February 10, 200521 yr Rich Waltz from the Seattle Mariners pre game show. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sport...ll/10859360.htm
February 10, 200521 yr goddd i will gather more info about this guys with my hummies in seattle and see how good is this guy
February 10, 200521 yr see if you fan find an audio clip so we can hear what his voice sounds like 681840[/snapback] great idea ! :thumbup
February 10, 200521 yr Waltz will replace Len Kasper, who became the Chicago Cubs' television voice. Waltz has extensive experience announcing baseball and other sports. Since 1995, he has served as the pregame and postgame TV host on Seattle Mariners games, as well as fill-in play-by-play. He called Major League Baseball for ESPN and ESPN2 from 2000 to 2003, on ESPN Radio in 2000 and 2001 and on FX in 2000. He has extensive experience calling Pacific-10 and Mountain West sports, and also has announced NHL, NFL Europe and Seattle Seahawks preseason games on television. Waltz was a starting infielder on University of California at Davis' baseball team in 1984 and 1985. Waltz, 42, was the other finalist when Kasper was hired to replace ESPN's Dave O'Brien three years ago. Last month, FSNF -- which selects the TV announcers -- offered the play-by-play job to former Marlins radio announcer Jon Sciambi, but he opted instead to call baseball games for ESPN and do a 1-4 p.m. talk show on 790 The Ticket, beginning Monday. Waltz and analyst Tommy Hutton will work 145 Marlins games (including three exhibition games), beginning March 20 vs. Houston. ''I'm absolutely thrilled,'' Waltz said. ``This is one of the best big-league jobs.'' -- BARRY JACKSON
February 10, 200521 yr Waltz will replace Len Kasper, who became the Chicago Cubs' television voice. Waltz has extensive experience announcing baseball and other sports. Since 1995, he has served as the pregame and postgame TV host on Seattle Mariners games, as well as fill-in play-by-play. He called Major League Baseball for ESPN and ESPN2 from 2000 to 2003, on ESPN Radio in 2000 and 2001 and on FX in 2000. He has extensive experience calling Pacific-10 and Mountain West sports, and also has announced NHL, NFL Europe and Seattle Seahawks preseason games on television. Waltz was a starting infielder on University of California at Davis' baseball team in 1984 and 1985. Waltz, 42, was the other finalist when Kasper was hired to replace ESPN's Dave O'Brien three years ago. Last month, FSNF -- which selects the TV announcers -- offered the play-by-play job to former Marlins radio announcer Jon Sciambi, but he opted instead to call baseball games for ESPN and do a 1-4 p.m. talk show on 790 The Ticket, beginning Monday. Waltz and analyst Tommy Hutton will work 145 Marlins games (including three exhibition games), beginning March 20 vs. Houston. ''I'm absolutely thrilled,'' Waltz said. ``This is one of the best big-league jobs.'' -- BARRY JACKSON 681872[/snapback] :thumbup
February 10, 200521 yr Not very scientific, but I asked some Mariners fans what they thought of Waltz, and I got a few comments: " He is good you will like him " "Rich Waltz is a good announcer." "Waltz is gonna be a good announcer...just give him time to warm up to the Mic." "he can be a little rusty and nervous." "I like him..I mean not as much as dave nehaus...but yeah..he's easy to listen to" "I always thought he was pretty good"
February 10, 200521 yr I have the baseball package on DirectTV, and I watched some late night Mariner games. He was the guy doing in stuff around the field usually. I'm not sure if I ever heard him doing the play-by-play. He seemed like a guy with a good personality. I'm sure he'll be fine. :thumbup
February 10, 200521 yr ''I'm absolutely thrilled,'' Waltz said. ``This is one of the best big-league jobs.'' ...Better than WGN :thumbup . I watched a TON of Mariners games last season when Ichiro was chasing the single season hits record and Rich Waltz is great. Lots of baseball knowledge and he has a perfect broadcasting voice, kind of reminds me of Tom Brokaw without slurring words a little bit. Great job FSN/Marlins are getting him and THANK YOU SO MUCH for not putting Craig in the booth.
February 10, 200521 yr ''I'm absolutely thrilled,'' Waltz said. ``This is one of the best big-league jobs.'' ...Better than WGN :thumbup . 681947[/snapback] :lol !
February 10, 200521 yr I would think Seattle is a bigger market for baseball announcing than Florida is seeing as the Mariners have a larger fan base.
February 10, 200521 yr since i had nothing better to do, i went and looked him up on google to see what people have said about him in the past. here's a smattering of the comments i found: I enjoy Rich Waltz when he fills in. He is smart, and really knows the game. Unfortunately, he has few polished play-calling skills as of yet, so it's like listening to GWB say anything off-the-cuff. Not a flowing experience by any means. Rich Waltz is horrible. Please, please, bring Krueger back for tomorrow's game. For my money, the best broadcaster in town. Rich Waltz looks like he just quit his job at Chuck E. Cheese to take the play-by-play job. I was pleasantly surprised at Rich?s play-by-play ability, I think he?s very competent. As a color guy or just a pre-game interview guy, I generally think he lacks charisma. But yet somehow his play-by-play seems alright. Rich Waltz=bad commentator He simply DOES NOT WORK as a baseball announcer...his voice does not have that baseball tone. He's only good a pre-game man. Seattle has been putting Rich Waltz in as a color man, he sure makes a much better color man than Dave "Hindu" Henderson, but just doesn't have the emotion to do play-by-play yet. Rich Waltz (Mr.Bland) Rich Waltz is the most banal human being ever......I mean his interviews this year with Melvin and Bavasi have been excruciating....it's not lke there is no ammo to attack them with......really.
February 10, 200521 yr (comments continued) His voice is always on the verge of cracking, and he seems like a drunkard on Television. Rich Waltz does pretty good play-by-play, as does Ron Fairly. As color / interesting guys, they really don't cut it. Waltz is absolutely vile. I haven't watched him since last season, when he actually seemed to take DELIGHT in a Griffey injury. I don't care who it is - I despise Derek Jeter, but I'd NEVER gloat over his being hurt were I on the air somewhere. I wrote Waltz a vicious e-mail, called him seven kinds of unprofessional jerk, and told him that I'd never watch another M's pregame show again as long as his pig face was polluting the screen. Besides, whenever he talks, he sounds like he has a dead badger stuffed up his nose. so, to sum it up, the guy seems to have substance, but lacks style.
February 10, 200521 yr Thanks for posting all that. Seems like ~70% hate him and think he's awful. I thought the comment about how he's terrible because his voice cracks was ironic... Len's voice always cracked when he was yelling "OUTTAAAAA HERE" and it was awesome :thumbup . I can't wait until we get to hear him for the first time actually calling a game in ST.
February 11, 200521 yr He better not sound like Tony Gwynn sp?. If he does I am going to put the T.V on mute
February 11, 200521 yr Can't be any worse that Dave Van Boring. 682461[/snapback] I agree. Dave is boring and has no excitement.
February 27, 200521 yr I would think Seattle is a bigger market for baseball announcing than Florida is seeing as the Mariners have a larger fan base. 681969[/snapback] of course a huge part of their fan base prefers to listen to games in Japanese
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