Here's a interesting link concerning a poll from the Wall Street Journal on the biggest homer announcers in the big leagues. Our boys Buzz and TAG are in the 18th spot among the 30 teams. Kind of where I thought the would be.
However the Yankees' Michael Kay, Ken Singleton and Paul O'Neill were way down on the list. According to the chart, this trio didn't offer any "biased'' comments. Obviously, someone wasn't listening very closely.
BTW, the runaway winner was Hawk Harrelson and Steve Stone. Now there's a huge surprise, huh?http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/msn/white_sox_announcer_named_biggest/11809303

The YES Network is actually pretty objective, relative to other TV booths. They aren't afraid to applaud the opposing team or be critical of their own, though I know quite a few BBTiA dwellers have a problem with them for one reason or another.

LOL..no surprise on this as far as who is first. I watched the Sox the other day against the Indians and Hawk was saying stuff like "well we just gifted them runs in the 4th" and was practically whining and crying. I am all about being somewhat a homer and play to your audience, but don't be a baby. I have to say Steve and Tag are pretty neutral. They do a good job I think being supportive of home team but also just calling the game. Caught the Angels the other night....wow...brutal. Like 2-3 pitches were thrown with no comment what so ever. Seemed like minutes of silence almost every inning.

@Eric: The biggest problem I have with the YES announcers is, while they aren't as blatantly unbiased as others, they do have their moments.
To wit: A couple of years ago when the Yankees were in line to play the Rangers and Cliff Lee, Michael Kay took it upon himself to accuse Lee of doctoring the baseball. That story had legs for a couple of days and it centered around the black marks on the end of Lee's cap.
Also, a few years ago Ken Singleton was outraged when Ranger fans booed Alex Rodriguez at a game in Arlington when the Yankees came to town. Singleton had the temerity to say "You'd never hear Yankee fans booing anyone, especially someone like ARod.'' I nearly choked when I heard that.
And earlier this year, when the foul ball fiasco occurred at RBiA over some kid crying because the people next to him didn't give him a foul ball, a few days later on the YES network, I believe it was Singleton, while watching a foul ball getting handed to a kid in the stands during a Yankee game, said "That's something you won't ever see at the Rangers' ballpark.''

I think Grieve and Busby do a good job overall. I do wish, though, that they would be more willing to criticize the Rangers when called for. In that respect, they are real homers. Some organizations give announcers a lot of leeway to criticize the home team. The Cardinals were always like that.

I really really enjoyed Michael Kay's commentary whenever I had to listen to them. They called a great game

On a related note concerning Hawk, I noticed he wasn't on the White Sox TV game last night. Just Steve Stone and someone else.
Wonder what happened to him?

@42

Honestly, speculating about Cliff Lee doctoring a baseball isn't that big of a deal. Doesn't really take away from a baseball broadcast. All those guys at YES are very knowledgeable about the inner-workings of a game.

As for A-Rod, I also can't blame them for questioning our fan base. Alex was nothing but an MVP-caliber player here. Doesn't deserve to be booed.

Being an MVP-caliber player doesn't mean you can't also be a grade-A douchebag. Just sayin'.

Also, the original WSJ story is here.

Small sample size to be sure (1 full game for each team), but considering the White Sox' announcers made 104 comments they considered examples of homerism, and the next biggest offender (the Indians' guys) made only 23....I think it's safe to say we have a clear "winner".

Getting/having to listen to the other team's broadcast isn't usually an unpleasant experience for me, so far. I actually enjoy listening to the Astros' broadcast, for example, and I personally find Brown to be reasonably close to impartial; he even shows enthusiasm calling good plays by the other team. That said, I can only imagine what a nightmare it must be to have to listen to the White Sox' broadcast if you're the opposing team. Ugh.

@Eric: The point I was trying to make, which I obviously didn't accomplish, in reference to the booing of Alex Rodriguez was Singleton saying Yankee fans never boo anyone. That's unadulterated BS.
As to Kay's accusations, it wasn't just a thought bubble on the broadcast. His accusations made all of the NY newspapers and it was a national web story for a few days. He did interviews and it forced Lee to answer unsubstantiated rumors which began from a guy in the TV booth.

Didn't you know that Eric is the end-all, be-all expert of everything?

@Randy Johnson: Wow...is this the real Randy "Mr. Snappy'' Johnson? Fellow BBTIAers, we've come a long way!
But as to Eric's opinions, I'm more than willing to share dialogue with or anyone else who can carry on a somewhat coherent conversation without name calling.
He likes the Yankee announcers and I don't. There's nothing wrong with that.
He's taken issue with other things I've said but he's civil about his criticisms and disagreements and forms his opinions based on thought. That's all anyone on this board can ask for. I don't waste my time responding to those who don't.

I agree with you 42. Of course we should boo arod he blames texas for steroids and called the team he played with "24 kids".

And to think that singelton said that about "not seeing that at Rangers Ballpark..." wow. just wow

@Andy

Living in Chicago, I hate Sox-Rangers games. Hate them. I'm blacked out from watching the DFW feed on MLB.tv so I have to try to stomach through that idiot Hawk. I try to go to all of the games that are here just to avoid him, but it's not possible. I literally will just mute the TV or not even turn it on because he is that horrible to listen to. He is a moron and an a-hole and I hear that's not just schtick. I know folks here in town that have played golf with him at charity events and he's a total douche to everyone.

I'm getting upset just thinking about how unfortunate I am that the Cubs aren't the AL team up here so I could get their announcers 6-8 times/yr instead.