The Chris Singleton era has begun, and it didn't get off to a bad start. Not as bad as I feared when I wrote a
three-
part series slamming the hire, at least. Although it's only Spring Training, there are indications he'll be smoother than Darrin Jackson breaking out of the gate, so we can take consolation in knowing we shouldn't experience a new low in broadcast quality.
I tuned in around the fifth inning, and work kept me from hanging on every word, but I was able to take some notes of things I liked and disliked.
*Ed Farmer sounded peppier. Chances are that early-season excitement and the informality of spring games contributed greatly to this, but I'm sure he's aware that he also has to carry Singleton for the time being.
*Alas, no anchor. John Rooney had a rock-solid set of pipes. It felt like you were watching a ballgame when he was calling the game, and Ed Farmer brought his dour brand of comic relief. Now, even if Farmer brings that different attitude, there isn't a lot to Singleton's voice to fill out the rest of the booth. When he was reading a promotional spot before the start of an inning, it sounded like a volunteer reading a church announcement. I'm not trying to be too hard on him; I'm just trying to figure out what to expect.
*To Singleton's credit, he didn't overtalk. When he did talk for an extended period of time, it was because Farmer led him into it with some direct questions. Hopefully Farmer will be a little less obvious about it when the real games start, which I imagine he will.
*Also to Singleton's credit, he showed a sense of humor. Farmer was getting on his case for messing up his scorecard. Evidently, Singleton was having difficulty keeping up with all the roster changes, and Farmio let him hear it, using the word "cuneiform" twice. Singleton was a good sport about it.
*Like DJ, he fell into the "too cutesy" trap a few times. The one I jotted down was when Robert Valido's double-play toss pulled Konerko off the bag. There was some debate whether his foot touched the bag on the way down, but Singleton went into this tangent about how Konerko's footwork is so good that he could be on "Dancing With The Stars," and that it's like first base is his "own backyard." But I never found out what the final verdict was on the play.
*On the plus side, he brought some solid outfield analysis on some defensive plays. What an outfielder sees differently during the day in comparison to night, commenting on some plays that are harder than they look, talking about the toughest outfields to man. Some of it was actually enlightening, though hopefully the transitions will be smoother. Farmer telegraphed some questions to get Singleton talking.
*The best comment of the day: When Josh Fields came to the plate, Farmer commented on how he was both a third baseman and starting quarterback for Oklahoma State. Singleton played football and baseball himself, so Farmer asked him what advantages being a two-sport star brings. Singleton said the biggest advantage came when negotiating a bonus -- the threat of jumping to football gave some extra leverage. I was completely expecting to hear things like "You get a special brand of athlete" and a "football attitude" (Darin Erstad, anyone?), but instead he gave me the answer that guys like Joe Borchard and Drew Henson bring to mind.
After growing up only knowing the easy back-and-forth between Farmer and Rooney, it's going to take a lot of time to get used to partners actively trying to mesh. It's hard to not jump to conclusions, but this is their Spring Training, too. I'm sure the transitions will be smoother, and Singleton will figure out when he can talk without Farmer giving him the green light.
Content may not be as big a problem as it first appeared, but it seems as though the major obstacle will be his voice. His tone was rather meek, especially in comparison to the confident Rooney. Even when he grows more accustomed to his role, it's going to take a lot more balls to keep that would-be captive audience's ear.