Cardinal TV announcers are horrible

I love watching Cardinal baseball games to keep up with my favorite team but it certainly isn't fun to listen to the bad TV commentary.

The TV personalities on Fox Sports Midwest are so bad that I sometimes mute them to listen to the radio to laugh at Mike Shannon-isms. Unfortunately the radio and the TV are usually not at the exact same point -- either the the radio is a little ahead or a little behind. So I enjoy watching in silence a lot of times rather than listening to the fools talk about everything under the sun except what is actually happening on the field.

I am sure everyone has their least favorite like Al Hrabosky or Rick Horton and I am no different. Without a doubt my least favorite is Dan McLaughlin, who has had his fair share of trouble off the air as some of you may know. Now obviously that is not the reason I do not like him because those are his mistakes and his choices. But from the announcing side he really gets under my skin with his remarks and sometimes idiotic statements. It is always his idea about something or asking Al a crazy question that may not have anything to do with the game being played at the moment. I for one want to hear the announcers talk about the plays being made at the time or during the game not about what was done in the 1970s when Al pitched for the Cardinals. That being said I totally respect the Cardinal history and am not trying to downplay that by any means. Still, if I want a history lesson about the first time Al threw a curveball in a bunting situation on the road while it was raining and the game was tied in the 15th inning I can look it up.

I will give credit where it is due and I will say that once in awhile they may actually say something original or insightful. In general however all of the announcers are guilty of just plain and simply talking too much. I mean is it necessary that they have to be talking every second of every game? If it is news great because that is their job and they should be bringing up news and updates but a lot of times they are talking about stuff I don't want to know nor hear about. How about letting the game play out and maybe actually talking about the plays being or not being made? Now I know what some of you are thinking; that they are on the air for entertainment and to liven up the game and fill up the "dead space" when the game is moving slow. I do agree that sometimes the game moves slow and they have to fill in with something. How about discussing how our minor league teams are doing or how some of our top prospects are faring?

If it could get worse unfortunately it does. After listening to the jibber jabber during the game, now comes the Fox Sports Midwest post game crew. I was a big Jim Edmonds fan until his first appearance on FS Midwest post game show. He has no business being in front of a camera unless he is playing centerfield without a microphone on. I understand what FS Midwest is trying to due by bringing in former Cardinal players and upping their ratings but just because they were great in a Cardinal uniform doesn't make them a good TV personality. Edmonds looks lost on the air and basically talks when he wants to. Yes he is a fan favorite and I am sure I am the only Cardinal fan that doesn't like watching Jimmy "Ball Game" Edmonds on the post game show.

I guess I am just spoiled and it seems a shame that St Louis is widely considered the best baseball town to have such terrible TV announcers. Too bad they don't have tryouts for announcers or better yet trades between teams. I would trade them all for Vin Scully and a voice to be named later.