Baseball Broadcasters Who Had Had More Success In The Booth Than On The Playing Field

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One name invariably comes up every January, when Major League Baseball reveals the selections for its Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. It is neither Pete Rose nor Barry Bonds nor Roger Clemens nor any other player with controversial issues which have so far outweighed their statistical accomplishes.

Jim Deshaies, a reliable pitcher for the Astros during his career, made baseball history in his first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame by getting just one vote. That he even received that single nod is rather remarkable for a guy who was just the fourth arm in the Houston rotation, and it has led to humorous references each winter.

Most of the humor is provided by Deshaies himself, who has since become a well-loved broadcaster in Houston and now Chicago. Although he had a much better career Deshaies has kind of become the Bob Uecker of his generation, in that he has earned more respect in the broadcast booth than he did on the playing field.

Here are ten other names who have followed in Uecker's footsteps, moving from average careers as players to superstardom as announcer.

Rick Manning

Winning a Gold Glove and enjoying a thirteen year career are certainly worthy accomplishments, but Manning made an even greater impression covering games for the Cleveland team with what he sent most of his career.

Bob Montgomery

He spent the Seventies backing up Carlton Fisk behind the plate in Boston, and he sent the Eighties behind the mike calling Red Sox games.

Geoff Blum

After hitting.250 during a fourteen year career mostly spent in Houston, the versatile infielder became a popular voice calling games for the Astros.

Mike Blowers

Seattle was the team for which he flexed most of his power during his playing days, but he has been an even bigger hit as an announcer for the Mariners.

Duane Kuiper

His one career home run in a twelve year career came off of Steve Stone who, ironically, went on to become as popular a broadcaster in Chicago as Kuiper is in San Francisco.

Buck Martinez

A backup catcher for seventeen years, Toronto's broadcaster has now been in the booth nearly twice that long doing Blue Jays games.

CJ Nitkowski

Texas hired the lefthander to deliver commentary after he had spent ten years as a reliever for eight different clubs.

Willie Bloomquist

A well-respected utility man for fourteen years, he has certainly become a regular when Arizona games are on the air.

Jeff Huson

Colorado was not among the seven teams he played for in a twelve year stint, but the infielder has certainly made himself at home as a voice of the Rockies.

Mike Shannon

As the regular third baseman Shannon helped lead the Cardinals to three pennants in the Sixties, but he has seen even more than three since he began announcing St. John's. Louis games.