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CN Approval Ratings: Al Hrbrosky

Sometimes, I just like to serve up the pitches and let you take a whack at them.

Al's got quite a reputation on the net, and from what I see most of it's not that good.  Does his career as a Cardinal temper that at all?  Are you one that actually kinda likes hearing Dan and Al banter during games?

Or are you, well, not a fan.

0-100, as usual.  Again, results over here.

2 recs  |  Comment 38 comments

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Al gets a 15

starting pt. of 0
+15 for the mullet

I actually like Dan, as he makes the broadcasts bearable – sometimes entertaining – for me.

"There are only two seasons—winter and baseball."

by MUGATU on Mar 17, 2009 9:02 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

45%

When Al talks about pitching, something he actually knows about, he contributes meaningful information. Most of the time all he contributes is dribble.

by cardsgirl95 on Mar 17, 2009 9:15 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Well said

Since I can put it any better, I am just going to echo that.

And 40, because his smugness takes him down another 5 points.

* sarcasm might be involved in this comment

and....BEN SHEETS!!! **

**not that BEN SHEETS might be involved in this comment, just BEN SHEETS!!!
(BEN SHEETS might be involved in this comment)

by mattyfrommo on Mar 17, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

40

Dan carries him

by _pistol_ on Mar 17, 2009 9:18 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

35%

I only enjoy him when he gets into his little spats w/ Dan.

Patiently awaiting the day Colby Rasmus does this: .275/.381/.551/.932, 29HR, in St. Louis...

by RunninRedbird on Mar 17, 2009 9:27 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Haha

They get mad at each other at least 3 times a game. If funny to listen to them.

by JoeyBombs on Mar 17, 2009 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Al Is

so bad he makes Dan unbearable. I always hope it is the other teams announcers when watching a game. well, Unless it is the Pirate crew. Bob Walk is worse than Al. So Al gets a 5 that leaves room below him for Walk. I suggest that the get rid of Al and if Dan is still unbearable get rid of him too.

by nybirdfan on Mar 17, 2009 9:54 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

51%

I definitely enjoy listening to Al and Dan… They grow on you.

Every time I watch a game on other networks (as I had to frequently last year because MLB TV is random) I missed those familiar voices. Yes, he could be better, but I’d much rather listen to Dan and Al than Joe Morgan or any other random people.

by mr banana grabber on Mar 17, 2009 9:59 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Al and Dan grow on you

Like Kudzu.

Almost anyone I can think of is better than Joe Morgan.

25% for Al.

Counting the days 'till the first pitch.

by IL and StL Fan on Mar 17, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

25

"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."

--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS

by bgh on Mar 17, 2009 10:03 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

20

hecanthithecanthithecanthithecanthit

by Alxfritz on Mar 17, 2009 10:26 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

30

I don’t watch enough games to be able to score him too low, but I have hated his broadcasting for as long as I can remember. He gets no redemption for his playing years cause I’m too young to remember them.

If Al was a national guy would he be as bad as Joe Morgan?

Sometimes I wonder,
"Why is that frisbee getting bigger?"

...and then it hits me!!

by cardzfanbub on Mar 17, 2009 11:18 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

The Mad Hungarian

He’s absolutely brutal as an announcer and yet, for me, thoroughly entertaining as a person. The whole insanity of his antics on the mound to the wearing of a Gypsy Rose of Death ring to ward off werewolves. He’s a lunatic after my own heart. I think the dust ups with Dan are because he misses the confrontations from his playing days.

He’d stomp off the mound toward second base, eyes blazing, the fury practically seeping through his uniform as he turned his back to the hitter who was left waiting at the plate until he was done working himself into an altered state he called his “controlled hate routine,” then whirled around, pounding the ball into his glove while the home crowd generally went nuts.

Occasionally, so would an opposing batter, like Bill Madlock, who on one occasion waited until Hrabosky finished his routine, then walked to the on-deck circle for some pine tar to apply to his bat. He stepped back in, Hrabosky went into his routine again, Madlock went back to the circle, the umpire called a strike when Hrabosky threw the ball to a vacant batter’s box, and a brawl was set off.

And to think he might be in the Hall of Fame if only allowed to throw the “Hungo”.

This pitch, thrown in the 230 mph range by Al, was outlawed by organized baseball and deemed totally unhittable.

Poor guy got the whole Amaury Marti treatment. But all that doesn’t make up for the assault on the ears that is him calling a game.

I’ll go 38.16039027% (And C70, you need to be careful. Telling me to “go out as far as you like” is pretty dangerous, I’m already way out there as is.)

"Do what you want to the women and children but leave me alone"- George Carlin

by That's a Winner on Mar 17, 2009 11:37 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I’m starting to gather that….. :)

by Cardinal70 on Mar 17, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

zero

as an announcer. Mind-numbingly boring, an apologist for whatever the brass does, and dumb to boot.

And I say this as a person who created a huge Al Hrabosky banner (showing him whiffing Dodgers’ manager Walt Alston, who left him off the NL All-Star squad) for Hrabosky Hbanner Hday back in ’75.

by salvomania on Mar 17, 2009 11:39 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

double zero.

I either mute the sound or watch on game day. I cannot tolerate a single word out of his mouth. Not one.

She isn't crazy, she's just not impressed.

by jillsinmo on Mar 17, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Tough crowd here

I am afraid that I will be an outlier with my approval rating of 70% which is a C-. My take is that I “don’t mind Al and Dan”. I agree with others that the banter b/t the two is sometimes entertaining. Dan is never mean-spirited, but it’s fun to see him make fun of Al occasionally. So I give Al credit for putting up with that. Actually, I am not sure that Al “gets it” most of the time. Dan and Al are a pair of harmless homers, and they don’t pretend to be objective about things. Do I prefer Al over Steve Phillips? Yessss. I can think of a dozen people worse than Al.

born Dodger blue, now dyed Cardinals red

by totalloser on Mar 17, 2009 2:13 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

0% as an announcer, 88% as a player

dude was crazy, and it was awesome. just wish i could have seen him pitch

BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS

I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!

by gdm426 on Mar 17, 2009 2:14 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

80

(i like ’em….)

by stlcardinalsfang on Mar 17, 2009 2:14 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

The dummy in the broadcast booth sits next to Al.

Except for those wonderful days when Joe Buck would show up.

75.

"The world is getting to be such a dangerous place, a man is lucky to get out of it alive." -- W.C. Fields

by Donut King on Mar 17, 2009 4:17 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

25

Rarely interesting, frequently intolerable.

by liam on Mar 17, 2009 5:36 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

85

I personally really like his style. He’s wacky sometimes, but it just adds to the fun.

"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd

by SleepyCA on Mar 17, 2009 6:59 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

10

He’s really not good at any style. His stories are long, boring, and have little payoff at the end.

by TheBirds on Mar 17, 2009 6:59 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I don't live near St. Loo

so I don’t get to hear Hrabosky as an announcer. He was, however, my favorite player of the 70’s and way back in ‘76 I named my cat “Hungo” and spent the next 16 years explaining that to Minnesotans who didn’t know about the Mad Hungarian. Most people thought it referred to being hungover. My approval rating for the feline Hungo was 100% + and his ashes still sit in a bowl on my desk. I can’t give his namesake any less for sentimental reasons but please feel free to not figure my irrational rating into the final %. Dirty Al really must be a bad announcer to get these ratings but I have nothing but fond memories for him and my Hungo.

by easy on Mar 17, 2009 7:06 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Hungo

the cat. That’s great.

by spants on Mar 17, 2009 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

40%

Al doesn’t talk about much, and when he does, it’s not really something we don’t know or something that isn’t obvious. He knows his pitching, but Dan carries him throughout the broadcast.

Welcome to Baseball Heaven.

by zoomzoomj88 on Mar 17, 2009 8:53 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I'll try to play by the rules

and grade from 0-100, but this guy is so awful and has annoyed me for so long I am going to have to go with a negative 0. Just a total waste – he should be doing Royals games.

Those Pilgrims ain't lookin' so proud now...

by giveml on Mar 17, 2009 9:21 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

i think the concept of negative zero

was what doomed the mayan civilization. They were doing so well, and then… whoops.

"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd

by SleepyCA on Mar 17, 2009 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah

but it just makes me feel better with regard to the Bad Hungarian.

Those Pilgrims ain't lookin' so proud now...

by giveml on Mar 18, 2009 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

14

I hate him so much I decided to pick a random low number and went w/ that. So there.

"Your Holiness, I'm Joseph Medwick. I, too, used to be a Cardinal."-Joe Medwick, to Pope Pius XII.

by redbirdnation8206 on Mar 17, 2009 9:34 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

.075/13

originally I gave him 25 points for not being Joe Morgan, but I then took away 20 points for not being as good as a comedic punch line as Joe Morgan. then i took gave him two thumbs down for being a complete pessimist but still demonstrating an uncanny ability to be an unrealistic optimist when evaluating other random players. He also gets a frowny face for making any given night of baseball broadcasting turn into what seems like the awkward precursor to a domestic disturbance. But, I will have to give him a golden star for holding Joe Morgan to a .611 ops in his playing days. Add that all up and he gets a .075/13.

I only am who I am because I was born that way. I have a gift and I'm trying to not be selfish about it, but to use it, OK? Jealousy will get you nowhere!

by Dave Barry on Mar 17, 2009 10:09 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Totals

Big Al got an overall of 53.8939%. Big splits, though, as VEB’s rating was 36.7473 and all others were 76.04167.

by Cardinal70 on Mar 18, 2009 8:31 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Re: "big splits"

I was checking out the voter’s comments at CCH and the reason for the splits is that these are the same people that when they were in school thought they deserved an A just for showing up.

Typical comments: “Doesn’t really add much and pretty boring. I give him an 80.”

“Says at least one moronic thing every broadcast. 95.”

The lowest score I saw was a 55 from someone who couldn’t stand him.

by salvomania on Mar 18, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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