McCarver And Buck, Mathematicians They Are Not

Wednesday, October 17, 2007


Many sites have mentioned last night's McCarverism regarding leadoff walks and homers. If you haven't here is the excerpt via LBMS, Boiled Sports.....

"You would think that a leadoff walk would lead to more big innings than a leadoff home run. But we've done the research and it turns out that more big innings have come from leadoff home runs than leadoff walks."- Tim McCarver
Wow. That's honestly like me telling you that Spiderman announced the 1996 Final Four. Would you really trust me as a pundit of announcing? You would never (independent blog or not). Well that's not the only genius McCarver has bestowed upon us. How about in regards to Tim Wakefield's Knuckler (Via 100 Percent IR)
"One thing Francona was telling us before the game is that a knuckleball is so light, that if you make crisp contact with it, it will fly."- Tim McCarver
Wow....that's really insightful! Well crap what can you get right Tim? Matsuzake's number of pitches??? (Via Strike Zones and End Zones)
"When a catcher has to use his thumb to give signs, that means the pitcher has more than four pitches."- Tim McCarver
Oh, well that at least kind of makes sense....no matter how obvious it is.......
"Or five...more than five"- Joe Buck
"Has more than four..."- Tim McCarver
"Oh yeah, you're right."- Joe Buck
Dammit Buck! He was actually trying to make some sense!!! Let little Timmy try out his new talent of counting on one hand.

McCarver Inching Closer Toward Kindergarten Graduation (Lord, Beer Me The Strength)
Tim McCarver Does Research (Boiled Sports)
Terry Francona needs some help with physics (100 Percent Injury Rate)
Who's On First? (Strike Zones and End Zones)

Posted by Awful Announcing- at 9:10 PM

17 Comments:

I am glad I don't watch baseball. It would be painful to have to watch crap like that.

Oct 17, 2007, 10:16:00 PM  

How is this stupid bastard on tv? I agree I'm glad I'm not watching this either. I had enough of him during the year and in last year's playoffs.

Anonymous said...
Oct 17, 2007, 10:18:00 PM  

firejoemorgan.com had the most brilliant commentary on this very topic earlier this year, the first time Tim shared that, ahem, astounding research with the viewers.

Leadoff home runs do actually lead to more multi-run innings.

Seriously. The definitive commentary. Read it, it's hilarious: firejoemorgan.com

Tom said...
Oct 17, 2007, 10:43:00 PM  

On SportsCenter, Steve Phillips offered his insight on how the Red Sox can come back. What he said:

1. Hit better
2. Pitch better.

Not in those words, but that was pretty much it. And people wonder why Baseball Tonight in its current rendition is bad.

Anonymous said...
Oct 17, 2007, 11:33:00 PM  

He is a conundrum encapsulated within a riddle.

E Buzz said...
Oct 18, 2007, 4:52:00 AM  

Tim was a greater baseball player, with the world series Cardinals & as Lefty's catcher with the Phillies. I have liked his announcing back to his days w/the Mets in the 80's. He loves & respects the game of baseball (watch his show) he doesn't look for controversey on every play (see Al Michaels) and, God bless him, he believes in brevity.

Anonymous said...
Oct 18, 2007, 8:12:00 AM  

The positives outweigh the negatives.

E Buzz said...
Oct 18, 2007, 9:14:00 AM  

Somebody please tell Timmy that they agree with him, even if they don't, or I fear he will make this topic his personal crusade. This is the 3rd time in the last month+ of this season he has discussed this topic on air.

Anonymous said...
Oct 18, 2007, 10:31:00 AM  

Don't make Joe Morgan break out the abacus.

Jarrett said...
Oct 18, 2007, 10:39:00 AM  

You would think that saying something stupid like this would bet Tim Mcarver fired. But we've done the research and it turns out that McCarver will keep his announcing job until the rapture.

Max Wass said...
Oct 18, 2007, 10:40:00 AM  

I can't WAIT for that Joe Buck late night show!!!

GMoney said...
Oct 18, 2007, 10:53:00 AM  

So Joe, does your hand have four or five fingers? Is that up for debate?

Maybe he was being smug and smarmy...

If the catcher has four fingers, that still means that he can have more than four pitches. Jeezus Christ. Do they use one finger for identifying each pitch?

Can a pitcher actually have more than four pitches?

My head hurts worse than it did when I was learning modern physics.

E Buzz said...
Oct 18, 2007, 11:15:00 AM  

Well if Antonio Alfonseca becomes a catcher, then the possibilities are endless!

Max Wass said...
Oct 18, 2007, 12:11:00 PM  

That's an awful rug on Joe.

Oct 18, 2007, 4:14:00 PM  

I think my favorite all-time McCarverism is when he explained that the knob on the end of the bat is there so when a batter swings is doesn't fly out of his hands.

Or may it was when he said Roy Oswalt is a drop & drive pitcher because he drops...then drives.

Anonymous said...
Oct 18, 2007, 5:53:00 PM  

zoner, I don't know if McCarver can ever top his comment about Derek Jeter's "calm eyes"...

mike said...
Oct 18, 2007, 8:00:00 PM  

Was anyone as bored as I was with Buck's Game one of World Series announcing? Do these guys prepare? There were no crowd shots by the camera or human interest snatches during the game itself. What a plodding and monotone voice. Mr. Excitement - not.

John H. said...
Oct 29, 2009, 12:22:00 AM  

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