John Sadak, Barry Larkin, AND Chris Welsh

[Ironman92]

This article states that the three-man booth was exclusive to Opening Day.

http://wvxu.org/post/barry-larkin-jo...ew-era-reds-tv

Larkin will work all home games, Brantley will work 25 road games on TV, and Welsh will work the rest. Welsh will do color on the radio side when Brantley is away from the radio booth and Welsh will contribute to the pregame show on select home games unlike he has in years past.


Larkin embarrassed himself on Saturday's show open when he commented that he remembered playing against Adam Wainwright. It turned out he retired before Wainwright made it to the Big Leagues. Oops. Barry should not have made this comment in the open if he didn't check beforehand. Rookie mistake. Hopefully Barry starts preparing for broadcasts. It was obvious Thom minimally prepared for broadcasts.

I thought he said that in a joking manner trying to elude to how long Wainright had been around.

[westofyou]

I thought he said that in a joking manner trying to elude to how long Wainright had been around.

Wainwright was a big Braves prospect in 2003, he also was with the Cardinals camp all 2004, pitched 7 innings in ST, That was Barry's last year, so chances are good he heard a lot about him that year, maybe saw him throw, unsure if he batted against him, but they did play in FLA at the same time and if mis remembering something like that after facing 992 pitchers in regular season MLB is embarrassing then that's setting the bar pretty high IMO

[Tom Servo]

Yeah Barry said he probably faced Wainwright on a backfield somewhere in spring training.

[RED VAN HOT]

For now, I'm enjoying Larkin. He's giving a player's perspective on events.

[pedro]

The “Red Sparrow” nonsense needs to stop. I’ll me

[cincinnati chili]

Liked Barry better in game 3. Enjoyed when he talked about why he was challenged by tall over-the-top pitchers and small-picture details like that. He's a smart dude. I think that, as long as he doesn't get bored with the gig he's going to get better and better.

[Red Buckeye]

I have been enjoying Sadak and Larkin a lot. I like Welch a bunch as well but Sadak's enthusiasm, even if it is a little forced at times, is still a welcome change from Potty Mouth Thom. Thom's whining was irritating, Marty's was funny.

Larkin isn't great but he's good and I guess I just like having one of the most beloved Reds of all time calling games. Feels like more positivity between the excited John and the been-there-done-that Barry.

[JFLegal]

The “Red Sparrow” nonsense needs to stop. I’ll me

no, that needs to continue.

[forfreelin04]

The Red Sparrow works. I dig it for India.

Larkin is not great. He spent three minutes bemoaning a Reds shift. The shift worked perfectly, and they turned a double play. I thought that was really funny. It was like the analytics literally proved him wrong.

[Wheelhouse]

What's up with Barry and the Manfred decision? He, or Manfred, did not mention one item in the law that they disapprove of. Barry treated it as if it was a given the the Georgia law inhibits voting rights. That's a huge assumption on the part of Barry and the Commissioner. What happened to going to court if you disapprove of a law? This is all insane.

[cincinnati chili]

What's up with Barry and the Manfred decision? He, or Manfred, did not mention one item in the law that they disapprove of. Barry treated it as if it was a given the the Georgia law inhibits voting rights. That's a huge assumption on the part of Barry and the Commissioner. What happened to going to court if you disapprove of a law? This is all insane.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed in opposition to the law. https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/03/30/...new-voting-law

I admit that I might have missed some of what Barry said. What I remember him emphasizing was the fact that Rob Manfred used the word "I" rather than "the owners" or "We" with respect to the decision to move the all-star game and draft out of Georgia. The reason I remember that is because I thought Barry was wrong. But I looked it up, and he was right. Manfred said "I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year's All-Star Game and MLB draft."

Whether you favor the decision or not, I thought that was an interesting observation. I've since read the Athletic (Evan Drelich) article about this [April 2, subscription required]. Indeed, Manfred did not poll all of the owners about this. He consulted an 8-owner executive committee, the players' association, corporate sponsors, etc. I don't know how personally troubled Manfred is by the voting law. But apparently, he thought that harm to his sport was so inevitable if they kept the game in Georgia, that he went out on a limb and acted swiftly and semi-unilaterally. According to Drelich's article, a major concern was his belief that key players were going to boycott unless they moved the game. Personally, I also think he saw this as low-lying fruit for something that he and the players could go in on together right before the CBA was going to expire, given that commissioner/union are diametrically opposed on so many other issues.

[Sea Ray]

probably just an opening day thing. if you noticed, welsh was even in a different area than sadak and larkin. i would imagine most games (if not all games from now on) will have a 2-man booth. sometimes sadak/welsh, sometimes sadak/larkin. and when we're lucky, sadak/brantley. brantley is so good as a color broadcaster on tv. that's his wheelhouse. no one seems to realize it.

It does appear that Larkin has pushed Welsh aside for home games. I'd have to think Welsh isn't too pleased about that

[Sea Ray]

What's up with Barry and the Manfred decision? He, or Manfred, did not mention one item in the law that they disapprove of. Barry treated it as if it was a given the the Georgia law inhibits voting rights. That's a huge assumption on the part of Barry and the Commissioner. What happened to going to court if you disapprove of a law? This is all insane.

Barry did not handle that subject very well. He just kinda went with the flow and assumed everyone approved on Manfred's decision. Were I in the booth, I would have taken a practical, non political side like this:

By taking a side in this political Georgian issue, the Commissioner's office has alienated half of America. Why would he want to do that? All he had to do was say as a sport we wish to stay out of politics and concentrate on our sport so we're not going to take a stand one way or another. Instead folks like Barry are just assuming that everyone hates the Georgia law. I don't know if Americans outside of Georgia even know much about the law but American polled have said for yrs that they like voter ID laws.

[Mutaman]

I don't know if Americans outside of Georgia even know much about the law but American polled have said for yrs that they like voter ID laws.

Legislation by polling- I might like that. Lets see- 60 % of Americans favor stronger gun control laws. 69% want Medicare for all, 62% are pro-choice and want to keep Roe v Wade. Et cetera et cetera.

[GAC]

What's up with Barry and the Manfred decision? He, or Manfred, did not mention one item in the law that they disapprove of. Barry treated it as if it was a given the the Georgia law inhibits voting rights. That's a huge assumption on the part of Barry and the Commissioner. What happened to going to court if you disapprove of a law? This is all insane.

Here's the thing ..... While I'm trying to kick back and watch (enjoy) a ball game, I don't give a damn about politics, don't want to talk it, hear it, don't care what ANYONE'S opinion is. There's sound, good resaon why the Poltical Forum is separated from the Baseball Forum. Save it for USA Today or wherever. I just want to watch the game, and I find too many times, while something critical may be going on in the game, these announcers ignore it in favor of them bloviating about some non-baseball related issue. It's no about you.