Tag: jim deshaies

Jim Deshaies is Trying Not to Scare Anyone

Carson Cistulli has posted a short interview with new Cubs color commentator Jim Deshaies over at Fangraphs. In it, he talks about his transition to Chicago after 16 years in Houston and having to adapt to an audience that is unfamiliar with his style. He also talks about his philosophy in presenting analytics to a wide array of fans.

…I think the way the game has changed because front offices are using it- and it's very important, it's how they acquire players, who they sign, who they promote- it's our responsibility as broadcasters to kind of play along. I mean, you don't want to bury your head in the sand and pretend it doesn't exist…

I really enjoy Deshaies, and the interview is worth a listen. The only portion of the interview I take issue with is when he says that he's very similar in style to Bob Brenly.

Cubs hire Jim Deshaies to replace Bob Brenly

From cubs.com:

Deshaies has reportedly accepted a four-year offer from WGN to be the color commentator for the Chicago Cubs telecasts. WGN's Bob Vorwald would not comment on the hiring Monday, but MLB.com has confirmed Deshaies will be switching teams. "J.D." replaces longtime Cubs announcer Bob Brenly, who in October accepted a similar job with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Deshaies will pair with Cubs play-by-play television voice Len Kasper.

Deshaies, who had been a part of the Astros' broadcast team since 1997, was contacted by WGN officials in October and later flew to Chicago to meet with network executives from both WGN and Comcast SportsNet Chicago. He also met with representatives from the Cubs.

A CSN Chicago report originally identified Dan Plesac, Rick Sutcliffe, Eric Karros, Gary Matthews and Todd Hollandsworth as targeted interviewees. Deshaies' name emerged later and, at one time, he was considered by some as a longshot to land the job, only because it was widely assumed WGN preferred to have a former Cub as its color commentator (although Brenly had no previous history with the Cubs, either).

But Deshaies may have been WGN's preferred choice all along. Somewhat of a cult favorite among Astros fans, Deshaies long ago established himself, along with his TV partner, Bill Brown, as a trusted and entertaining source of baseball analysis in Houston. The news of Deshaies' possible defection to Chicago created a small firestorm among dismayed fans on the Internet. A combination of Deshaies' strong interview with network and club executives, the outcry from the Houston fanbase and support from Kasper may have swung the pendulum in Deshaies' favor earlier than expected.

I don't know enough about Deshaies, but I know GW here likes him so I'm guessing I will too. It will be hard to dislike him as much as I did Bob Brenly. I'm also glad the Cubs passed on some of the other candidates and Plesac was the only one that really interested me.

Will Jim Deshaies Be the Replacement for Bob Brenly?

If Rant Sports can generate blog hits by using incredibly over-the-top and sometimes completely misleading headlines for their posts, then so can I. I figured it was as good a headline as any for the following shallowly researched filler material.

We know Jim Deshaies, the current color commentator for the Houston Astros, got an interview as a potential replacement for Bob Brenly a few days ago. We also know that the other "front-runners" for the open seat next to Len Kasper seem to be a fairly mediocre bunch that includes, Rick Sutcliffe, Eric Karros, Todd Hollandsworth, and Gary Matthews. But what do we know of Jim Deshaies' abilities?

From what I've heard anecdotally from Astros fans and Alyson Footer, the former Senior Director of Social Media with the Astros (now a national correspondent with MLB), the Astros would be big losers if Deshaies jumps to the Cubs. So that is something since I hear almost nothing but sentiments of, "you can have him" about Gary Matthews from Phillies fans. But I wanted to put together a nice video resume for Deshaies that we could all look over and give our OV Stamp of Approval before Rant Sports declares him to be a snake oil salesman, carpetbagger, or some other term they think is just name-calling but has actual meaning.

Also, if we all vault him to the tops of our respective lists, we can all brace for the crushing blow that he'll end up staying with the Astros. In case you weren't aware of what he looks like, Deshaies is the bald guy:

 

 

Based on the very little video I can find of him, I like Deshaies quite a bit. He's extremely listenable and he seems to bring a lot more to his analysis than the typical, "DIS HERE GUY KNOWS HOW TO PLAY DA GAME RIGHT" that is unfortunately the go to cliche for far too many color commentators (including Brenly). He is my new favorite now that Doug Glanville is officially not a candidate anymore. I think Sutcliffe is #2, but its a pretty distant second.

So let me be the first to congratulate Jim Deshaies on his soon-to-be announced contract extension with the Astros.