Commenting on the commentators: Diane Pucin analyzes the TBS telecast of Game 3 between the Angels and Red Sox
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No Neil?
I’m an avid Neil Diamond fan -- yes, I am and proud of it -- and so was a bit disappointed that TBS didn’t show Fenway fans doing their Sweet Caroline singing. So if there’s anyone else who wishes we’d seen that (because we won’t any more this season), here’s a Boston rendition.
Fenway face
It’s stunning how quickly a place can go silent, a place where only moments before the green walls were shaking and a guy in a blue jacket was almost interfering with the Boston catcher, then patting him on the back and it was just a big party. Now? Nothing.
12:55 p.m.
Figgins face
Is it jet lag? Confusion? Close up of Chone Figgins face on that strikeout shows a man who seems both aimless and baffled. Expressions can tell us a lot.
11:37 a.m.
Where’s the ball?
Well-placed replay showing how the ball is bright white when it leaves the pitchers’ hand in the sun here in the top of the seventh and about halfway to home plate, it disappears into the shadows. Oh, and Chone Figgins did just check his swing here. Thanks replay.
11:34 a.m.
Low ball it’s not
On the latest J.D. Drew home run, analyst Buck Martinez said Drew hit a low ball. PitchTrax showed what the rest of us saw -- a ball high in the strike zone. In other words, a perfect ball to hit long.
10:40 a.m.
Late on calls
Announcers can help us when the team on the road is batting because you’re not going to get that big roar when, say, Kendry Morales of the Angels is hitting a home run in Boston. By the monotone voices of Don Orsillo and Buck Martinez it was hard immediately to know that Kendry’s ball was long gone.
Nice big strike zone
Nice big strike zone so far at Fenway. Way bigger than the TBS PitchTrax strike zone. Juan Rivera would prefer PitchTraxzone.
Don’t run, don’t run
Good pick up by Buck Martinez of Angels coach shouting at Bobby Abreu, ‘Don’t run, don’t run,’ as Abreu runs to second and is safe. Play-by-play guy Don Orsillo: ‘Swing and miss for Guerrero, which he is wont to do.: Angels fans have heard that a lot this season.
Baseball in early morning
Need Starbucks badly. Grande iced latte please if anyone is delivering.
You can follow Mike Penner’s inning-by-inning updates for Game 3 here.