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New York, National Hosts React To Mets Giving Fans Thumbs Down

Several New York Mets players made headlines when it was announced they were giving thumbs downs to fans; the NY media reacts.

MIchael Quirk

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Saying things aren’t going well for baseball fans in Queens lately is like saying a cockroach kind of messes up a bowl of ice cream. Falling from first place in the NL East to almost certainly not making the playoffs, the wheels fell off even further this week when infielder Javy Baez explained why he and others on the team, notably Francisco Lindor and Kevin Pillar, have been giving the ‘thumbs down’ symbol after big hits or plays — to troll the ever-booing Mets fans.

If there is one thing owner Steve Cohen does not want to see early on in his tenure, it’s an acrimonious relationship between star players and fans. Sure, it’s the Big Apple, so underperforming players are always going to draw the ire of the ticketed customer and social media “woulda-been big leaguers.” But players giving it right back to the fans, particularly during a monumental slide, can not sit well. The New York media, including Michael Kay, took to the airwaves to give their opinions on the matter.

“I just get the sense that it was Lindor that was really poking Baez,” said Kay. “Baez doesn’t even know the Mets fans. He’s been there 17 games. How would Baez be the guy who is going to give the dissertation on Mets fans? It had to come from Lindor, they’re best buddies.”

Craig Carton of Carton & Roberts on WFAN is never shy about his passion for the team across the way in the Bronx. He appeared to bask a little bit in the glow of the apparent meltdown for the Mets while his co-host Evan Roberts, a Mets die-hard, went off on the thumbs down gesture.

“We’ve got an out-of-touch owner, a disgruntled player who is at least honest, two other disgruntled players who aren’t honest, and we’ve got a general manager/president who is on his way out, it’s New York Mets baseball, baby!” said Carton. “Meanwhile, the Yankees lose two-in-a-row and who cares? The New York Mets are on fire!”

Chris Russo joined High Heat to give his usual dose of caffeinated rage to the players in question.

“I am completely down on the Mets,” said Russo. “Baez has been there for about a month and hits .207. In August, .207! And Lindor? Look yourself in the mirror, you’re making $40 million a year and you hit .225 with 36 RBI. Nobody cares about your defense. Look yourself in the mirror. You’ve been an embarrassment your first year.”

While the admonishments of the Mets players were aplenty locally, nationally, Dan Patrick gave a different view. He said while he understands boos for a lack of effort or apparent care by a player, when it comes to performance, he doesn’t see how it helps the fan’s beloved team do better, even if it is for a fanbase hurt as often as the Mets.

“Does booing your player or your team help?” Patrick asked. “Does it help the player and the team? Now, it might help you, because you’re angry and this is your team, and you want to win, and you’re tired of seeing this movie every single year. It ends the same way: hopes die.”

To sum it up, things are not looking up in Flushing Meadows.

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Kirk Minihane: WEEI is “Going to be Andy Gresh and Rich Shertenlieb in Afternoons”

“Maybe the two most sensitive c***s in the history of radio. That’s a show we are going to ruin.”

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Photos of Kirk Minihane and Rich Shertenlieb

As the speculation continues on where Boston sports talker Rich Shertenlieb will end up, one former WEEI host said he has the scoop on what is going to happen. Kirk Minihane, now with Barstool Sports, said, “What I heard was, initially, was they were moving Rich Keefe from nights to middays, moving Adam Jones from afternoons to middays and keeping Fauria there, and moving Andy Gresh to afternoons…But now it appears Rich Shertenlieb is going to do afternoons with Andy Gresh.”

On Wednesday, Boston Globe sports and sports media columnist Chad Finn had put out a post on X, saying, “Didn’t think Rich Shertenlieb would end up at WEEI after leaving Sports Hub. I do now, most likely in afternoon drive. Audacy management has been telling people to expect changes.”

Minihane continued commenting on the matter, saying, “It’s going to be Andy Gresh and Rich Shertenlieb in the afternoons, which is going to be so awful. Maybe the two most sensitive c***s in the history of radio. That’s a show we are going to ruin…we haven’t done that in a while, we are going to take that show down…Once that show starts, we are just going to blitz them with phone calls because Gresh can’t handle that.

“What they don’t understand, because they are so dumb, is that…Rich Shertenlieb has no fan base…no fan of [Toucher and Hardy] in the morning is going to be like ‘I’m not going to listen to Felger in the afternoons, I’ll now listen to Andy Gresh and Rich Shertenlieb.’ It’s going to be dreadful.”

Recapping what he has heard the rest of the WEEI lineup will be, Minihane said, “…And then in middays you have Adam Jones, failed afternoons. Rich Keefe who has now failed middays, drivetime, nights and is now going to fail again in middays… and Christian Fauria who has never drawn a rating in his life.”

WEEI has not commented on any of the speculation. BSM will have more as the story unfolds.

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Former 670 The Score Host Tommy Williams Has Died

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Photo of Tommy Williams
Courtesy: Lakeshore Public Media

Tommy Williams, who was heard for a decade on 670 The Score, died on Wednesday at the age of 66.

Williams began his broadcasting career in his hometown of Gary, Indiana in 1982 at WLTH before moving on to The Score. In 2003, Williams became the PA Announcer for the Gary Southshore RailCats of the American Association where he had his signature call to get the attention of the fans, “People, People, People.”

A story in The Times of Northwest Indiana said, “The longtime RailCats public address announcer and Lakeshore Public Media sports journalist was known for broadcasting countless games, interviewing countless athletes and covering Region sports at all levels. The Gary native and co-host of “Prep Sports Report,” “Prep Football Report,” and “Lakeshore PBS Scoreboard” often signed off shows saying, “Gary, Indiana, you know I love you.”

“The cadence he had in his voice echoed across the Region in a way we may never see again. He was widely known and widely loved,” Tom Maloney, vice president of radio operations at Lakeshore Public Media told the paper.

“He’d want to be remembered as the voice of Lakeshore sports,” his Regionally Speaking co-host and producer Dee Dotson told The Times. “Most people will remember him for covering prep sports all the way up to semi-pros. He’ll be remembered for treating each of his subjects like they were world champions. His depth of knowledge of sports at all levels is commendable. He was a walking encyclopedia of stats.” 

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Compass Media Networks Promotes Three Members to Oversee Play-by-Play Sports Platform

“It is our pleasure to give these three talented executives their day in the sun, knowing that they will continue to work incredibly hard to carry on this tradition of excellence.”

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Logo for Compass Media Networks

Compass Media Networks has announced the promotions of three long-standing executives, Robert Blum, Tyler Brewer, and Chris Kleiber, who will collectively oversee the content creation, production, and distribution of the company’s play-by-play sports platform.

“For over 16 years, Compass Media Networks has set a standard of excellence for national play-by-play sports with Chris, Rob, and Tyler playing a vital part in our success,” said Peter Kosann, CEO/Founder of Compass Media Networks. “It is our pleasure to give these three talented executives their day in the sun, knowing that they will continue to work incredibly hard to carry on this tradition of excellence.”

Robet Blum has been appointed Vice President & General Manager of Sports and will also continue to serve as Vice President of Affiliate Sales for News-Talk and Sports. Tyler Brewer has been appointed Executive Producer – Sports Programming. And Chris Kleiber has been appointed Senior Producer – Sports Programming.

Compass Media Networks broadcasts annually over 100 play-by-play sporting events involving college men’s basketball and football (including the Big Ten Tournament and the Big Ten Championship Game), NFL 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday Doubleheaders, and complete coverage of the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders. The broadcasts are distributed across hundreds of terrestrial sports, news-talk and music stations as well as digital distribution platforms such as SiriusXM, Verizon Mobile, and the Varsity App.

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