Brian Anderson is as good as anyone doing sports play-by-play and yet his name is often omitted from such conversations. He is underrated because he is understated, which is meant to be a compliment. Few announcers are better at calibrating their volume and excitement, rationing it out to match the excitement of the moments while being cognizant that there always must be room to go up to 11 should pure insanity occur. That in and of itself is a long game that requires patience and is tough for an audience that's been conditioned to expect immediate gratification in the loudest, most over-the-top package.
But all of this context and framework is what made his work during the Cleveland Guardians' incredible come-from-behind victory over the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday night land so perfectly.
Anderson went into another stratosphere as Jhonkensy Noel's game-tying blast in the ninth inning did the same. Everyone watching the game had the same stunned immediate reaction and very few could have delivered clever lines as Noel rounded the bases and Progressive Field became a madhouse.
I have such an incredible appreciation for an announcer who understands the moment.
— Zach Vogt (@ZachVogt30) October 18, 2024
I live for calls like this.
Thank you Brian Anderson. What a moment.pic.twitter.com/ZTQxzGc6UE
An inning later David Fry hit a walk-off and Anderson again got to provide a soundtrack to remember, gradually building excitement as the ball carried over the left-field wall and carried the Guardians back into the series.
DAVID FRY WALK OFF HOMER WHAT A FREAKING BALLGAME
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) October 18, 2024
pic.twitter.com/i9gI4Jrlrv
It's crazy to think, as it is after so many of these dramatic postseason games, how close we came to just never having any of these moments. Or the calls that will go down in history with them. The Yankees were one out away from a 3-0 series lead and now it's very much a dogfight. And that, too, comes through in Anderson's vocal explosion.
Awesome stuff.
More of the Latest Around MLB
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Brian Anderson's Calm Before the Storm Made the Moment Even Better.
