Ken Rosenthal defends ‘valuable’ in-game interviews: ‘They’re not disruptive’

For every one person who likes the in-game interviews, there are about a thousand people who can’t stand them. Just check social media a few minutes after an in-game interview with a sideline reporter on any nationally televised game. Usually, almost no one is singing the praises of the Ken Rosenthals of the world.

And that’s fine. Rosenthal understands the challenge. But he also wants those at home to understand just how “valuable” they can be.

“It’s not challenging to get their attention; those interviews are usually pre-arranged,” Rosenthal told Awful Announcing Podcast host Brandon Contes. “Now, the ones during the playoffs when you’re interviewing a player right after he does something big — something we started a couple of years ago — that’s not pre-arranged, obviously. But we have a list of players who are willing to do it. So, when I approach a player in that circumstance, he generally understands that might happen. Now, there are times he might say, ‘Not now. It’s not good.’ But it’s challenging asking the right questions in such a short amount of time.”

“Those interviews, the ones in the dugout with the players, are a minute or less,” Rosenthal continues. “That’s why I’m always amused when people say, ‘Get out of the dugout; those things are disruptive.’ No, they’re not disruptive. They take seconds. So, that’s challenging — asking the right questions. And I try to keep the questions as short as possible because I want the player or the manager or the coach to speak during that time, not having me speak. But, yeah, they’re definitely different.”

During last week’s AA Podcast episode, Contes mentioned to Rosenthal how many fans complain about in-game interviews, especially on social media. While social media can often be an echo chamber for negative commentary, it’s not like that isn’t something new for Rosenthal, who says his in-game interviews generally generate a lot of negative feedback.

But that doesn’t deter him.

“They can be really valuable,” he said of in-game interviews. “And, actually, at first, I was really uncomfortable with the whole idea. The dugout is not a place where someone like me is supposed to be, ever, during a game. And that is ingrained from me forever. But, I remember specifically, the Phillies, in the first year we did it. This was 2022, when they had their big run to the World Series. And we had them the whole way. Fox had the National League that year. And those interviews, one, they captured the excitement of the players as they were kind of going along. And when Bryce Harper hit the huge home run that basically sealed the series against San Diego, to interview him in the dugout right after that, have him go through the at-bat; I’m sorry, that was invaluable.

“Now, is every interview great and revealing? No. But if you don’t try, you’re not going to get the good ones. And I actually believe that in other sports, this is much more accepted. Baseball is much more traditional, and I understand it. I understand fans have their opinions and they’re entitled to them. But, if you simply look at the value at some of those interviews, there is value. And I’ve gotten really good stuff in certain cases over the years doing those. From managers, too, by the way.”