The Baltimore Orioles, who are in first place in the American League East, are under fire for a bizarre move.
Local media outlets, including The Athletic, reported on Monday (Aug. 8), citing sources, that Orioles broadcaster Kevin Brown has been suspended by the club. Brown will not be able to call Orioles games for two weeks.
The suspension stems from comments he made before the team’s road game against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 23.
“The Orioles have won three of their last five games at Tropicana Field,” he said on the broadcast before the game. Previously, between 2020 and 2022, they won three of 21 games there.”
It was a fairly normal statement, noting that the team had historically struggled against Tampa Bay. The Athletic noted that this was also mentioned in the game notes prepared by the Orioles’ public relations team.
However, the Orioles’ owner was uncomfortable with the fact that the team’s play-by-play announcer made this point, and disciplined him.
The industry was up in arms over this common sense move. Play-by-play broadcasters from other teams were quick to condemn the club’s action, mentioning it during their broadcasts.
New York Mets play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen addressed the situation during his broadcast of the August 8 game, saying, “The Orioles have lowered their standards by humiliating a young broadcaster by the name of Kevin Brown.”
“You’re doing the same thing over and over again,” he said, referring to the Orioles’ decision not to renew broadcaster John Miller’s contract in 1996 because of his negative on-air comments about the team. If you don’t want him, the other 29 teams will want him,” he said.
Kevin Youkilis, the play-by-play announcer for Boston Red Sox broadcaster NESN, also criticized the Orioles during the broadcast, saying, “It’s ridiculous, he’s just stating the facts.” Co-host Dave O’Brien chimed in, calling it a “perfect joke.”
Los Angeles Angels play-by-play man Wayne Randazzo quipped, “Sometimes facts are facts and we have to sit here and talk about it whether it’s pretty or not.”
“I’ve been in broadcasting for 63 years and I’ve seen a lot of crazy things in this business, but this is the craziest,” said New York Yankees play-by-play man John Sterling.
Chicago White Sox broadcaster Jason Venetti, referring to the opposing New York Yankees, said, “They’re 6-7 against the Orioles this year. That means they’ve lost seven times. But at the same time, they’ve won six times. I just hope the Orioles don’t discipline me for saying that,” he said, referring to the Yankees.온라인카지노
This incident is a stark reminder of how rigid the Orioles organization is from the inside. Citing multiple sources, The Athletic reported that the ownership group required the team’s dedicated broadcasters to wear only team apparel during broadcasts. Brown, who was disciplined, was reportedly put on the radio broadcast because another broadcaster was embarrassed by the behavior. The Orioles also reportedly reprimanded broadcasters for commenting on former players who were no longer affiliated with the team.