Scott,

For starters, allow me to thank you for taking the time for reading this. I am sure you are a busy man. But, I feel I must express my displeasure with the decision to use Tom McCarthy as the television play by play announcer. Before you dismiss my opinion as a knee jerk reaction to Harry's passing and feeling that no one can live up to his legendary calls, I can unequivocally say that I disliked Tom's announcing previous to Harry's death.

I think Tom has a great deep broadcasting voice and technically does a good job with announcing. He would actually make a fine national broadcaster, like for Fox or ESPN. However, I just feel that he doesn't root for the Phillies and doesn't show enough support for our team. Too many times I have felt that his calls of opposing teams' home runs or good plays are overzealous. I don't expect him to be boring and lackadaisical but his calls for all teams are equally excited. He also seems to go gaga over other teams' players like Jorge Cantu and David Wright. While they are fine players and I would like to hear more information about them I also don't want to have their accomplishments thrown in my face over and over again.

Please understand, I don't think the Phillies' broadcast should have super fans gushing over every thing that they do and some objectivity needs to injected into the broadcasts. However, I find that Tom is well... too impartial. I want a guy in the booth that roots for the Phillies. I know that Harry was once a big Senators fan just like McCarthy is a Mets fan and he also broadcasted previously for the Astros but he came to love our team and was part of it. I just don't think that Tom will become a fellow fan and solely views this as a job.

What lead me to believe this is that his description of where Elijah Dukes' monster home run last night landed was "Mike Piazza territory". While I don't think he would be audacious enough to try and rename Ashburn Alley after a Met (whether he hailed from Norristown or not), he showed his rooting interest by ignoring the fact that Ryan Howard has hit several homers there as well. Sure, Mike Piazza is a future hall of fame player who hit some monster shots in his time. But, he only hit 2 home runs in his career at CBP and if he hit one into the alley then it just shows that it's something that he remembers instead of the monster shots that Howard had there. His true colors showed in that description.

I suppose I have fallen victim to hyperbole in this email. But if you can't overreact being a fan then when can you? I think I will have to put my TV on mute from now on and listen to Larry and Scott instead. I find their broadcast much more enjoyable.

Thanks for taking my opinion in consideration.

Trent Steele wrote:Whether or not his reference was factually accurate is almost irrelevant. The fact that he doesn't understand the instantaneous negative reaction that such a reference will cause tells you all you need to know about his instincts as a broadcaster. Combined with his Guy Smiley modulation and fake laugh, he's brutal.

bleh wrote:

Monkeyboy wrote:sent this. Not a great letter, but what do you want at 3am?

Dear Mr Palmer,

First, I want to thank you in advance for reading my letter. I really believe the Phillies have done an excellent job in recent seasons responding to the fans and making us feel like we are a part of the organization. I normally don't write letters like this, but feel compelled to do so after last night's fantastic comeback against the Nationals. The fact that I am writing this despite my happiness about the game's outcome with hopefully indicate to you how much I am bothered with this issue.

During the game, Dukes hit a HR for the Nationals onto Ashburn Alley. There's no getting around the fact that it was a titanic blast, one of the farthest hit in CBP's history. Unfortunately, Tom McCarthy chose this time to rename Ashburn Alley, Mike Piazza Territory (nevermind that Ryan Howard has also hit balls to that part of the park), and did so with such joy in his voice that I couldn't tell he was a Phillies announcer. While annoying, this fact by itself wouldn't warrant this letter. I am writing because this call is not an isolated incident. Throughout his time in Philadelphia, McCarthy has routinely expressed equal or greater excitement to opposing teams' HRs and good plays. I have MLBTV and I sometimes rewind all the HRs to listen to the calls. McCarthy doesn't seem to realize that he is a Phillies announcer and no longer works for the Mets. Renaming an area of CBP named after one of the most beloved people in Philadelphia history is a slap in the face to Phillies fans everywhere. I find this unacceptable and I know I am not alone in feeling this way. It's not surprising that McCarthy should have a soft spot for the Mets. They were his favorite team growing up and it's difficult for those feelings to fade. But he has been with the Phillies for several years and he still doesn't seem to have the Phillies in his heart.

My one concern in writing this letter is that you will think it has something to do with Harry's passing. We all loved and miss Harry, but my disdain for Tom McCarthy has nothing to do with our loss. I have felt this way for two years, but I didn't want to write after last year because I felt it would seem silly complaining after a world championship. I also hoped being a part of the championship would finally turn McCarthy's blood from Mets blue to Phillies red. It's clear that hasn't happened. Please consider replacing McCarthy after this season. The fans of Philadelphia deserve a broadcast crew that loves the team as much as they do. I cannot stomach the idea of Tom McCarthy becoming the voice of the Phillies for a generation.

Thank you for your time and GO PHILLIES!!!!!

This just sounds petty (and rambling). You should focus on the fact that he's a horrible announcer, which is actual grounds for him being dismissed and more obvious, not that he's supposedly a Mets fan.

ek wrote:this was just brought up on WIP and gargano thinks LA and Franske will be on TV next year

mozartpc27 wrote:

ek wrote:this was just brought up on WIP and gargano thinks LA and Franske will be on TV next year

That was me who called about it.

ek wrote:oh sweet! you sounded well informed. good job

Andrew Grant wrote:It is obvious speaking with McCarthy that being in the press box for Mets games is a dream come true, and it didn't hurt that the team made a serious run at the World Series.

"Going to the postseason this year is the one thing that really stood out … Seeing what the postseason is like, that to me was and is the topper of all toppers," he said. "It's the brightest stage."

McCarthy said that his other most notable memories in the broadcast booth were calling his first major-league game and watching Princeton's men's basketball team upset UCLA in the 1996 NCAA tournament. He also noted the thrill of meeting his baseball heroes that he had growing up, including Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling, members of the 1986 Mets championship team who currently work as analysts for Mets games on television.

Andrew Grant wrote:As a Mets fan, McCarthy was disappointed with the way the season ended. The Mets, defeated by the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series, fell one win shy of a trip to the World Series.

"Even with the injuries, I felt that this team really had all the pieces," he said. He predicted that the offseason will bring a lot of changes for the pitching staff, and that the team will have a new second baseman and leftfielder by the start of the 2007 season.

Grotewold wrote:I don't care about McCarthy one way or another, but what confuses me is so many of you who hate him for being a Mets fan also hate Wheeler, maybe the world's biggest Phillies fan.

mozartpc27 wrote:Turns out, Mets fans hated him too. Check out the comments section on this blog post from 2007, when Tom McCarthy left the Mets to return to the Phillies:

http://www.metsblog.com/2007/11/27/news ... -phillies/

Maybe he should find work in an entirely different league and division - we could give him to the Rangers, for example, as the ATBNL (Announce to be Named Later) in the Scott Franzke deal.

jerseyhoya wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:Turns out, Mets fans hated him too. Check out the comments section on this blog post from 2007, when Tom McCarthy left the Mets to return to the Phillies:

http://www.metsblog.com/2007/11/27/news ... -phillies/

Maybe he should find work in an entirely different league and division - we could give him to the Rangers, for example, as the ATBNL (Announce to be Named Later) in the Scott Franzke deal.

It seems Mets fans liked him a lot more than we do if those comments are any indication.