According to YES, Ken Singleton (73) will do only a handful of series this year and YES will give him a sendoff by having him call the Yankees’ final series against Tampa in October.
I always thought Singleton was the best play-by-play voice in the YES both and have no idea why he sat behind Michael Kay whom I can barely tolerate and whose home run call ("See Ya") is the lamest in all of broadcasting.
me too, he's been great for a long time. I always love the rare occasions when it's just Singleton and Paul O'Neill on the broadcast. Two old school All-Star right fielders chopping it up, without that boob Michael Kay interrupting
Great player too. Very underrated.
Gene Michaels (and former NHL referee Billy Chadwick) were much more gracious and 'nice' to us kids. They spent time talking with us and made a lasting positive memory...
One of the games I was at I believe in 1977 in Yankee Stadium 2.0 version 1, before George started moving the fences in, he hit a HR off Ed Figueroa to the very last row of the black in CF. I had never seen a ball land close to there before.
He was announcing the last ST game I watched a few days ago and he mentioned he was roommates with Figueroa in the minors and "I always hit him pretty well". I had never heard that they were roommates before. Just the small baseball stuff that I will miss.
Most people probably know he was a NY kid drafted by the Mets and traded to the Expos for Rusty Staub. In 1974 the Expos traded him and Mike Torrez to the Orioles for Dave McNally and Rich Coggins and a minor leaguer.
His career took off in Baltimore. He was a three time all star switch hitter, as slow a runner as you'll ever see, but still an excellent OF with a strong arm.
I hope he has a long and happy retirement.
I don't hate Kay, but I don't love him. But, every year I look forward to Kay's in season vacation when Singleton does the play by play. As great as he is as a color guy/analyst, he is so much better at play by play. They usually pair him with Cone, which makes for a great broadcast.
Singleton was always able to insert his playing experience without making it about him. He was humble and very smooth in the booth. He will be missed.
I also don’t understand the Kay hate. Maybe these haters have not much to compare too? I live in the Bay Area, Ray Fosse is HORRIBLE!
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Loved his smooth call of a game. Next to Jim Kaat, he was my favorite in the booth. I do like Michael Kay though. Don't understand all the Kay hate. I think he's pretty insightful and fair. I love David Cone. He's a lot like Kaat in that he doesn't sugarcoat anything. Just tells it like it is. Not very fond of O'Neill in the booth. Jokes around too much and wastes too much time reminiscing about the old days
I also don’t understand the Kay hate. Maybe these haters have not much to compare too? I live in the Bay Area, Ray Fosse is HORRIBLE!
It's just his sanctimonious kind of tone. He's the sort of guy some people just don't like. The difference is if I knew Michael Kay in real life I wouldn't mind him. It's that he calls the majority of my favorite team's games and I hear his voice for hours upon hours of my life.