox fans...we are gritty, get dirty, Ozzieball, go-go hustle, run through the wall, long-ball dagger fans. That's the White Sox brand, that's the White Sox people. Our whole breed can be summed up in this 1 minute video:

 

 

Here's an exercise for you all...take the events of this game, Konerko pouring his GUTS out on the field for us--literally encompassing what we all stand for--and then imagine adding the following comentary on top of this clip...something along the same lines of:

 

"...and Konerko gets hit in the face with that pitch and is down, hopefully he's ok...you know Steve, I wondered whether Rick Hahn has ever been to Hahnville--now we know the answer to this because we pulled some strings and emptied our resources tank and had his secretary call him at home to answer this dire question so we can get to the truth, as Konerko gets up and heads to first...the truth is...Rick Hahn has NOT been to Hahnville--a trip we may need to make happen someday. Now wouldn't THAT be amazing? Rick Hahn...in Hahnville!? SIMPLY INCREDIBLE"

 

That would be simply insulting. And if that's a new direction where our brand is going???? Hmmm...serious evaluation time. I just don't think that's the real plan.

 

 

[greg775]

Not a bad solution--I like Ed a lot. And I don't mean to bash Steve and Jason as people...I know it sounds like I totally just did, lol. But I'm sure they are nice guys and do a lot of good things for the team. Just not my idea of what I look for in a good broadcast. Far from it actually. Too millenial, no grit. Too much candy in a meat-earter's world. I understand it could be just my personality...but I've been a Sox fan for nearly 30 years--there are a few things that are consistent traits of most other Sox fans...we are gritty, get dirty, Ozzieball, go-go hustle, run through the wall, long-ball dagger fans. That's the White Sox brand, that's the White Sox people. Our whole breed can be summed up in this 1 minute video:

 

 

Here's an exercise for you all...take the events of this game, Konerko pouring his GUTS out on the field for us--literally encompassing what we all stand for--and then imagine adding the following comentary on top of this clip...something along the same lines of:

 

"...and Konerko gets hit in the face with that pitch and is down, hopefully he's ok...you know Steve, I wondered whether Rick Hahn has ever been to Hahnville--now we know the answer to this because we pulled some strings and emptied our resources tank and had his secretary call him at home to answer this dire question so we can get to the truth, as Konerko gets up and heads to first...the truth is...Rick Hahn has NOT been to Hahnville--a trip we may need to make happen someday. Now wouldn't THAT be amazing? Rick Hahn...in Hahnville!? SIMPLY INCREDIBLE"

 

That would be simply insulting. And if that's a new direction where our brand is going???? Hmmm...serious evaluation time. I just don't think that's the real plan.

I love this post and all the posts on this thread. However I think you guys have set way too high a standard in a medium that is full of nasal-voiced, TV game show voiced shills who work for the team. The Sox announcers talk in regular conversational voices. Stone is brilliant like right now he's talking about Miggy and doing so with so much knowledge. Yes the two joke around some but listen to any games on mlb.com and you will hear a lot of crap. The Sox have guys you can listen to. I'm not lying when I say I cannot listen to the Royals TV broadcast. The TV announcers are that bad. I can listen to two of the radio announcers but when the other two guys come on I have to turn the channel when driving.

[bmags]

Our franchise has equally been defined by straight gimmickry.

 

Was Hawk a man who wore the team on the sleeve? or just a guy who relied on some good gimmicks for 30 years? Impossible to split the two.

 

When moncada and garcia ran into each other last year, Benetti wasn't cracking wise, he also didn't take his fire pole down to the field.

 

It's the damn TV announcers. Ooh, the prestige and glamour of the yankees as personalized by...Michael Kay

 

Said it before, but if Vin Scully morphed into Bennettis body we'd hear "Shut up with the damn stories and call the game!"

[bmags]

Bennetti's call of Abreu's home run was great. That is something that develops with more time.

 

Stone and Bennetti during the review process last night were great.

 

That again, will develop with time.

 

 

[FT35]

I love this post and all the posts on this thread. However I think you guys have set way too high a standard in a medium that is full of nasal-voiced, TV game show voiced shills who work for the team. The Sox announcers talk in regular conversational voices. Stone is brilliant like right now he's talking about Miggy and doing so with so much knowledge. Yes the two joke around some but listen to any games on mlb.com and you will hear a lot of crap. The Sox have guys you can listen to. I'm not lying when I say I cannot listen to the Royals TV broadcast. The TV announcers are that bad. I can listen to two of the radio announcers but when the other two guys come on I have to turn the channel when driving.

 

Sup Greg! I can't speak for the Royals' broadcasts--I am not familiar. Totally agree about Steve. He is brilliant but Jason dumbs him down a lot. I remember the days where Steve sat with Harry Carry and was the only resemblance of cohesivness you would hear. Harry was tanked by the 3rd inning and Steve salvaged air-time value with his knowledge. I'm glad he's here--he's great...but Jason brings him out of genius land and into candy land by baiting him into mindless banter and it's a waste of a great talent. It forces Steve to dumb things down because he's trying to explain himself to the guy who asked the question...it's why his explanations seem like he's treating us as first-time baseball fans. I don't think the problem is Steve Stone. I think it's Jason. The guy sounds likeable, everyone speaks highly of him and his work and I think that's great! I personally don't like the light he places our team in. We aren't trendy, we aren't twitter, we aren't selfie stick--and if we're those things off the field, so what...on the field, we're the White Sox--we win ugly, we are grinders, we will compete and lay it on the line every night. You know that's closer to the message our guys are hearing from Ricky before they take the field--so embrace it--let that show up everywhere. All things associated with the White Sox brand need to be consistent with who we really are. I'm not calling for Benetti's head...I'm calling for his involvement! Lose the cute, limit the silly, focus on the things the team does that makes them the White Sox--that will draw in the viewer--give us a DOSE of the White Sox baseball we all know and love--that's coming back after a 10-year wait!

[FT35]

Bennetti's call of Abreu's home run was great. That is something that develops with more time.

 

Stone and Bennetti during the review process last night were great.

 

That again, will develop with time.

 

I do agree...this was a great call. Can't argue with that.

[Wanne]

I will say...and don't get me wrong because I love Hawk...but listening to Hawk today made me appreciate Benetti a little more. Hawk's time has passed. I just wish he and Stone would cool the "shtick" a little. When AJ was in the booth all I could think about was how much he'd intimidate Jason lol...

[greg775]

Sup Greg! I can't speak for the Royals' broadcasts--I am not familiar. Totally agree about Steve. He is brilliant but Jason dumbs him down a lot. I remember the days where Steve sat with Harry Carry and was the only resemblance of cohesivness you would hear. Harry was tanked by the 3rd inning and Steve salvaged air-time value with his knowledge. I'm glad he's here--he's great...but Jason brings him out of genius land and into candy land by baiting him into mindless banter and it's a waste of a great talent. It forces Steve to dumb things down because he's trying to explain himself to the guy who asked the question...it's why his explanations seem like he's treating us as first-time baseball fans. I don't think the problem is Steve Stone. I think it's Jason. The guy sounds likeable, everyone speaks highly of him and his work and I think that's great! I personally don't like the light he places our team in. We aren't trendy, we aren't twitter, we aren't selfie stick--and if we're those things off the field, so what...on the field, we're the White Sox--we win ugly, we are grinders, we will compete and lay it on the line every night. You know that's closer to the message our guys are hearing from Ricky before they take the field--so embrace it--let that show up everywhere. All things associated with the White Sox brand need to be consistent with who we really are. I'm not calling for Benetti's head...I'm calling for his involvement! Lose the cute, limit the silly, focus on the things the team does that makes them the White Sox--that will draw in the viewer--give us a DOSE of the White Sox baseball we all know and love--that's coming back after a 10-year wait!

Great post FT. I like what you say here.

[Jerksticks]

You know, I?€™ve disliked Benetti for all the same reasons but now I?€™m over it. I think it finally just hit me that announcers are just clowns. Clowns there to make you have a good time. I liked the old clown more but it was time for a new clown. This clown clowns around differently than the last clown. Some day we?€™ll get another clown but it really doesn?€™t matter. I love watching the players play the game and no clown can affect that experience one way or another. It?€™s not a position of prestige, or respect- it?€™s a clown show. It?€™s someone you laugh at. Hawk actually got prestige and respect because he was our perfect buddy for so long, almost a family member. But he was still just a clown.

Edited April 6, 2018 by Jerksticks

[greg775]

Hawk had the worst line of the day BTW. He was talking about opening days and said this one was very special cause the Sox had IT is I think he worded it. The Sox don't have IT yet. It was a low moment by Hawk. Also he was a bit too giddy about Yolmer, a bit too giddy about this season. That's OK though. Opening day is magical especially for veterans like Hawk.

[BlackSox13]

I will say...and don't get me wrong because I love Hawk...but listening to Hawk today made me appreciate Benetti a little more. Hawk's time has passed. I just wish he and Stone would cool the "shtick" a little. When AJ was in the booth all I could think about was how much he'd intimidate Jason lol...

I say put Benetti with Chuck interacting with the fans during the broadcast and put AJ in the booth with Stone. I think AJ and Stone would be awesome together. Why not, a former pitcher and former catcher just makes sense.

[Richie]

I'm a Hawk guy. His shtick is what it is. Yes he can be obnoxious - but I have a lot of love for the man. I think people who hate Hawk are the ones who take him seriously. Which is somewhat missing the point.

 

I think being weened off of Hawk has actually worked out well. Slowly, I realize that it's time for him to call it quits. The home opener was no different.

 

I've had the MLB package for a few years and watch a rather absurd amount of baseball. Between fantasy, daily fantasy, rooting for the White Sox or a wager - I usually have some action going on. The more I watch, the more I appreciate what the White Sox have brought to the table over the years. It's mostly redundant mediocrity out there (mixed in with some utter drivel) - with no rhythm, flow or meaningful insight. Jason isn't a "baseball guy"... but I think you can see that he's a pro, works at his craft and I respect him enough. Could be better... but he'll probably only get better. Stone is just awesome - we all know that. We're spoiled with him, zero doubt about it. His insight is top notch.

 

I will say, though. I moved to Michigan a couple of years back and get the Tigers broadcasts (watch White Sox on the package). They also have one of the better broadcasts and overall productions in baseball. Really good studio and game crew. A lot of back and forth between the two different panels. It's dynamic and well polished.

Edited April 6, 2018 by Richie

[Richie]

The bigger Sox announcing issue is Ed Farmer as a play by play man. As someone who does it for a living all I can say is he isn't. He's a tremendous color analyst...but a play by play guy? Not even close.

 

That's a far bigger issue than Jason who I think is fine and will get better with time.

 

I have a funny (and somewhat long) story about meeting Ed Farmer.

 

When I was in college for broadcasting in Chicago. I got a chance to shadow him and DJ for a game (really only the first half of a game and then they sent myself and the other student down into some seats). My main take away from the experience was that Farmer is kind of a weird dude... lol.

 

I didn't expect much interaction outside of MAYBE a handshake/hello with either person. Which is what I got from DJ. Standard, quick interaction... nice dude. Then, Farmer sits me down all seriously. Then, almost reluctantly, he goes - "Well, son... here's your chance. I'll let you have 3 questions. GO"... As if I prepared my whole life to sit down with Ed Farmer and ask him about calling baseball games. lol. I honestly didn't even know if we'd get a meet/greet. I was super taken off-guard and didn't know what to say. However, I recognized that it was a cool opportunity. I managed to pull three questions out of my backside that weren't overly stupid... he went on about how you should prepare your "voice" for the baseball season. To get that "good low/echoing sound". I don't remember much else... just that the whole booth kind of stopped what they were doing in the middle of prepping and it was quite awkward.

 

So, I get through that. He kind of just dismisses me. Now I'm sitting in the back with the other kid shadowing (fellow broadcasting student that I hung with a bit) who had gotten up there a little after I did. Broadcast is now well underway and Ed signs off for an inning. Now - He stands up and looks back at no one in particular. Says out loud - "well... anyone want to call this next inning?". Everyone in the booth just laughs. I think DJ even tagged a joke on. It was (again) awkward when he appeared to remain adamant. The mood quickly turned to confusion for a split-second. I looked at the other dude I'm with, both of us going "WTF?"... There was this random fan who won some contest that was also getting shown around. He had only poked his head in for a minute. He jokingly blurts out "Hell ya, Ed!"... I can't even tell what Ed is thinking (he's such a dry guy) - but he tells him to come on down. Everyone is in disbelief. The dude was (of course) an utter trainwreck for a half inning. They introduced him as (first name, hometown) like he's a radio caller. DJ has no idea what to do with him. Producers are going bananas. He's copying "Hawk-isms". It's a CATASTROPHE.

 

Farmer's ass just shoots a look at me in the middle of it. As if to say "I just gave you an opportunity to call an inning of Major League baseball!"... I am so f'ing confused at this point. Clearly, like everyone... I thought he was joking.

 

A little later - my classmate and I are about to go down to our seats. We've both been pretty silent since that all went down. The person guiding us around (worked with the broadcast in some capacity, don't remember his exact title) - I can just tell he's thinking "Wow, that got off the rails"... lol. I ask "So, he actually wanted to let me call an inning?"... He basically told me that it was one of the odder occurrences he's ever seen working in baseball broadcasting, but that yes... it would appear he was making the offer in hoping that I would be the one to say yes. Because of our talk earlier? I guess?

 

Right when we got to our seats and the guide bid us farewell... we started laughing in utter confusion for a good 10 minutes. Wondering what that was all about. I honestly never could figure it out and to this day - I still am so, SOOO confused by the incident when I think about it. Of course, I regret not saying yes. However, you had to be there to understand how odd it was. lol. It was so utterly ridiculous man. That story still seems like a bad dream. That was supposed to be such an fun, easy going evening of watching a White Sox broadcast in person. Instead, it just left me feeling like a complete idiot. Years later - Still wondering "what in god's name was that all about?" I guess he saw a young, aspiring broadcaster and wanted to make his (meaning my) day? The way he went about it was sure odd... I'll feel like a dumbass for that until the day I die.

Edited April 6, 2018 by Richie

[caulfield12]

https://sports.yahoo.com/hawk-harrelson-sta...-193935576.html

 

Pierzynski, whose playing career ended after the 2016 season, has taken plenty of inspiration from Harrelson. Unsurprisingly, most of what's impressed Pierzynski about Harrelson is the latter's emotional attachment to the team and the game.

 

"His passion," Pierzynski said. "It's a little different. He gets to see a team for a whole season, and I walk into a place for one day and try to do the whole season in one game. But the passion that he brought every day was what I admired more than anything because he would generally care. People would be like, ‘He's full of crap.' He genuinely cared about the White Sox every game.

 

"That's the thing you try to portray. If you really do care about the game, you care about what's happening and you care about when guys do it right. That was a big thing for me always was doing it right, playing it right. Always on the broadcast, you can feel that when you watch.

 

"Him not being there, even now. I turn on games and I know he's not going to do it, but I turn it on, Jason's doing great, Stone is great, but for some reason when I turn on a White Sox game it hurts my heart a little bit not to hear his voice. It still gets to me every time because it's so different."

[hogan873]

I like the Jason/Stone combination. I like their banter even though it can get a little tiring at times. As other have pointed out, that may smooth out over time. Steve Stone is one of the better color commentary guys in the business. He's extremely knowledgeable, and Jason does a decent job deferring to him. Stone sounds like he's having more fun than when he's with Hawk.

 

I didn't get to watch yesterday's game, so I didn't hear Hawk. From what I've read on here, it sounds like it's good he's retiring. I noticed last year he was having a little more trouble reading the ball. I've liked Hawk, but he's gotten to be grating in recent years. He's easier to take in small doses. I didn't get to hear AJ, either, and it sounds like he's pretty good in the booth. Maybe we'll see (hear) him call Sox games in the future.

[caulfield12]

Hawk said we should have come back with a 5-1 trip at least twice...nobody corrected

[reiks12]

Hawk said we should have come back with a 5-1 trip at least twice...nobody corrected

 

Nobody corrected Stone either when he was going on about Yolmer needing a HR for the cycle when he had 1 single and 2 triples.

 

 

[caulfield12]

Probably too excited because Harrelson had him for pick to click... to make a jesting point for or against him.

[bmags]

You don't really hear announcers try to correct each other, usually it seems like an off air producer says something and they self correct.

 

Benetti asking Hawk how he felt about lead-off walks when Soria went up 3-1 on the first hitter was pretty hilarious though.

[he gone.]

Probably not adding much to the conversation here, but agree with basically everything said.

 

a- too many "dad" jokes. aka, jokes that the joke teller only finds funny. I get he has a dry sense of humor, but not a huge fan. It gets tiring, and when its 162 games it wears on you.

b- not enough excitement. I think this is almost Benetti doing this purposely. I think he wants to separate himself from Hawk and not be the same. But I can't go from complete homer in Hawk to Benetti. It's tough.

c- he has the voice for baseball and he clearly is talented and smart enough for the job, so the potential is there

d- I'm growing tired of Stone and agree AJP would be my clear frontrunner. He's said a number of times you need a homer in the booth and it makes it fun. So I'd love to get him up there with Benetti.

e- I NEED a homerun call. He doesn't have to be Hawk Jr. But for a guy who grew up a Sox fan - I need MUCH more excitement on HR and big plays. He doesn't have to be Hawk and definitely don't need 2015 and on version of Hawk that is basically a cartoon character, but I need early 2000's Hawk.

 

 

That is all. Nothing will change though, this is the team with DJ and Farmer giving a golf presentation for the last decade.