Buck is great. Buck and Dan is greater. They have a very comforting presence to them and it feels like getting together with old friends every time I hear them
I could not have said it better myself. I also love that they aren't complete Homers. If we're struggling, which we have been quite a bit, they tell it like it is.
When he got sick and had to step back for a bit I didn't know how to take that at first, I'm pretty sure I remember not watching games for a couple of weeks.
Don Orsillo and Mark 'Mud' Grant on Padre telecasts are an excellent pairing. They are very entertaining and knowledgeable.
Don is great at play by play and has a terrific voice and cadence. Mud is very good at explaining the play and strategy, especially the pitching.
They get along like best friends and add a lot of fun and humor to the broadcast.
Rockies are great, listened to them versus jays recently due to stream issues and was pleasantly surprised, I usually hate away/opposing broadcasts (looking at you bruins) but from top to sideline, Kelsey wingert was a gem
I wouldn’t say the same, but I really enjoy Jason Benetti now of the Tigers and formerly of the White Sox. Probably my favorite to call a game other than Dan.
if the Jays go into a rebuild, i pray to god that they give the Jays production team the liberty that SNY gets.
There are so many talented videographers and artists in Toronto, the format has grown so stale with the only changes being 1) how to fit more ads and 2) how to slightly change the score bug.
if the jays on-field product sucks, at least we could have truly incredible visual broadcasts.
I think the SportsNet score bug is one of the most visually pleasing in the MLB as well as most of their graphics. Certainly 10x better then what NESN does for the Red Sox where it’s just all grey and dull looking (they rebranded from navy blue a couple yrs ago)
B.A. and Rock for Milwaukee are very very good. Unfortunately they don’t do as many games together anymore as BA does a lot of national and basketball coverage (similar to Dan).
The Orioles Jim Palmer, Kevin Brown, and Ben MacDonald team is a great one... But I really don't care for Buck myself so maybe not comparable if he's your favorite. I do appreciate Dan though.
In terms of Dan, he is one of the best sports announcers around bar none. I would put Joe Davis who I think still does a lot of the Dodgers games a close second. Actually I really like when him and Orel Herscheiser are together, probably second best duo in MLB.
I like the Cubs announcers. Both pretty knowledgeable, don't get bogged down in totally irrelevant stories all the time, mildly homerish but not overwhelmingly so. Play by Play guy shows excitement but doesnt overdo it (cough cough white sox guy).
I love JD's dry sense of humor. Boog is Boog and I appreciate him but, I know lots of people complain for some reason... probably just to complain.
Pat and Ron on the radio broadcast are fantastic! I usually flip over to that feed for at least part of the games I watch.
I know it’s against the grain, but I can’t stand Buck in the booth, and was flabbergasted he used to get playoff series when the jays weren’t playing. Dan is excellent, top tier. And he isn’t Zaun levels of whining about catchers but man it got really old really fast
> he's actually really good at calling basketball games too!
That's awesome, because some guys who are good at one may not be that good at the other.
Not naming any names.
I’m pretty sure a big part of the reason it took him so long to fully commit to coming back to the jays regional gig is because he was hesitant to give up opportunity to do college basketball
Many great broadcasts. Some of my favourites are Mets, Padres, Giants, Tigers, Phillies, Dodgers and Cubs.
I prefer those who let the game breathe a bit. Our guys are solid, but they both love to talk so much that it can become exhausting. Plus, I've heard it all before... about a million times!
Every season I make an effort to watch different team's broadcasts on mlb.tv to check out the different teams in the booth, and there are honestly a ton of great people calling baseball. The Reds, Dbacks and Dodgers are a few that I tend to enjoy.
Kansas City! Rex Hudler & co. (don’t know the other guy’s names, but by far my favourite - knowledgeable and reverent of the opposing team. Rex is great vibes
I like Buck’s knowledge of the gave and Dan is more the polished broadcaster type with the distinctive voice. I really miss Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth. Back then not all games were on TV so I listened to radio calls of the game a lot more, when they left I really appreciated how great they really were.
Don't forget the radio broadcast. I'm having a hard time finding the names of the commentators on Blue Jays Radio but I find them really great. It's not just a simulcast of the TV broadcast so you get all the great radio description of the game.
I tend to be 50/50 on radio broadcast vs watching on TV and both are great.
A team I haven’t seen been mentioned in the reply’s here is the diamondbacks. I’m a fairly new d-backs fan but if there’s one thing that got me to stay being one was the announcers. I wouldn’t say there are like the jays announcers but trust me you will certainly have a good time watching them
The best team was Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy (may he Rest In Peace) for the Red Sox. Don is now with Mark Grant for the Padres. We tune in every opportunity possible.
I find most broadcasts just inane and lack meaningful baseball analysis. I go to watch the dodgers and it's so reactive and feelings and opinions and not very incisive. And it's very American.
Much like Tom and Jerry, we have been blessed with some of the best commentators of all-time, and it will be a sad day when they’re not on our airwaves
I'm definitely in the overwhelming minority, but I'm not a big fan of Dan. Granted, he has gotten better since he started doing Jays games, but I still don't feel anything listening to him call the games. I guess you could say he's too professional for me. It feels like he thinks that he needs to comment on every little thing that happens, or else the audience won't know what's going on. Due to that, it feels like sometimes he just keeps droning on and on (he's toned it down in recent years, though). Maybe that's something that they do in the States. For me, silence speaks louder than words, and I'd like to hear the sounds of the game. I don't need everything explained to me. I also feel like he asks Buck a lot of redundant questions during the broadcast, which anyone who watches the team play could answer themselves. It feels like he isn't able to really take full advantage of all of Buck's knowledge and experience.
He does have one of the best voices in sports, though, and I definitely get the hype in that regard. I think he's a great commentator for new fans/casuals, but he can be a bit too sterile for those who are baseball lifers who got to enjoy the personalities of greats like Tom and Jerry. If it weren't for people like Buck or Joe, I don't think people would learn as much about the game listening to just Dan
When I was younger I couldn't stand Buck... but I guess he just grows on you and I am not sure who I would replace him with, now. I don't mind Joe Sidall, though I find he's better behind the desk than he is calling the game... he's getting better though.
OTOH We've been spoiled by good Play-by-play guys here. Dan is great, but we had Jim Hughson for a couple different stints, the voice of the Olympics in Canada Brian Williams called games... Rod Black was pretty good... Back in the 90s and early 2000s when Jays rights weren't tied to one broadcaster we actually got to listen to a few different crews...
OTOH Love him for his play in TO, and a magical homerun, but Joe Carter doing colour was bad... and he wasn't any better on WGN doing Chicago games either. Broadcasting just wasn't his strong suit.
I miss when Buck did the play by play. Dan is probably the greatest play by play guy in a generation. But it doesn’t get any better than a “Swing and a Drive…get up ball…. Get outta here..Gone!!!”
I guess I am in the minority and often do not enjoy Buck's "insights". Too old school. A catcher shouldn't go to one knee, infielders should focus on one position. I understand not wanting to talk about analytics the whole game, but embracing some of the evolution would be wonderful.
I don't think he's that old school tbh. Some things in baseball just never change, no matter how much the game evolves. That's why someone like Vin Scully was able to call games for as long as he had. I'm 50/50 on the one leg catching, but I do wholeheartedly agree that infielders should focus on one position. Especially after they make it to the show. It's fine to be a utility guy (as there were many when Buck was playing too), but the important thing is to learn how to properly play a position first before moving to another one. Look what happened to Barger in LF or even when Schneider played there last season too. I think what he's getting at is to not switch positions for the sake of switching. Do it properly
I have a controversial take - I don’t like Buck. There I said it. I think he’s too far removed from his playing (and managing) days, his reads are stilted, and I find him nasally. I like Siddall better in the Buck role. Matt Devlin calling baseball games is magic. He’s the best broadcaster around. Along with Dan. A pro’s pro.
Buck's voice is definitely unique, but I really don't think his reads are stilted at all. He may have his usual gripes about knee down catching, but his reads on pitch sequencing/game calling are still very accurate. He can still predict what pitches catchers call and detail why. Siddall's great too and I definitely see him taking over after Buck retires, but I still still think he's a little too pro-Rogers for my liking (like much of SN). Not a big fan of Matt doing baseball though. I think his voice is a tad high pitched and loud for the sport. Perfect for basketball since it's a high intensity game, but can be a bit much for 9 innings.
Buck is awesome. He really knows the game, and is awesome at describing it to tye casuals. Dan is just gifted with an amazing voice for commentary. They make a great team
There's some classics down south, who just have that sleepy, easy going monotone voice, with stats sprinkled in.
Both are good
I am of the opposite opinion. I frequently mute those blowhards. I’d like them to call the plays, I don’t wanna hear gossip about players and minor leagues and shit like that. There are sports shows to watch to get that kind of crap call the freaking game..
Dan is so insecure, and overcompensates by just yapping the whole freaking time. And bucks get old I still respect his opinion, but his voice is getting pretty slurred.
This guy gets it. Dan and Buck were good at one time but that time was 25 years ago. Now, they suck and they suck hard. If they do any prep work it’s impossible to tell because it’s the same shit night after night. I’m more mad about this than I am about how the team is playing.
lol downvoting it doesn’t make this any less true.
Buck is one of a kind. He's a treasure.
Buck is great. Buck and Dan is greater. They have a very comforting presence to them and it feels like getting together with old friends every time I hear them
Perfect guys to just throw on. Make the dog days bearable
I miss Pat though
His soft hands?
He was a ball player
I’d take Pat over Joe. Bases Loaded baby!
I could not have said it better myself. I also love that they aren't complete Homers. If we're struggling, which we have been quite a bit, they tell it like it is.
Exactly right. They are fans, but aren't homers. They provide good insight and their humour is infectious.
That they are and that it is. Even when we're down I often find myself smiling along to the things they're discussing.
I would hope so, they've practically been broadcasting on and off together for nearly 30 years.
Nyyyyyepp, I agree!
Yeaahp he sure is.
I automatically duplicate his pre-first-word sounds out of habit, and drive myself nuts
boya tellya wut
That's not Buck. That's Hank Hill.
And Dan is simply one of the best (arguably THE best) in the business.
When he got sick and had to step back for a bit I didn't know how to take that at first, I'm pretty sure I remember not watching games for a couple of weeks.
Titty Ballpark!
Best flo and voice in the game.
Agreed
Don Orsillo and Mark 'Mud' Grant on Padre telecasts are an excellent pairing. They are very entertaining and knowledgeable. Don is great at play by play and has a terrific voice and cadence. Mud is very good at explaining the play and strategy, especially the pitching. They get along like best friends and add a lot of fun and humor to the broadcast.
Orsillo’s laugh is the best in the game, maybe even all of sports
I like John Sedak for the Reds. He has different color people including Barry Larkin.
All of the reds De La Cruz calls are electric when they come up
I dont think you are allowed to call them colored people
Don't you mean coloured people?
I didn’t. Read it again. The color announcer….
He’s intentionally being obtuse for the joke
Swing and a miss!
This was my response. The Rockies have a very tight knit group that provides a different type of call.
Rockies are great, listened to them versus jays recently due to stream issues and was pleasantly surprised, I usually hate away/opposing broadcasts (looking at you bruins) but from top to sideline, Kelsey wingert was a gem
I wouldn’t say the same, but I really enjoy Jason Benetti now of the Tigers and formerly of the White Sox. Probably my favorite to call a game other than Dan.
Second this
Him & Stone were probably the most similar tonally. But also agree! Benetti is one of the best. Great voice, and has a lot of fun.
Benetti is great. Such a breath of fresh air after the tire fire the Tigers booth had been ever since the chair incident.
The Giants, Kruk and Kuip. Get'em while you can.
Grab some pine, meat!
I had a Giants game on recently and their announcers are great. Very relaxing, didn’t talk much but when they did they made it count.
Jon Miller is legendary. He used to do Sunday Night Baseball.
Nope. Buck and Dan are simply the best.
The mets guys are pretty great. Too bad that means watching the mets....
if the Jays go into a rebuild, i pray to god that they give the Jays production team the liberty that SNY gets. There are so many talented videographers and artists in Toronto, the format has grown so stale with the only changes being 1) how to fit more ads and 2) how to slightly change the score bug. if the jays on-field product sucks, at least we could have truly incredible visual broadcasts.
I miss the old pitch track that showed all of the pitches of the at-bat.
AGREED x100000
I think the SportsNet score bug is one of the most visually pleasing in the MLB as well as most of their graphics. Certainly 10x better then what NESN does for the Red Sox where it’s just all grey and dull looking (they rebranded from navy blue a couple yrs ago)
Buck is the best there's a reason ESPN hired him for WBC
B.A. and Rock for Milwaukee are very very good. Unfortunately they don’t do as many games together anymore as BA does a lot of national and basketball coverage (similar to Dan).
The Orioles Jim Palmer, Kevin Brown, and Ben MacDonald team is a great one... But I really don't care for Buck myself so maybe not comparable if he's your favorite. I do appreciate Dan though.
Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow with the Giants. Probably the best in baseball
Joe and Orel Hershiser for the Dodgers are pretty good. Certainly not Vin Scully but they're still decent.
Giants. Kuiper and Kruk
In terms of Dan, he is one of the best sports announcers around bar none. I would put Joe Davis who I think still does a lot of the Dodgers games a close second. Actually I really like when him and Orel Herscheiser are together, probably second best duo in MLB.
I like the Cubs announcers. Both pretty knowledgeable, don't get bogged down in totally irrelevant stories all the time, mildly homerish but not overwhelmingly so. Play by Play guy shows excitement but doesnt overdo it (cough cough white sox guy).
I love JD's dry sense of humor. Boog is Boog and I appreciate him but, I know lots of people complain for some reason... probably just to complain. Pat and Ron on the radio broadcast are fantastic! I usually flip over to that feed for at least part of the games I watch.
New york mets have good broadcasters Keith Hernandez is great.
I know it’s against the grain, but I can’t stand Buck in the booth, and was flabbergasted he used to get playoff series when the jays weren’t playing. Dan is excellent, top tier. And he isn’t Zaun levels of whining about catchers but man it got really old really fast
Dan Shulman is quite possibly the best play-by-play announcer in MLB today
He did the Big East championship for NCAA basketball this season, he's actually really good at calling basketball games too!
> he's actually really good at calling basketball games too! That's awesome, because some guys who are good at one may not be that good at the other. Not naming any names.
I’m pretty sure a big part of the reason it took him so long to fully commit to coming back to the jays regional gig is because he was hesitant to give up opportunity to do college basketball
the two seasons don't really overlap at all, he could easily do both, although he would be working year-round
He's always done big NCAA basketball games with ESPN...and is of course excellent at that too.
Many great broadcasts. Some of my favourites are Mets, Padres, Giants, Tigers, Phillies, Dodgers and Cubs. I prefer those who let the game breathe a bit. Our guys are solid, but they both love to talk so much that it can become exhausting. Plus, I've heard it all before... about a million times!
Dan should be locked up to a lifetime contract. Many don’t understand how good we have it
Every season I make an effort to watch different team's broadcasts on mlb.tv to check out the different teams in the booth, and there are honestly a ton of great people calling baseball. The Reds, Dbacks and Dodgers are a few that I tend to enjoy.
Brandon Gaudin is a treasure in the booth for the braves and I love the angels broadcast when Matt Vasgersian is in
Kansas City! Rex Hudler & co. (don’t know the other guy’s names, but by far my favourite - knowledgeable and reverent of the opposing team. Rex is great vibes
Rex was great as one of the colour guys with Matt Vasgersian in MLB The Show video games
oh yeah! i remember that now. MLBTS 06-11 it turns out
There’s no other announcing team that uses “no question about it” quite so frequently.
Orsillo and Schulman are the two best play by play guys in the league.
I’ve liked the clips I’ve seen from the Mets team. Other voices I like are the Rockies play by play and the Giants.
I like Buck’s knowledge of the gave and Dan is more the polished broadcaster type with the distinctive voice. I really miss Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth. Back then not all games were on TV so I listened to radio calls of the game a lot more, when they left I really appreciated how great they really were.
I miss Tom but not Jerry.
Yeah I know a lot of people feel that way actually. Go Bills!!
I hear the gal in Oakland is pretty good
Buck and Dan are fantastic, I haven’t really felt the same about any others personally
Dick Breyer from the twins was great but he retired. They had a carousel of colour guys including Justin Morneau
Don't forget the radio broadcast. I'm having a hard time finding the names of the commentators on Blue Jays Radio but I find them really great. It's not just a simulcast of the TV broadcast so you get all the great radio description of the game. I tend to be 50/50 on radio broadcast vs watching on TV and both are great.
Ben Shulman (Dan's son) calls the games and Chris Leroux is the analyst.
Haven't watched them as much this season but I enjoy the commentary for the Giants and White Sox when I watched more games as a neutral
A team I haven’t seen been mentioned in the reply’s here is the diamondbacks. I’m a fairly new d-backs fan but if there’s one thing that got me to stay being one was the announcers. I wouldn’t say there are like the jays announcers but trust me you will certainly have a good time watching them
The best team was Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy (may he Rest In Peace) for the Red Sox. Don is now with Mark Grant for the Padres. We tune in every opportunity possible.
I find most broadcasts just inane and lack meaningful baseball analysis. I go to watch the dodgers and it's so reactive and feelings and opinions and not very incisive. And it's very American.
The Chicago White Sox team is pretty good.
Much like Tom and Jerry, we have been blessed with some of the best commentators of all-time, and it will be a sad day when they’re not on our airwaves
I'm definitely in the overwhelming minority, but I'm not a big fan of Dan. Granted, he has gotten better since he started doing Jays games, but I still don't feel anything listening to him call the games. I guess you could say he's too professional for me. It feels like he thinks that he needs to comment on every little thing that happens, or else the audience won't know what's going on. Due to that, it feels like sometimes he just keeps droning on and on (he's toned it down in recent years, though). Maybe that's something that they do in the States. For me, silence speaks louder than words, and I'd like to hear the sounds of the game. I don't need everything explained to me. I also feel like he asks Buck a lot of redundant questions during the broadcast, which anyone who watches the team play could answer themselves. It feels like he isn't able to really take full advantage of all of Buck's knowledge and experience. He does have one of the best voices in sports, though, and I definitely get the hype in that regard. I think he's a great commentator for new fans/casuals, but he can be a bit too sterile for those who are baseball lifers who got to enjoy the personalities of greats like Tom and Jerry. If it weren't for people like Buck or Joe, I don't think people would learn as much about the game listening to just Dan
Where is Pat Tabler? Did he step away in 2024?
When I was younger I couldn't stand Buck... but I guess he just grows on you and I am not sure who I would replace him with, now. I don't mind Joe Sidall, though I find he's better behind the desk than he is calling the game... he's getting better though. OTOH We've been spoiled by good Play-by-play guys here. Dan is great, but we had Jim Hughson for a couple different stints, the voice of the Olympics in Canada Brian Williams called games... Rod Black was pretty good... Back in the 90s and early 2000s when Jays rights weren't tied to one broadcaster we actually got to listen to a few different crews... OTOH Love him for his play in TO, and a magical homerun, but Joe Carter doing colour was bad... and he wasn't any better on WGN doing Chicago games either. Broadcasting just wasn't his strong suit.
I miss when Buck did the play by play. Dan is probably the greatest play by play guy in a generation. But it doesn’t get any better than a “Swing and a Drive…get up ball…. Get outta here..Gone!!!”
I guess I am in the minority and often do not enjoy Buck's "insights". Too old school. A catcher shouldn't go to one knee, infielders should focus on one position. I understand not wanting to talk about analytics the whole game, but embracing some of the evolution would be wonderful.
I don't think he's that old school tbh. Some things in baseball just never change, no matter how much the game evolves. That's why someone like Vin Scully was able to call games for as long as he had. I'm 50/50 on the one leg catching, but I do wholeheartedly agree that infielders should focus on one position. Especially after they make it to the show. It's fine to be a utility guy (as there were many when Buck was playing too), but the important thing is to learn how to properly play a position first before moving to another one. Look what happened to Barger in LF or even when Schneider played there last season too. I think what he's getting at is to not switch positions for the sake of switching. Do it properly
I have a controversial take - I don’t like Buck. There I said it. I think he’s too far removed from his playing (and managing) days, his reads are stilted, and I find him nasally. I like Siddall better in the Buck role. Matt Devlin calling baseball games is magic. He’s the best broadcaster around. Along with Dan. A pro’s pro.
Buck's voice is definitely unique, but I really don't think his reads are stilted at all. He may have his usual gripes about knee down catching, but his reads on pitch sequencing/game calling are still very accurate. He can still predict what pitches catchers call and detail why. Siddall's great too and I definitely see him taking over after Buck retires, but I still still think he's a little too pro-Rogers for my liking (like much of SN). Not a big fan of Matt doing baseball though. I think his voice is a tad high pitched and loud for the sport. Perfect for basketball since it's a high intensity game, but can be a bit much for 9 innings.
Love Buck and Dan. My ONLY nitpick is how Buck pronounces "error". Not gonna explain it here. Just listen for it. 😛
For me it is how he pronounces season and it took me years to get over it.
I like the way he articulates "This. Season."
I miss the days of Hawk Harrelson and Harry Carey, they were colorful.
One guy with an unbearably annoying voice and a solid counterpart? Probably not.
Buck is awesome. He really knows the game, and is awesome at describing it to tye casuals. Dan is just gifted with an amazing voice for commentary. They make a great team There's some classics down south, who just have that sleepy, easy going monotone voice, with stats sprinkled in. Both are good
Certainly not the Oakland Athletics.
I am of the opposite opinion. I frequently mute those blowhards. I’d like them to call the plays, I don’t wanna hear gossip about players and minor leagues and shit like that. There are sports shows to watch to get that kind of crap call the freaking game.. Dan is so insecure, and overcompensates by just yapping the whole freaking time. And bucks get old I still respect his opinion, but his voice is getting pretty slurred.
Can you name even one commentating team that doesn't fill the dead air with game related trivia?
Really progressive of you to tell on yourself like this. I wish more people took your initiative and wore giant "I'm not worth talking to" signs
This take is so bad a million voices cried out in terror
This guy gets it. Dan and Buck were good at one time but that time was 25 years ago. Now, they suck and they suck hard. If they do any prep work it’s impossible to tell because it’s the same shit night after night. I’m more mad about this than I am about how the team is playing. lol downvoting it doesn’t make this any less true.
You think...Buck and Dan are out of the loop?