Buck says early, they do it late

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 3:

Say hey

Fox Sports’ Joe Buck told us, “In my opinion, Jered Weaver getting the start, has to get off to a great beginning. In my opinion, the Angels need to get on the board first to get some of the momentum back.” Derek Jeter had a different opinion, homering to lead off the first for the Yankees.

Say what?

Tim McCarver, while praising the job Angels General Manager Tony Reagins has done, first called him Tom. Having heard from more than a few Angels viewers who think Fox is being too New York-centric, it doesn’t help when the analyst seems to not know the name of the Angels’ GM.

Replay this

Top of the eighth when the Yankees’ Brett Gardner tried to steal second except Angels Manager Mike Scioscia called for a pitchout. We saw, on the second look, the pitchout, the sweet throw from catcher Jeff Mathis to Erick Aybar, who laid a karate-chop tag on the back of Gardner.

Replay this II

Fox was giving us crystal clear audio from home plate umpire Bill Miller. It was so crisp Buck said, “In case you are wondering whether this pitch is a ball or strike, we won’t have to tell you. Bill Miller will.”

Sharp shot

In the bottom of the sixth we got a close-up of a Darren Oliver pitch that highlighted the play of sunlight and shadows and how difficult it must be to try and hit such a pitch. It was an image worth framing.

Before & after

There was a well-done and respectful description of who Nick Adenhart was and why his name is so prominent at Angel Stadium. And there was a well-done and respectful quiet at the end after Jeff Mathis won the desperate game for the Angels. No commentary needed.

Not in the box score

While Buck was still listening to Yankees Manager Joe Girardi talking about the fine job his starting pitcher Andy Pettitte was doing, the Angels’ Howie Kendrick sent a Pettitte pitch into the stands.

And another thing

Sometimes McCarver is so good. Sometimes not so much. When there was a graphic of why the Angels were down 0-2, there was a prominent display of the Angels’ errors. “Why aren’t the Angels doing as well?” McCarver asked. “Because the Yankees haven’t let them,” he answered. As if the Yankees made the Angels drop balls and throw others away. It’s not always about the Yankees, Tim.

--

[email protected]