Fansided

Former Oakland Athletics’ Player Eric Chavez Should Replace Ray Fosse Permanently In Broadcast Booth

By Daniel Martinez |

Throughout this year, Eric Chavez has been calling A’s games on TV in the booth in place of Ray Fosse. Chavez, also knowns as Chavy, has done a phenomenal job and is fun to listen to as an analyst. Fosse is the A’s current color analyst, calling games on both TV and radio. The A’s have been giving Fosse a “break” for the last couple of years with other analyst replacing him like Scott Hatteberg and Shooty Babitt. Fosse, being the fossil he is, does not bring as much energy as Hatteberg, who is very knowledgable and has a close relationship with current ball players, and Shooty, who is a riot with the unique energy he brings. Both were a pleasure to listen to as it was like a breath of fresh air compared to hearing Fosse. Chavez is the newest guy to get the part-time gig as the color analyst this year. Even with his limited experience in the booth, he has done a solid job for the Athletics in place of Fosse.

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The Crypt Keeper, excuse me, Fosse has been the color analyst with the A’s since 1986. A veteran of his craft, it is time to move aside and let more recent former players like Chavez become the full time color analyst. Whether Chavey would accept the position is an entirely different story, but he has the potential to unseat Fosse.

Fosse does not have great chemistry with Glen Kuiper, the A’s current play-by-play announcer. Chavez and Kuiper let each other talk and do not speak over each other. Both have chemistry when talking about a particular subject during a game. Fosse, on the other hand, will talk over Kuiper and be a ‘homer’ when talking about anything A’s related. If we wanted to hear a ‘homer’, we would switch channels and listen to Duane Kuiper babble on about how great of a season every Giant’s player is having. Chavez states the truth and would be an anti-‘homer’ when covering the A’s. He just states his honest opinion on what he is seeing on the field.

Apr 6, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics former players Eric Chavez and Mark Ellis after throwing out ceremonial pitches before the game between the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Chavez understands the current state of the game unlike Fosse, whose playing days ended over 35 years ago. Yes Ray, we know that Sal Bando jumped on your surgically repaired neck celebrating the final out of the ’74 World Series, and it was well worth it. Fosse has nothing new to offer in terms of insight or unique stories on the A’s other than what we have already heard. Chavez brings a solid perception of today’s game and surely has a few great stories the public does not know about yet. A’s fans would love to hear how it was playing with the Big 3, winning 6 straight Gold Gloves at third base with Ron Washington as a coach or some personal stories of the A’s teams during the early 2000’s. Chavy will only get better the more Oakland games he calls.

For all the A’s fans that love Fosse, he does not have to go away permanently. Fosse should team up with Ken Korach and Vince Cotroneo on radio because those three have good vibe and chemistry. The trio mesh well together and give great depth covering the A’s on radio while sounding like they are having fun working together. It is a win-win situation for everyone if Chavy takes over full time as color analyst on TV and Fosse moving over to cover the Oakland Athletics on the radio.

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