OTC: 610′s Danny Parkins Gets Interview With Ned Yost & Displays His Inexperience

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Greg Hall

“Listen, everyone’s going to criticize the interview. I understand that every Royals fan wants to interview Ned Yost. We did our best.”
Danny Parkins, after a caller criticized his interview with the Royals’ Ned Yost, 610 AM
GH: Criticism. It is such a misunderstood tool. Too many see it as “hating” on an individual – especially when the critique is aimed at them. The media (like Parkins) who make their living critiquing athletes, coaches and front office personnel – need to understand that their work is also up for critique. It is one of the staples of my Off The Couch column. Parkins had the Royals skipper on the phone live for a 20-minute interview Tuesday afternoon and covered a variety of subjects. I have broken this interview into separate sections and decided to highlight how Parkins and Yost handled the questions about the Royals promising but struggling third baseman, Mike Moustakas – who is currently mired in a 2-for-38 slump. It gives a good overall view of how I think the interview was executed.

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OTC: 610 & Parkins Promote Ned Yost Interview / KK Says He Was Wrong About Gordon, But Not Really

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Greg Hall

“Get the feeling if I don’t curse at Ned (which I won’t) people will feel I screwed up. RT @bograble76 Don’t screw this interview up Parkins!”
Danny Parkins, @DannyParkins, after fielding tweets about his upcoming interview with Ned Yost scheduled for around 3:15 PM today (Tuesday), Twitter
GH: Danny Parkins and 610 have been promoting his live interview with the Royals skipper since it was booked and they can’t really hype it too much. The timing for this interview could hardly be more perfect for a new afternoon-drive sports talk show trying to capture some market share from King Kevin. This could be Parkins’ defining moment in Kansas City sports talk radio. Too much hyperbole? I think not. Read on.

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OTC: Ned Yost Calls Out Royals’ Fans While He’s Lost Looking For Trees

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Greg Hall

“Maybe when we get home, I can go to the third base tree and pick another third baseman. … Obviously, third basemen who can hit and hit with power, they must grow on trees. They’ve got to. Like relief pitchers. And starting pitchers. Right fielders. Left fielders. First basemen. All of these guys must grow on trees, and you must be able to just go get another good one. A ripe one. Make sure it’s ripe.”
Ned Yost, in Saturday’s Kansas City Star
GH: What’s ripe is Ned Yost’s act – ripe to the point of starting to stink. Read on.

“Is there a manager tree?”
Frank Boal, KSHB TV 41

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OTC: Did Fred White’s Firing Retard Ryan Lefebvre’s Success In KC? / The Who’s Hits

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Greg Hall

“(Fred) White was let go by the Royals after the 1999 season, through no fault of his own, and like many Royals fans I couldn’t stand Ryan Lefebvre for the first year or two, before I finally gave in and acknowledged he was actually sort of good at this broadcasting thing too. I’m still not sure whether Ryan got better at his craft, or whether I just needed time to process that he wasn’t Fred White.”
Rany Jazayerli, ranyontheroyals.com
GH: I have heard Ryan speak extensively the past few days and over his 14-year tenure with the Royals about how his replacing Fred White caused him to be unloved by the Royals’ fan base. I am sure there was some of this but not nearly as much as Ryan credits. The Beaver was just bad when he got the Royals gig. Painfully bad. He was dry, humorless and the stiffest 20-something this side of Brazzers.com. Ryan was nowhere near ready to be handed a MLB play-by-play gig at the age of 27. I rode him hard because he lacked talent, not because he replaced Fred. 14 years later, Lefebvre has honed himself into a listenable albeit not great play-by-play broadcaster. I don’t mind his work at all now – but let’s not forget where he came from.

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OTC: Are Royals At Desperate Stage With Bubba Starling? / KK & Mike Boddicker Say Yes

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Greg Hall

“I’ve taken as much heat over this as anything I’ve said about the Royals this year. Bubba Starling is hitting .156 in low-A ball. I know a lot of people in our community know his family. … But he’s in his third year now and he was drafted as the top position player taken. I did not like that when the Royals did that and I said that very clearly when the Royals (drafted him). The Royals should be getting very close to making Bubba Starling a pitcher – because he can’t hit. … Bubba Starling is a complete disappointment.”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: These words from Kietzman might seem harsh to some – especially Bubba’s family and those in the Kansas City area who know him well. But KK is doing what a big-city sports talk show host should do – telling it like it is – even when that means friends and family will hear his critical words. KK has never been a real fan of Bubba’s baseball talents or the way he conducted himself on his Nebraska football sojourn – but this isn’t about Kietzman out to hurt Bubba. This is Kietzman doing his job.

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