Fox Sports lead baseball analyst Tim McCarver will broadcast his 20th All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Phoenix, the most in history.
He has worked with nearly every big name in the business. He once broadcast World Series games with Jack Buck on CBS; this year will be the 13th Midsummer Classic in which he will share the booth with Jack’s son Joe.
He’s even worked with some of the D.C. area broadcasters. Nationals play-by-play man Bob Carpenter joined him with the Mets in 1993 and 1994, and Orioles play-by-play man Gary Thorne did the same from 1995 to 1998. He also worked with Jim Palmer on “Monday Night Baseball” on ABC.
“I have had the honor to work many great partners over the years,” McCarver said. “Al Michaels and Keith Jackson taught me a great deal about becoming a better broadcaster, and we really made the three-man booth with Al, Jim Palmer and myself work. But right now my partner, Joe, is one of my best friends, and he is an outstanding overall broadcaster, and he would make his father proud.”
McCarver played in two All-Star Games as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1966 and 1967, so he has an understanding of what the game means.
“Football has overtaken baseball as the national pastime, but no other sport has the passion, the history and the drama of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In the 86 years that it has been played, it never seems to disappoint fans. Now with the game deciding home field for the World Series, you see managers making key roster moves like getting the Nationals’ Tyler Clippard as a setup man. Everyone wants to play to this game, and truth be told they always wanted bragging rights, but now it does mean more.”
Speaking of the Nationals, what does McCarver think about the direction of the franchise?
“This is a team on the rise and a franchise that really gets it,” McCarver said.
“They understand about building around a young core of very talented players like Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond, Ryan Zimmerman, Wilson Ramos, Michael Morse, Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen. Not to mention Stephen Strasburg and the potential of a Bryce Harper. Then you have a guy like Davey Johnson who might be one of the best men in baseball working with young talent as the manager, and last but far from least you have an ownership willing to spend money on the right type of free agents. There is no doubt this team is only a year or two away from being a perennial contender.”
Examiner columnist Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this!
