Uptown
Guy
McCarver
Joins Yankees' Broadcasting Team
NEW YORK (AQB)--The worst kept secret in town is finally out in the open: Tim McCarver will announce Yankees games on Fox5-New York, WNYW-TV.
At a
press conference Monday at Mickey Mantle's restaurant, the Yankees and
Fox5 announced a one-year agreement with the acclaimed analyst.
McCarver plans to work at least 42 of the station's 50 Yankees broadcasts
this season with his new partner, Bobby Murcer. Murcer, an ex-Yankee,
has broadcast the team's games since retiring in 1983.
Just 13 days after being fired by the New York Mets, McCarver rose to
the podium and "thanked" his old team for his new job.
"The way the timing worked out right now I couldn't be more grateful
to the Mets for allowing this to happen and allowing me to hook up
with channel 5, with Michael (Wach, vice president and general manager
of Fox5), with George (Steinbrenner) and with the Yankees."
McCarver said he wasn't angry with his former employer but added "I
was never given a reason why I was let go but I think the overriding
premise of why I was let go was being opinionated and criticism..."
Some have wondered if McCarver's style will clash with owner George Steinbrenner
but, in a press release, the Boss said "Tim McCarver is, without
question, one of the game's best analysts. Sure, he can be critical, but
he's fair."
I asked McCarver what he expected would be the biggest adjustment in moving
to the American League after a long playing and broadcasting career often
associated with the National League.
"Well, I've done the American League for the last 14 years (for networks).
That's one of the good things about doing the network games, you really
become familiar with the American League games. So it's not as much
of a transition. There will be some transition - I haven't been to
Oakland in six years and we open there - but not much," said McCarver,
a harsh opponent of the AL's designated hitter rule
The McCarver-Murcer team will debut Monday, April 5 at 10:30 p.m. EDT
as New York visits the Oakland A's.
McCarver remains lead analyst for the Fox Saturday Baseball Game of the
Week, a position he has held since joining Fox in April 1996. He covered
the Yankees in the World Series for Fox in 1996 and 1998. Previously,
he spent time at ABC from 1984-89 and 1994-96 and with CBS from 1990-94.
When McCarver was fired by the Mets, he was replaced by Hall of Fame pitcher
Tom Seaver, considered by many to be the best player in that franchise's
history. Seaver was also hired as an organizational pitching guru.
Press
conference quotes from McCarver...
- On the hoopla since his firing by the Mets: "I've been very uncomfortable being the story the past couple of weeks. I'd much rather do the story than be the story." - McCarver, on the hoopla since his firing by the Mets.
- On second guessing moves by managers: "I abhor the term second guessing...If I don't talk about it before it happens, I don't feel like I have a right to talk about it after it happens. If I talk about it before it happens, then I have the responsibility to throw up the point after it happens."
- On the "fit"
with the Yankees: "If
I had to think of the best scenario for me to be in, it would be this
scenario right now. Of course that's rationalizing, I suppose but it's
true, the way things have worked out."
...and
others:
- Joe Torre, an ex-teammate of McCarver's, on the broadcaster's firing by the Mets: "I just thought it was curious that it happened in February and not October if (criticism of the ballclub) was the reason. Because I haven't heard games from October to February when you were critical of the Mets. I didn't think they were playing...no one else was."
- New broadcast partner Murcer on which changes await McCarver in the American League: "He'll have to stay in the booth longer (referring to the AL's longer games). Obviously there's not a whole lot of moves in the American League because of the designated hitter...It's not going to be a very big adjustment for Tim."
- Steinbrenner, asked if he becomes angry when he doesn't agree with a broadcaster's stance: "In other years when I have been disappointed (with announcers) I've gotten upset, yes, I'm not going to lie to you. But I'm getting over that (laughing)."
Notes:
McCarver's book about the magical 1998 season, The Perfect Season, will
be released in mid-March, he said...McCarver told AQB he wasn't contacted
by any other parties about broadcasting this year but received some feelers
about the 2000 season...Fox5 has exclusive rights to broadcast the Yanks
in 1999 and 2000. MSG Network will produce the telecasts, according to
an agreement reached Oct. 1.
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