Skip Caray cutting back on broadcasts | ajc.com
For the time being, he will do only home games on the radio. He speaks of maybe traveling later in the year, but to be honest I don’t know how likely it is:
“I almost died in October,” Caray said. “I was in intensive care for three weeks. I don’t remember any of it. I woke up one day and all my kids were there and my wife, and my cardiologist. I woke up and said ‘Where the hell am I and what are y’all doing here?’ I had no idea.”
Needless to say, he feels fortunate to be doing any games at all this season.
We’re all fortunate that he will.
That’s a shame about Skip. It’s been obvious in recent years that he has not been healthy. At one point, I thought that he had had a stroke because of the way he spoke and his general demeanor on the broadcasts.
He hasn’t had a stroke, but he has problems with most of his major organs, and that takes a toll.
Very sad news, and I sure hope he does get well. I certainly missed him last season when he stopped doing most of the tv broadcasts.
I saw this too and was saddened to hear of his condition. Hate this for him.
If prayer helps, he has mine.
I am not sure if I ever really liked Skip Carey or of it was more that I was just used to him. His voice was familiar and went hand in hand with watching Braves games for me growing up. It isn’t quite the same without him broadcasting the games.
I’ll never forget when he called the Sid Bream play at the plate.
*Yes, I know he isn’t dead.
My favorite Skip Caray line. Against the Mets in ’06, Tim Hudson walks in a run,
“And the bases are still loaded and I wish I was.”
Man I love Skip. My prayers are with him to come back strong.
According to Mark Bowman, the Braves rally last night
“only delayed the inevitable when Xavier Nady drilled a three-run homer off Blaine Boyer in the 12th inning, which allowed the Pirates to hold on for a 12-11 win over the Braves.”
It was inevitable that the Braves would lose after tying the game? Wow, I thought I was negative.
I remember the first time I ever watched a Braves game as a kid I was like, “That guy has a funny voice. I like him.”
Oh, and this probably means we’ll hear more Ron Gant on the radio (shudder), since Simpson will be on TV most of the time for road games.
I like Skip but I found it rather painful to listen to him now (not that I ever will be able to now that TBS doesn’t carry the Braves) because he was obviously not well. On the other hand, Skip is still better than Chip, proving, I guess, that you can’t necessarily inherit talent.
I’ve got a motorcycle Gant can ride to the games…
To me, Skip and Pete sound like summer. I miss that duo.
Too many great Skip memories to mention at the moment, so…
Skip,
We love you & thanks for everything. Be well.
I just came here to post that AJC story…for me too, Skip was a big reason why I became a Braves fan as a kid. Here’s hoping he can find comfort and good health from here on out.
back in the 80’s….”Fulton County Stadium, where it’s always the bottom of the fifth, and I’m leading the league in doubles”
A reader, not a poster here. But for Skip, I feel compelled to come out, if only for a brief moment, to say thanks to the man who has brought enjoyment to me since i was a kid. I mute the TV when he’s on the radio. He’s worth the annoying 5-second delay. He’s always been the voice of the Braves for me. I can’t imagine anyone else taking his place.
You have a lot of fans out here, Skip. Get well and get yourself in game shape. Whenever you’re ready, you’ve always got an open invitation to my living room.
“There’s a lot of room in left center. If he hits one there we can dance in the street.”
Thank you.
I’ve opted to listen to Skip and Pete on the radio rather than watch whoever the random people are doing the national broadcast many times before. And tuning in to other games, you can tell the broadcasters just aren’t up to the standard that Caray and Van Wieren are.
And some of the lines Skip has are just gold; stuff you never think you’d hear. Man. I hope he sticks around for a good long while.
this is too bad, especially since Skip’s legacy is a nitwit who thinks he’s an announcer.
skip…….you’re my all-time favorite broadcaster so i hope you see this…….GET WELL SOON.
Skip is one of the reasons I’m a Braves fan. He always made it interesting, even when it was a complete blowout, and he taught me so funny English expressions I owe him more than any of my English teachers. Get well soon Skip!
The 80’s. The Braves were bad. The sound of the news ticker in the background drowning out the ‘crowd noise’. The sea empty blue seats and Skip Carey cracking me up between Dale Murphy at bats.
Get well sir.
Skip is still better than Chip, proving, I guess, that you can’t necessarily inherit talent.
Obviously, Skip inherited a fair amount from his father, but he’s one of the funniest announcers I’ve ever heard.
I realized a few years ago, with great sadness, that I grew up my entire life with Skip, Don, Joe, and Pete, with Glavine, Maddux, Smoltz, Chipper, Andruw, and all the rest, and even though I watched each of them hundreds of times, somehow I must not have realized how special it was at the time, because I can’t remember it vividly. It’s all fuzzed out in a wash of TV dinners, pressing the power button and turning to TBS, channel 17, and the Braves winning every October.
The era’s over, as they say. I just wish I remembered it better. I have to be able to tell my grandkids about it.
i listened to him for years doing games when the braves were truly horrible. hed always have a short comment that summed it all up perfectly……………….like when the braves would be making yet another pitching change while trailing 11-2 in the top of the ninth………. he’d be watching the clock as his time in the hotel bar dwindled away. i cant say i blame him. those teams would drive anyone to drink.
I maybe should have put this in my original post, so… Skip’s commentary during 1991 is intertwined with that magical season for me. The sheer joy of it (“Gosh, this is fun!”) spoke to me and for me.
Marlins up on Pedro early 2-0 Uggla hit a bomb
Apparently, the Pirates and Adam LaRoche have reached an impasse on a contract extension thought to be 3-4 years.
I call that LaRoche saving the Pirates from themselves. Why tie up a mediocrity like LaRoche to clog up 1B for you? Terrible.
Roaches are dime a dozen. You don’t pay for them!
make that 4-0
4-3 now. Dammit, Fish.
Get better Skip!
And just like to say Pedro Martinez is officially injured earlier this season than Mike Hampton.
Pedro just left the Mets game…looks like he injured his hammy.
Skip gave me (and everyone else here) a lot of happy memories watching the Braves during my childhood.
Then I had the pleasure to actually talk to him when I was a senior at Georgia and covering basketball for A.P., and he came to a game once and I sat with him & a few other people eating dinner in the press room. Great guy, hilarious, great stories – and just as blunt in person as he is on the radio.
I hope he gets better. Skip’s the man in my book.
And just like to say Pedro Martinez is officially injured earlier this season than Mike Hampton.
Enough with the April Fool’s Day hijinks.
It’s not funny that Pedro is injured but oh does it feel so good to rub it in the faces of all the Homers that picked the Mets to win the division.
Random night in 1988: “The movie tonight is Two Mules for Sister Sara . . .at least it will be if this game ever ends.”
I still remember the,
“And now if we can get a 6-4-3 double play, we’ll get out of here with a win.”
*Crack*
“6 to 4 to 3. And we’re out of here with a win.”
cmon fish
I think we actually were the losing team when we hit into the 6-4-3.
free baseball with the Muts and Fish
Game Notes:
“NEW YORK PITCHER PEDRO MARTINEZ LEFT THE GAME IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FOURTH INNING DUE TO A STRAINED LEFT HAMSTRING. “
No, I’m pretty sure we were the winning team. I think I’ve even found the game, on June 17, 1987:
http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1987/B06170ATL1987.htm
No Braves broadcast tandem will ever come close to Skip and Pete.
Marlins win!
Mets lose.
I got a chance to meet Skip twice, get an autograph, get two photo-ops – we laughed and shared a joke. Great great guy..
go fish!
Mets lose and Martinez hurt. Ouch!
Only the first game for Pedro and he is already hurt. Without Santana, they had no chance. They should be thankful on that. We will see if Perez and Maine will put up a consistent season.
If Hampton is healthy and Pedro is not, the Braves will have a better rotation than the Mets.
I met Skip a couple times, too.
The second time was after a Braves 16-0 win at Shea around July 4, 1999. Because of a post-game fireworks show, the Met fans didn’t leave & endured the whole drubbing.
Maddux threw a shutout, the Mets had Matt Franco pitching at some point & he gave up a HR. It was great.
So as soon as the game ended, me & my pal were yucking it up in a post-game parking lot devoid of humanity except us & Skip Caray. And he was as happy as we were.
“Let’s play two!” we yammered.
“We just did!” he answered.
Talk about a perfect evening.
Wow, Tony LaRussa with something nice to say about the Braves (re: Spiezio):
“That’s a great situation. Atlanta does a lot of things right. That was really good news. They do things really right there. They demand that you do it right. So it will be good for him.”
I mean, LaRussa’s an insufferable ass, but he sure is loyal to his players.
This is a serious question, not a joke:
Does anyone here know how aquariums dispose of dead whales or sharks? The Atlanta aquarium has had a beluga whale and a whale shark die. They’re huge and I was wondering how they get rid of them.
The cafeteria will be having seafood specials for the foreseeable future.
I heard a guy once on the Braves call-in show ask Skip if they still allowed couples to get married at Turner Field like they used to at Fulton County Stadium. The reason he asked, the guy said, was because his parents had gotten married at the old stadium, and he thought it would be cool if he could sort of carry on the tradition when he got married. Skip said he didn’t know and the guy should contact the folks at Turner Field and ask. Once the guy was off the air, Skip said, “Yeah, they used to let people get married before the games at the old ballpark. Both teams would be lined up on the field along with the wedding party, and it was quite a spectacle. It never failed to bring a tear to my eye….but then, I’ve always been easily amused.”
@51
I’m guessing incineration.
/aquariums suck.
//Skip rules. So glad you are still around, old man.
By the way–although the article doesn’t mention it, Skip and Joe Simpson are supposed to be announcing the Peachtree TV game this Friday (as reported by Chip during last night’s game).
when Randal Simon whacked the sausage mascot with a bat in milwaukee afew years ago, i think it was Skip that said………. ” too bad the sausage wasnt a lefty, Simon would’ve swung and missed”
I have always liked Skip as an announcer. Unfortunately this would be worse news if TBS actually showed baseball games still. Since they don’t, I’ll probably not notice a difference.
Regarding large critters, they do cremate them. There are regional service that handles large animal cremations. If you’re a zoo and have an elephant die or if you have a horse farm…
Skip’s a good announcer because his dry wit lends itself to the tone of the sport he covers. Also, for as long as I can remember, he’s interacted well with Pete, and for so many years growing up, Skip and Pete WERE the Braves. I really miss that duo on television. Every once in a while I see a good individual announcer on a broadcast, but I’ve never seen a broadcast team as good as Skip and Pete. It was a shame when TBS started splitting them up in later years, because neither was really as good without the other.
I already miss Skip and Pete. I’ll definitely be tuning into their radio broadcasts this year whenever I can.
Guess I’m the only one, but I’ve always enjoyed Chip’s work. A little too effusive at times, but a pleasant listen.
Remember not too long ago when one of the local sportstalk guys consistently hammered Skip? They even used a very negative clip of a caller slamming Skip as a self-promotion.
52 – Hilarious.
Chip just seems to lack the character that his father brings. I love when Skip acknowledges a great play by the opposition, then throws in a little good natured dig, just so you never forget who’s side he’s really on. Chip seems to be jonesing for a spot in a national booth by offending no one, problem is he doens’t please many people that way either.
I mean, LaRussa’s an insufferable ass, but he sure is loyal to his players.
Except when he throws them under the bus.
Hankonly, you’re not the only one. I enjoy Skip too. I enjoy his enthusiasm for the game even though he may not be as insightful, or knowledgeable, as others might be.
He seems like an average joe doing what we all wish we could and that appeals to me.
I meant to say Chip. :p
Where do you think the sushi in the aquarium deli comes from?
From what I’ve read & heard over the years, many national media critics seem like they don’t really appreciate Skip’s work—yes, he was often reduced to “homer” status—but I think that’s because they just never really got him. They didn’t put in the time to listen.
I think “homer” is an unfair tag. Aside from his humor, I love Skip’s fairness to the game & the listener. I can’t tell you how many times WTBS/WTCG would show a replay of an ump’s call & Skip would pronounce, “Folks, we got a break.”
So many real homers treat the audience like children & mindlessly wave the team’s flag as if it never does anything wrong. (For that kinda fact-challenged work, check out the Yankees’ radio team—NY Daily News’ Bob Raissman calls them “Ma & Pa Pinstripe.” )
And, most importantly, Skip lets the game breathe, even on radio. He reports the game & tells enough stories to keep you going, but it’s never the rat-a-tat-tat that some guys fill your ears with.
Fave Skip Moment:
He’s on the air with alleged baseball doctor Don Sutton. It’s a jam situation, runners on for the opponent, 2 outs, 2 strikes.
Skip: So, what should Glavine throw him here, Don?
Sutton: Well, he’s gone away, away, away. So I think I’d sneak one inside where he doesn’t expect it. In this situation, I’d throw the fastball in.
Skip: No, you wouldn’t. You’d load one up.
“He seems like an average joe doing what we all wish we could and that appeals to me.”
Interesting comment that might make Chip more endearing.
To me, Chip has seemed like a game show host who is out of his element. The not-so-insightful, not-so-knowledgeable comments he makes bely either ignorance about the game, a lack of effort, or general airheadedness. He annoys me.
Skip is the best. His homerism may have made it difficult for certain elements of the national audience to appreciate him, but his dry wit was worth tuning in for.
In other news:
I was thinking a strained hamstring for Pedro would be just a minor setback, but on the radio this morning I heard that Pedro heard a “pop.” That’s reportedly according to Willie Randolph and that’s not good. MRI today.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of guys.
He seems like an average joe doing what we all wish we could and that appeals to me.
I dunno. To me, he seems like someone who inherited his position without regard to his qualifications. Which is a luxury Average Joes don’t have.
The Chip-hate is excessive on here, IMO, but I’ll admit that I don’t enjoy listening to him call Braves games. Seems like a nice enough guy. I’ve probably just been spoiled by his father and Pete.
I had the feeling that the injury bug would hit the Mets, but I didn’t expect it this early.
My favorite is:
“Line-drive left field base hit! One runs in, here comes Bream…the throw to the plate, he is… … … SAFE! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN!”
Not to nitpick, but I think there were actually 5 “Braves wins” in that call, a record that still stands today.
On Baseball Tonight, they said the Mets were considering calling up Nelson Figueroa, or signing Claudio Vargas, who was released by the Brewers in Spring Training.
In other words, they’re screwed, and they know it.
I was going to do the ’91 NLCS call. Smitty beat me to it. Oh, well, I’ll continue it:
“They’re gonna have to hospitalize Sid Bream!”
Parish,
After going back and looking at the stats, you are correct.
LOL
I’m not quite ready to say “two team race,” but if Pedro is out for any extended period, I don’t like their chances. Of course, if Hampton is out for an extended period, then we too will be hurting. Though Chuck James is a better option to replace Mike Hampton than Claudio Vargas is to replace Pedro Martinez. Just my opinion, at least…
Let’s win a game over a team expected to finish at the bottom of its division before we start even thinking about mentioning two-team races with us as one of the teams.
Here is another Skip Classic:
“Mark gets the sign, the wind and the pitch here it is… swung, fly ball deep left center, Grissom on the run… Yes! Yes! Yes! The Atlanta Braves have given you a championship! Listen to this crowd! A mob scene on the field. Wohlers gets ’em one, two, three. A couple of fans rushing on the field. The Atlanta Braves have brought the first championship to Atlanta!”
mlb rumors on the list of possible Pedro replacements….
MetsBlog’s Matthew Cerrone suggests free agents Claudio Vargas or Woody Williams. Vargas is the most talented free agent pitcher; the group also includes Jeff Weaver and David Wells. Other random available starters I tossed out in my Kelvim Escobar post: Jason Marquis, Matt Morris, Matt Belisle, Jorge de la Rosa, Byung-Hyun Kim, Horacio Ramirez, Anthony Reyes, and Cliff Lee. The Mets aren’t overflowing with trade chips, so signing Vargas makes the most sense.
Please, please, get Horacio as Pedro’s replacement
Surprised no one’s talking about KJ’s knee. Though he’s listed as day-to-day, it’s something that’s apparently been bothering him all spring.
Let’s try to win another World Series during Skip’s lifetime.
I got goose bumps reading #73
For about five years, the after-game movie was either Judge Dredd or Demolition Man, and Skip always had something hilarious to say about that.
It was a shame that one bizarro season on TBS when they wanted the announcers to be unbiased, and the whole thing just felt awkward and uncomfortable.
I thought I read somewhere once too that the announcers weren’t allowed on the team plane after making a comment about Javy’s catching. I never really understood that, as if the ownership didn’t understand how much the announcers meant to the team itself.
As much as I love Skip, I’d be fine just winning another WS in MY lifetime.
Also, does anyone happen to have, or know where to find, a torrent of the ’91 LCS or ’95 WS games?
That’s the kind of thing I’d watch on a depressing rainy day
ububba @67, hit the nail on the head describing Skip, he let the game breath, the NY radio crews dont shut their mouthes, ever.
One should note that Sid slid in the ’92 NLCS, not in ’91. This seems to often be misremembered by Braves’ fans.
I wonder if Andy Pettite misremembers that as well
I wonder if Andy Vanslyke remembers it and that Otis Nixson catch from earlier in that season.
Well, I remember Andy Van Slyke “sitting on his glove in centerfield in disbelief.” So, he could still be in shock.
Here is another Skip call:
http://www.otisnixon.com/the_catch.html
Otis went up for that thing like it was an 8-ball…
when most players leave the Braves I kind of lose interest in them, but for some reason I’m really hoping that Renty plays well in Detroit and I’m actually keeping up with what he’s doing. He’ll be missed
CSG, agreed. Renteria got a bad deal in Boston, but he was absolutely sensational for us, a good citizen, a model ballplayer, from all accounts a great teammate, and the way he filled in for Chipper in the #3 role was absolutely admirable.
Getting to watch Edgar Renteria and Julio Franco over the last few years, with two of the best inside-out swings in baseball, was just a sheer pleasure.
I remember that. Without clicking the link, I think it’s “There’s a drive, deep right-center field, Nixon goes as far as he can gooooo…. …. he caught the ball! He caught the ball! What a catch by Otis Nixon!”
I’m gonna see if I remember my childhood…
It’s cause Renteria kinda just goes about his own business. Plays the game right, doesn’t complain and you never hear any controversy about him at all. I’ll miss him also.
Alright, the video won’t load. Stupid proxy. Can anyone tell me how I did?
Baldelli’s option won’t be picked up next year by the Rays (with good reason). Just for fun… over/under on posts to expect next offseason about picking him up?
100
#50
If LaRussa actually says something NICE, specifically about BOBBY COX, only then will I faint in utter disbelief.
Though to actually hear him say ONE nice thing abnout the Braves organization is a huge shock.
If I’m reading between the lines about LaRussa, is he was probably very close to Spiezio and secretly pissed when the Cardinals cut him and didn’t show loyalty to him. He was also probably worried because of the assault that Spiezio might not even get another job – and then the Braves signed him.
But it should be noted at all the bashing that LaRussa has done on the Braves and Cox over the years (and he has bashed our organization in the past, plenty), not ONCE did Cox ever utter a public statement against LaRussa.
Cox has always taken the high road (at least publicly) when it comes to LaRussa.
I, too, will follow Edgar’s career. I love the way Edgar plays the game, but I think the comments he made at the end of his last season as a Brave garnered my respect even more:
“I like it here, but I have no control over that,” Renteria said. “If I come back, I’ll feel comfortable here. If not, it was my privilege to play here.”
Good luck, Edgar.
At least a dozen from me, c. shorter.
Can we count Stu’s previous posts toward the count re: Baldelli?
Also, was post #100 an announcement of being post 100, or an estimate on the over/under line
@82 – According to KJ, his knee has actually been bothering him since last year. He said that it usually gets better throughout a game, but the other night, it didn’t.
Turns out Brian McCann is much better at blocking balls in the dirt than Ivan Rodriguez.
Edgar got a bum rap in Boston about not being able to handle pressure or not being an “American League type of player”, as if the only games that count are those involving the Red Sox. (And as if he had the worst season in history.) Edgar didn’t seem to have much trouble handling pressure in Game 7 of the ’97 World Series. I would love to see him do something to knock the Red Sox out of the playoffs. It’s too bad he didn’t get a chance in the playoffs in Atlanta.
Speaking of winning a WS in one’s lifetime, ESPN had a funny piece listing every Cubs teams since 1908 and why they didn’t win. I don’t know if you can read it without being a subscriber-probably not.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=cubs/0919&sportCat=mlb
I still like Furcal, too, at least as a feisty player.
Did you see that he scored from second on an infield single to win it for LA last night?
Man Skip and Pete and Andy Griffith are the voices that replay in my head as I remember my childhood.
Maybe when I die, the DVD of my life could have Skip as the commentator.
#100
100 posts…
#100
100 posts about Baldelli…