24. Tampa Bay Rays: 2.10
Previous ranking: 16
Previous grade: 2.20
-Dewayne Staats (play by play)
-Brian Anderson (analyst)
-Todd Kalas (play by play – select)
Most popular grade: C (33.75% of votes)
Analysis: The Rays’ team also fell in the rankings, despite only a small change in their overall grade – that says a lot about the improvement of certain broadcast teams this season. Tampa Bay’s C percentage of 33.75% was the third-highest on the board, behind the Rockies and another team we’ll get to shortly.
23. Arizona Diamondbacks: 2.14
Previous ranking: 17
Previous grade: 2.15
-Steve Berthiaume (play by play)
-Bob Brenly (analyst)
Most popular grade: B (34.37% of votes)
Analysis: The Diamondbacks grade was nearly the same as two years ago (when this partnership was still quite new), but they fell because of other teams improving and leapfrogging them. Arizona was the second of two teams to not crack 10% A votes.
22. Cleveland Indians: 2.19
Previous ranking: 19
Previous grade: 2.09
-Matt Underwood (play by play)
-Rick Manning (analyst)
Most popular grade: C (34.19% of votes)
Analysis: Cleveland’s overall grade improved from two years ago, but their ranking essentially held steady because of the insertion of the two new broadcast teams into our polling. Their 34.19% of C votes was the second-highest of any team.
21. Los Angeles Dodgers (away): 2.22
Previous ranking: N/A
Previous grade: N/A
-Joe Davis (play by play)
-Charley Steiner (play by play)
-Orel Hershiser (analyst)
-Nomar Garciaparra (analyst)
Most popular grade: B (37.63% of votes)
Analysis: Not a great debut for the crew that has the unenviable task of replacing Vin Scully in 2017, but if there’s a silver lining, it’s this – no team had a higher percentage of B votes than the Dodgers away crew at 37.63%.
20. Kansas City Royals: 2.25
Previous ranking: 18
Previous grade: 2.13
-Ryan Lefebvre (play by play)
-Steve Physioc (play by play)
-Rex Hudler (analyst)
-Jeff Montgomery (analyst – select)
Most popular grade: B (29.70% of votes)
Analysis: Nothing much to say here – the Royals got jumped by one of the new crews and another one this year, despite their rating improving.
19. Minnesota Twins: 2.31
Previous ranking: 7
Previous grade: 2.63
-Dick Bremer (play by play)
-Bert Blyleven (analyst)
-Jack Morris (analyst – select)
-Roy Smalley (analyst – select)
Most popular grade: B (31.28% of votes)
Analysis: So, this happened – the Twins rating went into the tank and they fell 12 spots in the rankings, despite nothing really changing with the broadcast.
18. Houston Astros: 2.32
Previous ranking: 23
Previous grade: 2.00
-Bill Brown (play by play)
-Alan Ashby (analyst)
-Geoff Blum (analyst)
Most popular grade: C (32.53% of votes)
Analysis: Maybe the change from CSN Houston to Root Sports Southwest really did help – the Astros’ overall rating improved and they crept up a few spots in the rankings as well. However, the AL West malaise remains strong – just like two years ago, the division received the least votes of the six, and no team received fewer total votes than Houston, with 578.
17. Philadelphia Phillies: 2.33
Previous ranking: 26
Previous grade: 1.90
-Tom McCarthy (play by play)
-Ben Davis (analyst)
-Matt Stairs (analyst)
-Mike Schmidt (analyst)
-Gregg Murphy (play by play – select)
Most popular grade: B (26.00% of votes)
Analysis: Two years ago, the Phillies’ new broadcast team was still getting its feet wet. Since replacing Jamie Moyer with Ben Davis, the crew has taken strides forward, and as such, their overall rating and grade both improved, nearly pushing Philadelphia into the top half after they were in the bottom five in our previous rankings. The Phillies are also our first team to break the 20% mark in A votes.
Paul Oneil and Michel Kaye are HORRIBLE ONLY slightly better are John Sterling and Susyn Waldman