A couple of MLB on Fox in-game interviews on Saturday night were interrupted by what was going on in the background- Game 7 of the World Series in Toronto.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith came to the plate to lead off the top of the fourth inning and hit a flyball off the wall for a double. It happened as Fox Sports’ Tom Verducci tried to interview Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
“Joined by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts,” Verducci said, right before Smith hit the baseball.
That was followed by commentary from Fox play-by-play announcer Joe Davis.
After the double, Verducci asked Roberts, “You’ve gotten underneath some pitches on Max Scherzer first time around, what are you looking for the second time around?”
Roberts was busy reacting to the play and pointing out to Smith at second base, as well as acknowledging people in the Dodgers’ dugout.
“Say that again, Tom?” Roberts responded, roughly thirty seconds after Verducci attempted to begin the interview.
Roberts would go on to answer questions from Verducci, and as more action happened, including Freddie Freeman hitting a single in the ensuing at-bat as part of a one-run Dodgers inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, Fox reporter Ken Rosenthal tried to interview Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider, who stopped answering a question to deliver instructions to someone on the field.
“Sorry, Ken. This is like the worst interview ever,” Schneider said before continuing the interview.
MLB interviews have interrupted postseason moments for many years now, yet nothing has changed on that front.
The reporters are just doing as they’re told, and the managers tend to be very friendly and considerate about that.
But when we are talking *Game Seven* of the World Series, especially, maybe just let the managers focus on doing their job.
The reality is that most viewers don’t really care what the manager has to say in the middle of a game anyway, and they would especially rather hear the play-by-play announcer and color commentators during important game action. At the very least, speak to the manager while there’s a break in game action instead of when they’re trying to, you know, manage the game.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.