Baltimore Orioles play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown is back in the announcer’s booth for tonight’s game against Seattle. He’s returning after being banished since late July for allegedly disparaging remarks about the team.
Before his comeback, he issued a statement this afternoon that made things seem like all was forgiven between him and Orioles management. He said reports that he was ousted for his comments were “mischaracterized.”
No one was buying it.
Michael Kay, the New York Yankees play-by-play voice for YES Network, said Brown’s statement was “like a hostage tape.”
“That was a statement that was obviously vetted by the Orioles and their senior vice president,” Kay added.“I don’t blame Kevin for putting that out there because he didn’t deny what happened. He said, ‘Don’t listen to the noise.’ The noise is true.”
Kay’s statement continues the outrage voiced by others in the broadcasting business at Brown’s treatment, including venerable Al Michaels, who said the person who decided to remove Brown should also be fired.
Brown tweeted Friday he has “mutual respect” with Orioles managing chairman John Angelos.
“O’s fans – I’m a storyteller. And never want to be a part of the story. The most compelling story in baseball right now is the story of the league-leading Baltimore Orioles – the best, most exciting young team in the American League,” Brown wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in his first public comments since disappearing from the MASN airwaves in late July.
“Unfortunately, recent media reports have mischaracterized my relationship with my adopted hometown Orioles. The fact is that I have a wonderful relationship with the organization, and our ownership and front office has fully supported me since 2019 when I first came aboard.
“I ask that everyone disregard the distracting noise of the past few days. I have worked closely with O’s SVP Greg Bader for the past four years, and John Angelos and I have a solid dialogue based on mutual respect. We are all good here in Birdland!
“I am proud to be an Oriole and call Baltimore home, and there is no place in baseball I’d rather be now and for the long haul. Go O’s!”
Brown has not called an Orioles game on MASN since July 23.
The announcer appeared on the team’s radio broadcasts for the following series against the Phillies, but he has not been heard since.