The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman compares and contrasts the projected modus operandi of the Mets’ new SportsNet NY with that of the Yankees’ YES Network.
On any given night, Yankee fans never know exactly who will show up behind the microphone. There are plenty of voices to choose from, such as: Michael Kay, Jim Kaat, Ken Singleton, Bobby Murcer, Paul O’Neill and David Justice. Depending on his playing status, Al Leiter may even become a YES man.
No one is quite sure why YES uses so many voices. Maybe it is because of a short attention span. YES brass likes moving those broadcasters in, out, around and back in again. My fondest wish for the 2006 season (with an emphasis on 6) is YES suits going to a six-man booth. Yeah, six voices working one game. In that format Kay still might be annoying, but we could witness a baseball broadcasting first.
Seriously though, most of these guys ” privately, of course ” admit that being a pawn in a YES booth shuffle is not conducive to keeping up with the flow of a season. And it certainly doesn’t help staying current on Yankee info.
SNY suits are taking a different approach. They will bounce between a two- and three-man Mets booth. Gary Cohen (above) and Keith Hernandez will be the primary team. On some nights Ron Darling will work in SNY’s Manhattan studio. On others, he will join Hernandez and Cohen in the broadcast booth.
The SNY configuration is a throwback to when one broadcast team worked nearly every game for an entire season. This approach provides continuity, stability and an informed panel of broadcasters.
On the other hand, if you really don’t like your ironman team, well, you are stuck with it.