The Popcorn Stand: Looking forward to Scully’s finale

As a San Francisco Giants fan, I’m looking forward to the final regular season game at AT&T Park between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.

Not because it looks like the Dodgers will have the division title wrapped up by then. But because it will be an historic moment, Vin Scully’s final regular season broadcast as the Dodgers’ announcer.

I still can’t keep track of all the stupid rules and agreements when it comes to television coverage of Major League Baseball games. All I know is the only sure fire way to watch any MLB game you want is to subscribe to mlb.tv or the Extra Innings package (is that what it’s called) and I’m too much of a cheapskate to do that. I also missed the recent promotion in which you could receive mlb.tv for the rest of the season by buying a Wendy’s frosty.

Sadly, from what I understand, most Southern California fans still can’t watch Vin Scully and the Dodgers because the teams that’s worth a kajillion dollars can’t see fit to throw their fans a bone. And as far as I know, people in Tulare County where I come from still can’t watch the Giants.

I’m assuming MLB Network will show Scully’s final broadcast on Oct. 2 at San Francisco. And hopefully whatever rule there is that prevents MLB and CSNBA from showing the game at the same time will be waived. As much as I like Kruk and Kuip, if I turn the channel to MLB and see a blank screen, I will be furious and I’m sure I won’t be the only one.

Although, I’ve noticed the MLB Network has been broadcasting a lot more games with Scully. As it should be.

The 88-year-old Scully still calls games the way they’re supposed to be called. He calls all nine innings by himself. No need for a color analyst. Let alone a third analyst. Let alone a dugout reporter.

When you watch a broadcast of Scully, it’s all Scully. As it should be.

While I stop short of saying Scully is the greatest baseball announcer of all-time (a discussion for another time), he’s a close second to his mentor, Red Barber. A very close second. And arguing who’s better, Barber or Scully, is like asking me which dessert I prefer, chocolate cake or strawberry cheesecake. I’ll take both.

Hopefully in the minds of all the high muckety-mucks who run baseball, they’ll see fit to make sure we’ll all see the privilege of Scully broadcasting his final regular season game.

— Charles Whisnand