Singing the Braves Broadcast Team Blues

I've heard people complain about losing Giles. I've heard people complain about losing LaRoche. But where are the people complaining about the loss of Don Sutton? And why aren't more people up in arms about TBS carrying fewer games and Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren being mostly delegated to radio (or in Van Wieren's case, only delegated to radio)? Announcers and broadcasters become the voice of a team. When I turn on my radio on a Sunday afternoon, I expect to hear Pete Van Wieren. Thank goodness that's not changing, as he'll be calling all of the games on the radio. Poor Skip Caray has been relegated to only a few television broadcasts, although he'll be calling 120 games or so on the radio. Joe Simpson will remain on television broadcasts, joined by newcomer Jon Sciambi for games on SportSouth and FSN. I do hear that Sciambi is good, but I'm not one for change. Chip Caray will be TBS's main man this season, with Simpson joining him for most games. And Don Sutton? He'll be with the Nationals this year. Apparently he was let go with a 2-minute phone conversation. Whose bright idea was it to let him go? And doesn't he deserve more respect than to be let go for no good reason by way of a 2-minute phone call?

Vin Scully has been the "Voice of the Dodgers" for 57 years. Harry Caray is immortalized in a statute just outside Wrigley Field. The Ford C. Frick award was created to honor one baseball broadcaster each year who has made "major contributions to baseball." Obviously, baseball broadcasters are an important part of the fabric that makes baseball the game it is. That's why I'm saddened to see the Braves broadcast team crumbling. I'm pretty sure moves are being made to bring in younger voices (i.e., Skip Caray and Jon Sciambi) in an effort to reduce payroll and appeal to a younger crowd. Well, no offense, but I can't stand to hear Skip Caray's voice and I'm in no mood to give Sciambi a chance. Baseball broadcasting is one arena where "Out with the old, in with the new" should never be the mantra.

And what about TBS phasing out after decades of broadcasting the Braves nationally? There was always something comforting about being in another city and still being able to see my Braves play. And no matter where I went, there were always at least a few Braves fans - people who had never been to Atlanta to see the Braves play, but who had watched them on TBS for years. I know there are all these other options now like the Dish, DirectTV, MLB.com, etc. (and I'll have a post on that whole debacle soon), but for the average Joe who's not enough of a fanatic to get one of those packages, the Braves will fade from their consciousness.

In the end, it makes sense that TBS is dropping its allegiance to the Braves and going national now that the two will no longer be affiliated through common ownership. That doesn't mean I'm happy about it though. So, this season as I listen to the familiar voices that have brought the Braves to me my whole life, I'll treasure every moment knowing that it won't last forever.