I’m not sure what’s gotten into New York Mets play-by-play voice Gary Cohen this year. He’s singing, he’s taking extra joy in poking fun at Keith Hernandez, and most surprisingly, he’s repeatedly revealed a Mike Francesa impersonation.
Maybe it’s calling baseball games in front of full crowds again, maybe it’s the joy of being able to travel with the Mets again after two years of COVID-stricken baseball, or maybe it’s just that the Mets are a legitimate contender for the first time in a long time.
Whatever the reason, Cohen’s clearly having fun in the booth and Wednesday afternoon, he dropped his second Francesa impression of the season. With the Mets in San Francisco for the rubber match of their three game series, Cohen asked Hernandez if he thought the New York Giants and San Francisco Giants ever spend time together. Share a name, share a dinner.
The joke flew right over Hernandez’s head, who pondered the question before saying, “I don’t think so.”
But Mike and the Mad Dog diehards remember the time Francesa fielded that same question from a caller. Francesa was baffled by the call, labeling it “the weirdest question I got in a long time.” And Francesa had some weird ones.
Likely recognizing that Hernandez didn’t get the joke, Cohen broke out his Francesa impression to reinforce the Giants bit. “I don’t know, we get these prank callers all the time,” Cohen said with his best Francesa voice.
Earlier this month, Cohen celebrated NFL Schedule Release Day with a classic “that’s a win, that’s a loss” Mike and the Mad Dog bit and Hernandez was similarly confused.
While Cohen’s in the booth having a grand old time, it’s been a rough month for Keith. He thought meme was pronounced “maymay,” never heard of a “PB&J” sandwich and sounds absolutely lost every time Cohen breaks into his Francesa character. But the booth has relished all of it, enjoying the hijinks that make SNY’s Mets crew one of the best broadcasts in baseball.
[SNY]