The Men Behind the Mike

There are five of them now, including J.T. Snow, the latest addition. Jon Miller, Duane Kuiper, Mike Krukow, Dave Flemming, and Greg Papa are the rest. If you look at at all those names you are probably thinking of a gold-star booth.

Jon Miller is most definitely the voice of the Giants and is planning to be for a long time since he will be remaining with the Giants thru the 2012 season. He has one of the greatest, richest voices in the business and makes the game entertaining even when the play isn't. I am always pissed off on Sunday's when ESPN steals him away for the night. Those days we don't get to here his famous line, "two, a double play."

Miller isn't the only announcer in the booth. Dave Flemming is the perfect person to go along with him. He isn't a standout announcer, but he tells the game the way it is. Now in his third season with the Giants, he is becoming the main play-by-play man of the team. I wholeheartedly agree with that idea. I think he is one of the best at explaining each play so that you can picture it in your mind. His call of 715 is actually one of my favorite home run calls because he was so excited that his voice cracked while he was calling it. Hopefully he will be on the radio for a long time.

T.V.'s have been invented though, so now there is a need for more announcers. Kruk and Kuip are the two for the Giants. They have been a pair for 16 years now. They are two good talkers when it comes to the game, but I don't think they spend enough time on the game. They love to pan the audience and talk about that, rather than watch a couple of pitches go by. If they spent more time on the game, it would be easier to watch them.

Greg Pappa and J.T. Snow are to people who aren't in the booth every game. Pappa fills in for Miller when he is doing the Sunday night game. Snow goes on some brodcasts and gives insight to plays in the game. I think Snow might be participating in a few more games this year than last year. At least I hope so. It is fun to here plays from an ex-player's standpoint.

I'm sure these guys are itching to get on the air as much as I am itching to get this season started. I cannot wait to here their voices describe the plays of the game. Only 19 days till spring training.