The 2023 World Series is history with the Texas Rangers winning the franchise’s first-ever World Championship defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games. This year’s Fall Classic was carried by FOX Sports featuring an unprecedented triumvirate of baseball talent and superstar cache on the pregame show.
Alex Rodriguez is one of the most recognizable and polarizing figures in baseball history. He’s a guy with ridiculously amazing stats who would be a shoo-in Hall of Famer if not for the cloud of performance-enhancing drug use that hovers above him.
David Ortiz, a Hall of Famer, absolute Red Sox legend, and arguably the greatest clutch hitter in MLB playoff history, is also joined by Derek Jeter, the legendary Hall of Fame captain of the New York Yankees with five World Series titles on his resume.
You would think that this trio, along with host Kevin Burkhardt, would provide some insightful TV moments, and at times they did, but overall, their collective performances were uneven at best.
I focused the FOX Sports pregame coverage of Game 3. The Series was tied 1-1 at that point. It ended up being the post-competitive point of the Series and a good spot to highlight the pregame coverage.
My expectations for Rodriguez, Ortiz, and Jeter were high, but all too often, the dialogue was reduced to the obvious. Rodriguez opened the show by saying that the Diamondbacks have the advantage. Well, the Series was tied 1-1 and Arizona was playing at home, so yes, we get that.
Ortiz offered a similarly bland tidbit saying that he loves Rangers’ pitcher Max Scherzer when he has his stuff going. Jeter joined the Obviouspalooza stating that neither team had the advantage, but one would after Game 3.
Not to be left out, Burkhardt reached new heights (or lows) in a discussion about opening or closing the roof at Arizona’s Chase Field. He stated that it’s very hot in the summer in Arizona. Really?
Despite this ill-fated foray into meteorology, Burkhardt served as an excellent host for the pregame proceedings. In the vein of Bob Costas, Burkhardt provided an informative and welcoming demeanor and was adroit in stimulating the flow of conversation in an entertaining manner.
Unfortunately, Burkhardt could not put words into his analysts’ mouths. Jeter offered that the reason Game 3 was important was because the teams were playing three games in a row. OK, but the real reason it was a big game is because it’s the World Series and both teams had split the first two games.
Too many times, the trio relied on cliches. Rodriguez said that the Diamondbacks are constructed like “old-school baseball,” but provided no explanation for his definition of “old-school baseball”. What did he mean by that? These are comments that require clarification.
Jeter continued the low-hanging fruit analysis saying that the Rangers rely on scoring runs. I mean, what team doesn’t? Meanwhile, Ortiz reiterated far too many times that Arizona puts the ball in play and has the ability to manufacture runs.
I know this may seem like nitpicking, but I have a lot of respect for Rodriguez, Ortiz, and Jeter. All three are baseball savants. Their commentary should be at a higher level.
A bright spot for FOX Sports was reporter Ken Rosenthal. He provided a fine pregame interview with Texas Manager Bruce Bochy. Rosenthal asked excellent questions about the Rangers’ lineup changes for Game 3 and the expectations for Scherzer who was still rehabbing from an injury.
Speaking of interviews, John Smoltz provided an informative feature on the Pitchcom push-button communication system talking with Diamondbacks’ pitcher Zac Gallen and catcher Jose Herrera.
This feature also provided the best moment for the pregame analysts. Coming out of Smoltz’s segment, Rodriguez, Ortiz, and Jeter gave a demonstration of how Pitchcom actually works. Jeter revealed that when he and Rodriguez were Yankee infield teammates before such technology existed, he used to whistle to Rodriguez signaling the catcher’s sign for an off-speed pitch.
FOX Sports also used graphics to the viewer’s advantage. One bump from a break showed Scherzer’s career stats against the Diamondbacks – a 9-0 record, 2.65 ERA. .174 opponents’ average, and 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings. The graphic also showed the ironic fact that Scherzer was drafted 11th overall by Arizona in 2006.
However, the surface analysis continued. Jeter wondered if Texas would be patient or aggressive against Arizona’s young pitcher Brandon Pfaadt. I get the question, but when have the power-laden 2023 Rangers ever been patient against a young pitcher, or any pitcher for that matter? It just seemed like a query that didn’t need to be asked.
Rodriguez also made a point that Ranger second baseman Marcus Semien needs to get going at the plate. Again, tell us something we don’t already know.
The most disappointing of the three pregame analysts was Ortiz, who has fantastic enthusiasm but offered little in-depth insight. Similarly, Rodriguez and Jeter are superstars in every way – charismatic and unforgettable ballplayers known by both hardcore and casual baseball fans, and millions more outside the baseball stratosphere. Big names and sparkling resumes are awesome, but they do not guarantee greatness as an analyst or broadcaster.
Still, there were some good moments. Ortiz’s analysis of the speed differential between Scherzer’s fastball and his off-speed stuff was enlightening. Rodriguez was on point talking about the freshness of the Texas bullpen after a blowout loss in Game 2, and Jeter offered some great commentary on Arizona’s speed and baserunning acumen.
Ortiz had another solid moment comparing Pfaadt to the late Hall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay. Both hurlers struggled early in their careers, went to the minors, and came back as better pitchers.
Jeter’s high point of the broadcast came in an excellent feature with Diamondbacks’ rookie star Corbin Carroll. The pair walked side-by-side at Chase Field with Jeter asking some really excellent questions. The former Yankee drew on his own experience as a young phenom and the pressure of playing in a World Series.
There was a calm and captivating chemistry between the two of them and Jeter offered a very relaxed and comfortable approach to the interview. It was really great. He asked Carroll about being the catalyst of the D-Backs and what it meant for him to be in the World Series as a rookie.
I really like Jeter as an interviewer. He has a great tone and unmistakable presence. It’s a broadcasting path he should follow. Coming back from the feature, Rodriguez drew a nice parallel between Carol and ex-MLB star Johnny Damon whom all three analysts played with during their careers.
Rodriguez expounded on Damon‘s winning attitude saying that he was the key ingredient in New York’s 2009 World Championship. He went on to reveal that when Damon left after that 2009 season, the team’s championship feeling also departed. Rodriguez, Ortiz, and Jeter are A-list baseball personalities. Here’s hoping they remain motivated to move their broadcast talents on FOX Sports into that lofty stratosphere.
John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
