In what I consider a major surprise, the Rangers have announced that their TV and radio broadcast teams for 2012 will remain the same as they were in the second half of 2011, with Dave Barnett and Tom Grieve doing television and Eric Nadel and Steve Busby on the radio.
The Nadel/Busby pairing remaining in place is no shock, as Nadel is Nadel and Busby seemed to fit in well during his time on the broadcasts last year.
However, the chemistry between Grieve and Barnett -- who was moved over from the radio side to be paired with Grieve after the ill-fated John Rhadigan experiment came to an end -- never really seemed to be there, and there was the epic Tom Grieve layout on Barnett after Barnett ripped into Mike Scioscia for his role in trading Mike Napoli late last year.
The signs seemed to be pointing to last year's arrangement being an ad hoc one, and the team looking to bring another play by play man in for 2012 to pair with Grieve. Scott Franzke was supposedly the Rangers' top target last year, but he has said he's a radio guy first and foremost, and also seems to be happy doing the Phillies broadcasts.