Comments on: Rangers fire play-by-play announcer John Rhadigan after two months on the job

By: 27xwschamps

27xwschamps — Fri, 27 May 2011 06:43:19 +0000

This guy “sucked” and I’m a NYY fan living in the 512..Let’s go YANKEES !!! G ot rings???? We have 27 !!!! Boo ya !!!

By: cjasfenton

cjasfenton — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:56:59 +0000

I grew up listening to Rhadigan do the sports reporting for the local NBC channel, and really thought he’d be okay doing PBP. Turns out the “local guy getting the big break” story wasn’t really all that great. I can’t count the number of times he forgot how many outs there were or had to restart thoughts because he got his tongue twisted around his teeth. I like the guy, but PBP wasn’t his thing.

And what’s with all the Lewin love? I couldn’t stand that guy. He was like the nerdy little brother that won’t leave you alone.

By: gostros19

gostros19 — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:34:34 +0000

John Rhadigan was by far the WORST play by play announcer I have ever listened to. One thing that always pissed me off about him was how he would always call each player by their first name like he knew them personally. (Michael, Ian, Josh, Elvus, and the worst, Nelly.) Tom Grieve isnt any better at this gig either. Good Lord listening to these two is painful. Rhadigan was probably the most unprofessional announcer in the broadcasting world.

By: kellyb9

kellyb9 — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:32:58 +0000

Truth be told, I can’t stand him either. However, I heard him on the radio the one day talking to those guys. He actually has a ton of insight. It’s really amazing, it was like day and night listening to him. I’d prefer that he tried to call the baseball game rather than try to entertain. Thats why you have color commentators.

By: roycethebaseballhack

roycethebaseballhack — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:27:47 +0000

I’m with you, Cardgage. I was all for giving the guy a little time to get his feet wet, but his PbP really was dreadful. John’s been around the DFW area for a while – I had no idea he had no baseball PbP experience. It makes sense now, though.
But really – who’s the idiot, here…?
John Rhadigan, trying to ‘learn’ how to do play by play, live, with the standing AL Champion..?
Or…
The Rangers Guy who tossed the loved and admired Josh Lewin, in the first damned place???
This move by the Rangers caught everyone off-guard.

By: dlevalley

dlevalley — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:18:15 +0000

Seriously. How many great minor league/college announcers are there that would just kill for this job? And it’s not like it’s a market where there is a lot of cost considerations. I bet most the minor league guys are getting paid pennies.

In fact, the guy who did play-by-play for the Portland Beavers was just let go last winter when the team was moved. I’ve only heard him call a couple of games, but by all accounts he was great…

By: Senor Cardgage

Senor Cardgage — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:48:13 +0000

Oh wow. I mean, I thought he was horrible—so much that I watched games with the sound off—but I never thought he’d get fired. I just didn’t think that was done.

For me, it didn’t matter how much time you gave him, because the problem ran deeper than what he was saying, but rather how it sounded. Put simply, he has an grating play-by-play voice. It’s gravely. He practically growls when he gets excited, and given that the important plays are the exciting ones, this is not a good combination.

He always seemed like a nice enough guy, so I’m sorry it didn’t work out for him, but this is definitely the right decision.

By: halladaysbicepts

halladaysbicepts — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:47:37 +0000

Yeah, listening to Sarge analyst abilities at Phillies’ games is just bad. He earned the nickname Sergeant Obvious for his useless commentary. I would have fired him long ago.

As a side note, a Phillies fan just ran on the field and did a McNabb air guitar impersonation. Priceless.

By: uberfatty

uberfatty — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:44:44 +0000

jokes are generally funny. your comment, as has become the norm, was crass and unfunny.

By: yankeesfanlen

yankeesfanlen — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:44:37 +0000

If that were true, someone would have been gone twenty years and two radio stations ago. But I like him anyway, and that’s what counts!

By: sportsdrenched

sportsdrenched — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:42:19 +0000

I’m all for giving people time to adjust to their jobs. But he had no PbP experience? And he got an MLB gig?

No wonder it didn’t work out. At least hire a guy who’s called HS Football or something.

By: halladaysbicepts

halladaysbicepts — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:42:04 +0000

It’s called making a little joke. Take your own advise earlier you made to me and “lighten up Francis.”

By: deathmonkey41

deathmonkey41 — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:40:37 +0000

After having to listen to Sarge during Phillies games, I didn’t think it was possible to be fired for terrible play by play ability. He just made the comment that it was better to be on the winning side. His insight is staggering.

By: halladaysbicepts

halladaysbicepts — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:40:07 +0000

Seriously, how bad could this guy have been to have been fired after less than two months? LOL!!!

Does anyone have audio on this guy?

By: uberfatty

uberfatty — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:38:43 +0000

go away

By: thekingdave

thekingdave — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:37:21 +0000

That dude sucked on Fox Sports Southwest as well.

By: isdtyrant

isdtyrant — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:27:48 +0000

That’s the way play-by-play go.

By: halladaysbicepts

halladaysbicepts — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:22:09 +0000

“Rhadigan was pretty shaky early on in what was his first play-by-play gig”

Shaky is right! Rumor has it that he was caught pounding some beers with Josh Hamilton in the basement of the ballpark after games.

By: klwillis45

klwillis45 — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:22:07 +0000

So giving someone with zero PBP experience a MLB lead announcer job worked out badly? Who’d of thunk?

By: benyamen

benyamen — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:22:01 +0000

I think that was more because he was a thoughtless, offensive, blow-hard than that he just sucked at his job.

By: poorwalt

poorwalt — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:18:16 +0000

Does Dibble count? He got the axe in early September of 2010 if I remember correctly…