I am not exactly the only person who is NOT happy with Alan Ashby’s unceremonious, abrupt firing.
Astro Annie has forwarded a link to me, a petition to reinstate Ash. Please click on the link and sign the petition.
I still have not found out any information about WHY Ash was fired. I have a REAL hard time believing that large numbers of Astros fans wrote to the team, complaining about Ash and demanding he be removed. He IS a good broadcaster. OK, maybe not Jack Buck or Ernie Harwell, but that’s like complaining that every ballplayer isn’t Babe Ruth.
So
The decision to fire Ash and replace him with some no name AAA guys was either business (less money) or personal.
Now how much money could Ash POSSIBLY cost? I would be surprised if he even got paid the minimum for a ML ballplayer. How much money could be saved by replacing him with 2 guys? And it’s not like these 2 guys replacing him are exactly famous, or ex-ballplayers who are loved by Astros fans, like, say Nolan Ryan.
Therefore, my best guess is that this is personal, and McLane believes that Ash is not enough of a team shill like Michael Kay/ Suzyn Waldman with the Yankees . I don’t WANT some syncophant whose major job is imitating Kay – I want a good play by play guy who has the freedom to say something like “he (Astros hitter) swung at a bad pitch” or “Astros pitcher” can’t find the strike zone, or his breaking ball isn’t.” Does the Organization really think that Texans are going to turn this team into Yankees South because of the announcers?
Not THIS Texan. (And not a whole lot of other Texans, neither)
I don’t know whether or not this petition will do a bit of good – it MIGHT could because McLane seems to be extremely PR sensitive. But I will say for sure that if the new guys seem to be biased, I will refuse to listen and will just turn on MLB.com to watch the few Astros games that are not on TV. And I promise I won’t be the only one.
(note: this post heavily edited by my mother…)
Tags: Houston Astros, MLB
WE CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THE ASTROS LET ASH GO !!!!!!!!!!!!! HE IS THE REASON WE LISTENED TO THE RADIO BROADCASTS…….HE AND MILO WERE SO GOOD TOGETHER……..BELIEVE ME, WE WILL NO LONGER LISTEN TO THE ASTRO BROADCASTS, NOR WILL BE BUY ASTRO TICKETS……..
My wife and I both miss Ash. He is the reason we would listen to the ballgame if we could not attend.
No one since has come close to his style and flare with names, numbers and stats not only for the Astros, but for teams in general.
When Larry D. was broadcasting, we would turn the radio off because his style was always negative and his manner of speaking was so boring.
Please bring ASH back and make listening to the ball games fun again!
I still can’t believe they let Ash go-
I won’t be listening to the radio broadcasts.
I’d like to know where he ends up
Getting rid of Ash is one of the most stupidest things McLane could have done. Here’s another fan that won’t listen to 740 KTRH for the games.
It won’t be the same. Milo is great but this just won’t be the same. Who are the “new” guys? My point exactly.
Alan is probably the best “second man in the booth” in all of baseball and fully capable of handling the job by himself. Milo is great, but Ash made him even better. I hardly listen since he has left.