Report: Orioles announcer Kevin Brown suspended from booth after highlighting Baltimore's poor record vs Rays
Kevin Brown is one of the most well-respected broadcasters in baseball. However, he hasn’t been on the air for the last few series and now fans have some idea why. According to a report by Awful Announcing, Brown was suspended by the Baltimore Orioles for comments he made on the air.
Now, oftentimes when a broadcaster is suspended for on-air comments, it was due to a hot mic, misspeaking, or saying something crude. However, that wasn’t the case with Kevin Brown. He simply highlighted Baltimore’s weak record in recent seasons against Tampa Bay, comparing it to their strong record this season. In many ways, it was a compliment to the 2023 Orioles.
Apparently, Baltimore Orioles owner John Angelos didn’t like hearing, “The Orioles have won more games against them this season than the last two combined.” So, he took action and Kevin Brown has been suspended indefinitely by MASN.
The comments came on July 23rd and Awful Announcing reports that it was able to confirm reports he was suspended for the comments he made at Tropicana Field about the team’s record. Brown has appeared on radio broadcasts, as another broadcaster was being punished for reportedly not wearing Orioles attire.
Notably, the Orioles dispute that any official suspension has been given. A senior Orioles official also said, “We don’t comment on personnel matters.” They added, “We look forward to hearing Kevin’s voice soon.”
Still, multiple other outlets have confirmed Awful Announcing’s report that the Orioles suspended Kevin Brown for his comments, including The Athletic. In her report, Brittany Ghiroli also noted, “Broadcasters have also been reprimanded previously for mentioning past Orioles players who are no longer with the team.”
Oddly, the segment that Kevin Brown was suspended for appeared to be a planned segment, which included the use of a graphic. These weren’t off-the-cuff comments. They were planned by the entire production team.
Reaction to the Kevin Brown suspension around MLB
Around the MLB community, the reaction to Kevin Brown’s suspension has been harsh.
Fans of MLB heard multiple other broadcasts criticizing the Orioles for this decision. Among them were some of the biggest brands in all of baseball. That included the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago White Sox. Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen suggested the Orioles “draped themselves in humiliation.” Meanwhile, Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay said that every other MLB team would want him.
Jason Benetti on the White Sox broadcast wasn’t shy about taking his shot. He said, “They actually played Baltimore pretty well. They were 6-7 against the Orioles this year. So, they lost seven times but they did beat Baltimore six times, which I hope I don’t get suspended by the Orioles for saying that.”
It will be interesting to see how long the Orioles keep Kevin Brown off the air. This was an avoidable situation that has left a black cloud over a phenomenal Orioles’ season.