1. The last time I did a mailbag edition of Traina Thoughts, I was asked by a reader who I’d like to see call games for NBC/Peacock when the network begins airing Major League Baseball next season. I mentioned Don Orsillo, who calls Padres games after spending many years calling Red Sox games, as well as Dan Shulman, who calls Blue Jays games and has worked for ESPN.

I need to add another name to the mix because Mariners play-by-play announcer Aaron Goldsmith has been absolutely electric over the team’s final stretch heading into the playoffs.

I’m not going to tell you, as a New Yorker who is a Yankees fan, that I’ve heard Goldsmith call a full Mariners game. But baseball desperately needs some new young voices who can provide memorable calls, especially in the postseason, and Goldsmith clearly fits that bill.

It seems that almost every morning when I start surfing the web, I inevitably come across some big Mariners moment that is enhanced by Goldsmith’s work behind the mic.

Here was Goldsmith’s call of Seattle center fielder Victor Robles saving a win on Saturday with a spectacular diving catch in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Here was a wonderfully over-the-top strikeout call in the bottom of the eighth from that same game.

Here was an AWESOME call of a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 13th inning on Sept. 11.

Here was Goldsmith going full Sean McDonough with a voice crack when Mariners outfielder Luke Raley robbed Detroit’s Isaac Padres of a homer on Sept. 12.

Obviously, Goldsmith has a vested interest in the Mariners since he calls their games. (Goldsmith became the team’s full-time TV voice this season after Dave Sims moved on from that role to call Yankees games on the radio.) So maybe he won’t be as passionate about doing national games. But I want NBC to take that chance. I’d love to have Goldsmith’s energy on postseason baseball.

2. CBS did an outstanding job with its 50th anniversary special of The NFL Today on Sunday, and it was so great to hear the iconic voice of Brent Musburger. This is how every NFL Sunday should start.

3. I mentioned Dave Sims becoming the radio voice of the Yankees in today’s lead item. I wanted the team to hire Ricky Ricardo after John Sterling decided to retire. I still think Ricardo should have the job, but for now, enjoy his call of the Eagles’ blocked field goal against the Rams yesterday (that led to as bad a gambling loss as one could ever have with Los Angeles getting 3.5 points).

And here’s how local Philly icon, Merrill Reese, reacted to the wild play.

4. I’ve seen a lot of people criticizing Cris Collinsworth for praising Patrick Mahomes after he threw a backwards pass that he ended up recovering. I suppose people wanted Collinsworth to criticize Mahomes for the poor pass instead of giving him credit for recovering the ball from the Giants defender.

I have to defend Collinsworth here. If you don’t think this was a great play by Mahomes, you’re just being influenced by your Mahomes hatred.

5. This was Mr. No Distractions on Saturday before North Carolina’s game against UCF.

Barstool’s Jon Gruden had a field day mocking Belichick on Monday’s Wake Up Barstool.

6. This week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina features two interviews plus the weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment.

First up is ESPN’s Mina Kimes, who talks about how she got her start at ESPN, transitioning into an NFL analyst, the stigma of being an NFL analyst who didn’t play the game, what her typical Sunday is like and whether she’d like to be in the booth calling games one day.

Kimes also discusses auditioning for the ManningCast, the worst thing about social media becoming a cesspool, working with Dan Orlovsky and much more.

Following Kimes, WWE Superstar Seth Rollins joins the show. Rollins talks about the WWE’s upcoming show on ESPN, Wrestlepalooza, fooling the entire wrestling world with his fake knee injury, the one person he felt bad about lying to, becoming a cast member on Good Morning Football, getting duped by Kyle Brandt, why he despises the tush push and more.

The podcast closes with the weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment featuring Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV. This week, we talk about my friends and I getting booted from a restaurant, Sal’s second week in a row suffering a horrific NFL betting loss, a crazy college football bad beat, Sal losing the Emmy Award on his birthday and more.

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.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: On this date in 2002, The Sopranos aired its second episode of Season 4. The show featured one of the best family scenes, with Meadow calling out Tony for his line of work. That unflinchable “shut up” to Carmella was so good.

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 Who NBC Should Hire to Call MLB Games Next Season.

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