We conclude our examination of Red Sox broadcasts with a look at everything else.
NESN and the Red Sox are inseparable. This is true not only on the balance sheet, with both entities rolling up to John Henry’s Fenway Sports Group (though Jeremy Jacobs’ Delaware North also owns 20% of the network), but in each of our homes. The Red Sox game is the meal and NESN is the chef. So how’s the chef doing?
Today, we conclude our multi-part examination of Red Sox broadcasts, taking a look at the supporting cast, streaming issues, and everything else.
The Supporting Cast
Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images
I love when Jim Rice shows up. He may not provide the most exciting analysis, but he’s always on-point. His no-nonsense style is such a relief compared to the booth. His anecdotes from the 70s and 80s teams are great; I will take all your Dwight Evans stories and then some! And I may be biased, but he was the first person I ever wanted to marry, so there’s that.
— Maura McGurk
Jahmai Webster is awesome. He actually brings some skill and genuine enthusiasm to the sideline “reporter” job. The sideline gig is not bringing news or commentary. It’s an entertainment job during the game. And he nails it. He’s part of the team. Part of the broadcast. And thrilled to be there.
— Mike Carlucci
Love Jahmai! He’s charming in his approach and endlessly watchable. I love when the booth cuts over to him on the field or in the stands.
— Maura McGurk
You just know you could walk up to Jahmai and talk to him like an old friend, even if you’d never met. That’s the good stuff.
— Bryan Joiner
Jonathan Papelbon is actually much better than I expected. I was fully convinced he would be all-schtick, playing up his redneck frat boy image in the same over-exposed way that Gronk does — and if he sticks in the TV business, I’m sure that’s exactly what he’ll do one day. But for now he’s pretty good on set.
— Dan Secatore
The Overall Experience
Everything about the current NESN broadcast production appears to be designed to cut costs for them and raise blood pressure for you. The audio and picture are often buggy and riddled with technical issues, cuts to commercial after (and sometimes even before) the final out of the inning move at the speed of light, and the camera work leaves much to be desired (largely from limited options).
NESN went from one of the top broadcast productions anywhere in baseball 20 years ago to maybe the worst in the entire sport. As a viewer, it feels like ownership just stopped putting money into it during the decline of cable and is waiting for games to fully move to whatever comes next.
— Matthew Gross
Our in-game booth is abysmal. Their repetitive discussions about “old-school baseball” and their boring, meandering remarks have to play some part in keeping younger demographics (possible future fans) from engaging with baseball. Player personalities and exciting in-game action and displays—which other, more popular, sports feature in abundance—are being minimized by our current booth. Things are changing, it’s fine, and it’s way past time to yield on this. Please bring in some fresh perspective and folks who act like baseball matters. To the fans who are watching, it does. And, if you do this right, you can get more fans.
— Maura McGurk
I’ll be honest: most of the pre-game shows I watch are national broadcasts instead of NESN. It’s just not my thing. Every once in a while there will be a game starting while I’m making dinner or something and I bring it up early because a prospect is making a debut (or it’s Opening Day) but that’s it. Maybe I’ll stick around for some rain delay content — which is much better than Charlie Moore Outdoors — but that’s about it.
— Mike Carlucci
What’s your ideal NESN booth?
Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images
From the “it will never happen but I’d love to hear it” department, I want a booth of Mike Monaco, Dustin Pedroia, and Jared Carrabis. Monaco is on his way to becoming an elite play-by-play man and is the best person for that job right now, and Pedroia would not hold back from hard hitting analysis in that role. He knows the game well, had to fight for his standing at every level he played, and then spent his whole career with the Red Sox in the middle of a lion’s den era that featured multiple ups and downs. He’s also an underrated and genuinely funny storyteller, which is incredibly important in that role. He knows what goes on in the inner workings of a clubhouse, and will spit fire if you give him the chance.
Then you throw Carrabis on top of that, who is an entertaining man of the people and genuinely knows how to convey what fans are feeling at any given moment as well as anybody I’ve ever seen, and you’re cooking a masterpiece. That group would be must watch on a nightly basis.
Also, I can’t fully explain it, but I strongly believe those three big personalities would actually have great chemistry with each other. There’s something about the way each of them take in what other people are saying in a conversation and then build on it with additional insightful and compelling commentary that might make sometime really special.
Anyway, back in a more grounded reality, I’d still be pleased with a Monaco and Merloni booth.
— Matthew Gross
I’ve been a fan of Emma Tiedemann for as long as she’s been calling games for the Portland Sea Dogs in AA. If anyone saw the game she called for the Sox, you were treated to her personable and on-point analysis. She has a gift for description (you could close your eyes and she’ll paint the picture for you), she never loses focus on the game, she knows the Sox organization inside and out, and she has years of experience already (as a teenager, she assisted her grandfather in calling games at the University of Texas). I would love to bring her up to the Major Leagues — and for more than just a cup of coffee this time.
— Maura McGurk
I’ve long believed that Jason Bennetti is the best play-by-play man in baseball. He’s witty, a good conversationalist, and his love of the game is apparent in every inning he calls. He’s currently employed by the Tigers, but only in a mercenary capacity after his hometown White Sox Orsilloed him, so he probably could be lured to Fenway. Pairing him with Will Middlebrooks would make for an entertaining, young, and energetic booth.
— Dan Secatore
Find another play-by-play person like Don Orsillo who can elevate the moment and another person with the baseball energy and passion as Eck.
— Mike Carlucci
The Pod on Landsdowne boys.
— Bryan Joiner
Die, NESN 360
This is, without a doubt, the most horrific product I’ve ever purchased and the most infuriating, overpriced, rapacious, abominable cash grab of an app I’ve ever seen! The only reason I have it is because I need a way to watch the games. Oh, and fun fact on that. I have YouTube TV, on which I can’t watch Red Sox games on because NESN is in a pissing war with them. I have MLBTV, which I can’t watch Red Sox games on because they are blacked out locally. And, I have NESN 360, which I can’t watch Red Sox games directly on my Samsung TV because it’s not available in their app store. So in order to watch the Sox on a TV, I have to screen mirror from a compatible computer, which is orders of magnitude more complicated than watching your local baseball team should be under any circumstance in 2024. My disdain for this product is only exceeded by my obsession with the Red Sox, so congratulations NESN, you’ve swindled this sucker!
— Matthew Gross
I’ve spent a good chunk of my adult life explaining what New England is to people outside of New England, so I’m actually used to this. But, nevertheless, it’s infuriating that the NESN 360 app insists that the Massachusetts city in which I live is not in New England the first six times I try to log into this thing every single game.
The 4K picture is sweet, though.
— Dan Secatore