Regular readers of the DailySkew Baseball know that I take baseball announcing very seriously, and like to grade and rank baseball sportscasters. They also know that Michael Kay likes to lash into Al Leiter on air, and I had proposed a conspiracy theory that Michael Kay actually holds Al Leiter’s color commentating career back, since Leiter is forced to play second fiddle to Kay, as Kay gets Leiter easily distracted.
When Al Leiter first burst upon the baseball commentating scene during the post-season a few years ago, it looked like he was going to land a sweet national job with FOX, ESPN, or even TBS. Yet the YESNetwork is Michael Kay’s show, and Kay is the lead, self-important, and a self-appointed Yankees spokesman and behind-the-scenes string puller. His horseplay with Leiter keeps Leiter down.
ANYWAY, now that that long preface is out of the way, this is what went down between Leiter and Kay Monday afternoon during the Red Sox-Yankees game. Kay asked Al about a mall story. So Al related it: old women- friends of his mother-approached Al at the mall with his mother, and asked him if Michael Kay liked him. You see, they watch and listen to every Yankees game on YES and WWOR, and they also picked up on Michael Kay attacking Al Leiter all the time.
Al responded to these old ladies, “I don’t know”.
Kay, of course, didn’t like Al giving such an ambiguous answer. He wanted Al to act like an abused child and cover for his beating parent. So then they both took the time to define their friendship and put this Michael Kay vs Al Leiter rumor to rest:
YES, Al Leiter and Michael Kay are friends, as long as you use Michael Kay’s definition of the word “friend”, which he said is someone who:
-makes fun of you
-antagonizes you
-challenges you
-argues with you
-frustrates you
Leiter resigned that they have a “brotherly” relationship, which involves them fighting. (Enneagram fans: Al Leiter is a type 6 and Michael Kay is a type 5. )
Later in the show (also called “baseball game”), Kay was gushing about Derek Jeter’s 20-second cameo in “The Other Guys”. Kay said he laughed out loud 8 times, and that Derek Jeter should win an Academy Award. Leiter quipped he laughed only 4 times, and was shocked he saw it.
Kay: “Who did you see it with- your mother?”
Al: “No, my wife. She [kinda] liked it.”
Kay: “Laurie liked that movie? Laurie?”
Anyway, there you have it…Leiter and Kay are “friends”. With a friend like Michael Kay, who needs enemies?
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I know how you feel, except for me it's this guy ive been friends with for 7 years. I saw him for the first time in 2 years this summer. All i wanted to do is cry. All it showed me was that we have drifted. I love you buddy.
I wish I could do a track with Michael Kay
manny didnt even know he was in a baseball game.