Buck Martinez to do Play by Play for Sportsnet

by Tom Dakers on Dec 10, 2009 4:28 PM EST in Toronto Blue Jays News

I am surprised/confused or something. Sportsnet have announced that former Jay catcher/analyst/manager Buck Martinez will be play-by-play man on their Blue Jay broadcasts. I'm imagining that this means Jamie Campbell has been fired. Do you notice the name missing in this paragraph:

"I'm excited to join the Sportsnet team," said Martinez, who managed the Jays from 2000 to 2002. "I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to call play-by-play, and living up to the great tradition that has been established by Tom Cheek, Jim Hughson and Dan Shulman."

I wasn't Campbell's biggest fan but thought he was getting better this past season. He seemed to be catching on to the idea that not every ball hit into the air was going to be a home run. For the longest time, it seemed to me, that every game was his first game. He never gave you the feeling that he had seen baseball before, he seemed to get excited about the wrong things. This past season, I thought he was improving.

But I was a fan of Buck Martinez' color commentary when he and Dan Shulman worked together on the Jays games. I was far less of a fan of his managing, but if you take a guy out of the TV booth and put him in the dugout, you get what you deserve.

Good luck Buck.

Tweet Comment 34 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Well I guess we can call the Winter Meetings a success after this move.

by Natescavich on Dec 10, 2009 4:30 PM EST reply actions

I like Buck

I think it’s a good thing for Jays’ fans. Jamie always seemed like a good guy, and he sort of tried, but wasn’t my cup of tea.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Dec 10, 2009 4:41 PM EST reply actions

True

I never thought Campbell was as bad as a lot of people, but he really never seemed that comfortable in the role. A little like he was trying to commentate a game that he hadn’t paid a lot of attention to before landing the job.

by dexfarkin on Dec 10, 2009 10:23 PM EST up reply actions

Good sort of

I would actually have like this announcement more if

1. Buck was doing colour and Shulman play-by-play
2. Buck doing colour and Campbell play-by-play.

Oh well. I know I am in the minority, but here’s hoping for lots of Buck and Darin Fletcher. Don’t understand why no one here likes Fletch. I get a kick out of him.

by Rhinos on Dec 10, 2009 4:49 PM EST reply actions

Fletch was great! I hope to see more of him this summer.

by Civilizedworm on Dec 10, 2009 5:18 PM EST up reply actions

Jamie Campbell is the worst

Just seems like some broadcasting nerd who got lucky to get the Jays job, and now has convinced himself he likes baseball. It is ridiculously obvious he has never played competitively, you can even tell the other announcers are laughing at him sometimes. Buck is the best.

by Natescavich on Dec 10, 2009 4:59 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

“now has convinced himself he likes baseball”

hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!

by Sir Real Ism on Dec 10, 2009 6:05 PM EST up reply actions

Jamie Campbell was the worst announcer in blue jays baseball history. How he ever convinced anyone at RSN that he was the guy, is beyond me. Probably had everything to do with money is my guess.

Fairwell Jamie, and lets hope you never come back to announce!

Apart from that. Im sure Jamie is a really nice fellow outside of baseball.

by Jesse Taylor on Dec 10, 2009 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

Jamie Campbell was the worst announcer in blue jays baseball history.

Just slight hyperbola……..

by Tom Dakers on Dec 10, 2009 6:50 PM EST up reply actions

Jamie is better than Buck

Jamie Campbell loves our team, he is the best, We are gonna miss you, Jamie.

by Peoria-Bum on Dec 12, 2009 12:28 AM EST up reply actions

Hey Buck...

Go back to Baltimore, we don’t need you.

by Peoria-Bum on Dec 12, 2009 12:29 AM EST up reply actions

jamie was better than Rob Faulds

by bunner on Dec 10, 2009 10:14 PM EST up reply actions

There is a god afterall

by SPENCEMAN on Dec 10, 2009 5:11 PM EST reply actions

Gotta defend Jamie!

To me, Jamie was an articulate, intelligent guy who loved the Jays and brought passion and enthusiasm to his work. I’ll miss him. Jamie, best wishes in whatever you do!

As to the Buckster – I’ve always been a fan. Every time I hear his name I remember the game I attended in Seattle where he broke his leg and then tagged a guy out at home. Great play.

by Mylegacy on Dec 10, 2009 5:20 PM EST reply actions

I second that. I liked Jamie. I will miss him.

by aagoodfella on Dec 10, 2009 5:42 PM EST up reply actions

So I assume the colour commentary rotation will stay the same?

Can we just go with a Pat Tabler/Darin Fletcher rotation?

I understand Rance is very knowledgable, but his broadcasts are boring.

Actually Jesse Barfield should do all the games, he's the best

Johnnie Morton: The Man. The Myth. The Legend.

by craig in calgary on Dec 10, 2009 7:16 PM EST reply actions

Jesse comments for CBC, I think. If they have enough money to broadcast games again this year, he should be back on TV.

by aagoodfella on Dec 10, 2009 7:29 PM EST up reply actions

I think Rob Faulds is owed an apology.

Cannot play with 'em, cannot win with 'em, cannot coach with 'em. Cant do it.

by Andrew J on Dec 10, 2009 8:49 PM EST reply actions

I'm excited about this.

I thought Buck was great when he was our main guy all those years ago. I would like to see him and Rance Mullinicks team up, I thought that Rance was a very good colour guy and did a great job explaining situations and why a player did what he did. I don’t really care for Tabler all that much.

It takes neither courage nor intelligence to cheer for a team only when that team wins. The true test of a fan's mettle is the same as it is for a player: Were you there when you were needed?

by Jason Witte on Dec 10, 2009 9:53 PM EST reply actions

I never really cared much about who was commentating

but then, after Chuck Swirsky left the raps, i realized that it makes a big difference when watching the games.
except this time hopefully the announcing will get better not drastically worse.

Onions Baby Onions

by ohmybosh on Dec 10, 2009 11:39 PM EST reply actions

Start watching local Bulls

It is fun for two reasons
1. semi talented team (like Raps) imploding much worse than the Raptors…and increasing the liklihood that Bosh won’t sign there.
2. Swirsky is the best.

by Rhinos on Dec 11, 2009 10:57 AM EST up reply actions

losing Bosh will be a huge loss. He is an offensive powerhouse.

by aagoodfella on Dec 11, 2009 11:10 AM EST up reply actions

Joey Gathright signed?

Just reported on RSN
I like his hops!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cySfw8f0beg

Johnnie Morton: The Man. The Myth. The Legend.

by craig in calgary on Dec 10, 2009 11:41 PM EST reply actions

Globe and Mail article:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/globe-on-baseball/gathright-a-blue-jay/article1395528/

I like that he is from Hattiesburg Mississippi (Home of the greatest football player of all time!)

Johnnie Morton: The Man. The Myth. The Legend.

by craig in calgary on Dec 10, 2009 11:45 PM EST up reply actions

that one is from 9:00 this morning...

copying the original report.

by Tom Dakers on Dec 10, 2009 11:48 PM EST up reply actions

Steve Mcnair? If your talking about Brett Favre, he’s from Kiln, Mississippi.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey

by jobe on Dec 11, 2009 1:42 AM EST up reply actions

though Favre did go to Southern Miss

which is in Hattiesburg

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Dec 11, 2009 9:40 AM EST up reply actions

Jays denied Gathrigh

http://www.canada.com/sports/Arbitration+eligible+Accardo+wants+Toronto/2327062/story.html

2 hours ago, Jays deny Gathright

by aagoodfella on Dec 10, 2009 11:52 PM EST up reply actions

arbitration eligible, contracts due by Saturday

Jeremy Accardo (I say goodbye, long on talk and short on performance, LOL)
Jose Bautista (on the bubble)
Shawn Camp (keeper)
Raul Chavez (on the bubble)
Jason Frasor (keeper)
Casey Janssen (on the bubble)
Brandon Leauge (keeper)
Shawn Marcum (keeper)
Dustin McGowan (keeper)
Brian Tallet (keeper)

by aagoodfella on Dec 10, 2009 11:59 PM EST up reply actions

I'd keep

Accardo, Frasor, Janssen, League, Marcum, McGowan, and Tallet. I could go either way on Chavez and would definitely not keep Bautista.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Dec 11, 2009 9:41 AM EST up reply actions

Yikes, here is another reason not to sign Joey Gathright

Source: Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-11-winter-meetings-bits-dec11,0,4885600.story

“Whoever signs [Joey Gathright] might be a possible landing spot for Milton Bradley, who said he felt like he “was out on an island” after the departures of Gathright and hitting coach Gerald Perry."

IMHO, that is a dynamic duo the Jays can live without. LOL

by aagoodfella on Dec 11, 2009 9:11 AM EST reply actions