Tom McCarthy - Latest Phillies Disaster (Updated)

As all Phillies fans know, Tom McCarthy is the new voice in town. The best I can say for him is that he takes time away from Gary Matthews. That’s worth something.

But, with a quarter of the season gone, there’s been enough evidence to offer a fair evaluation of his work.  In a word, it’s detestable.  In another word, it’s self-serving. McCarthy is just another horror foisted upon faithful fans by the cult of Rob Brooks, the Phils demented director of boobery and broadcasting.

Most grating of all are McCarthy’s in-game “reports.”  That they’re inane, that they smear our ears with silly, worthless tripe (”I talked with Mark Teixeira before the game and he told he his back is better and that he’ll play tonight.” – while the camera is SHOWING him actually …. playing – egads!) is bad enough, but what’s unforgiveable is that those so-called reports interrupt the flow of the game. There have been two occasions where home runs were hit while “T-Mac” was babbling on about nothing.  Ryan Howard hit a dramatic 8th inning home run on May 4th - a game winner - and what did viewers hear during that exciting moment?  We heard a silly and worthless (non) interview with Jerry Coleman.  Jerry Coleman?  Who cares?  And then, a few days later, Tommy boy had to pause during his banal Pat Gillick interview with an, oh by the way, that’s a 400 foot homerun by Kelly Johnson. Wow, Tom that’s some mighty fine reporting. Too bad he took the spotlight away from the game, you know, the game where someone is supposed to actually report on the proceedings AS THEY HAPPEN! (Who might that reporter be? Oh, I don’t know, maybe a Hall of Famer named Harry Kalas.)

To intrude on the game as McCarthy does is really unforgiveable.  I understand that he’d want more air time, but not at the expense of compromising the game’s integrity – and his own. 

But let’s go on. Have you noticed McCarthy’s fake laughs when Garry Matthews makes a feeble attempt at humor?  Matthews will say something that could easily be ignored - and should be ignored - and what does Tom do? He guffaws. Dosen’t he realize we’re we’re watching and listening and his response marks him as a phony?  Oh, HA HA HAHAHA HA HA!  Indeed.

And last, for now, Tom has to stop wearing his pale powder blue nightie top.  He looks like a doughboy waiting for his mommy to tuck him in.  Something more manly would help.  And at this point in the proceedings, Tom McCarthy needs all the help he can get.

P.S.  Two of McCarthy’s most recent interview “gets” were a minister who led a choir in singing the National Anthem, and a member of a girl’s teenaged softball team.  Wow, Tom, amazing stuff.  Wow, again, Tom, because that’s some awesome reporting on matters of great importance to all us fans. Just because I’m a good guy, Tom, and want to help, how about some interviews with a serial “boo-er,” or maybe even a worker who wraps Hatfield hot dogs in aluminum foil? Now, that would really be something.