New York Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay ripped the Baltimore Orioles for its bizarre suspension of fellow announcer Kevin Brown.
Brown had not appeared in the booth since Orioles’ July 23 game against the Tampa Rays. Sources confirmed to multiple outlets that Brown had been suspended indefinitely for comments made during that broadcast.
Many assumed that Brown said something offensive to illicit such a strong response from the team; however, that was far from the case.
Here’s the clip of Kevin Brown’s pregame comments on the Orioles’ recent record against the Rays ahead of a series finale on July 23. Sources tell AA these comments led to Brown’s current indefinite suspension from Orioles’ broadcasts. pic.twitter.com/csURU04fJU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 7, 2023
Ownership reportedly didn’t take kindly to Brown acknowledging the team’s past failures; but as Kay noted, he only did so to emphasize how good team’s been this season.
“And you know that music that starts playing in the cut, that you play Peter?” Kay said Monday on Evening Nightly News with Peter Rosenberg. “That means a graphic has come up. So the graphic had already been printed out … Kevin Brown doesn’t say it and somebody who’s running graphics in the truck could put together a graphic in two seconds. That’s put together an hour before that happens. And you’re gonna suspend this guy for saying that, which wasn’t even negative?
“This makes the Orioles look so small and insignificant and minor-league. And of course they don’t comment on personnel matters. And they didn’t say they fired the guy. They suspended him. But can you imagine how that guy must feel? He has to keep his mouth shut. He can’t criticize the Orioles because then he’ll get fired. So of course we look forward to Kevin coming back, but you embarrassed the guy for no reason! And — most importantly — you embarrassed yourself! What you did is disgraceful to the business! Disgraceful!”
On Twitter, a fan asked Kay if the Yankees had ever put him in a similar scenario. He strongly denied it.
“Absolutely never,” he said to a fan. “It’s gotten back to me at times they might not be pleased at some of the things I’ve said, but never said I shouldn’t say it and never called on the carpet. Never. George Steinbrenner understood honesty on the air to the fans is important and Hal (Steinbrenner) does as well.”
Absolutely never. It’s gotten back to me at times they might not be pleased at some of the things I’ve said, but never said I shouldn’t say it and never called on the carpet. Never. George Steinbrenner understood honesty on the air to the fans is important and Hal does as well. https://t.co/bTirUYeQcy
— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) August 7, 2023
Watch above via YES Network
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