I caught part of a Hot Stove show on YES last night, featuring Bob Klapisch, Tyler Kepner and Mark Feinsand. It left me feeling how good these kinds of shows could actually be if there was more…banter. It wasn’t terrible by any stretch, just too formal for my taste, each guy guest getting the spotlight to say his piece. That said, I truly enjoyed what I saw.
I love listening to Klap talk about pitching and pitchers and wish that he’d be drawn out even more on that subject.
Tyler looked sharp in a purple shirt and he had an even, calm speaking voice that is refreshing, especially in a medium that values shouting. He is not a hype-artist and I think his insights, using numbers as well as his first-hand observations, were excellent. Yes, more Tyler, please. (I think he’d benefit from a more conversational atmosphere because he tended to blink a lot when looking directly into the camera and less so when he addressed the other guys.)
And I thought Mark was a natural. Reminded me a little of Jeff Garlin–something about him just immediately puts you at ease. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t agree with everything he said–he’s exceedingly comfortable in that setting and I think has a real future on TV. Very appealing delivery, love his look. Camera loves him. He was terrific.
Hopefully, we’ll see more of these guys throughout the winter. Good job by YES. Now, it they’d just bring Steven Goldman into the mix, they’d really be cooking with gas.
There's a lot of good talent covering the team these days. The guys mentioned above are definitely among the best. Driving to and from the city as much as I do, I very often wish there was more insightful radio banter on the Yankees. There's too much egotistical posturing, and repetition. Bloviate, rinse, repeat. Calmly and professionally presented insights are the occasional breeze of fresh air. More fresh air, please.
TV-wise I don't watch any of the hotstove discussions, not because I'm disinterested, but because my wife wouldn't tolerate it. There is definitley an off-season in my house, and the Dude must abide.
by the way, Alex: you, Cliff, and Jaffe would be included in the fresh air file.
of the three I think Feinsand is the best, I agree he definitely has some kind of future in broadcasting. He's a natural.
I liked the episodes last year when they would bring Chass out of mothballs to say something angry and insane.
Those three are pretty good. The other person who I think would add a lot to that crew is Sweeeny Murti. I really enjoy listening to all of them speak, they aren't so full of themselves as the Heyman's of the world.
I think the show would be even better if, once a week, they rolled out either Mike Lupica, Phil Mushnick, and Bob Raissman and hung them like a pinata and beat them with rolled up newspapers. Hot stove meets hot roast.
Oh yeah, Sweeny is great too, great call.
let's face it though: it's Kim Jones's world and all these other shlubs are just living in it.
Funny - I watched Yankees Hot Stove last night too, first time ever of the season.
The format is a little bizarre. Put people in comfortable chairs facing each other, then when they talk, have them look into the camera. I think it needs re-jiggering - kind of awkward.
Pretty enjoyable nonetheless. Though I like Sweeny Murti I think he's a little tainted by either his place of work or by covering the Yankees. I don't know what it is, but at times I feel like he's not thinking clearly. Maybe it's just me.
[7] he ususally seems pretty lucid to me, but perhaps you've observed the residual effects his conversations with Chris Russo.
Wang Chung ... to live and pitch in LA?
http://diamondleung.tumblr.com/post/250544750/chien-ming-wang-interested-in-the-dodgers
Sweeney is lucid, articulate and intelligent. The only problem I have with him is that for someone who covers the Yankees full-time, he seldom has a big scoop. Of course, that could be because unlike guys like Heyman, he doesn't sitting around making 100 up so he can be right on about 10.
I don't think Murti isn't lucid, just that he's sometimes biased. Can't see the forest for the trees, so to speak.
[9] I'm pro-Wang, and without knowing the specifics of how it might work out contractually, would like to see him get another chance with the Yankees. It seems like everything bad he's shown has been injury-related. If he's salvageable he would be a huge plus.
i find sweeney murti to be vacant and often stupid. i want to like him because he seems like a nice guy and often argues with francesa, unlike a lot of other correspondents, but i just don't think he ever offers anything useful.
[10] william, i saw your comment in yesterday's post about lincecum. he's not a hero. but when most of the country has no idea what pot actually does to you, and thinks that it's some kind of evil thing that clouds judgment and impairs all sorts of abilities that it doesn't, it's sometimes refreshing to hear about someone getting caught smoking and seemingly not giving in to the mentality that you have to apologize for it (although now he kind of has apologized, or at least has said he's learned a lesson, whatever that means). as for smoking and driving, there's very little evidence that it has much of an impact. and whatever minimal impact it does have is usually negated by the fact that you are more careful because you know you're stoned and you're somewhat paranoid. it happens that lincecum was speeding, but that has nothing to do with marijuana. in my own experience, marijuana makes me more focused on actual driving, but somewhat less focused on directions and exit signs etc when i'm going somewhere new. which is stupid, but not dangerous. that said, it affects different people in different ways, and there are some people who definitely should not drive while stoned. but there are also a whole lot of people who should never drive at all.
[13] And ... begin
[14] Made me laugh out loud. Begin ... clearing the furniture, putting the bottles down behind the bar ... yup.
Um, quick, change of subject! Ah, what ABOUT that handball in France, eh?
[13] Agreed about driving! Though, I doubt you'll convince william.
At least in his role on CYE, Garlin is the best friend anyone could have. He never says anything negative and he takes crap with a smile.
[0] You encroaching on my Media Criticism territory? Just kidding. Seriously, though, I enjoyed your take. The format for YHS has always been a bit staid and formulaic. Now, getting the guys they had on Thursday like Kep and Sandy are a step in the right direction. Bob Lorenz driving it, having worked with him, I know he's a conversationalist.
I'd planned on doing a review of all the Hot Stove shows on YES, SNY and MLB just to get a sense of the differences in format and information, etc. Sounds like that has to happen now.