anyone else underwhelmed by Paul Keels?

[GADawg]

I TiVo the games so I'm rarely a part of the game threads but I'm curious what the general feeling is. He obviously has a great broadcasting voice but makes a ton of mistakes. " Herm Winningham didn't get an official AB because of a fielder's choice"??? " And the 1-2 pitch is low...1 and 3." I had to rewind on that one 'cause I thought the tequila had gone straight to my bloodstream.

[Joseph]

No disrespect intended, but when you are left longing for the saccharin sweet that was George Grande you know there is something wrong.

He's living proof that it takes a little more than being a baseball fan to be a baseball broadcaster.

[GADawg]

No disrespect intended, but when you are left longing for the saccharin sweet that was George Grande you know there is something wrong.

He's living proof that it takes a little more than being a baseball fan to be a baseball broadcaster.

that was very well said....poetic even....and I'm not even being sarcastic for once! I think you pretty much summed up what I've been thinking the last couple of weeks.

[Scrap Irony]

Keels? Great voice. Nothing to say.

I much prefer Thom.

[Big Klu]

I would much rather have Jim Kelch as the substitute for Thom Brennaman than Paul Keels, with whom I have been less than impressed. Like you said, he seems to make a lot of mistakes.

Of course, Kelch is also the substitute for Marty Brennaman on the radio side, and both Marty and Thom were absent this weekend. I wonder if there was some sort of Brennaman family function.

[11larkin11]

I think he's getting better. He obviously knows alot about baseball and the Reds, and he's starting to get more excited about plays.

Its a transition for Paul too, remember. He's been on radio basically his whole life, and now he doesn't have to explain every little thing to paint a picture, he just have to give more background.

[Caveat Emperor]

I like Jim Kelch quite a bit -- distinctive voice and good baseball knowledge. I'd have him as my everyday pairing with Chris Welsh on the TV side of things.

Keels? I can take him or leave him.

[REDblooded]

He reads fly balls like a Cubs fan...

[Blitz Dorsey]

Keels' insight consists of humming, "Umm hmmm" after Welsh says something. Keels broadcasts as if he's trying to put the listener/viewer to sleep. No passion for the game, very dry ... all he has going for him is good pipes.

But as terrible as he is, he's still an upgrade over George Grande.

[BCubb2003]

I do like Chris Welsh this year. His analysis isn't perfect, but he seems to be consistently ahead of the action, pointing out something that then happens.

[alexad]

Paul is an awesome basketball and football announcer for The Ohio State Buckeyes. Not a good baseball broadcaster. But atleast I was able to stomach the entire Cardinals series because I did not have George showing his man love for the entire Cardinals organization. I actually thought I was listening to a Reds broadcast.

[alexad]

Even though Paul is not the best, he is a baseball fan and you can tell it with his broadcast. Nothing with a lot of flash, but I can tell he loves the game. He has some great stories and knowledge of the game.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Paul is an awesome basketball and football announcer for The Ohio State Buckeyes. Not a good baseball broadcaster. But atleast I was able to stomach the entire Cardinals series because I did not have George showing his man love for the entire Cardinals organization. I actually thought I was listening to a Reds broadcast.

Keels is terrible on OSU football (completely unprepared, no passion, several mistakes, couldn't be more dry and boring) but is pretty solid doing OSU basketball games. Basketball is clearly his wheelhouse.

I have probably heard Keels more than anyone on this board if I had to guess. I knew Reds fans wouldn't like him (at least the majority). But I still say he's better than George "Goody Two Shoes" Grande.

But there is no question about it: Thom needs to do as many games as possible and Kelch needs to have a bigger role. Kelch is a pro's pro -- a rising star.

[Captain Hook]

Keels is terrible on OSU football (completely unprepared, no passion, several mistakes, couldn't be more dry and boring) but is pretty solid doing OSU basketball games. Basketball is clearly his wheelhouse.

I have probably heard Keels more than anyone on this board if I had to guess. I knew Reds fans wouldn't like him (at least the majority). But I still say he's better than George "Goody Two Shoes" Grande.

But there is no question about it: Thom needs to do as many games as possible and Kelch needs to have a bigger role. Kelch is a pro's pro -- a rising star.

I've herd Keels a bunch as well and also have listened to him to a few times filling in on the local sports radio talk shows.I'm really not aware of him ever doing baseball although I'm sure he must have some experience to land a gig with the Reds.Hopefully he gets better as things go on.I've always thought of him as a pretty decent radio guy for the Buckeyes.He does seem more knowledgeable then some are giving for credit for being.

[Hoosier Red]

I would much rather have Jim Kelch as the substitute for Thom Brennaman than Paul Keels, with whom I have been less than impressed. Like you said, he seems to make a lot of mistakes.

Of course, Kelch is also the substitute for Marty Brennaman on the radio side, and both Marty and Thom were absent this weekend. I wonder if there was some sort of Brennaman family function.

Marty was accepting his Ohio Sportscaster of the year award.

I think Keels deep baritone and even keel(no pun intended) works well in football where there is less dead time and more actual action to describe. I have a feeling the mistakes are part of not calling a baseball game in a long time and hopefully he'll work those out.

[cincrazy]

I never had a problem with Grande and his "man love" for the Cardinals. The fact of the matter is, that's a very, very good franchise. And for the last decade, we've sucked. He should be praising the Cardinals, they've been doing things the way the Reds SHOULD be doing them.

[Blitz Dorsey]

I never had a problem with Grande and his "man love" for the Cardinals. The fact of the matter is, that's a very, very good franchise. And for the last decade, we've sucked. He should be praising the Cardinals, they've been doing things the way the Reds SHOULD be doing them.

He was WAY over the top about it and sometimes if you didn't know better, you would think he was the announcer for the Reds' opponent instead of being the Reds' announcer. I don't need a complete homer, but I don't need someone who goes out of his way to be impartial when he's supposed to be the "voice of the Reds."

But it was way more than that with Grande. He would never be critical, even when even the most-Polyanna broadcaster would say something negative. Listening to him make everything out to be milk and cookies was quite annoying. And for a guy that was around baseball his entire life, he didn't seem to have a high baseball IQ. There would be a runner on 2nd with one out, the batter would ground out and there would then be a runner on 3rd with two outs. Grande would say, "He got the job done moving the runner over." Uh, no he didn't George. That is only when there are no outs/runner on second, and then due to a groundout there is a runner on third with one out. It was little things like that. Grande was beyond horrible IMO and even a guy like Keels who is way out of his league doing MLB games is an upgrade over him.

[cincrazy]

He was WAY over the top about it and sometimes if you didn't know better, you would think he was the announcer for the Reds' opponent instead of being the Reds' announcer. I don't need a complete homer, but I don't need someone who goes out of his way to be impartial when he's supposed to be the "voice of the Reds."

But it was way more than that with Grande. He would never be critical, even when even the most-Polyanna broadcaster would say something negative. Listening to him make everything out to be milk and cookies was quite annoying. And for a guy that was around baseball his entire life, he didn't seem to have a high baseball IQ. There would be a runner on 2nd with one out, the batter would ground out and there would then be a runner on 3rd with two outs. Grande would say, "He got the job done moving the runner over." Uh, no he didn't George. That is only when there are no outs/runner on second, and then due to a groundout there is a runner on third with one out. It was little things like that. Grande was beyond horrible IMO and even a guy like Keels who is way out of his league doing MLB games is an upgrade over him.

Look, I agree with some of your criticism. I didn't like the fact that he was rarely critical. And yeah, sometimes he would say ignorant things that made you want to bash your head against the wall. But how many announcers do that? Virtually all of them, even Joe Morgan, who's a Hall of Famer for crying out loud. George Grande, IMO, called a good game. Paul Keels, on the other hand, is painful to listen to.

Just my opinion :).

[BCubb2003]

I liked George Grande's pacing of the game but he did lay on the Cardinals a little too much. I think he was trying to do the Vin Scully thing of telling us all about these out-of-town guys but really, we'd seen enough of them. I like the points Thom makes, but he tends to get preachy. And he can go a whole inning on Brantley's fried chicken.

[Unassisted]

I've listened to Keels some on Internet broadcasts of Buckeye football. He's just OK, IMO. I wasn't excited to hear he'd been added to the Reds' rotating cast of 1000 announcers.

I still miss Bob Conners doing PBP on Buckeye games, and his station hasn't had the broadcasts since around 1990.

[Chip R]

Keels bores me. Great voice but his voice is the same no matter what happens.

[Tornon]

I throw mini-parties in my apartment when Keels can get through an inning without making a mistake

And the only thing that bugged me about Kelch listening to him doing TV this week.. every time he'd make a statement about a player or something about the game, he'd turn to Chris Welsh and ask "right?" I guess that does let Chris correct any mistakes he might have made.. but it still wore on me a little

[TheNext44]

I think he's getting better. He obviously knows alot about baseball and the Reds, and he's starting to get more excited about plays.

Its a transition for Paul too, remember. He's been on radio basically his whole life, and now he doesn't have to explain every little thing to paint a picture, he just have to give more background.

Excellent points.

I was underwhelmed by Keels at first, and made a few jokes in the game threads about his lackluster approach. But in this Cardinal series, he really made a lot of improvements, and was much more passionate with his play calling.

I'm starting to like his stories about games and players from the past. He really knows a lot about Reds history and clearly has been a fan his whole life.

I'm willing to wait a few more months before forming any solid opinion on him.

[Ron Madden]

He's no where near the best I've ever heard but I don't think he's as bad as this thread makes him out to be.

[VR]

meh. That's the overwhelming response I've had.

[Mainspark]

Reminds me of a golf announcer, speaking in hushed tones as a putt is approaching the cup.

[Bill]

I warned about the mistakes in the thread where he was named. Anyone whom listens to Buckeye games is familiar with his miscues.

[Ron Madden]

If this Club and it's fanbase would be half as concerned with the talent in the dugout as they are about the talent in the broadcast booth, things just might change for the better here in Reds Country.

[Unassisted]

If this Club and it's fanbase would be half as concerned with the talent in the dugout as they are about the talent in the broadcast booth, things just might change for the better here in Reds Country.Are we reading the same board? At least 90% of the ORG threads have gripes about the talent on the field! :confused:

Many of us won't make it to a game this year. (My excuse for that is living 1,000 miles away from Cincinnati.) We who don't go to games primarily experience the Reds through broadcast media. That's why we also care about the performances in the booth and the spelling in John Fay's tweets.

[Ron Madden]

Are we reading the same board? At least 90% of the ORG threads have gripes about the talent on the field! :confused:

Many of us won't make it to a game this year. (My excuse for that is living 1,000 miles away from Cincinnati.) We who don't go to games primarily experience the Reds through broadcast media. That's why we also care about the performances in the booth.

Sorry. Didn't mean to offend you or anyone else my main point was for Ownership and the front office to be a bit more concerned with the on field talent.

[jmcclain19]

I just thought he was alright. Nothing spectacular but that was to be expected. I apparently have always been in the minority of enjoying George Grande's commentating.

I honestly underestimated how much I equated George's voice with Reds baseball until this season when I'm not hearing it on a nightly basis.

And Welch has really been better the last couple of seasons. He's by far my favorite Reds broadcaster right now.

[GAC]

Like Kelch. Keels reminds me too much of Jim Dial (Murphy Brown)

http://www.facebook.com/profile/pic.php?uid=AAAAAQAQjpz-30Z2cgVcUzQiV6kC3QAAAAoILEkBCpubIycB_leHKu3Y

[Roy Tucker]

Generally speaking, I go on what I see on TV and the guy talking doesn't matter all that much.

Keels has a good voice and seems intelligent, but sometimes I'm like "uh, are you paying attention?". But they could do a lot worse than Keels.

[Ghosts of 1990]

Did he really say Herm Winningham? That's kind of unacceptable if he did.

[lollipopcurve]

I thought he got better in St. Louis.

But the moments when he and Welsh think they've gotten downright hilarious.... pretty painful.

[RichRed]

I thought he got better in St. Louis.

But the moments when he and Welsh think they've gotten downright hilarious.... pretty painful.

Speaking of which, can we call a moratorium on the following from baseball announcers:

1) References to partner's golf game, esp. in relation to the baseball game. "That hit looked like one of your 9-irons."

2) References to partner's frugality. "He really short-armed that one. Looked like you reaching for the check at dinner last night."

Enough hilarity already.

[TeamBoone]

Most everyone here is ALWAYS overly critical of the tv commentators, no matter who it is. He's an extremely knowledgeable man and I applaud him for his recall. As Chris is always saying... "how did you come up with that?".

[Blitz Dorsey]

Is Keels a pretty bad announcer?

"Absatively."

[Razor Shines]

Did he really say Herm Winningham? That's kind of unacceptable if he did.

Yeah, he said Herm Winningham, but that wasn't the mistake GA Dawg was referring to, I don't think. He was talking about a game in the past and apparently he said Herm "didn't get an official AB because of a fielder's choice." I believe that's the mistake that GAdawg was referring to.

I don't believe he's referred to any of the current Reds as "Herm Winningham" by mistake.