What Did Bert Blyleven Do To Deserve This From Minnesota Twins?
Bert, you are hereby demoted!
At least that's what it looks like as Bert Blyleven announced Monday via Twitter that he'll be broadcasting fewer games next season:
This is strange news coming from a guy who's as much of a face of the franchise as Joe Mauer, or Kirby Puckett having led the team to one of the two World Series Championships. He's been doing color commentating for Twins broadcasts since 1996 with his co-host Dick Bremer, and I absolutely love hearing and watching them as a team on air.
Of course this isn't the first time we've heard Bert's name mentioned in off-season news either: Last year we heard his tradition of circling fans during broadcasts would be cut short also. Although he went on to do it anyway.
Jack Morris, Roy Smalley, Torii Hunter, LaTroy Hawkins and Justin Morneau all did work as analysts last season so perhaps the Twins and FSN want to hear more of their voices?
So whatever "going in another direction" ultimately means for the baseball Hall of Famer's future, it certainly starts with less air time, and for that I'm pretty bummed out.