It’s too late now, but how different the Yankees radio experience might be if only John (Pa Pinstripe) Sterling had put as much time into perfecting his play-by-play, as he did concocting “catchy” home run calls for specific players.
The thought popped up again with multi-media-platform reaction swirling over his call of Anthony Volpe’s first major league HR against Minnesota, which had most listeners in need of a pal in Palermo.
“…Anthony Volpe! A spettacolo oggi! “Sterling bellowed. “Oh, the fox socks one to left. And the Yankees take an immediate 1-0 lead.”
By now, you must know (how could you not?) “A spettacolo oggi” sort of means “putting on a show today.” Silly us. We always thought it was the play-by-play voice’s job to paint word pictures that need no translating. Then again, many of Sterling’s calls — in English — often need translation.
“It is high … it is far … it is gone” can also mean: “It is high it is far … it is caught on the edge of the warning track.”
And some kind of translation is needed when Sterling calls “strike three.” Another voice someone, anyone, is needed to explain if it was “strike three” swinging or called.
Get it? Since he landed in the Bronx in 1989, Sterling has always left listeners guessing, uncertain of what he’s talking about. His radiocasts are not designed for the fans, especially ones interested in baseball. Sterling’s broadcasts do not hinge on clear explanations. They have been designed by him for him. For Sterling, his way is the right way — critics be dammed. If he’s going to call a home run in Italian, so be it.
The Volpe thing was just a riff-and-repeat. He cracked open the shtick with the coming of Giancarlo Stanton (“Giancarlo, non si puo de stoparlo”). If you want to know what that means, ask Sterling.
He will likely provide that answer quicker than coughing up the names of players involved in turning a 6-4-3 double play. For Sterling knows, and will tell friends, “that’s what the fans love.” Guess Sterling thinks it’s high praise when a VOS Gasbag replays audio of a gaffe, or a HR call, then says “That’s why we love John.”
Sterling may be loved for providing the VOS with material, but it’s telling how many of his boothmates could never establish any chemistry with someone (in any language) who sees himself as a one-man show. Sterling basically drove “partners” like Jay Johnstone, Joe Angel and Charley Steiner out of the Bronx booth.
Suzyn Waldman, his current analyst and a trailblazer in her field, will also be remembered as playing the role of Madame Clean-Up, straightening out the microphone messes Sterling has created since they were paired in 2005.
Sterling has been enabled by a Yankees’ organization that only cares about the financial terms of its radio deal with Audacy, parent company of WFAN. As far as Sterling’s style, or lack thereof, or the quality of the radiocast, the suits could care less.
If they did, they would have told him “sei licenziato” a long time ago.
BANKS ON BIG BLUE
With the media focus on the Jets and their Aaron Rodgers “negotiations” with Green Bay, there has not been much noise surrounding the Giants.
That is until Carl Banks, the team’s outstanding radio analyst, recently had enough of NFL Insiders Mike Lombardi (former NFL exec/current GM shuffle podcast) and the NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks.
Lombardi believes the Giants may already have locker room problems. “‘The disease of me’ is creeping into the Giants locker room after (Daniel) Jones’ big deal, with (Saquon) Barkley and (Dexter) Lawrence skipping workous,” Lombardi tweeted. He said Brian Daboll must “snuff this out” because the team is not good enough to “deal with these issues.”
Brooks seconded that emotion, tweeting: “This happens when you overpay the QB (Jones)….It could wreck the (Giants) squad in ‘23.”
Banks, on his “Bleav Giants” podcast with Bob Papa, acknowledged that because of their experience with NFL teams, Lombardi/Brooks “know what a dysfunctional locker room looks like.” Yet as far as Banks sees it, neither Brooks nor Lombardi has been in the Giants compound since Joe Schoen took over as GM and Daboll as coach. “Don’t paint this as a dysfunctional locker room” Banks said. “Don’t say that Dexter Lawrence (negotiations in progress) or Saquon Barkley (Giants placed the $10.1 million franchise tag on him) feels underappreciated. No, their happy Jones got his money…..”
Banks said Lombardi and Brooks can spin all they want about Barkley and Lawrence being unhappy over not yet getting their dough, but he hasn’t heard Schoen, John Mara or Steve Tisch say: “‘We’re all tapped out. We gave Daniel Jones all we had.’”
Still, the longer the contractual situation drags on for the two Giants stars drags on, the more “outside” mouths are going to chirp.
Will the steady rocking Banks fire back on each occasion?
BARK-ING AFTER DARK
Charles Barkley, once again, provided a service to fans last Sunday by complaining about the late starting times of playoff games.
He specifically referred to the Minnesota-Denver 10:30 p.m. ET start. Unfortunately, host Ernie Johnson tried putting an NBA/TNT spin on the matter saying it was an 8:30 start in Denver.
“That’s not the point. We had the whole day to ourselves,” Barkley replied. “We should have played at 1 o’clock, 3 o’clock. To have that last game at 10:30 Eastern is just wrong. I don’t care what anybody says.”
Now, if only Barkley would start complaining about the NBA’s stop-and-go playoff schedule?
MORE MARV
Those at WFAN responsible for producing the historic audio replays of great moments in New York sports might consider adding something to the highlight of the Rangers beating Vancouver to win the Stanley Cup in 1994.
FAN uses Marv Albert’s call: “And the New York Rangers have won the Stanley Cup.” But the spot stops there, leaving out Marveloso’s next, and best, line.
Albert: “… Something that most people did not think they would hear in their lifetime.”
AROUND THE DIAL
Not saying we have any answers, but it is truly mystifying watching the ratings collapse of ESPN-98.7′s “The Michael Kay Show.” In the Winter Book, the plunge continued. The Kay show strayed into Emergency Broadcast Signal territory, recording a 2.9 share, which was “good” for 15th in the market. The competition, FANs Carton and Roberts scored a 7.7 share, third in the market. If anything, 98.7 management has displayed patience. Or is it stupidity? While the ship be sinking, the suits signed Kay to a new multi-year deal. …
FAN’s Brandon Tierney did not think Sterling would use the Volpe HR call the Gasbag authored (“When the bat hits the ball and goes over the wall that’s A Volpe”) but appeared to be unhappy the Yankees social media department used it without crediting him. Tierney seemed truly agitated by the perceived slight. Hope he didn’t lose any sleep over it.
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DUDE OF THE WEEK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS
For reaching out — again. Andrew Toles, 30, hasn’t played for L.A. since 2018 but the franchise, for the fifth consecutive season, renewed his contract so critical health care coverage (he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia) will be maintained. That’s what caring is all about.
DWEEB OF THE WEEK: BRIAN ANDERSON
Normally a steady voice, his commercials/testimonials on TNT extolling the virtues of the NBA play-in tournament were over-the-top. Or was this Anderson’s Kevin Harlan impersonation?
DOUBLE TALK
What Giancarlo Stanton said: “The disbelief and disappointment at this stage is hard to put into words and comprehend.”
What Giancarlo Stanton meant to say: “I wish I could tell you why I’m constantly injured.”
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