Rangers cut ties with Josh Lewin

[YosemiteSam]

I think what I liked about Josh was he had a lively voice compared to some broadcasters. I have MLB.tv and I've listen to many baseball broadcasters from other teams, and Lewin was far better than most in the fact that he didn't put you to sleep with monotone bland conversation. Some are brutally painful to listen too. I can't tell you how much I hate it when broadcasters go completely silent for extended periods of time. Seattle's does that sometimes.

I do agree that Lewin is all over the place, but then again. Give me some facts about the game and entertain me in the process. I'm okay with that.

======================================

Strange timing Monday on the Rangers' announcement they have parted ways with TV broadcaster Josh Lewin after nine seasons.

Here they were on the eve of the most important game in the franchise's 39-year history and they took time to announce that Tom Grieve would be back in the booth for at least three more years while they were canceling Lewin.

Maybe they hoped the news would be lost in the advance hype for Game 5 of the ALDS in St. Petersburg, Fla. Maybe they just wanted to get word out they were hiring.

Know this: The parting did not happen Monday. The Rangers told Lewin he was finished before the end of the regular season. If you watched his final broadcast, he almost told you so when he thanked viewers for the time they had spent watching. He sounded sad.

The Rangers said Lewin asked them to wait. They said they obliged until now but want broadcasters around the country to know their switchboard is open and they are accepting applications. They don't want a good one to get away.

I used the phrase "canceling Lewin" for a reason: Because Lewin sometimes seemed more like a TV variety show host than a play-by-play voice. Sometimes it seemed as if he were spending as much time surfing the Internet for material as he spent watching the game in front of him. Some viewers loved him for that, especially in the dog days of most Rangers summers. Others could never get used to the shtick. He was a lightning rod.

It was clear last summer that the Rangers were debating whether to retain Lewin. His last contract expired after the 2009 season. Instead of handing him a long-term deal, as they have Grieve, they gave him one year with a one-year option.

Complete Story

 

[Stautner]

nyc, I also liked Lewin. My sone hated him. I admit there were times I found myself saying "SHUT UP JOSH" when he would pull out some of his meaningless and disconnected tidbits of information/trivia, but like you said, he didn't just speak in a monotone voice. Plus, he was a fan. That was part of the attraction with Harry Carey - never a great speaker and never had any real insight into the game, but he was an enthusiastic fan that kept things lively. Not saying Lewin was Carey's equal by any stretch, but just saying that a home team guy needs to keep things lively, and if he is enthusaistic it helps the viewer stay enthusiastic.

 

[peplaw06]

The first time I heard that guy do play-by-play was in the baseball playoffs before he started working for the Rangers. He's just not good for baseball. He also does play-by-play for the Chargers, and since there is so much action, he doesn't have to fill the silences.

With baseball, he feels the need to make cheesy jokes and talk about Justin Beiber in those long at bats, and it turns people off. It sure did with me. I think he's great as a play by play guy for the Chargers. Not a baseball guy.

In baseball, it's ok to have silence. One of the greatest, Vin Scully, is a one man crew and you'll sometimes go 5 pitches without hearing him say anything. IMO, part of the charm about baseball is it's an escape from the constant barrage of talking/information you get in the world nowadays.

 

[Alweezy]

this is a sad day. Baseball is too repetive of a sport to just simply call the game and go home. Look at this ALDS right now and these announcers are killing a playoff game at that.

Me personally this isn't 1930 I don't want to hear a monotone voice all game long. Give me some excitement and things to laugh at, scratch my head at, or relate with. That's cool to me.

Lewin will be missed, the weekend games when the Rangers replaced him were brutal to listen to. Now if you want to pick on a broadcaster getting off the point, let's talk Bob Costas. Listening to him is like listening to baseball documentary about a live game.

 

[YosemiteSam]

this is a sad day. Baseball is too repetive of a sport to just simply call the game and go home. Look at this ALDS right now and these announcers are killing a playoff game at that.

Me personally this isn't 1930 I don't want to hear a monotone voice all game long. Give me some excitement and things to laugh at, scratch my head at, or relate with. That's cool to me.

Lewin will be missed, the weekend games when the Rangers replaced him were brutal to listen to. Now if you want to pick on a broadcaster getting off the point, let's talk Bob Costas. Listening to him is like listening to baseball documentary about a live game.

I agree. The guys calling the Rangers / Rays games were not good. One of them was a major beat-down to listen too.

I will take Lewin everyday over that crap. I also liked his shtick "BALLGAME!" when the Rangers won.