Rich Eisen won't be happy
You didn't have to be from Atlanta to get used to Braves telecasts, although I've become more tuned into the comings and goings now that I'm here. With that said, it's disappointing to see Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren dropped from TBS telecasts, although I'll get to hear them a lot on Turner South as well as on the radio. It actually will have little impact on how I watch/listen to Braves games, but the moves signal a couple of disturbing trends.

First off, the move is part of a rebranding of Braves games to focus on baseball in general instead of just the local team. It seems very silly right now, given how synonymous TBS and the Braves have been since Ted Turner bought the team back in the '70s. The "MLB on TBS" brand may eventually work, but it will take a lot of getting used to. Unfortunately, this isn't TNT's NBA package, which shows a variety of teams. It's still the Braves and some other team every night. And there's definitely something to be said about focusing on one team to draw viewers. Remember that many sports fans care about just their team only and could care less about anyone else. TBS and the Braves took that loyalty to higher levels thanks to the superstation, and built up a huge fan base because of it. This "national" focus could alienate many Braves fans.

Secondly, this move shows how the roles on play-by-play and analysts become more blurred or more ambiguous. Both Caray and Van Wieren are broadcast guys first and both handled play-by-play for years. Joe Simpson and Don Sutton, who will handle the TBS games, were former players-turned-announcers and both handled color duties for the most part. Don't get me wrong, lots of former players in all sports are now handling the play-by-play roles and doing a great job of it. (Ernie Johnson and Bob Uecker are among the legendary guys fitting that bill.) Still, there is something to be said about broadcast guys learning the craft and working their way up. I guess it is a lot different than breaking through on the print side, which can be a long, painful process.