The Baltimore Orioles have reportedly taken a drastic action against their lead TV play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown, who was suspended indefinitely for mentioning the team’s past struggles on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays. The decision has sparked outrage and criticism from fans, media and fellow broadcasters, who accused the Orioles of being overly sensitive and censoring their own employees.
Brown’s comments that triggered the suspension
The incident occurred on July 23, when Brown was calling the game between the Orioles and the Rays at Tropicana Field. During the telecast, Brown noted that the Orioles had won as many games at Tropicana Field in 2023 as they did in the past three seasons combined, adding that Baltimore entered this season having lost 15 straight series at the St. Petersburg, Florida, venue. Brown’s comments were accompanied by a graphic further breaking down the team’s recent struggles at the Trop.
According to Awful Announcing, which first reported the news, Orioles ownership took exception to Brown’s comments, believing they made the team “look cheap”. The Orioles have one of the smallest payrolls in MLB and are currently leading the AL East division with a surprising record of 67-43.
Brown, who began calling Orioles games in 2019 and has been the lead TV play-by-play voice for the past two seasons, has not been on a telecast since the July 23 game. He moved over to the radio broadcast for Baltimore’s subsequent series in Philadelphia and has been completely off Orioles broadcasts since July 26.
The backlash and support for Brown
The Orioles’ reported punishment of Brown has been met with widespread condemnation and disbelief from many quarters. The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli wrote that the decision was an “unforced error” that “dims team’s shine at wrong time”, as the Orioles are enjoying their best season in years and have a loyal fan base that deserves better treatment.
Ghiroli also reported that Orioles ownership “enacted a new policy mandating that their broadcasters wear only team gear when on-air, which has rankled some”, this season. One broadcaster “got in trouble” as a result of the policy, which led Brown to take over radio duties for the Phillies series, according to Ghiroli’s report.
Many fans and media personalities expressed their support for Brown on social media, praising his professionalism and talent as a broadcaster. New York Yankees play-by-play voice Michael Kay said the Orioles’ reported punishment was an “awful look and a terrible thing to do to a terrific broadcaster”. Jomboy Media, a popular baseball content creator, posted a video of Brown’s comments and said they were “suspended for simply pointing out the team’s poor road record”.
Brown’s status and future with the Orioles
The Baltimore Banter’s Andy Kostka reported, citing a senior Orioles official, that Brown would be calling games again “soon”. However, no specific timeline or explanation was given for his absence or return. Brown has not commented publicly on the matter.
Brown is widely regarded as one of the best young broadcasters in baseball, having previously worked for ESPN Radio, SiriusXM MLB Network Radio and MLB.com. He also called games for the Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, before joining the Orioles.
Brown is known for his enthusiasm, humor and versatility as a broadcaster, as he can handle both play-by-play and color commentary roles. He has also shown his willingness to engage with fans and embrace new trends in baseball analysis. He is well-liked by his colleagues and respected by his peers in the industry.
