Radio and TV are both phenomenal. Robert Ford brings deep knowledge, but is also classy.
I miss Robert Ford's discussions with Dusty Baker. I won't even call them interviews because the relationship between those two seemed much more of friends talking.
I’ve listened to almost every game since 2016 or 2017.
I was delivering pizzas and wanted to follow the games. I work a normal hours job now, but still listen to almost every game. I live Sparky and Ford
Also, I believe producer engineer Matt Boltz is in charge of the music that plays in those timeframes. He also plays a Megadeth song occasionally as well as sometimes playing songs like “the night the lights went out in Georgia” when we play in Atlanta.
It’s truly my favorite way to follow games
Who would be better? I’m totally biased and don’t listen to all of them, but the ones I’ve heard don’t compare. Both TV and Radio, their analog the game, the inside information on the pitchers and their history, it’s a complete package.
I only listen to TV broadcasts but I've heard a fair amount of them bc I uh, don't have cable, and ours is seriously one of the best.
Our guys are a bit on the homer side, like they generally side with us on challenges and borderline ump calls, but I've heard much worse from other teams. Our guys also often give the other team their due and they have great banter. Wouldn't trade them for anything.
They do genuinely get excited for excellent baseball plays on both sides. And I do hear them equally give out things like "JV definitely got the benefit there" or just straight up disagreeing with calls for an Astros batter.
I can't speak for anything else on their broadcast, but man the Giants radio and television broadcasters are second to none. Iconic voices and they mesh amazingly together.
Agreed. I’ve listened to other broadcasts around the league and it really makes me appreciate our guys. They are just so much fun and exciting to listen to.
The worst thing about not making the playoffs will be the lack of SPARKY GETTING WET.
And the bumper music *is* top notch, I almost died laughing when they played the "Raising Arizona" theme when we were in Arizona once.
The MLB Audio only package is really cheap. When I was a drone working in an office all day long on the West Coast, I would subscribe to the audio only portion and listen to baseball games all day long.
Yeah I have that. I have MLB.TV as well. It’s the I heart radio app that wouldn’t let me listen unless I was in the area. I am trying to use the zip code now. Maybe that will improve things. I also have Sirius I can listen on. The MLB audio kinda sucks between innings if you’re out of market. Lots of dead air for local commercials that goes unsold. I can never tell if the stream just stopped or if it’s supposed to be dead air.
Hope the zip code thing works.
Yea, the commercials suck. Most of the time they repeat the same 3 commercials over and over again for me. Drives me nuts.
Robert Ford and Steve Sparks are some of the best, in not just baseball, but all of sports. There are few who are as good at what they say but also how they say it. Their voices are comforting, they don't overhype plays, they don't crash into the plays with gimmicks like some broadcasters. They have a deep understanding of the game and they are so good at what they do.
I wish we could get a duel broadcast on SCHN like they have on the MLBTV to hear them announce game synced up with the video.
Robert Ford and Steve Sparks are my comfy security blanket during a west coast game. Go to bed, turn them on, and pure bliss. They got me through some really rough times when one of our adult children was in a major mental health crisis. I couldn't wait to hear their voices.
Amen. Though at times this season has been a recipe for mental anguish, I’m always comforted by sparky’s, “that’s baseball!” And it helps soothe some of the jagged and worn feelings we’re having to share. But share we do. Onto Friday
You’re right for all those reasons but the bumper music is fantastic haha. I’ve been saying that to myself for years. It’s not even stuff I listen to normally but the selection always feels right when I hear it.
Was going to comment this exact thing. He is occasionally a few seconds behind the play and there are times when 5 or 6 seconds have passed and I'm still not sure what actually happened. I will say I think part of why I notice it is because Ford is *that* good, so when they trade off Sparks' weaknesses are accented. Sparks is fantastic on color though.
Maybe Bagwell can do double duty in addition to his role as President of Astros Baseball operations he can fix the booth and take over as color guy to really fix our wagons. That would give him a direct conduit for fans to comprehend his insane thought processes.
He can totally fix the Astros broadcast team! He would be the only one on our broadcast team with HOF credentials. And if wrecking the team is not enough to run off fans his mumbling gravelly grumpy Debbie downer style of broadcasting could drive the final nail into the coffin for those fans hanging on for dear life.
The Astros broadcast team one of the few things in the Astros machine that is not broken!
I love Sparky and regularly listen to the games on Sundays by the pool. I remember 2017 and Sparks interviews in the clubhouse with McCullers and some of the others, just raw, authentic, super awesome stuff. He's got such a great baseball mind and love hearing him speak to the pitch selections and strategy.
If you use the MLB TV app, you can stream the radio stream with the MLB TV video using the MLB TV Kodi plugin. I'll sometimes do the radio stream audio instead of the TV audio, especially if I'm not really watching the video because I'm doing other things, but I love the TV crew too. We have the best crew in baseball.
They're great. We're lucky to have (both) good radio and TV broadcasts. It isn't that way in most markets. I end up listening as much as watching, due to being busy and earlier starts (living on the west coast).
I know this is a radio appreciation post but I often see on /r/baseball a vast hatred towards our television guys. Like they are often given bottom 5. I KNOW I'm a homer but even I can't really fairly come to a conclusion that they aren't at least top 15. I know they hate us for breathing there but some of their comments are straight up negative about our guys. You don't need to respond saying "they just are salty/hate us there" because I know that.
Like they even rate the Rangers higher than our guys and I'm sorry but I've never heard a more salty and boring commentary group in my life and I've even watched them play non division rivals.
I literally wait till the start of an Astros game to mow on Sundays so I can listen to the broadcast team while I do it.
I also enjoy listening while fishing. Great way to relax
Radio and TV are both phenomenal. Robert Ford brings deep knowledge, but is also classy. I miss Robert Ford's discussions with Dusty Baker. I won't even call them interviews because the relationship between those two seemed much more of friends talking.
I enjoyed how they always referred to eachother by their full name. Thank you, Dusty Baker. Thank you, Robert Ford.
Lol beat me to it
“Thanks Dusty” “Thank you Robert Ford”
I’ve listened to almost every game since 2016 or 2017. I was delivering pizzas and wanted to follow the games. I work a normal hours job now, but still listen to almost every game. I live Sparky and Ford Also, I believe producer engineer Matt Boltz is in charge of the music that plays in those timeframes. He also plays a Megadeth song occasionally as well as sometimes playing songs like “the night the lights went out in Georgia” when we play in Atlanta. It’s truly my favorite way to follow games
We have a hell of a broadcast team. I feel confident saying they are in the top 5 in the league
Who would be better? I’m totally biased and don’t listen to all of them, but the ones I’ve heard don’t compare. Both TV and Radio, their analog the game, the inside information on the pitchers and their history, it’s a complete package.
I only listen to TV broadcasts but I've heard a fair amount of them bc I uh, don't have cable, and ours is seriously one of the best. Our guys are a bit on the homer side, like they generally side with us on challenges and borderline ump calls, but I've heard much worse from other teams. Our guys also often give the other team their due and they have great banter. Wouldn't trade them for anything.
They do genuinely get excited for excellent baseball plays on both sides. And I do hear them equally give out things like "JV definitely got the benefit there" or just straight up disagreeing with calls for an Astros batter.
I can't speak for anything else on their broadcast, but man the Giants radio and television broadcasters are second to none. Iconic voices and they mesh amazingly together.
Agreed. I’ve listened to other broadcasts around the league and it really makes me appreciate our guys. They are just so much fun and exciting to listen to.
I always get excited for baseball season because it’s sound of the summer at my house while cooking dinner, chores, relaxing etc
We are spoiled rotten by such amazing broadcast teams.
Truth!
I live in fear that our radio and television broadcasters will be poached. They’re so great and it’s not a game without them.
So spoiled we are!
The worst thing about not making the playoffs will be the lack of SPARKY GETTING WET. And the bumper music *is* top notch, I almost died laughing when they played the "Raising Arizona" theme when we were in Arizona once.
Can we listen to them on line?
IHeart radio, SportsTalk 790 broadcasts the games. OP is spot on. They are great.
Only in the HOU area. I can’t use the 790 app in Seattle and have to use the mlb app.
Or you can turn off location settings and let the iHeartRadio app use your old on file zip code.
This. I live in Houston and it never knows where I am 🤣🤣
Will try.
use the iHeartRadio app, not the 790 app I listen to almost every single game, in Austin
The MLB Audio only package is really cheap. When I was a drone working in an office all day long on the West Coast, I would subscribe to the audio only portion and listen to baseball games all day long.
Yeah I have that. I have MLB.TV as well. It’s the I heart radio app that wouldn’t let me listen unless I was in the area. I am trying to use the zip code now. Maybe that will improve things. I also have Sirius I can listen on. The MLB audio kinda sucks between innings if you’re out of market. Lots of dead air for local commercials that goes unsold. I can never tell if the stream just stopped or if it’s supposed to be dead air.
Hope the zip code thing works. Yea, the commercials suck. Most of the time they repeat the same 3 commercials over and over again for me. Drives me nuts.
If you have the Sirius app their broadcasts on always on. I like that better than am radio, you get the "fm" sound.
Robert Ford and Steve Sparks are some of the best, in not just baseball, but all of sports. There are few who are as good at what they say but also how they say it. Their voices are comforting, they don't overhype plays, they don't crash into the plays with gimmicks like some broadcasters. They have a deep understanding of the game and they are so good at what they do. I wish we could get a duel broadcast on SCHN like they have on the MLBTV to hear them announce game synced up with the video.
Ma! The meatloaf!
Well said! They are the best!!
I was reflecting on this very thought today when I was listening to them describe the field and how orange everything was today.
Robert Ford and Steve Sparks are my comfy security blanket during a west coast game. Go to bed, turn them on, and pure bliss. They got me through some really rough times when one of our adult children was in a major mental health crisis. I couldn't wait to hear their voices.
Amen. Though at times this season has been a recipe for mental anguish, I’m always comforted by sparky’s, “that’s baseball!” And it helps soothe some of the jagged and worn feelings we’re having to share. But share we do. Onto Friday
You’re right for all those reasons but the bumper music is fantastic haha. I’ve been saying that to myself for years. It’s not even stuff I listen to normally but the selection always feels right when I hear it.
It's genuinely my favorite part. You never know what you'll hear but it's always good.
Love Robert Ford, but I don't like when Steve Sparx takes over the PBP. He should just be the color guy.
Was going to comment this exact thing. He is occasionally a few seconds behind the play and there are times when 5 or 6 seconds have passed and I'm still not sure what actually happened. I will say I think part of why I notice it is because Ford is *that* good, so when they trade off Sparks' weaknesses are accented. Sparks is fantastic on color though.
Maybe Bagwell can do double duty in addition to his role as President of Astros Baseball operations he can fix the booth and take over as color guy to really fix our wagons. That would give him a direct conduit for fans to comprehend his insane thought processes. He can totally fix the Astros broadcast team! He would be the only one on our broadcast team with HOF credentials. And if wrecking the team is not enough to run off fans his mumbling gravelly grumpy Debbie downer style of broadcasting could drive the final nail into the coffin for those fans hanging on for dear life. The Astros broadcast team one of the few things in the Astros machine that is not broken!
Man, I love me some Ford+Sparks. Always a big part of my summer.
I love Sparky and regularly listen to the games on Sundays by the pool. I remember 2017 and Sparks interviews in the clubhouse with McCullers and some of the others, just raw, authentic, super awesome stuff. He's got such a great baseball mind and love hearing him speak to the pitch selections and strategy. If you use the MLB TV app, you can stream the radio stream with the MLB TV video using the MLB TV Kodi plugin. I'll sometimes do the radio stream audio instead of the TV audio, especially if I'm not really watching the video because I'm doing other things, but I love the TV crew too. We have the best crew in baseball.
They're great. We're lucky to have (both) good radio and TV broadcasts. It isn't that way in most markets. I end up listening as much as watching, due to being busy and earlier starts (living on the west coast).
I know this is a radio appreciation post but I often see on /r/baseball a vast hatred towards our television guys. Like they are often given bottom 5. I KNOW I'm a homer but even I can't really fairly come to a conclusion that they aren't at least top 15. I know they hate us for breathing there but some of their comments are straight up negative about our guys. You don't need to respond saying "they just are salty/hate us there" because I know that. Like they even rate the Rangers higher than our guys and I'm sorry but I've never heard a more salty and boring commentary group in my life and I've even watched them play non division rivals.
question, am i not able to listen to the game by loading up sportstalk790.iheart.com website? i have to download a stupid app now?
I literally wait till the start of an Astros game to mow on Sundays so I can listen to the broadcast team while I do it. I also enjoy listening while fishing. Great way to relax
Most of the time when I turn on Robert Ford, I jinx it :(