goodbye and a heartfelt thank u from josh lewin

You will be missed…..

Thank you for the years of great broadcasting….. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

sad to see you going…

can i get one more????

You will be missed…

No one—and I mean no one—could have done the Dellucci call any better. That was magical. And I dont think anyone will forget the “BALLGAAAAAAAAME!” calls anytime soon. Even if I couldnt see the game, I would always go to MLB.com to hear your calls for any walk-off calls. No one did it better.

I dont know why this happened, but I wish it could have been avoided…

We will miss you Josh, you were awesome.

I feel like somebody stole my blanket.

Thanks for being our soundtrack.

you will certainly be missed.

I really enjoy listening to you call games. You’re great at what you do.

I hope this isn’t over money, Josh is the best and he deserves to be paid accordingly.

You’re a class act and I loved your work with TAG.

Now get the hell out of here before I start crying.

Best of luck to you.

I can’t imagine how games will be without you and TAG having a great time in the booth.

I am having a hard time thinking anyone can replace him at all…I have heard plenty of other TV teams and holy crap are they boring. You ever turn on an Astros game when they are on Fox Sports? Wow it’s terrible.

That sucks, Josh. We’ll miss you man. Good luck in your future.

Josh, you were simply sensational in your time with us. It just felt natural with you behind the mic and letting the game unfold for us to hear and see. You left us with SO MANY great calls and memories and for that I will be forever grateful.

I wish you could shout BALLGAME one more time tomorrow in St. Pete.

DAMMITT TO ALL HELL this sucks

Lewin was awesome for the Rangers.

Good luck, Josh!

like a good friend is leaving for another job in another city.

I know we probably won’t be privy to it … but geez, after so many years of you being here, Josh … and now it has to end. If the Rangers org is to blame here, I’m going to be pissed. In any case, we love you Josh. No one replaces you.

You and TAG were an awesome duo an you guys arrows us through some miserable times at the end o many seasons. Good luck and God Bless in all you do. You will be missed

Independent George?

I bragged to my friend the other day that we have the most entertaining play-by-play announcer in baseball—he’s a Rays fan and agreed wholeheartedly. Your puns were beautifully tacky, and I appreciated every one. These last nine years have been tough, but you’ve made it a lot easier to watch the games. Thank you for the great work you’ve done, and good luck in whatever you end up doing.

If not, good luck. I wish you the best in the future. Thank you for coming into our homes during the season and making it brighter.

As much as one heterosexual man can possibly love another man who he doesn’t really know.

Good luck out there. You’re the best there is. I’m sure you’re going to make some other guys very happy.

And I appreciated your time with the Rangers.

At least you got to go out on top!

I miss you already!

Go Rangers and Go Chargers!

that’s really surprising, really bad news.

Good luck to you Josh… thanks for the memories. You two were always entertaining together in the booth. You’ll certainly be missed.

You will most definitely be missed.

Chuck, seriously? I don’t care about blue light specials. Retain Josh, he’s the voice of this new, exciting organization.

Damn Josh, this really is bad news. I wish you the best, you won’t be replaced. I’ve had MLB Extra Innings, and you definitely will not be replaced.

I think in reading the posts on this blog, you can see that we as Rangers fans appreciate you as much as you appreciated us tuning in. Thank you for all of your hard work here and good luck in your next endeavor. You will be missed!

You were almost always entertaining. And I never would have willingly traded the combination of you and TAG for anyone.

Good luck going forward for you sir.

I hate hearing this. I spent extra $$$ on mlb.tv so I could always listen to Josh and Tom. This is definitely the first big screwup of the new regime. I don’t see how they can be this stupid. I expected better.

you are one of the best broadcasters anywhere in the country. every Sat. or Sunday that you were gone, the broadcast suffered for it. It’s a sad day for us, but we wish you the best

After guiding us all through 9 years (minus 2005) of beat-down seasons, no matter where you’re going, I would guess it has to be hard to leave NOW

I will miss your arcane (if not encyclopedic) knowledge of baseball and the Rangers. The only broadcaster I’ve ever listened to who knew more about the players is/was Vin Scully, and that’s about the best compliment I can think to give.

I know you can’t say anything, but I’m wondering if this has anything to do with you moving on to a national gig … MLB Network?

I have to admit Josh, I’m one that took a while to win over. But you did and you will be very missed. Good luck wherever you end up.

You’re a talented guy and you brought a lot to the Rangers broadcasts, not the least of which was your unique ability to entertain.

Thanks.

Josh, you made a lot of bad baseball bearable. I am just glad you got to enjoy this ride this year and wish you the very best of luck in your next endeavors. To you, I extend a laurel and hearty handshake.

I can’t help but feel like someone just told me that my parents were getting a divorce.

Part of me wants to tell you to get out of here and belittle you as a way of acting like you don’t matter, but a bigger part of me wants to beg you to reconsider and stay.

My 5-year old just started watching games with me, and he loves to shout “Ballgame!” at the end of each Rangers win.

Ugh…I hate you for leaving.

Please stay.

It took me awhile to warm up to you admittedly, but you and TAG were a Bert and Ernie of baseball around here. I’ll miss it for sure.

Good luck wherever you end up!

hope you get a National gig if you want it.

how great you guys are together and how we have the best in the business…particularly in baseball (radio/TV) and hockey.

Thank you so much for all of the great calls….the Dellucci double call still gives me goosebumps. You will be missed…..more than you know.

I’ll seriously miss hearing your “ball game!!!!!” Best of luck and thanks for several great years of broadcasts with you and TAG.

:(

I met you in Boston during this season and sat by your dad. Wish you the best in all your endeavors. Cheers

and subtle, sometimes obscure, references and getting to explain them to my wife.

and in the process reliving memories of some of the greatest calls I can recall over the years. And then thinking of how far he’s come, how far this group has come, and how far our team has come, and how far I have come over the past decade or so. And for some unexplained reason I tear up. Tears of joy and sorrow for what we have gained, and what we are now losing, I guess. FUCK ME! Your the best Josh, and I wish you nothing but the best!! You will be greatly missed.

Take care and best wishes to you and yours!!!

Good luck, Josh! We’ll miss you!

i will seriously miss hearing the witty pop-culture and historical references. josh deserved better with this team on the rise, he kept so many a-terrible Ranger game watchable for years. on more than one occasion i had to take to google or wikipedia to dig up some reference/analogy/metaphor he made, i loved it!

i think josh is a throwback to old announcers who were sharp, witty and had a sneaky sense of humor. they can spew stats from 1967 or about the latest movies or things to do in an away-game city.

sadly there are very few announcers i enjoy at any level. it’s been replaced by uneducated, ex-jocks, dry, x’s and o’s dolts who are “yes” men. i dont get anything out of most any other announcing team other than that pitch or that play, which i can see for myself.

thanks, you will definitely be missed.

It should be the other way around! …Josh stays / Grieve goes!

Tom is only entertaining when he’s angry (which is far too rare of an occurrence).

Josh is the most energetic announcer in the game. I can’t imagine someone replacing that energy he brings.

Sorry, Chuck — I love ya, but it looks like you are human, after all. This is a HUGE mistake you’ve made.

Like many have said, you and TAG kept it bearable in the bad years, and were really probably a big reason why I even watched sometimes back then. It’s been awesome to finally have a good team and a good broadcast together. Good luck in the future. This is a total bummer, though.

you’re the best in the business. You’ll be sorely missed.

Mistake #1 from the new ownership group…. and a big one

in center after a win? I know that is in great celebration of our former announcer who passed from cancer…

but could we have “BALLGAME!” over the loudspeaker right before “I Love Texas.” That’ll make me feel better.

Been a great ride..with some of the most passionate baseball calls I’ll ever hear.

God bless and good luck

I’m not happy. Selfishly, I’m not happy. Why not be here 50 years? Where else would you want to go? What in the world could be better than the gig you have (had)?

Oh man. Losing you and keeping TAG is like keeping Ryan and losing JD. No thanks!

Josh, don’t go changing. You really do it right, just keep doing-what-you-do!

Dick.

this is sad

I’m sorry I criticized you during games, Josh. The games made me angry and I took it out on you assuming you’d never read what I said.

If this because someone in an office believes all the crap written about how you’re not traditional enough of a broadcaster, screw him. You’ll be missed.

:(

cough

Josh you will be missed around here and i wish you all the best in the future.

I have defended Josh for so many years when the old school fans would whine about him not being serious enough.

CRAP!!!!! I seriously can’t see anyone else taking his spot!!

I guess I’ll repost my favorite Lewin moment over here. It was Chan Ho Park bobble head night, he showed one of the dolls and said "And look! It’s realistic!" while he grabbed the head and repeatedly jerked it around to the side. It was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen an announcer do and it was before I really knew Josh’s sense of humor which made it even more surprising.

I honestly don’t know what to say… Your enthusiasm and quirkiness are what brought my family in to the Ranger fold where before they said they ’couldn’t watch baseball’. This is an unfortunate move for the organization, but I hope this will be a great move for you wherever you end up.

Thanks for nine wonderful years!

THanks for all youve done for us rangers fans. You will be a tough one to replace. Im sure youll kick ass in whatever your next move may be.

my boss walked in and asked what I was doing. I told him…straight up. He didn’t care I wasn’t working. He watched it with me a few times.

I’m going to be lifeless for awhile.

Assuming it was their call and not Josh’s. Good luck to you and the Chargers this year Josh and good luck to you and the rest of your career!

I just had a conversation the other day with a guy about how Josh is the best in the biz. Just reading all the above great Lewin calls gave me goosebumps every time because I can still hear them in my head and remember how his excitement was able to transcend through the airwaves and into my heart.

I hope this move is for Josh to move on to something even bigger and better because I wish nothing but the best for him and his family.

“Please Don’t Go”

I don’t really know what to say, wasn’t really expecting it. Always thought highly of Lewin even though sometimes he would get a little ahead of himself when the Ranger’s had a good lead late in the game. But that was more me being superstitious then Lewin’s fault.

Josh, you and Mark Followill are my two favorite play-by-play announcers and you will be missed. I have enjoyed listening to you on a nightly basis throughout the past eight summers. This might sound cheesy, but when I hear your voice on tv, it makes me think of summertime, which is the best time of the year.

Good luck on your future endeavors and I know you will do well with whatever opportunity you choose!

Thank you for everything you’ve done for the fans and the Texas Rangers!!

To be honest, I wasn’t a fan of yours at first. But in time, I began to understand and appreciate your genius. You were a bit of an acquired taste. I have since acquired that taste. I’ve acquired that taste so hard.

Good luck with your new endeavors.

Baseball’s a great game as it is, but you and TAG made it a lot of fun to listen to too.

#bringJoshback

(One of many, but off the top of my head)

“Tonight the Rangers will be, for the first time, “Sleeveless in Seattle”

Classic.

Look, I like your broadcasts. It’s been a lot of fun listening to you and Grieve both over the years; you even made losing tolerable which is the biggest complement I can think of to give a broadcast team. However, you’re leaving the team voluntarily (it sounds like). Now I don’t like you anymore so don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I’m not going to be juvenile and hope that you fail in your future endeavors, but I’m not going to wish you luck. And if I see you at a grocery store I will make merciless fun of your quick head turns, voice, and shortness. I may even poke you in the arm with my finger over and over again, you little bastard.

Bye.

I hate to see you go, you and Tom were by far one of the best commentary teams in the game. Watching Ranger broadcasts were always fun with the way you two worked off each other.

I know many criticized you for not being serious enough, but that was the best part about a ranger tv broadcast is you never knew what might happen. You and Tom just had a way of cracking me up when the game might not have been going so well.

It’s a shame that you must leave just when the good times are really getting started, I wish you the best of luck in whatever you do.

They may find a new play by play commentator but you will never be replaced.

To my favorite play-by-play announcer -

It is going to be tough watching Ranger Games from now on without you as the commentator. You coined the phrase “Ballgame”, which i have now used each and every time we win. You and Tom were the best team on television and will always have a place in our hearts. I know everybody on LSB wishes you luck as you move on. You will be missed.

when I say I got a little lump in my throat while reading this.

Josh, you’ve been incredible. It seems it’s only been a short time that you’ve been with us, but I don’t think I’d trade anything (aside from a World Series title,) for it. You are appreciated and will be missed. Best of luck in whatever you do and it is with a heavy heart that we give you a final BALL GAME.

(sorry if your kids read that, Josh).

Bad move to make or let this happen, Rangers.

Thanks for making the good times exciting and the bad times watchable. I will fondly remember you and TAG’s banter in late-season games when both the game and the season were well out of reach – thanks to y’all, I stayed tuned.

1. Now, theres only one thing left to do… Win the whole fucking thing…

2.

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j379JbL-xM

you made watching some of those really bad rangers teams worthwhile. Sorry to see you go, and I know that wherever you land, that place will be very lucky. Best of luck to you, josh.

@StatFreak101
Erik Thompson
 So can the Twins trade Dick Bremer and Matt Tolbert for Josh Lewin?

What a bad weekend. :(

I’ll be the old fart at the nursing home bellowing some truly great Lewin calls into the faces of terrified RNs.

Josh, upknucks all the way.

Best of luck Josh, it took awhile for me to latch on, but now hearing this news makes me realize I really will miss your enthusiasm.

You will be hunted down with that same enthusiasm if we find out you’ve gone the Angels. Kidding…well, kind of.

I get home and this is the news I get.

And I just met the man on Sunday.

Josh, I hardly got to know you.

You will be missed.

but at the end of the day, there’s no one else I would rather have calling Rangers games. I think we will all miss you.

I have loved your broadcasts and don’t know if watching the rangers will be the same without you. Best of luck in your future endeavors.

They say that the darkest hour is right before dawn, with the last couple and this news it feels pretty dark right now…

well done over the years, I’m sure I’ll catch you on the new gig. Fare thee well

with an open window.

I’m guessing that will stand for a while.

I’ve always enjoyed your work, Josh. I will miss you a bunch!

I have to see the Rangers lose two, watch colombo spike the Cowboys to a loss, Lose my Fantasy Football Game after being favored by 40 and now this. I had just set up directv installation for tomorow and cancelling Dish on Wednesday so that I would not have to miss one second of Josh Lewin next year. ( in case this Dish thing really drags out) I went to around twenty games this year and would still dvr the games to hear “BALLGAME”. This freaking sux, I know it is new ownership, but the hiring of Barnett gives me no faith in the new ownership doing anything better. Barnett should of been the first one gone. Lewin is the best at keeping you interested in listening even when down by 5 runs. The combo of Tag and Lewin was awesome. I hope to hear this was his ideal for change, But I really feel this was ownership.

He is going to fire Lewin so we will be miserable watching the games on tv, and with Barnett on radio we are forced to go to the games just to enjoy ourselves.

One of the best in the business, especially during some down years from this team. He always made watching games much more interesting. And I’ll never forget his signature “Ballgame!” call at the end of a Rangers victory. If the new guy tries to come in and take that saying, bad things will happen….

But part of me hopes that Josh isn’t leaving because of a disagreement between the Rangers and Josh, but more along the line of Fox and Joe Buck not wanting to renew a baseball contract, so Josh Lewin moves into his position. Then, we can hear Josh scream “BALLGAME!” after the Rangers win the World Series next year….

different visions of what the broadcast landscape should look like

Broadcast “landscapes” in baseball are pretty much the same; a PBP guy and a color guy. Was it money? Contract length? Does Lewin have a better thing lined up? Does Chuck have a buddy in the biz he wants to install? So confused…

I’m sure gonna miss hearing you say that, Josh. Best of luck with whatever’s next.

Umm…Yea. You made blowouts bearable and you made FOX broadcasts watchable. The worst games to watch were the ones where you weren’t. If there was any petition, money in a cup, or anything that could be done to make you stay I’d do it. You are as much Mr. Ranger to a lot of fans as Tag is and now I will have to listen to Charger games to hear your excited voice. Happy trails and God Bless!

/sigh BALLGAME!

the years were a blast.

I can barely remember what Ranger TV broadcasts were like before you were here. I moved away from Texas this summer and had to buy an MLB.TV subscription. I thought about the old saying, “you can never go home again,” but changed my mind as soon as I heard you and Tom. I was just talking to a friend last week about the playoff broadcasts, and that I couldn’t stand TV broadcasters not named “Grieve” or “Lewin.”

Homerism be damned; I’ve listened to a lot of irritating commentary in my years, and I know what’s good. You two were, and are, good. I appreciated that you and Tom were very clearly friends, and that you understood each other. I felt like I was somehow more a part of the Ranger family for the way that you two broadcast.

I think I might watch your new broadcasts no matter what team you work for, just so I can remember the good old days. I know I’ll definitely watch the old Ranger broadcasts.

Maybe it’s silly, but I hope that the Rangers find a way to work “Ballgame!” into the signage somewhere.

You’re the reason I became a Ranger fan seven years ago. You made late night west coast games worth staying up for and had me looking forward to meaningless games like no else could. We’ve been truly blessed to have had the opportunity to listen to you for so long. Ranger baseball just won’t be the same without you. Best of luck with all your future endeavors Mr. Lewin.

Forever a fan and forever grateful,

Sky Hook

No more ballgame

Josh you rock, good luck in your future endeavors..

But, I hope you are headed to MLBN, doing weekly broadcasts… That would be great.

I swear to everything holy, if Dave Barnett is named the play by play guy, I will make a scene… A SCENE!