Ray Fosse, As broadcaster, died last night from cancer.
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He was 74.
My second favorite team has always been the As, or they were until the new stadium/Vegas nonsense made them as disgusting as any other team. I was in an age when the untidy nature of Barry Zito or Jason Giambi hit me directly between the eyes. It was a great privilege to be at the forefront of Moneyball back then. It was almost like being part of a secret club. It still happens sometimes, considering how few people attend As games and how late-night their games are. Also, how they feel watching TV from the Coliseum.
I've spent many late nights watching the As broadcasts, and Glen Kuiper and Fosse have always been warm and low-key. Given how great the Giants broadcast is, it's easy to see why the Bay Area is so spoiled. It was not flashy but it was comforting. You could always count upon it. They did the game well, and it was clear that they enjoyed every minute of it. This is all you need for a baseball presentation. It's almost like you want it to fade into the background. You don't need to be too loud, especially late at night.
I was briefly following Twitter last night and it was filled with ex-players or media members gushing about how great he was. It was heartening. Fosse will be described over the next few days as the man who was ruined his career and life by Pete Rose's All-Star Game.
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Fosse was a great broadcaster and great human. He won two World Series as a catcher for the As and went to two All-Star Games back in the days when that meant something. Rose shouldn't be able to unfairly define Fosse's passing, nor should his life.
