FanPost

An Appreciation of Jim Deshaies

My mom turned 77 earlier this month. If I watch/attend/listen to 100 Cub games a year, her total would be somewhere north of that. At the beginning of this year I asked her what she was looking forward to and what she was going to miss about the Cubs this year. The first thing out of her mouth was "I'm going to miss Bob Brenly". I good-naturedly pressed her on it and she added, "he's just folksy and he'll call out players occasionally when they screw up."

We talked a little more about it and thought about how long it took until we didn't miss Steve Stone on the broadcasts anymore, agreeing that it wasn't that big of a time frame.

So I asked her yesterday what she thought about Jim Deshaies' work in the booth. And she told me she still preferred Brenly. Her reasons were basically the same as earlier in the year. She didn't disparage JD in any way; she just prefers BB.

In my view I think JD is doing a fine job. It's always difficult replacing a popular figure.

What I especially like about JD is how he explains pitch sequence and the prep work and thought that go into it. When he's really on and does it for a complete at-bat it's just fascinating. Stone would tell you what pitch was coming next and be right 98% of the time, but he wouldn't set it up like JD can.

While it's true that some of his pop culture references are pretty arcane and his puns are of the Dead Dead pan variety, his work with Len is getting better and better. (Although trying to connect the Bay City Rollers to the San Francisco music snippets last weekend made the music buffs wince, I'm sure)

And with apologies to son ranto, JD's lack of appreciation of the Bull Balls was an instant classic.

The Cubs organization has to be pleased with what in my estimation is a very seamless transition in the television booth. Congratulations, JD.

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