Orioles broadcast team stands out among league's best

The Baltimore Orioles have been mired in a slump of mediocrity for nearly the last two months. But one aspect of the team that rarely, if ever, slumps is the team's outstanding broadcast crew.

Perhaps I am a little biased. I am well aware of other stellar broadcasters in baseball, such as the recently-retired John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman, Gary Cohen and the fantastic Mets crew, and the awesome Don Orsillo, former voice of the Red Sox and now voice of the Padres. But as someone whose viewing experience is enhanced by great announcers, being an Orioles fan for the last 25 years has been a treat.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the top 5 Orioles' announcers over the last 25 years.

Honorable Mention: Jim Hunter and Fred Manfra

I did not have cable television growing up, and had to listen to most games on the radio. But that was just fine with me. Growing up in the late nineties and early 2000s, Jim Hunter and Fred Manfra were the voices of summer. Hunter's enthusiasm and timing were top notch (and that ball is GONE!), while Manfra's smooth, calm voice described the action as if he was sitting on your couch with you.

5. Ben McDonald

The present is pretty great for Orioles' fans who enjoy listening to the announcers as much as they enjoy watching the action. Ben McDonald has been in the Orioles' broadcast booth full time since 2018, and brings a great deal of fun and knowledge to his broadcasts.

Frequent topics of conversation include his Louisiana routes and time with the Orioles, and his love for pitching regularly shines through. Known for coining the phrase "Mountain Time" when Felix Bautista would enter, McDonald will hopefully be in the Orioles' broadcast booth for a long time to come.

4. Joe Angel

Like Ben McDonald, Joe Angel regularly brought fun to the broadcast booth. A native of Colombia, South America, Angel called Orioles games on the radio from 2004 through 2018. While unclear if it is intentional or not, I've noticed some Joe Angel influence in current radio broadcaster Brett Hollander's calls (who is very good in his own right).

Orioles fans familiar with Angel would look forward to hearing the "lovely totals" whenever the Orioles were "in the win column!" during Angel's tenure with the O's. While I hope Joe Angel is enjoying retirement, I would not be opposed to a guest appearance or two.

3. Kevin Brown

With lead play-by-play man Kevin Brown receiving a well-earned extension this month, Orioles fans can look forward to many more years of Oasis references, cheesy but fun alliterations (a crazy catch by Colton Cowser!), and smooth pipes.

Brown has terrific chemistry with McDonald and veteran color commentator Jim Palmer, and his timing and delivery are top notch. The O's aren't the only ones to notice Brown's talent: he also announces basketball, football, and softball for ESPN.

If there is a big play happening for the Orioles, I want Kevin Brown calling it.

2. Gary Thorne

Kevin Brown's predecessor, Gary Thorne, is a legend in the broadcast world. Born just outside of Bangor, Maine, Thorne called NHL hockey for several years before joining MASN to call Orioles games.

Thorne called many key moments in Orioles' history, including Robert Andino's walk-off hit against the Red Sox in 2011 and had a signature home run call--"Good bye home run"--that sounded even better when the stakes were highest.

Like Kevin Brown after him, Thorne never took himself too seriously, which was part of his charm in the booth. And like Brown, Thorne worked seamlessly with broadcasting legend Jim Palmer.

1. Jim Palmer

Jim Palmer is a lifelong Baltimore Oriole. 2024 marks his 32nd year in the Orioles' broadcast booth after spending 20 seasons on the mound for the Orioles. And while Palmer is a Hall-of-Fame pitcher, he is also a tremendous broadcaster.

His knowledge and appreciation of the game is obvious, and his memory of obscure facts and stories is other-worldly. How many times have Orioles fans heard a Palmer story start out with "I remember this one time pitching up in Seattle in 1975..."

Palmer's announcing also has a bizarre catharsis to it, as if he has seen everything there is to be seen. His ability to predict what happens next resembles CBS' Tony Romo with respect to pitch selection ("and there's you're 3-1 hanging slider"). While Ben McDonald is now seemingly announcing the majority of Orioles' games, Palmer's announcing has remained top notch.

Let's hope Palmer sticks around for at least another handful of years.