The Cardinals beat the Reds tonight by the score of 2 - 1 in 10 innings. The Redbirds won the game despite the fact that they played a bad game. They were 0 - 9 with runners in scoring position and they stranded 14 men on base.
Games such as this can be very difficult to cover on television. The TV production team can get just as frustrated as the team on the field that is not executing gets during a game/telecast.
Despite the fact that during the game the Cardinals seemed to be winning by a wide margin the score was tied going to extra innings.
To make matters worse, the Reds scored an unearned run in the top of the 8th to tie the score.
Our coverage was still very good despite the fact that the Cardinals were not executing well at all.
And because of this, our efforts were rewarded by the baseball Gods.
The Redbirds won the game in the bottom of the 10th inning on a walk-off sacrifice fly which included a bang/bang play at the plate. Walk-offs are a blast to cover. There is the live action followed by the celebration and both of these moments are invigorating.
This was a bad game with a good ending and a good telecast with a great ending.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Nicely Done
The Cardinals beat the Cubs 10 - 3 in 2:35 to take the series 2 games to 1. The Redbirds starting pitcher, Jake Westbrook, was spectacular. He went 7 innings allowing 4 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts.
Nicely done Jake.
We had a very, very nice clean telecast. The crew was on top of their game. The camera operators captured the "moments", the audio was crisp and the tape room excelled.
But I believe the highest quality of work came from our graphics department. Keith and Danny were exceptional at the right moments. They offered concise and interesting notes throughout the telecast.
The best TV sports production teams are the ones that are able to adjust to the game action. Too many of these TV "teams" are stuck in their ways and air crap (graphics and video packages that have nothing to do with the game action) because they built them in pre-production and "damn it" they are going to make air.
Graphics may be the single most important tool for the TV team as they adjust to the game.
Keith and Danny nailed it today.
Nicely done!
Nicely done Jake.
We had a very, very nice clean telecast. The crew was on top of their game. The camera operators captured the "moments", the audio was crisp and the tape room excelled.
But I believe the highest quality of work came from our graphics department. Keith and Danny were exceptional at the right moments. They offered concise and interesting notes throughout the telecast.
The best TV sports production teams are the ones that are able to adjust to the game action. Too many of these TV "teams" are stuck in their ways and air crap (graphics and video packages that have nothing to do with the game action) because they built them in pre-production and "damn it" they are going to make air.
Graphics may be the single most important tool for the TV team as they adjust to the game.
Keith and Danny nailed it today.
Nicely done!
2012 Home Opener
This is the only telecast of the season where the pre-game pomp and circumstance is of more importance to the viewer than the game. Indeed, the viewing numbers for the pre-game ceremony are huge and, in fact, bigger than some of our regular season telecasts.
Because of advertising commitments, it is a very difficult task to cover the complete pre-game ceremony live.
Thanks to Mother Nature, this seasons' pre-game ceremony went off without a hitch.
The ceremony did not start for two hours because of rain. therefore, we were able to air 2 of the 4 scheduled spots during the rain delay. The viewership for the home opener pre-game festivities rose throught the ceremony.
Unlike the game.
The Cubs scored 4 runs in the first inning, 4 runs in the third inning and 1 run in the fourth inning to lead 9 - 0 before the Cardinals batted in the fourth inning. The game/telecast went in the opposite direction of the pre-game ceremony. The later the game went on the more our viewers turned off.
The Cards ended up losing 9 - 5 as well as the viewing audience.
But, we nailed the pomp and circumstance.
Because of advertising commitments, it is a very difficult task to cover the complete pre-game ceremony live.
Thanks to Mother Nature, this seasons' pre-game ceremony went off without a hitch.
The ceremony did not start for two hours because of rain. therefore, we were able to air 2 of the 4 scheduled spots during the rain delay. The viewership for the home opener pre-game festivities rose throught the ceremony.
Unlike the game.
The Cubs scored 4 runs in the first inning, 4 runs in the third inning and 1 run in the fourth inning to lead 9 - 0 before the Cardinals batted in the fourth inning. The game/telecast went in the opposite direction of the pre-game ceremony. The later the game went on the more our viewers turned off.
The Cards ended up losing 9 - 5 as well as the viewing audience.
But, we nailed the pomp and circumstance.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
A Rare Exclusive
Season record on FSN Midwest 4 - 1.
We had our first road game exclusive of the 2012 season as the Reds did not televise today's game. I believe that every single game should be televised by every team. The fact that a game is not televised tells me that the team management of the club whose game is not on TV does not really believe that their ballclub is very good nor very entertaining. The excuse always given is that it is a "cost" factor. True, it does cost anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 per telecast but that is a pittance compared to the value of each telecast to the coffers of the team. This is very subjective, I know, but I also know that all professional sports teams should have the attitude that their "product" is worth televising.
Three words....National Football League (NFL).
They only have 16 games in their season you say.
I say there is no difference between 16 games (NFL)and 162 games (MLB). What? Aren't all games of the regular season important? By not choosing to televise all of a team's games shows that team executives place a higher value on certain games over other games.
The argument here is that there are more potential viewers for night games than day games so certain day contests are eliminated from the telecast schedule.
Here is how I answer that premise:
Scenario: Day game/no TV. Your ballclub wins the game and your pitcher throws a perfect game. The other team showed the game to their fans and therefore the game was produced, directed, and announced by the other team's broadcast production crew. Not yours. A great opportunity to sell tickets is lost.
Take today's game against the Reds. The Reds won the game with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth against their bitter rival the St. Louis Cardinals.
NO CINCINNATI TELEVISION.
That game/telecast would have sold a boatload of tickets for the Reds.
I am so blessed to be a part of the St. Louis Cardinals TV production team!
The Cardinals have it figured out.
Every game is on television.
No wonder they sell OVER 3,000,000 tickets every year.
We had our first road game exclusive of the 2012 season as the Reds did not televise today's game. I believe that every single game should be televised by every team. The fact that a game is not televised tells me that the team management of the club whose game is not on TV does not really believe that their ballclub is very good nor very entertaining. The excuse always given is that it is a "cost" factor. True, it does cost anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 per telecast but that is a pittance compared to the value of each telecast to the coffers of the team. This is very subjective, I know, but I also know that all professional sports teams should have the attitude that their "product" is worth televising.
Three words....National Football League (NFL).
They only have 16 games in their season you say.
I say there is no difference between 16 games (NFL)and 162 games (MLB). What? Aren't all games of the regular season important? By not choosing to televise all of a team's games shows that team executives place a higher value on certain games over other games.
The argument here is that there are more potential viewers for night games than day games so certain day contests are eliminated from the telecast schedule.
Here is how I answer that premise:
Scenario: Day game/no TV. Your ballclub wins the game and your pitcher throws a perfect game. The other team showed the game to their fans and therefore the game was produced, directed, and announced by the other team's broadcast production crew. Not yours. A great opportunity to sell tickets is lost.
Take today's game against the Reds. The Reds won the game with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth against their bitter rival the St. Louis Cardinals.
NO CINCINNATI TELEVISION.
That game/telecast would have sold a boatload of tickets for the Reds.
I am so blessed to be a part of the St. Louis Cardinals TV production team!
The Cardinals have it figured out.
Every game is on television.
No wonder they sell OVER 3,000,000 tickets every year.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Once Again
Season record on FSN Midwest 4 - 0.
The Cardinals beat the Reds tonight by the score of 3 - 1 in 2:33.
Once again the Redbirds jumped out to a first inning lead with a solo homerun by Carlos Beltran.
Once again the Cardinals starting pitcher, Kyle Lohse, pitched exceptionally well going six innings allowing 4 hits and 1 earned run. He struck out 2 and walked 1.
Once again the Cardinals bullpen excelled. Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte retired the last 9 Reds batters.
Once again Cards third baseman David Freese was stellar at the plate and in the field. Freese was 2 - 3 with a 2-run homerun and a walk.
Once again the clubhouse was comfortably confident before the game.
Once again I will state that this ballclub is very, very good.
The Cardinals beat the Reds tonight by the score of 3 - 1 in 2:33.
Once again the Redbirds jumped out to a first inning lead with a solo homerun by Carlos Beltran.
Once again the Cardinals starting pitcher, Kyle Lohse, pitched exceptionally well going six innings allowing 4 hits and 1 earned run. He struck out 2 and walked 1.
Once again the Cardinals bullpen excelled. Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte retired the last 9 Reds batters.
Once again Cards third baseman David Freese was stellar at the plate and in the field. Freese was 2 - 3 with a 2-run homerun and a walk.
Once again the clubhouse was comfortably confident before the game.
Once again I will state that this ballclub is very, very good.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Same Old Same Old in Cincinnati
Season record on FSN Midwest: 3 - 0.
The Cardinals continued their winning ways tonight as they beat the Reds 7 - 1. I could have written that the Cardinals continued their DOMINATE ways tonight as they beat the Reds but then I would hear from readers comments like "It's only 5 games into the season.......blah, blah, blah.
After the first two Redbird batters were eliminated in the top of the first inning, the Cards proceeded to hit 3 homeruns before the final out of the inning to take a 4 - 0 lead. This was only the fifth time in team history that they accomplished this feat.
This is my 29th season of televising Major League Baseball. (4 with Minnesota and 25 with St. Louis) The atmosphere of this clubhouse and the confidence of this team is unlike anything I have witnessed during my career.
Just 5 games into a 162-game schedule may be jumping the gun for predicting success for any team in baseball.
In all probability, it IS jumping the gun.
Not this team.
Not this season.
There will be only one factor that will determine whether this team succeeds or not and that is health.
A healthy 2012 St. Louis Cardinals team will be the most successful team ever.
Mark my words.
The Cardinals continued their winning ways tonight as they beat the Reds 7 - 1. I could have written that the Cardinals continued their DOMINATE ways tonight as they beat the Reds but then I would hear from readers comments like "It's only 5 games into the season.......blah, blah, blah.
After the first two Redbird batters were eliminated in the top of the first inning, the Cards proceeded to hit 3 homeruns before the final out of the inning to take a 4 - 0 lead. This was only the fifth time in team history that they accomplished this feat.
This is my 29th season of televising Major League Baseball. (4 with Minnesota and 25 with St. Louis) The atmosphere of this clubhouse and the confidence of this team is unlike anything I have witnessed during my career.
Just 5 games into a 162-game schedule may be jumping the gun for predicting success for any team in baseball.
In all probability, it IS jumping the gun.
Not this team.
Not this season.
There will be only one factor that will determine whether this team succeeds or not and that is health.
A healthy 2012 St. Louis Cardinals team will be the most successful team ever.
Mark my words.
.These Guys are Good
We opened the season in Milwaukee.
The season opener was pretty uneventful. The Brewers don't even come close to the pomp and circumstance of a St. Louis Busch Stadium opening day. That being said, we covered the Cardinals' introductions for the pre-game show as best we could with our three cameras. The Redbirds won the contest 11 - 5 and hit 4 homeruns. Despite being in the backend of a dual feed we had a fairly clean show considering there were 16 total runs and 26 total hits.
The Saturday game was on FOX so we had the day off. I watched the game on television as the Cardinals were shut out by the score of 6 - 0.
The rubber game on Sunday was won by the Cardinals by the score of 9 - 3. This was a very clean telecast. This, I admit, has been a very boring blog thus far. My excuse for this is the fact that both of our FSN Midwest telecasts were painfully uneventful. However the most wonderful aspect of working in television sports is the fact that one learns something each and every game/telecast.
Our record on FSN Midwest is now 2 - 0 for the regular season.
(The Cardinals won the season opener in Miami while playing on ESPN)
(The Redbirds lost there first telecast on FOX)
This is what we on the St. Louis Cardinals FSN Midwest telecasts have learned thus far this season - the 2012 Cardinals are very, very good.
Future Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa is gone.
Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols is gone.
Probable future Hall of Famer Dave Duncan is gone.
The winning atmosphere of St. Louis Cardinals baseball is still around.
More than ever.
This is my 25th season as a part of the St. Louis Cardinals telecast team.
I have never been so excited about the prospects of a baseball season.
The season opener was pretty uneventful. The Brewers don't even come close to the pomp and circumstance of a St. Louis Busch Stadium opening day. That being said, we covered the Cardinals' introductions for the pre-game show as best we could with our three cameras. The Redbirds won the contest 11 - 5 and hit 4 homeruns. Despite being in the backend of a dual feed we had a fairly clean show considering there were 16 total runs and 26 total hits.
The Saturday game was on FOX so we had the day off. I watched the game on television as the Cardinals were shut out by the score of 6 - 0.
The rubber game on Sunday was won by the Cardinals by the score of 9 - 3. This was a very clean telecast. This, I admit, has been a very boring blog thus far. My excuse for this is the fact that both of our FSN Midwest telecasts were painfully uneventful. However the most wonderful aspect of working in television sports is the fact that one learns something each and every game/telecast.
Our record on FSN Midwest is now 2 - 0 for the regular season.
(The Cardinals won the season opener in Miami while playing on ESPN)
(The Redbirds lost there first telecast on FOX)
This is what we on the St. Louis Cardinals FSN Midwest telecasts have learned thus far this season - the 2012 Cardinals are very, very good.
Future Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa is gone.
Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols is gone.
Probable future Hall of Famer Dave Duncan is gone.
The winning atmosphere of St. Louis Cardinals baseball is still around.
More than ever.
This is my 25th season as a part of the St. Louis Cardinals telecast team.
I have never been so excited about the prospects of a baseball season.
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