Twins TV and Radio Announcers. How do they Rank?

[Seth Stohs]

TV: Awful Announcing's 2025 MLB local broadcaster rankings

Radio: Awful Announcing's 2025 MLB local radio booth rankings

Awful Announcing ran several polls around the country, Fans were asked to grade their team's TV and Radio. I know I don't listen to many of the other team's announcers, so I don't know if the rankings are right or wrong, but it is interesting to see where Cory Provus and Justin Morneau compare to other TV teams, or how Kris Atteberry and Dan Gladden compare to radio broadcasters. 

 

[Riverbrian]

We all realize this is such a subjective discussion. 

These results are based upon those inclined to answer from those who have nothing to compare their local option to. Very few people have listened to all 30 broadcasts. It's Yes or No question basically with a tally.  

I've read some negative comments on Atteberry on Twinsdaily. Don't entirely understand the reasons for negative comments but to each their own. 

My honest opinion is this. 

I think he does a great job. He's smooth with decent inflection to keep it interesting and he is able to fill 3 hours of air time with knowledge that pertains to not only baseball but basically wherever the conversation goes... From pop culture and beyond. At the basic level... he just needs to be able to tell me that it was a single up the middle... Kris is able to do this and more. 

Thumbs up from me.

In a social media world where negative comments are more likely to be expressed. I hope Kris reads my comment here on Twinsdaily so he knows that there is at least one person who thinks he does a great job.  

[FlyingFinn]

I give high marks to Provus and Morneau. I like Atteberry as well. Gladden is terrible as I'm too often left wondering what actually happened on a play when he's doing play-by-play.

[Dave Borton]

Great article. 

VERY subjective thoughts, radio only. I cut the cord.

I finally read what happened to Ben Wagner in Toronto, now working the Orioles. Will give him a listen again.

Atteberry is terrible. Loved him on game updates. Couldn't believe how he would get the info out there. But in the booth, he needs to learn the art of quiet. Scully had the pace, volume, and the appropriate use of silence down to an art. Feel fatigued by Chatteberry's incessant gas. And Gladden needs to retire. Huge gaps in describing action, forgetting we don't have visuals.

Love Thrall/Brantley in Cinci; Kasper/Jackson in Chicago. Descriptive, enthusiastic PBP and insightful baseball background in color. I realize Pat Hughes is a recognized HOFer w/Cubs but he just doesn't work for me. Every game sounds the same.

Picked up Jon Miller at SF from another poster and have enjoyed him. Love Monday's color in LA. Susie w/Yanks works harder getting clubhouse info than anybody in the game.

Denny in KC makes a funeral home director seem like an extrovert. Same goes for LAA booth.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

5 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

I give high marks to Provus and Morneau. I like Atteberry as well. Gladden is terrible as I'm too often left wondering what actually happened on a play when he's doing play-by-play.

How bad could the Marlins radio guys be to be ranked that much worse than Gladden?

[DocBauer]

I think Provus is excellent! I think Morneau is really solid as the color guy. It just takes a little while to understand he has a "twinkle" in his eye and speech as he has a wonderful but dry humor about him.

I absolutely love having different previous Twins in the booth, though I have some favorites there. Perk and Plouffe might be the best. But others are good. Caught a bit of Gordon in the booth the other night and was impressed. 

I seldom listen to the radio broadcast these days with my access to the ML streaming of games. But I think Atteberry does a great job! He does exactly what he's SUPPOSED to do as a radio announcer. That means not only calling balls and strikes, but trying to set the game and atmosphere to the listener. IMO, his only real issue is following ALL TIME GREATS like Carneal and Gordon. Growing up listening to radio, and hearing those voices, they are both right up there with Scully. 

Atteberry loves the Twins, loves baseball, and paints a complete picture. As he should. But he lacks some of the charisma of those before him. But he's good. And I think more listeners should just appreciate what he's doing.

I'm an admitted apologist for Gladden. He's rough around the edges and I'm not really good about how he calls the game at times. I like him a lot more as the color portion of the broadcast. I enjoy his rough edges and playing off whoever was his previous primary broadcaster. You don't listen for Gladden being smooth. You listen for the player he was, and the person and broadcaster he is. A guy who loves baseball, who has stories, who will state things as he sees them, and who won't back down. In a broadcasting world of too many button downed broadcasters, I appreciate his rough edged approach...even though I don't like his play by play.

 

 

[T.O.]

I've liked all (almost) of the Twins broadcast team. second half of season and especially after the salary dump they put way too much positive spin on simple things the players do. It makes it harder to listen to but I'm sure they are required to do that.

I wasn't happy when they pushed Bremer out but after hearing Provis I thought he was a good balance between humor and serious play by play. He does get too excited at every ball hit near the warning track.
I have to acknowledge that Bremer was starting to slip, getting names wrong etc.

For me voice is critical for an play by play announcer. Traditionally announcers have deep voices. The important thing is the voice has no qualities that draw attention away from the words. No odd inflections, emphasis, or accent. But at the same time sounding human not mechanical. It's not that easy to do.
Analysts usually are picked for knowledge not voice. There are some awful ones out there. Like someone that sounds like Walter Brennan playing an old man (did he ever play anything else?). Twins are in good shape there.

A lot of people are critical of Morneau but I think he's great. He is sincere. I would rather here his ramblings than analysts that make obvious statements tell me nothing.
I like all the analysts except Span who sounds irritating. The chemistry with all in the booth is good.

I can't stand Atteberry. He doesn't have the voice and doesn't know when not to talk. He just sounds off. I only listen to him when I have to, when I occasionally cross into Iowa and TV is blacked out.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

19 hours ago, T.O. said:

I've liked all (almost) of the Twins broadcast team. second half of season and especially after the salary dump they put way too much positive spin on simple things the players do. It makes it harder to listen to but I'm sure they are required to do that.

I wasn't happy when they pushed Bremer out but after hearing Provis I thought he was a good balance between humor and serious play by play. He does get too excited at every ball hit near the warning track.
I have to acknowledge that Bremer was starting to slip, getting names wrong etc.

For me voice is critical for an play by play announcer. Traditionally announcers have deep voices. The important thing is the voice has no qualities that draw attention away from the words. No odd inflections, emphasis, or accent. But at the same time sounding human not mechanical. It's not that easy to do.
Analysts usually are picked for knowledge not voice. There are some awful ones out there. Like someone that sounds like Walter Brennan playing an old man (did he ever play anything else?). Twins are in good shape there.

A lot of people are critical of Morneau but I think he's great. He is sincere. I would rather here his ramblings than analysts that make obvious statements tell me nothing.
I like all the analysts except Span who sounds irritating. The chemistry with all in the booth is good.

I can't stand Atteberry. He doesn't have the voice and doesn't know when not to talk. He just sounds off. I only listen to him when I have to, when I occasionally cross into Iowa and TV is blacked out.

Provus have a Bremergasm?! Perish the thought!

[Dave Borton]

On 9/17/2025 at 5:06 PM, Dave Borton said:

I finally read what happened to Ben Wagner in Toronto, now working the Orioles. Will give him a listen again.

I have the Yanks/Orioles game on radio. Ben Wagner continues to do excellent PBP, indeed with the Orange and Blacks birds now.

[strumdatjag]

Provus is at the top.  Then it’s a precipitous drop.   
The accolades for John Gordon are surprising.  Most of you have no idea how much he was ripped when he first got here.  

[Brock Beauchamp]

I think the TV crew is quite good. I don't care for the radio crew.