Brenly and the broadcast booth

[XZero771679666304]

Stone is an arrogant ass, and he really exacerbated the whole fiasco.

 

 

Having said that, if the players just played the game, stfu and didn't worry about what the TV guys were saying, the whole thing never would have happened.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I like him as an announcer, but hate him as a decision maker.

 

Word. I think he burned bridges on his way out though, hard to see him coming back.

[CuseCubFan69]

If Brenly doesn't get hired to manage this off season I wonder how he is going to handle it.

[baseball7897]

I was just responding to the idea that players should come first over announcers, which I totally agree with. While on the topic though, a player's thoughts of an announcer are worthless to me. And Mercker is getting "the blame" cause he was the one who was bitching about Stone, was he not?

 

And for the record, I know that Stone technically wasn't fired. It's pretty obvious, to me at least, that he was forced out though.

 

Mercker's main complaint was about a dumbass Chip Caray comment, if I remember right.

 

IIRC, Mercker's complaint was initially about Chip gushing about the grand pitching performance of Roy Oswalt in a game in which Oswalt gave up six runs. Mercker called the booth from the clubhouse to ask how in hell was Oswalt's outing such a "grand" performance.

 

Stone then leaked the information to the media and then later commented about it on the air. This pissed off Mercker as he felt the whole affair should have been left behind closed doors. The players, not just Mercker seemed betrayed by the media. The story goes, Mercker later confronted Stone about it.

 

Stone in turn once again leaked details of the confrontation to the media and in a way that made Mercker seem much more beligerent than the encounter likely was in reality.

 

The players then wanted Stone and Caray thrown off the team charter. As broadcasters for the team, the team felt betrayed by them and that is understandable.

 

Furthermore, Stone got more sarcastic and caustic as the season wore on. It was clear he held a grudge.

 

Personally, I want no more of Stone.

 

That could of been avoiding if Mercker never called the booth in the first place. He had no right calling the booth. Shows how much Dusty didnt discipline his players. Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball for doing something like that.

[rynefan]

I say let Piniella broadcast from the dugout... do two jobs at once!

[Vinestal]

Bring back Steve Stone. I always seem to learn something when he talks. He is a very smart baseball man.

 

Be prepared for the Anti-Stone people. I also enjoy Stone but we are the minority on this board.

 

I like him as an announcer, but hate him as a decision maker. I lost a lot of respect for him with the way he went out.

 

Why because morons like Kent Mercker and Dusty Baker ran him out of town I would be bitter too if the Cubs choose a loogy over one of the best colorman in the buisness.

 

I think he acted like a classless fool with complete unprofessionalism and immaturity.

 

The Cubs should always prioritize players over an announcer. An announcer who thinks otherwise is an arrogant idiot.

 

Hmm I think the players were the arrogant idiots. Id love to have Stone back in the booth I think he's the best broadcaster we have had in my time following the team, just my opinion.

[RedIvyCub]

I was just responding to the idea that players should come first over announcers, which I totally agree with. While on the topic though, a player's thoughts of an announcer are worthless to me. And Mercker is getting "the blame" cause he was the one who was bitching about Stone, was he not?

 

And for the record, I know that Stone technically wasn't fired. It's pretty obvious, to me at least, that he was forced out though.

 

Mercker's main complaint was about a dumbass Chip Caray comment, if I remember right.

 

IIRC, Mercker's complaint was initially about Chip gushing about the grand pitching performance of Roy Oswalt in a game in which Oswalt gave up six runs. Mercker called the booth from the clubhouse to ask how in hell was Oswalt's outing such a "grand" performance.

 

Stone then leaked the information to the media and then later commented about it on the air. This pissed off Mercker as he felt the whole affair should have been left behind closed doors. The players, not just Mercker seemed betrayed by the media. The story goes, Mercker later confronted Stone about it.

 

Stone in turn once again leaked details of the confrontation to the media and in a way that made Mercker seem much more beligerent than the encounter likely was in reality.

 

The players then wanted Stone and Caray thrown off the team charter. As broadcasters for the team, the team felt betrayed by them and that is understandable.

 

Furthermore, Stone got more sarcastic and caustic as the season wore on. It was clear he held a grudge.

 

Personally, I want no more of Stone.

 

That could of been avoiding if Mercker never called the booth in the first place. He had no right calling the booth. Shows how much Dusty didnt discipline his players. Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball for doing something like that.

 

Could have been avoided altogther had Steve not stuck his nose in where it did not belong. Chip and Merck are friends from way back and it was a call between friends that unfortunately Steve overheard and decided to feed to the media.

 

And the only reason Steve seems to be such a "brilliant" baseball mind to all of you by watching on TV is because they fed him an awful lot of info to use on the air right down to knowing ALL of the signs. That is how he was able to "predict" a lot of things.

[Soul]

He must be getting signs from every team in baseball now, because he's doing the same "predictions" on the ESPN broadcasts. They aren't predictions anyway, just tidbits of info about what might come next, usually the kind that most astute baseball fans suspect anyway. Nevertheless, I enjoy listening to him.

 

Stone is clearly one of the best color commentators in the game. And yes, he is also one of the most arrogant---though I don't think his arrogance can rival Joe Morgan.

 

I agree he was wrong to leak info from player conversations. At the time, I just remember it becoming very clear through that entire ordeal that the Cubs were an unfocused, fragmented ballclub. From Mercker paying attention to the booth instead of the game, to everyone hating Sosa's admittedly tired act, to bickering about press coverage in general (not just the booth, mind you), to Dusty revealing himself as a manger who would not be able to right the ship through the tough times.......there was no doubt this team didn't have its head in the right place, or its managerial house in order.

[baseball7897]

I was just responding to the idea that players should come first over announcers, which I totally agree with. While on the topic though, a player's thoughts of an announcer are worthless to me. And Mercker is getting "the blame" cause he was the one who was bitching about Stone, was he not?

 

And for the record, I know that Stone technically wasn't fired. It's pretty obvious, to me at least, that he was forced out though.

 

Mercker's main complaint was about a dumbass Chip Caray comment, if I remember right.

 

IIRC, Mercker's complaint was initially about Chip gushing about the grand pitching performance of Roy Oswalt in a game in which Oswalt gave up six runs. Mercker called the booth from the clubhouse to ask how in hell was Oswalt's outing such a "grand" performance.

 

Stone then leaked the information to the media and then later commented about it on the air. This pissed off Mercker as he felt the whole affair should have been left behind closed doors. The players, not just Mercker seemed betrayed by the media. The story goes, Mercker later confronted Stone about it.

 

Stone in turn once again leaked details of the confrontation to the media and in a way that made Mercker seem much more beligerent than the encounter likely was in reality.

 

The players then wanted Stone and Caray thrown off the team charter. As broadcasters for the team, the team felt betrayed by them and that is understandable.

 

Furthermore, Stone got more sarcastic and caustic as the season wore on. It was clear he held a grudge.

 

Personally, I want no more of Stone.

 

That could of been avoiding if Mercker never called the booth in the first place. He had no right calling the booth. Shows how much Dusty didnt discipline his players. Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball for doing something like that.

 

Could have been avoided altogther had Steve not stuck his nose in where it did not belong. Chip and Merck are friends from way back and it was a call between friends that unfortunately Steve overheard and decided to feed to the media.

 

And the only reason Steve seems to be such a "brilliant" baseball mind to all of you by watching on TV is because they fed him an awful lot of info to use on the air right down to knowing ALL of the signs. That is how he was able to "predict" a lot of things.

 

 

Mercker should of never called the booth.

 

Let the announcers do their job, and let the players do their job.

[Omar]

I prefer Joe Morgan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, maybe not.. Steve Stone for me. He is god.

[fiver]

 

 

Mercker should of never called the booth.

 

Let the announcers do their job, and let the players do their job.

 

 

"have".... not "of"...let's repeat.."have"...not "of"

 

As an employee of WGN and/or the Cubs, Stone should have (not of) never made the details of this confrontation available to the public. I agree that Merker didn't make a great decision in calling the booth to discuss. However, Steve Stone is ultimately the one that made this an issue for his employer.

[Balsa]

No pity for Stone. I listened to his radio program this summer. Guy's a nutjob.

[BeerHere]

I think so many of us grew listening to Stoney and Harry broadcasting games that its hard to dislike the guy. On the other hand, the way he left the organization was very "Mark Grace-like" and irritated me enough for me to overlook the previous point.

 

Stoney is gone and good riddance. I'd rather have Brenly in the booth. If he gets a managerial job somewhere, then bring in the Red Baron. If not him than anyone not named Stone or Grace will do just fine.

 

Notable exception being Joe Carter

[J.R.]

Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball for doing something like that.

 

What the hell is wrong with you?

[A New Era]

Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball for doing something like that.

 

What the hell is wrong with you?

 

I would have to guess that, Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball.

[A New Era]

I think so many of us grew listening to Stoney and Harry broadcasting games that its hard to dislike the guy. On the other hand, the way he left the organization was very "Mark Grace-like" and irritated me enough for me to overlook the previous point.

 

Stoney is gone and good riddance. I'd rather have Brenly in the booth. If he gets a managerial job somewhere, then bring in the Red Baron. If not him than anyone not named Stone or Grace will do just fine.

 

Notable exception being Joe Carter

 

Yeah well no actually I do not agree. And also Mark Grace has gone on countless shows TV and radio dissing the cubs and talking smack and saying how they suck.

 

Stone has always been a cubs fan and still talks like he wants them to win. . So let's end this arguement here.

 

Stone is Chuck Norris like. .

[J.R.]

Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball for doing something like that.

 

What the hell is wrong with you?

 

I would have to guess that, Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball.

 

What?!

[Rob]

Mercker should of never called the booth.

 

Let the announcers do their job, and let the players do their job.

 

QFT, sans a minor grammar error.

 

However, I'm really not certain if the incident itself is more an indictment of Merker or Dusty. Yeah, Kent shouldn't have called the booth, but Dusty never should have allowed him to be watching the television broadcast instead of the game on the field anyways.

 

Probably a bit of fault to both of them. After those problems, Stone didn't handle himself well either... but the blame falls on the guys down in the dugout, not up in the booth.

[A New Era]

Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball for doing something like that.

 

What the hell is wrong with you?

 

I would have to guess that, Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball.

 

What?!

 

Well you don't see that as a problem? I do.

[CoolHandLuke]

 

 

Mercker should of never called the booth.

 

Let the announcers do their job, and let the players do their job.

 

 

"have".... not "of"...let's repeat.."have"...not "of"

 

As an employee of WGN and/or the Cubs, Stone should have (not of) never made the details of this confrontation available to the public. I agree that Merker didn't make a great decision in calling the booth to discuss. However, Steve Stone is ultimately the one that made this an issue for his employer.

 

=D>

 

one of my biggest pet peeves.

[rocket]

Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball for doing something like that.

 

What the hell is wrong with you?

 

I would have to guess that, Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball.

 

What?!

 

Well you don't see that as a problem? I do.

 

If he called in the middle of warming up or something, then yeah, sure. But if he's already in the clubhouse, who cares?

 

It should have been a non-story from the beginning. But Stone's a little too sensitive for that.