Last night’s game was a blowout. The visitors jumped out to an early lead and the game was virtually over by the 5th inning.
When a TV baseball production team is working in late August, they have worked on many games. In our case, last night was the 121st game we have televised this season. Even though the club we cover is in a pennant race and currently in first place, this is the time of the year when it can be very easy to “mail it in.” We, however, did not and will not.
Our main theme of the telecast was the starting pitcher and his struggles. Was this the game where he would “find himself” and return to the form that made him the left-handed pitcher with the most wins in the big leagues over the past five seasons? Or would he continue to struggle? These were questions we posed during the standup segment of our open. Included in the stand up was a video package of this pitcher in which we showed pitches with good location and we showed bad pitch location thrown by this particular starting pitcher.
This pitcher did not make it out of the second inning. This prompted a discussion about the merits of struggling player versus what is good for the team. It was some of the most poignant dialogue we have had on a telecast in a long time.
Another theme we established in the Open was the hot bat by a player who, while generally a back-up player, was starting because of an injury to the regular starter. Would this player continue on his torrid pace? The importance of contributions from all members of the team was pointed out in this segment.
This particular back-up turned starter went 2-3. He collected half of the team’s four total hits.
The third segment of our open was a thirty second injury update segment that dealt with two of the club’s more important players. We followed this theme during the telecast with shots of these players on the bench commenting on the possible return dates of each individual.
Once the themes of the show are presented, it is the responsibility of the production team to follow up on these themes throughout the telecast and wrap them up late in the telecast. Doing this makes for a better production and it also helps the team to stay focused.
It is very easy for us in the truck to stay focused with the team we are privileged to cover. This team has the current NL MVP who most say is the greatest player in the game. This player comes to bat three, four, and sometimes more a game. Each time this player is in the box, the general feeling in the truck and, in fact, the whole stadium and the television audience, is that something extraordinary is going to happen. In fact, all camera responsibilities change when this player is at bat.
Camera 1 (left-field corner) has many options. This camera can show pitcher/batter and follow the ball. Tight swing and follow batter until you get to the dugout. Head to toe on batter and push to crowd. This operator has a tremendous feel for the situation and seems to always capture the moment.
Camera 2 (high home) – Follow the ball. This operator “frames” his shots as good as anyone. When the best player in the game is at the plate, there is one major change in camera assignments for the high home camera. If there is a runner on first the high home operator is responsible for the pickoff. He must go with the throw no matter what. There are two reasons for this change in assignments. One – with this particular player at the plate the runner on first is not going anywhere. If he steals, that leaves first base open. And the best player in the game will be intentionally walked. When the pitcher throws to first base in this situation, I believe he is just delaying the inevitable. The inevitable being a hard hit ball. Two – covering the pickoff from this camera frees up my usual pickoff camera to give me another angle of the situation.
Camera 3 (mid third) this operator is the best at tight ball follow that I have seen. It does not matter where the shot begins; tight on the hands, head to toe, pitcher/batter, this operator has some of the most beautiful and memorable shots on our show.
Camera 4 (centerfield) – The instructions for this operator are; “pitcher/batter for the pitch. If the batter hits the ball, follow him out of the box, wait for your tally light to go off and shag. (Shag means follow the ball) Not every camera 4 operator can shag like this operator. Some of our best homerun replays are from the position.
Camera 5 (low first base) – This is the camera that is in the home team’s dugout. This is the camera that is right next to where the players enter the dugout from the field after scoring or hitting a homerun. It is the camera that captures the greatest moments of a game. One of my favorite replays is when this camera goes from the swing of the batter to the crowd. I don't know what is a better replay - the euphoria of the crowd after a homerun or the absolute dejection of a ball caught at the wall. This camera is on wheels, which means the operator has to truck his camera back in order to best frame the exciting moment happening a few feet away. Time in and time out, this is the operator who captures the most electric moments of a season.
Camera 6 (tight centerfield) – The tight swing replays from centerfield come from this camera as do catcher’s signals. One of our favorite replays is when this camera follows the ball out of the pitcher’s hand to the plate. Think about it, this operator is following a baseball 60 feet 6 inches, traveling at 90 plus miles an hour and not only does this operator keep the ball in frame, he also keeps it in focus. Hard to do and he nails it.
Camera 7 (robotic camera on the backstop) – This is my favorite camera position. There is no better angle for plays at the plate and this operator consistently is there. The tight shots of the batter from this angle offer the viewer a unique look not seen in many parks. This operator shags with the best of the robo ops in the country and he always delivers with great shots of fans in key moments of the game.
Mix in these shots with the audio mix (another blog) and it is hard to be complacent. These operators work there tails off the whole game. Some of our best “stuff” occurs between innings as these operators are continually looking for interesting shots.
My favorite telecasts to work are the ones where the reigning Cy Young Award winner is on the mound. He works fast, throws strikes and is the epitome of concentration. I believe that the whole crew feeds off this player’s determination.
When you have the best player in the game, the current Cy Young winner, a third baseman that seems to make spectacular plays in every game, and a first place club, there is no way anyone on our production team can possibly “mail it in.”
If I tried, the camera operators would kill me.