1. When it comes to local broadcasts across sports, the homerism is sometimes laughable. Make no mistake: Every single hometown announcer wants their team to win. Nationally, it’s different. Locally, the telecasts are one big rah-rah fest. And that’s why most sports fans love their local announcers.
The final strike on the final out of Wednesday’s 1–0 win by the Yankees over the Angels perfectly exemplified the homerism of local baseball telecasts.
Mark Leiter Jr.’s final pitch to Logan O’Hoppe wasn’t close to a strike. The Yankees basically got the call because catcher J.C. Escarra moved his glove about 10 feet to get the pitch in the strike zone.
On the Angels side, their booth was apoplectic about the terrible call.
was wondering why the angels couldn’t get a run off clarke scmidt & as ass as they are this is the number one reason why
— unbiasedmedia (@unbiasedpicks) May 29, 2025
the yankees are the yankees they don’t need anymore help then they have absolutely disgusting by ben may. pic.twitter.com/DEljXOTtf7
On the Yankees side, Michael Kay ignored the horrible call and acted as if the Yankees just won the World Series.
J.C ESCARRA WITH THE FRAME JOB
— Depressed New York Fan (@JudgeEnjoyer) May 29, 2025
MARK LEITER JR SLAMS THE DOOR#RepBX | #Yankees pic.twitter.com/5ZC7N0joQJ
It’s actually legit funny how different those calls were.
2. A brand-new SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast dropped Thursday morning. This week’s guest is The Athletic’s media reporter/columnist Andrew Marchand.
Topics discussed on the podcast: What does ESPN’s direct-to-consumer product mean for ESPN+?; Who has done the better job hiring NBA talent for next season, NBC or Amazon?; Reggie Miller’s work calling Knicks-Pacers; How will Inside the NBA look on ESPN?; How will Caitlin Clark’s two-week absence due to injury affect Fever ratings?; NFL schedule release; Pablo Torre’s reporting on the Bill Belichick/girlfriend soap opera and much more.
Following Marchand, Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week, we discuss the Knicks-Pacers series, an old 30 for 30 that I recently watched, Ben Stiller vs. Pat McAfee and the best Ben Stiller movies.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Sports Illustrated‘s YouTube channel.
3. In Wednesday’s Traina Thoughts, I told you about Ben Stiller not exactly being thrilled with Pat McAee’s hype speech before Game 4 of the Knicks-Pacers series in Indiana on Tuesday.
Appearing Wednesday on The Putback podcast, Stiller further discussed the McAfee situation, saying, “I have to say, I was not familiar with his game. I did not know that was coming. I’m a casual football fan. I get it, it was fun. He was just trying to get the crowd riled up. It was a little bit out of the blue. It’s also like, are we really doing the narrative of Hicks versus Knicks? Like the bigwigs from New York? It just seems a little cartoonish.
“When that happened, I was a little bit like, ‘Whoa.’ But the WWE aspect of it, I get it. It’s just not the way it happens in New York. He should come to the Garden for Game 5.”
As I said during the “Traina Thoughts” segment on this week's SI Media With Jimmy Traina (more on that below), there is no doubt this will end with Stiller appearing on McAfee’s show and the two of them will yuk it up and have a laugh over this entire thing even though it’s clear Stiller was not amused by McAfee’s actions.
4. This quote right here from Anthony Edwards after getting totally and completley embarrassed in the Western Conference finals is for all the dummies who can’t comprehend why many of us prefer old-school NBA to the current NBA.
Anthony Edwards: "I don't know why people would think it would hurt, it's exciting for me. I'm 23. I get to do it a whole bunch of times...hurt is a terrible word to use. I'm good."
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 29, 2025
"Nobody is going to work harder than me this summer."pic.twitter.com/Kzxwbe0XZL
5. Regarding the Yankees-Angels game mentioned at the top, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fan run onto the field and then jump in the stands only to get brought back onto the field by security, but it happened last night.
Here's the video of the fan running on the field at the Yankees vs. Angels game.
— Kyle (@KyleTheMann_) May 29, 2025
(Repost by iamkevinwong on Instagram) pic.twitter.com/dwLthkd1e6
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: With all the Ben Stiller stuff going on, this is a good time to remember this.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Yankees-Angels Was a Tale of Two Calls.
