Broadcaster Rex Hudler's return to the Angels airwaves appears to have been a short one. After one show that was not covered in any local mainstream media (especially proportionate to their November trumpeting of Hudler's broadcast demise), Hudler has unceremoniously disappeared, Big-Brother style in a dispute that remains a mystery, telltale of egos on all three sides (Angels, Hudler, ESPN) getting in the way of what is right for the fans.
Not only will Rex Hudler no longer be on the air before Angels games, the local media (you dinosaurs know who you are) are ignoring the story of tense negotiations and battered egos between the franchise's broadcasting icon, an uptight ESPN programming approach, and the Angels' own thin-skinned corporate-attitude front office control freaks. But there is no press pass to be dangled in front of Halos Heaven that would ever buy our silence to say it like it is for all Angels fans to hear what they already know in their hearts: No ex-jock can replace Rex Hudler as the enthusiastic bridge between all of us and our team.
Yes, the dead air you hear is the deafening silence of a legion of loyal fans not tuning in to our team buying into the corporate culture of the "Worldwide Cheapskate". If the corporate types think the times they are a changing, the fans too can assist in the tide turning.
0 recs | 86 comments
I heard Rex had a previous commitment on Tuesday, which is why he didn't do the show on Tuesday
~MMP~ - May 28, 2010
Review 10th line of text, Rev.
23 Skidoo!
Zoe Necrosis - May 28, 2010
I see a couple of errors:
andDowning Rules - May 28, 2010
If there is tomfoolery ongoing on this issue, then I am calling bullshit right now!
Bite the bullet Angels FO and get Rex back on the air for crying out loud!
Rex is Rex and he BELONGS on the air in some way, shape or form in relation to Angels baseball damn it! His positive vibes and relentless enthusiasm is desperately missed and needed. Especially when this team can’t seem to find their collective asses with either hand on a consistent basis!
K3YEROUT - May 28, 2010
Confirmed
LINKIE to Biggsie
K3YEROUT - May 28, 2010
Business opportunity...
…time to start SBN Radio network, distributed via the internet. Hire Rex for “Angels Insight” or equal, one hour a day. Listener can listen live or podcast. Live listeners can e-mail or call in with questions to which Rex can respond.
Of course, I am clueless on start-up costs for such an enterprise, but I believe 1) Each MLB city has at least one former player or broadcaster that fans would tune into for 1-2 hours a day and 2) SBN has the expertise to pull this off. Maybe?
They have already put a huge dent in old print media. Why not do the same with broadcast media?
sothball - May 28, 2010
Excellent idea Soth...
those who don’t care for Rex/are dinos/don’t enjoy positive comments can choose not to tune in. Too bad for them.
hbhalofan - May 28, 2010
thats weird
cuz Rex was at the game on wednesday with his 2 sons
Drizzy23 - May 28, 2010
If the Angels were winning this season, nobody would care too much
but add in that they let their 3 best known and loved players walk as well as letting Hud go, while the team has played heartless, gutless, leaderless, and identityless baseball and you have a ROYAL FUCKUP JOB by Arte and the Angels Front Office.
TALK ABOUT KILLING A TEAM’S IMAGE IN 1 SEASON.
Dono Romantico - May 28, 2010
Quit adding Lackey into that “best loved” equation. Unless your top three mean Darren Oliver, Chone Figgins, and Vladimir Guerrero.
Downing Rules - May 28, 2010
He only won Game 7 of our only World Series.
If Angels fans don’t love him for that, there’s something wrong with them.
Robviously - May 28, 2010
agreed
The Lackey hatred is ridiculous.
angelsfan15 - May 30, 2010
I meant it in jest, but I tend to agree with your statement.
Downing Rules - June 1, 2010
Corrections
Letting Figgins go was not an f-up. It was a sound baseball decision at the time, and Figgins thus far has done nothing to justify the contract Seattle gave him.
They didn’t simply “let” Lackey leave. They offered him a contract. Boston offered him more money. Boston’s decision to overpay does not count as the Angels making a mistake; it counts as Boston making a mistake.
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
Facts? Facts?
Fuck your facts! I hate facts! They hurt my head.
LazorkoRules - May 28, 2010
facts suck
ryanfea - May 28, 2010
That still leaves Letting go of Vlad as one COLLOSAL mistake.
We’ve always known that Vlad is a great hitter when healthy, and there was nothing to indicate this offseason that his health was any worse than Matsui’s knees. Not only was Vlad a fan favorite and face of the franchise, but one or two more good years would have guaranteed that Vlad would go into the HOF as an Angel instead of an Expo!
But instead Arte only thinks about cashing in on Japanese money, meanwhile Vlad is having an All-Star season for our division rival, costing us games in the standings every day and they got him for only $5 mil!
Arte and Reagins really F’d that up.
Oh and same with Rex! he was the voice of our team. Listing to Jose Mota is like watching paint dry, and Rojas sucks too.
Bring back Rex!
Persi W - May 28, 2010
Healthy
Last year was the year he was supposed to be healthy after having his knee cleaned out. He wasn’t. In fact, he looked slower than ever, lost bat speed, and spent considerable time on the DL.
He was also supposed to be health in 2008, but he wasn’t.
On the other hand, Matsui WAS healthy in 2009. So, in point of fact, there was substantial evidence suggesting that Matsui was a much better health bet than Vlad.
Your comments about the money are so entirely speculative as to to even merit a response.
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
It is not speculation that the Rangers got Vlad for a 1 year $5 million contract. It is also quite obvious that the reason Arte got Matsui is for his international marketablity.
All I’m saying is that it should have been worth hanging on to Vlad just to make sure he goes into the Hall of Fame as and Angel – especially for only $5 mil a season.
Persi W - May 28, 2010
Vlad wanted a multi year deal when the Angels signed Matsui, much later he settled for a 1 year deal.
~MMP~ - May 28, 2010
This too
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
Please
It would be stupid to sign a broken down, washed up DH in the hope that some time, maybe a decade from now, he MIGHT go into the HOF with an Angels’ cap (a decision which lies solely in the hands of the HOF, by the way).
It’s equally ignorant to think that THE reason they signed Matsui was for marketing. While I do not deny that it was A factor, there’s no way in hell that the Angels would have considered signing him had he not put up the #s that he did last year. They signed him, #1, to be a hitter.
They also signed him because he hits left-handed. Vlad is a righty.
You also have to consider the fact that Vlad’s #s this year are boosted by playing half of his games in Arlington, where he has historically performed very well. His road #s, which is what you would expect from him in Anaheim, are much more pedestrian .268/.303/.423, with 3 HR.
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
Every time someone mentions how well Vlad is doing, look closer.
.268 avg .303 obp .423 slg .726 ops
Away stats. 75% of his extra-base hits, including 9 of 12 homers have come in Arlington. He just loves that park. Outside it, he’s hitting pretty much like Matsui.
That said, given two mediocre players at home, I’d much rather we stayed with Vlad, so his mama could continue cooking up Dominican meals for the boys.
Turks Teeth - May 28, 2010
That's Fair
Given what has happened, yeah, I’d take a mediocre performance from Vlad over similar numbers from Matsui. But there were many reasons to believe that Matsui was likely to have a better year than Vlad, and (as you correctly observe) it’s foolish to look at Vlad’s Arlington #s and assume he would do the same thing in Anaheim.
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
Ha. Funny, sad, AND true. Especially this:
And to add insult to injury, the President and Part Owner of the Texas Rangers is a once great but now disgruntled ex-Halo, one Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr.
Oh, and another coincidence in this inauspicious season: who was John Lackey’s idol and favorite player growing up? That’s right, it was none other than Nolan Ryan.
Jack Frost - May 29, 2010
It is 2010. Boston did not overpay. They paid market value.
The Angels are willing to overpay. (see GMJ, Hunter) , they are willing to pay market value (see Fuckuentes, Rodney etc.).
Wally's World - May 28, 2010
But they are not willing to go 5 years
on a pitcher with an history of injuries.
Seik1177 - May 28, 2010
And just what was GMJ's history?
One single better than average major league season = $10 million per year for multiple years.
Your logic is flawless Seik.
Jack Frost - May 29, 2010
You feel better now
ok good.
Now, I was was just repeating what I remember being reported last year. I’m not justifying the contracts or the lengths.
Seik1177 - June 4, 2010
Market
The market was Boston. Hey, Boston Market (ugh). Nobody else was offering Lackey anything close to what he signed for.
Whether they truly overpaid can’t be determined until the end of the contract and you see what he did, and whether similar performance could have been obtained for less. That’s how you determine that.
But with his history of injuries and expected decline in performance due to age, the likelihood is that they overpaid.
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
How are we doing this season????
I would say that we Suck. I would say that the team has No Identity. No Leader. Shall I continue. We let alot of our heart and soul walk away. We let Hud go too. Damn arent’ the Angels fun to watch this year
Dono Romantico - May 28, 2010
I like chocolate
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
In other words
What you said is completely non-responsive and has nothing to do with anything. You really think the Angels would be better with Lackey and his 5+ ERA right now? What position does Identity play? Who is Leader, and can he close?
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
hahahahaha
follow the bouncing ball. Let us start in the beginning okay. Let us start off by looking at the years all 3 of the former Halos mentioned have had with the Angels. It’s a very safe bet that continuing with the same team with the same coach and same system would have produced very similar results.
Does that make sense to you?
Dono Romantico - May 28, 2010
They are not here and we are sucking ass
Dono Romantico - May 28, 2010
Ironically
the one guy you haven’t mentioned is the only one who could have been expected to make a material difference – Darren Oliver.
Vlad would not have 9 HR with the Angels. His numbers would be closer to Matsui’s, in all likelihood.
Figgins’ contract would have hamstrung this team for years to come, considering the fact that his game is built primarily upon speed, which is expected to diminish now that he is in the decline phase of his career. And you’d be here bitching about why they are overpaying for his sorry ass.
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
why
why is that a “safe bet?”
More to the point, it’s still non-responsive.
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
Hey jjack, Dondo is over the ledge
His argument is that Scioscia would have magically made FIggy and Lackey better this season than their current statistical acheivemets. His head is so far up his ass making this argument that there is no way he would hear or comprehend a rational response.
Rev Halofan - May 28, 2010
Sigh
You’re right. I get frustrated enough at work dealing with people lacking in reason and rationality.
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
Nope almighty one
I said familiarity. If Sosh is the annointed one, than how come he can’t do jjackflash with this team? I think Sosh is over-rated. Seriously. Both of you think that we would be sitting below .500 with last year’s lineup in tact for this season?
The FO decided to let these guys walk, while saying “guys will step in and we will be fine” in essence. So far that has been far from true.
Dono Romantico - May 28, 2010
+ 1
Jack Frost - May 29, 2010
I'm still not missing Rex.
All good to you Mistah Hudler, and I’m not saying I’m all that sweet on the current crew on the mic. But I’m still not missing Rex.
Turks Teeth - May 28, 2010
Is it confirmed that he will no longer host the Tuesday shows?
If so, then that SUCKS. I am really staying away from 830 AM unless the game is on.
Downing Rules - May 28, 2010
Ya, that's what I'm wondering to
I heard he didn’t do the show on Tuesday because of a prior commitment, but I hadn’t heard anything about him not doing the show anymore.
~MMP~ - May 28, 2010
The entire idea of a tuesday pregame with hudler was a crock of shit to begin with.
Give the man a daily show…
this organization is showing its true trAdition of zero class.
clover_black - May 28, 2010
Hud should be hosting the pregame and postgame shows on tv.
Billy Mac, Eaves and Hosey are all terrible.
Fred Fredrix - May 28, 2010
This.
I wasn’t at all a fan of him being in the broadcast booth for games, but he would be perfect for a pre and post game role.
snowhor - May 28, 2010 via mobile
+1
K3YEROUT - May 28, 2010
This blog has become awfully populist lately
Majoritarian appeals to democratic ideals: Check. Suspicious of concentrated wealth and power: Check. Apprehensive of an intellectual upper class: Yup, that too. How long until the name changes to the “Halos Grange” while we all grab torches and pitchforks and head off to raise hell in Bristol, CT?
I think Rex was just a lousy commentator. Although his enthusiasm seemed sincere, he was an endless fountain of cliches and platitudes that never enhanced my appreciation of the game. Of course, the Angels still retained several other endless fountain of cliches and platitudes without the enthusiasm, but at least they are less verbally exhausting to listen to. That’s not saying much, but the standard for baseball “analysis” is abysmal to start.
Suboptimal - May 28, 2010
What the hell?
brokenyard - May 28, 2010
I have to second brokenyard's reaction
Commander_Nate - May 28, 2010
This comment will probably get a sub-optimal reception.
snowhor - May 28, 2010 via mobile
Why you gotta dis on Granges?? Do you even know what one is?
Wally's World - May 28, 2010
Translation is
A lot of recent posts can pretty much be summed up as We the People vs. The Big Evil Money-Making Conspiracy. I wouldn’t mind some more diversity in the storylines.
Suboptimal - May 28, 2010
Only just recently? haha
You make a good point though.
blochead - May 28, 2010
You think it's only this blog, eh?
Have you looked outside in the world lately? ;)
I agree there have been some pretty sharply worded discussions on here, but not matter who is writing or what their point is, there usually seems to be enough posters with opposing viewpoints to keep the discussion balanced.
Commander_Nate - May 28, 2010
I think hes talking about the posts and not...
the comments/commenters.
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - May 28, 2010
rec'd.
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - May 28, 2010
Does Tony Reagins fall into intellectual upper class?
clover_black - May 28, 2010
I miss Rex
no he most certainly not was well spoken….. yes he did talk as if the audience was an 8 year old playing coach pitch a bit too much….
BUT he most unequivocally was/is one of us, an Angels fan. As posters on this website we are going to be the 5% of the most up to date, knowledgable Angels fans out there and most people we talk Angels baseball with will not know as much as us, but there is still at least always for me a thrill to talking to someone that is a diehard fan. Rex is a diehard and that made his shortcomings far more tolerable.
I know the following is also in part due to the Angels play, but this is the first year that I can remember having a DVR, where if I’m not going to make a game I don’t even bother to DVR it I’ll just catch what I can and watch the hilights on MLB.TV I think Rex helped to add to me wanting to watch the games because it felt like I was watching it with a friend, certainly not my best friend, but a friend nonetheless.
MH252525 - May 28, 2010
Well said, I agree.
Persi W - May 28, 2010
Bring Rex back and dump Mark "GQ hair" Gubicza
Rex Hudler would light the fire under Rojos that desperately needs to be lit.
44FAN - May 28, 2010
Good point!
wumbug - May 28, 2010
Gubi needs to go
He’s so boring and vanilla.
stolenbases - May 28, 2010
You OBVIOUSLY dont read GQ....
Rojas is the ONE with the Gentlemen’s Quarterly cut, my friend.
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - May 28, 2010
Good Riddance
Rex<Hawk Harrelson
blochead - May 28, 2010
ridiculous
it’s one thing to dislike Rex but that is way exaggerated
ryanfea - May 28, 2010
now that is just a dumb thing to say. hawk is easily the worst broadcaster ever.
daze - May 29, 2010
Rex was a really lousy announcer.
He talked to the fans like they were children, and never offered any real baseball insight.
I don’t want some goofy cheerleader jabbering away all game long about how everything the Angels organization does is perfect.
Robviously - May 28, 2010
this is not about him anouncing games
it is about him having any presence wit the fans at all.
based on his popularity with fans you would think he would be marketable, and I would contend he is, save for cheap corporate types and egos in the organization
Rev Halofan - May 28, 2010
Do you think...
a large, significant contigency of fans decide whether to attend a game, listen to a radio broadcast or watch the Angels on TV according to who is sitting in the booth?
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - May 28, 2010
it is a marketing question
how should this team market itself. Ticket sales, et cetera are not affected directly by things like this, but a personality associated with a brand can extend the value of that brand. That is the sum total of what I am discussing here.
Rex appeared to be adding value to the Angels brand. He was dumped as the desire is to have the brand perceived differently took precedence over the value he created for/added to the brand.
Rev Halofan - May 28, 2010
I get that...
However, I would question how much value Rex actually added to that brand. I can see that being the case if it was somebody like Vin Scully for the Dodgers…but Rex Hudler?
Perhaps, I am wrong though. Rex was apart of the broadcasting team when the Angels won the WS and with the sudden passing of Markas, it might have been a good idea to keep together the old, standbysas much as possible.
On the other hand, Rex hasn’t exactly been the most outstanding figure for a brand either…i.e. Getting caught with pot as your try to board a plane isn’t exactly the kind of media attention you want to bring to your brand…
Don’t get me wrong, though, I think Rex is totally getting the short end of the stick here.
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - May 28, 2010
Agree with rev
HUD was an idiot, but he was our idiot…and as we all watch this season circle the bowl, I wish he was some part, any part of all this…I would just feel better about the whole pile of turds this season is turning out to be…
Halopauly - May 29, 2010
A couple of points, if I may..............
From my perspective, there were times when it was obvious to me that Rex purposely changed his delivery expressly to impart a particular point to the “young people” watching the game; after the point was made, he started talking to me again.
Second, to say that Rex “never offered any real baseball insight”, is just plain wrong; it should suffice to say that Rex’s delivery did not connect with you.
Third, “Goofy cheerleader jabbering away”, was probably interpreted/accepted by others as heartfelt, exuberant commentary on a sporting event (show business) which has engrossed most of our lives, or at least provided a welcome distraction from some of the realities of them.
Fourth, regarding your assertion that Rex’s shtick enbellished “how everything the Angels organization does is perfect” again is wrong. I can recall several occasions when I would cringe, thinking that Rex shouldn’t have given so much “inside” information that might be considered embarrassing to players, or critical of management. Perhaps I just listen more closely than some.
Anyway, nothing I add is going to help; many who read this are much too sophisticated to have to listen to anything passing the lips of Rex Hudler.
wumbug - May 29, 2010
Regarding the first point:
Those of us who have kids (especially baseball playing kids) and watch or listen to the game with our kids appreciate Rex’s comments on sportsmanship and attitude. They are sorely needed in the culture we live in today. After watching the PARENTS have a fistfight following my son’s FV Pony league game this week, I think many adults could benefit from Rex’s lessons on attitude and sportsmanship as well.
hbhalofan - May 29, 2010
Like Rex or Not...
I don’t understand what the fuss is about. He’s a color-man. He has nothing to do with the performance of the team. Whether you like him or not seems a pointless issue. What are we bitching about? I ask in all seriousness. I’ve read this entire thread and the original, convoluted post and it all digresses into whether or not you’re a fan of Rex’s radio-style or not.
Frankly, I just want my team to do well, I don’t care if its Yosemite Sam announcing the games. I just want some run support for our starters and a better bullpen.
Is this just a distraction from how crappy our team has been performing or is there a legitimate issue here that I am missing?
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - May 28, 2010
I support the idea of Yosemite Sam announcing games
~MMP~ - May 28, 2010
WIN
jjackflash - May 28, 2010
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - May 28, 2010
Maybe Jeff Mathis could guest color-broadcast while he is on the DL.
44FAN - May 28, 2010
maybe you did not hear
he had a once every two week show and after one appearance it was cancelled.
For the tenth f’n time because you want to bitch but not be bitched at even though everything you wrote is mitigated simply by reading the facts: This is not about Rex Hudler announcing games.
Rev Halofan - May 28, 2010
I think we should seriously discuss the possibility of Yosemite Sam...
hosting the show.
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - May 28, 2010
finally proposing something
I see yer Sam and raise ya Daffy Duck.
Rev Halofan - May 28, 2010
You said yourself
“The dispute remains a mystery.”
I can’t share your outrage over something when I have no background information at all.
Robviously - May 28, 2010
Just wrong
I could see how w/o Hud’s good vibes the broadcasting team is missing something. The Rios guy obviously isn’t cutting it but at the very least they should keep Hud around at least once a week. Sucks to have him gone twice practically in 1 year.
Madcye - May 28, 2010
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