Announcing the Mets Lineup

I’m a traditionalist when it comes to baseball. However, I’m not against making things more fun for the crowd. I though about this with the Mets contest allowing you to announce the Mets lineup:

All MLB stadiums follow the same general pattern. They dutifully announce the players in the mold of Bob Sheppard:

There’s nothing wrong with this.  It’s a workman like job. However, I’d love to see some emotion in the announcement like the NBA:

Sorry for the Bulls reference there fellow Knicks fans, but that intro is a classic that proves the point I’m trying to make. The announcer has emotion in calling the names. It sends the crowd into another octave. The place is going berserk before the game. 

Do I want this for a random weekday June game?  No, that’s out of place. However, it would boost the electricity for a playoff game. During a rally would you rather hear, “Now batting for the New York Mets, the third baseman, David Wright” or “NOW BATTING FOR THE NEW YORK METS, THE CAPTAIN, DA-VID WRIIIIIIGHT!”

Which one gets the crowd going more?  I don’t care if it’s deemed artificial. Is it any more artificial than the “Make Some Noise” sign on the scoreboard with the noise meter?  I’d argue no. In fact, I think it’s better because you’re capturing the emotion in the stadium, not trying to create it. 

I know the Mets won’t follow my suggestion, but I hope they will. If they don’t, I know Citi Field will be going plenty crazy this October. 

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