I try not to be critical. I want to not knee-jerk and keep a balanced perspective.
This gets in my craw. I like Rhads as a Sports Caster. He's a nice guy, it seems.
Respected by most, in his field, I'm sure. What's not to like about his demeanor?
Amiable guy... lets have a beer, etc.

BUT...

PBP personality, he is NOT.

The Ranger Fans deserve much better. His Baseball 101 is terribly lacking.
Rhads natural response to Jack Wilson's unbelievable DP was lackluster at best.
That did it for me... I feel I am getting cheated.

@utb - I thought the same thing on the ground out play to end the inning. Sounded so bush league. something like, "gounder to 1st, but here comes the run...(dead air)...but the inning is over."

I feel like I am trying to give him a chance but so far I am spending much of the games noticing his shortcomings and baseball 101 knowledge. When he says "full count" when its 1-2, then spends the next 2 pitches confused and backpeddaling, it's distracting. The PBP guy should be like an umpire, part of the game you don't really notice that just flows with the natural progression of the game I am watching. It's still early but I don't understand why the AL champs are breaking in a rookie in the booth. With that huge new TV deal, couldn't they find someone who at least knew the game? Hope he grows on me over time but I'm doubtful...he's making Lewin look like a hall of famer more and more each game.

The potential for a historical year for TEX will be documented by Rhad's calls in the highlight videos for all posterity.

It's time for Steve Busby

When will ERIC NADEL be the TV play by play man?

The way the team is playing, they could hire Jagger from 105.3 The Fail, and I wouldn't notice. Or not.

Rhadigan is horrible. I can't say it any nicer. I loved Josh but Rhadigan saying you get an RBI after hitting into a double play was inexcusable. How much did Nolan hate Josh to make us suffer this badly. thank God they're winning!

He sucks more every game. He just doesn't seem to get the game at game speed. Balls that are ripped in the gap, he pauses to see if they are going to be caught. So annoying.

Thats it turning the tv on mute and turning up Eric Nadel and his heavenly voice.

I don't hate the guy, and really don't pay attention or notice him until something big happens.....like a big play, or runs being scored, but that's when he's at his worst. Not knowing the basic rules that I learned when I was a kid is disappointing. Runs don't score on a 3rd out? "The outfielder tricked me into thinking it was gone because he jumped on the wall, and that's how announcers judge fly balls......"

The bottom line is he just doesn't call the plays as they unfold, but waits until everybody stops moving, to figure out what all happened. I'm trying to give him a chance, but he makes his shortcomings so obvious.

Can anyone seriously tell me why Nadel can't call plays for TV and radio at the same time?? I know others around the country have done it.

Rhads has always been a studio guy ... introducing film replays. Unless he stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night ... he has no business doing play by play.

I would agree that Rhadigan has trouble reading the ball off the bat which makes for some funny homerun calls. At least he's not Barnett boring. I sigh everytime I hear Nadel say "Here's Dave".

So all this talk about play by play guys, and I realize I'm at work and have no tv or radio. Just this computer. Anyone know if I can stream video or radio without having to pay for the MLB service?

Rhadigan doesnt have the Moxie to be a play by play guy

Today he said "through the wickets" on a ball over Elvis' head. Said "the score is 3-0.....ahhh I mean 3-1". And "we're going to the 6th inn" when we were going to the 7th. And that's just the ticky tack stuff that I suddenly notice because he is starting to distract me from the game. I feel bad for Tom when he makes a good point and then has to re-explain it 3 times because of Rhads.

But the Rangers are 6-0! I'll take it!

I think he may be the devil

Adam and Snow -

Couldn't agree more. Why should I have to "see if he grows on me?" The team should be catering to the fans - not the other way around. I know Rhads is horrible b/c I really, really miss Josh and I didn't really even like Josh. But even Josh is LIGHT YEARS ahead of Rhads in every meaningful way.

"Through the wickets" was amazing. Seriously, how does someone actually say that on a ball over someone's head? It sucks that he is in this situation, but it's hard to feel bad for a baseball announcer that doesn't know the rules of baseball.

For all the discussion about the "fan experience," I just can't believe Nolan and Co. went on the cheap for a PBP guy.

@Busher...

Fuck, shit, ass, bitch, cunt, damn, cocksucker, taint, balls, pussy, twat, cum, asshole, mother fucker, tit sucker. Keep your morality bullshit to your fucking self.

@DMax

It's people like you that ruin things for everyone. What satisfaction to you get out of being an immature idiot? You get your jollies from cursing up a storm on a baseball forum seen by children? You are either 14 yrs old or in your mid 20's and didn't get enough attention when you were younger. I know you're kind. You say what you like and are rude to who ever you like. The thinig is, you will never grow up. Plus, no one is going to respect anything you say. Not on this forum because of your last stunt, and not in life because most people do grow up and grow out of the things you probably do every day. This is a baseball forum. Nothing else needs to be talked about besides baseball. Your comment will (hopefully) be deleted by a moderator and you will go back to being nothing more than a deleted memory. Get a life. Grow up. If you can't you're not welcome here.

Joey... Please have someone delete the post above then block his IP address. Thanks.

Just to be clear ... I'm talking about DMax' post not Mike's.

"You don't call retarded people retards. That would be mean. You call your friends retards when they're acting retarded". Michael Scott

At my house we call him John Mulligan - he makes way too many mistakes. Plus I miss the excitement of Josh Lewin. "Ballgame!" with enthusiasm hammered home after a win was perfect. A ball in the gap was always perfectly called by Lewin. Mulligan might mistake it for a popup.

I am starting to get a tad nervous about Nolan Ryan having thin skin. He seems to be a good baseball guy and a straight shooter. But if he forced out Josh Lewin and then Chuck Greenberg over personality stuff... I don't know, just feeling a bit uneasy.

I am thankful for Nolan being a part of getting this team purchased, but in terms of Nolan's actual abilities as team President, I'm undecided. Re-signing JD went a long way to keeping this organization on the right track, but hiring Rhadigan literally makes watching the Rangers less enjoyable.

Throughout the last decade, for any game that I didn't attend, I watched it on DVR in its entirety. This season, because of Rhadigan, I find msyelf fast-forwarding through large stretches of each game. That is a bad sign given that Texas has only played 6 games!

The PBP guy is the guy that 99% of fans listen to throughout the season. It's frustrating to realize that Texas went cheap and hired a guy with no experience, thereby forcing the fans to fight through what has to be the worst announcer in MLB. The WS appearance gave the organization a great opportunity to grow their fan-base but instead, even the die-hards are spending as much time complaining about the PBP guy as they spend discussing the 6-0 start.

Well stated UTB.

It is beyond me why TEX in the #5 media market in the U.S. ... and with a coverage area extending to all of Texas, all of Oklahoma, all of Arkansas, all of Louisiana, and the eastern half of New Mexico would hire a "studio guy" who never ever did play by play for its flagship telecast of TEX games.

Rhadigan is a nice guy ... but we would be better served to have the Fan of the Day do the on air broadcasts. At least then we can count on some legitimate excitement over big plays on the field. He needs to spend less time on air thanking Nolan for the job ... and more time studying the MLB rule book.