Flaherty Is a Terrible Announcer

[Hitman23]

As I said earlier, fans will never agree as to who is the best announcer for the Yankees....everyone has their favorites. Yankee fans are so spoiled that as soon as a player goes into a slump, fans are eager to find a replacement. Andy, this is a sign of the NOW generation!

I am far from a spoiled fan and I hate just about every play by play guy the Yankees have. It's not because I think we should have the best it's because I think we deserve better then the worst. Just get rid of the damn catch phrases and call the game. Don't make it about you and your calls.... just call the damn game.

As for Flaherty, I have no issue with him. I enjoy all the guys that were recent players. Cone, O'neill, Flaherty.... they may not be the best announcers but they make me interested in what is being said because most of their input gives me insight to what is going on through a player's mind. As for Kay and Sterling, I wanna shoot myself when they talk. Even Singleton is getting on my nerves with his "this one" catch phrase.

[sjanowsky]

I am far from a spoiled fan and I hate just about every play by play guy the Yankees have. It's not because I think we should have the best it's because I think we deserve better then the worst. Just get rid of the damn catch phrases and call the game. Don't make it about you and your calls.... just call the damn game.

As for Flaherty, I have no issue with him. I enjoy all the guys that were recent players. Cone, O'neill, Flaherty.... they may not be the best announcers but they make me interested in what is being said because most of their input gives me insight to what is going on through a player's mind. As for Kay and Sterling, I wanna shoot myself when they talk. Even Singleton is getting on my nerves with his "this one" catch phrase.

Last night Flaherty kept talking about how much "fight" the Angels were showing in coming back from the various deficits. I don't recall all the adjectives he used but basically he kept giving the Angels credit for coming back. Not once did he mention a succession of fastballs grooved right down the middle by Hughes et al.
Other announcers such as Leiter and Cone will be much more honest and say something like "if he keeps putting fastballs in the middle of the plate he'll keep getting hit hard" instead of giving the other team's hitters all the credit.

[NYCKNP]

Last night Flaherty kept talking about how much "fight" the Angels were showing in coming back from the various deficits. I don't recall all the adjectives he used but basically he kept giving the Angels credit for coming back. Not once did he mention a succession of fastballs grooved right down the middle by Hughes et al.
Other announcers such as Leiter and Cone will be much more honest and say something like "if he keeps putting fastballs in the middle of the plate he'll keep getting hit hard" instead of giving the other team's hitters all the credit.

Which is why I had Spanish commentary for a little bit when I was watching the game yesterday.

[yankeesrule]

Which is why I had Spanish commentary for a little bit when I was watching the game yesterday.

Now the all important follow up question: do you speak/understand Spanish?

[35Knucklecurve]

Now the all important follow up question: do you speak/understand Spanish?

I was thinking if Flaherty is as bad as most fans seem to think, it probably doesn't matter if you speak Spanish or not.......it beats having to listen to him in English.

[NelsonMuntz]

Last night Flaherty kept talking about how much "fight" the Angels were showing in coming back from the various deficits. I don't recall all the adjectives he used but basically he kept giving the Angels credit for coming back. Not once did he mention a succession of fastballs grooved right down the middle by Hughes et al.
Other announcers such as Leiter and Cone will be much more honest and say something like "if he keeps putting fastballs in the middle of the plate he'll keep getting hit hard" instead of giving the other team's hitters all the credit.

Yes, exactly. His grating voice aside, this is a perfect example of why I find Flaherty so annoying. I would expect a former catcher to provide more valuable analysis and insight but all we generally get from Flaherty is the standard sports talk radio cliches.

[MunsonNY15]

Since his first season, Flaherty has grown on me as a color analyst. But listening to him do PBP makes him intolerable once again. He ends every sentence or phrase with the exact same inflection - his voice goes up a little at the end of the last word. With his already monotone voice, I find it very annoying.

Heidi

[RogerNatural]

Will I ever see a thread titled " So and so is a great announcer". ? I doubt it.

I ofen wonder what percentage of posters on this board are positive thinkers and what percentage are negative. Does anyone have a good guess?.

It sometimes seams to me that the majority of posters here have absolutely no patience. Let a Yankee player have a bad stretch and you will see threads demanding his trade and to bring back Damon, Abreau, Matsui or Melky.
Am I the only one this bothers?

Andy

I agree, but it doesn't bother me, I find these comments amusing. I personally prefer Flaherty & dislike Leiter (maybe because I perceive him as a Met reject ? ) . Announcers are like ice cream... some people like vanilla, some chocolate, some strawberry, and some dislike a particular flavor.

[Let's Go Yanks]

The Cano barehand play, he's on color while Singy does PxP:

"It's a do-or-die play. [replay starts] ... The barehand, the accurate throw. Mike Evirett the first base umpire, makes the correct call. ... The throw by Robinson Cano might be the most impressive part."

Gee, thanks, Flash. What incredible insight.

Flaherty didn't actually SAY ANYTHING! He just voiced over the replay with what we can already see. Where's the analysis? Where's the COLOR commentary? He's so unbelievably bad. Every time they're showing a replay, he just says what we can see. "Andy Pettitte gets to the ball quickly, makes a strong throw. Mark Teixeira with the stretch, and Erick Aybar is retired. Good speed, but the umpire calls him out. And the New York Yankees maintain their 5-2 lead."

And, if you notice, every time he refers to a player, it's always first name and last name. Never just the first name, and never just the last name. For some reason, tat drives me up a wall almost as much as the rest of his announcing does.

I honestly think he just tries to go about his day trying to be as non-controversial as possible. He just wants to get in and out of the booth without anyone noticing him. So, he's just as bland as possible. After all, if he's not saying anything of any real value, how can you be upset over something he said?

I can't even express how much I agree with this post. It's unbelievable to me how much he (montone-ly) drones on and on yet still manages to say NOTHING. When he's doing the "color commentary," he might as well just be doing the play-by-play, and when he's put on the PBP on rare occasion, he's terrible at that too.

The one positive thing I'll add is that he's OK in the studio, at least on par with Curry.

I saw that he's going to be doing this Detroit series too, this time with Kay.

[yankeesrule]

Is anyone else noticing that in the first inning of this game alone, up to this Cecil Fielder conversation, that there is almost an awkward silence between pitches?

Usually Kay is kinda cocky/corny engaging with the other announcer either joking around or asking their perspective. With Flaherty they are... distant and impersonal.

[Let's Go Yanks]

Is anyone else noticing that in the first inning of this game alone, up to this Cecil Fielder conversation, that there is almost an awkward silence between pitches?

Usually Kay is kinda cocky/corny engaging with the other announcer either joking around or asking their perspective. With Flaherty they are... distant and impersonal.

Yep! You could tell that Kay was really pulling teeth in trying to get Flaherty to talk. Lots of "so, John, what do you think about ___?"

I also submit this as Exhibit A on how they so obviously dislike each other: https://p.twimg.com/AuVo8BBCEAEAmH3.jpg

Hello, body language!

(pic from today on Michael Kay's Twitter)

[Hitman23]

I found that inning to be quite humorous. I'm just beaten down to the point of knowing all the announcers we have are just clowns so I'm just enjoying the idiocracy.

[b-ball-lunachick]

Could Flaherty be any more self-indulgent?

Any time someone tries to make a joke towards him, he says: "Whoa; is that a shot?"

Would you PLEASE, for all that is holy, not take it so damn personal and laugh a little bit, instead of coming across as "How dare you make a joke at my expense?"

You could tell Singleton just got pissed off over the exchange. What an ego Flaherty must have.

dang i missed that exchange..any idea what inning?

i had the game on mute most of the time but i have to say, i really did laugh out loud when kay called that girl who got Tex's home run ball the Shelly Duncan of fans.

[-tz]

Flaherty was talking about his kids' Little League exploits, and Singleton said something about how all his kids' activities meant a lot of taxi service for the parents. "Or limo service in your case." That was when Flaherty reacted with, "Was that a shot?" Kay said "It would have been, if it had come from me."

[JL25and3]

I mean, come on, Flash. It's an innocent line from a goofy, corny guy. Why do you have to get so damn defensive?

He was a weak-hitting catcher. Defensive is all he can dp.

[4trainEddie]

Flaherty was talking about his kids' Little League exploits, and Singleton said something about how all his kids' activities meant a lot of taxi service for the parents. "Or limo service in your case." That was when Flaherty reacted with, "Was that a shot?" Kay said "It would have been, if it had come from me."

I didnt hear it but maybe Flaherty is a little thin skinned when it comes to any mention of how his kids are raised that could be perceived as negative; most parents are. It can be a very touchy subject.

Then again between Kay, Singelton and Flaherty,
Flaherty has the most money in the bank,
so the shot was probably at his wealth, which from Kay's response makes it sound like these guys do bust each others chops off the air about money.

[Hitman23]

I really have no specific issue with Flaherty as an announcer like most of the people do posting in here, in fact I think he is more tolerable than most of his coworkers. But that whole 2 minute plug for the little league team started to get annoying. He's there to talk about the game, not personal stuff for that long. And then the entire debate on the limos and "the shot" and stuff. Just immature and distracting. There was a game going on in case they hadn't noticed.

[Sparky]

I really have no specific issue with Flaherty as an announcer like most of the people do posting in here, in fact I think he is more tolerable than most of his coworkers. But that whole 2 minute plug for the little league team started to get annoying. He's there to talk about the game, not personal stuff for that long. And then the entire debate on the limos and "the shot" and stuff. Just immature and distracting. There was a game going on in case they hadn't noticed.

The issue with Flaherty is he drones. And as far has his "talking about the game," what he does talk about is stating the obvious; he' not offering much insight of an value. Plus he talks in phrases and not in complete sentences.

[Hitman23]

Well see I take the droning on over shticks. I hate catch phrases and trying to make your calls as big as the moment. So I take him over Kay. In all seriousness.

[Big_E]

Yep! You could tell that Kay was really pulling teeth in trying to get Flaherty to talk. Lots of "so, John, what do you think about ___?"

I also submit this as Exhibit A on how they so obviously dislike each other: https://p.twimg.com/AuVo8BBCEAEAmH3.jpg

Hello, body language!

(pic from today on Michael Kay's Twitter)

Maybe it's because they wore the same outfit? Blue shirt, yellow tie...this isn't Monday Night Football on ABC...

[BxBomber44]

I'm spoiled getting to hear Vin Scully most nights out of the week.

[Hitman23]

That's my biggest issue with him -- he doesn't actually add anything. He just gives you the play, doesn't add any insider insight. It's almost like he's being careful to never say anything that could upset someone, in case he wants to get back into baseball as a coach/manager, at some point. So, he just stays as bland and non-analytical as possible.

See now we have a problem. We have guys who call the game, trying to make something be about them and their calls rather than the player or the team's. And now we have a guy who just simply calls the game. I'd rather have the guy that just simply calls the game.

But I wonder, for those that have an issue with Kay/Sterling AND Flaherty, what is it that would make you happier?

[JL25and3]

See now we have a problem. We have guys who call the game, trying to make something be about them and their calls rather than the player or the team's. And now we have a guy who just simply calls the game. I'd rather have the guy that just simply calls the game.

But I wonder, for those that have an issue with Kay/Sterling AND Flaherty, what is it that would make you happier?

Ken Singleton with either Cone or Leiter.

[Hitman23]

Ken Singleton with either Cone or Leiter.

If Singelton lost his "this one" call I'd agree. It's really agitating.

[Principessa21]

An announcer can give his opinion on the game without inserting himself into the story.

Ken Singleton with either Cone or Leiter.

I agree, though I do prefer Leiter to Cone.

And I know I'm in a minority here but I don't mind Kay. I used to have extra innings and had no choice but to listen to other team's announcers and quite a few of them were bad.