A report from the Boston Globe's Chad Finn has Twitter up in arms, and for good reason. Earlier today, Finn noted that former Mariner and MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds was being strongly considered for the empty seat left by broadcaster Tim McCarver, he of the five-letter "strike" and long-time compadre to Joe Buck.
It's a big position to fill, and one that I believe requires a little more consideration on FOX's part. SB Nation columnist Rob Neyer outlined three fundamental qualities for McCarver's replacement in his critique of the situation: likeability, comprehensive knowledge of the game, and a basic understanding and respect for current standards of analysis.
By these measures, here are three former Mariners that may be better suited for the job of keeping our TVs un-muted and our ears from bleeding. (Remember, the bar is set at "Harold Reynolds.")
Ken Griffey, Jr.
Charisma: A+
Knowledge of the game: A
Analytical skills: C+
"As long as I have fun playing, the stats will take care of themselves." So reads the first in a long list of quotes from the Kid on Baseball-Almanac.com. Now, I'm not saying that I wouldn't love to see Griffey's smile on my TV every weekend or hear more stories of his career and his experiences playing alongside Griffey Sr. or even that I didn't cry during his induction speech for the Mariners Hall of Fame. I'm just saying that, sparkle and smile aside, he may not be the most analytically-inclined in the booth.
Raul Ibanez
Charisma: B+
Knowledge of the game: A
Analytical skills: A
In an interview with the Seattle Times' Geoff Baker in 2009, Raul let off some steam about defensive metrics, saying, "The way they come up with the defensive measurements, or ratings, is flawed. It's as flawed as the Gold Gloves. One of the reasons is, they don't consider things like ballpark factors, defensive positioning, or alignment for certain hitters." Keep in mind that Ibanez was also the man who spiked a baseball into the outfield grass, but the guy has a point. His personality and spark may not rival Griffey's, but the potential for a well-informed perspective on sabermetrics is valuable.
Munenori Kawasaki
Which former Mariner would you like to see in the booth beside Joe Buck? Brendan Ryan? Edgar Martinez? Ichiro? A-Rod? Sound off in the comments below.
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- AFL Check-Up: funky reliever Carson Smith
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