http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/14422793/fox-sports-pairs-john-smoltz-alongside-fox-joe-buckESPN wrote:
Fox pairs John Smoltz, Joe Buck on national MLB telecasts
LOS ANGELES -- Hall of Famer John Smoltz has been promoted to Fox's lead baseball analyst and will work alongside play-by-play man Joe Buck, displacing Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci.
Fox made the announcement Tuesday. Network spokesman Dan Bell said Fox was discussing different roles with Reynolds, who also works for the MLB Network, and Verducci, who also works for the MLB Network and Sports Illustrated. Winner of the 1996 NL Cy Young Award, Smoltz was a first-ballot pick for the Hall this year. He has been a Fox analyst during the past two seasons.
Reynolds and Verducci joined Buck in the booth in 2014 following the retirement of Tim McCarver.
Finally FOX might actually have a listenable World Series broadcast! Smoltz is only ok, but at his worst he's better than Reynolds ever has been. I liked what Verducci brought, but they didn't seem to know how to use him, he and seemed to be there simply to be a counterpoint to Reynolds' silliness. I'm not really a fan of Buck either, but he doesn't sink the broadcast. While its far from perfect it looks like I won't have to watch with the sound off this year...