{"id":22578,"date":"2023-08-09T02:10:47","date_gmt":"2023-08-09T06:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shorebeat.com\/brick\/?p=22578"},"modified":"2023-08-09T05:14:13","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T09:14:13","slug":"he-fits-right-in-toms-river-kid-caster-calls-inning-of-mets-cubs-game-and-he-was-a-natural","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/2023\/08\/he-fits-right-in-toms-river-kid-caster-calls-inning-of-mets-cubs-game-and-he-was-a-natural\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;He Fits Right In:&#8217; Toms River &#8216;Kid-Caster&#8217; Calls Inning of Mets-Cubs Game, And He Was a Natural"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_9182\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tomsriver.shorebeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/F3DF7ujWsAA4IMw.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-0\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9182\" class=\"size-large wp-image-9182\" src=\"https:\/\/tomsriver.shorebeat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/F3DF7ujWsAA4IMw-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"A Toms River 'Kid-Caster' calls an inning with the New York Mets' broadcast team, Aug. 8, 2023. (Credit: SNY)\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-9182\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Toms River \u2018Kid-Caster\u2019 calls an inning with the New York Mets\u2019 broadcast team, Aug. 8, 2023. (Credit: SNY)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Toms River is known for producing many notable names in baseball, and one day, that may extend beyond players to the broadcasting booth.<\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday night\u2019s telecast of the New York Mets game on sports network SNY, a township boy got the chance to accomplish a feat he said he\u2019d prefer even compared to taking the field \u2013 calling an inning on a broadcast of his favorite team. The network gave only the boy\u2019s first name, Christopher, and announced he was from Toms River. Christopher was surprised by field reporter Steve Gelbs two weeks ago, when he was announced as the winner of the network\u2019s annual \u201cKid-Caster\u201d contest live at a game, and asked live on the air if he wanted to return to Citi Field the night of Aug. 8.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLooks like we\u2019re booked!\u201d the precocious youth replied, having beat out 180 other applicants, ages 8 through 12, who sent in videos of themselves trying their hand at play-by-play and commentary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI saw your entry, and it was one of the most energetic entries I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d Gelbs said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Our SNY Kidcaster Christopher is ready to go!<\/p>\n<p>\u27a1\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HSpecialSurgery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@HSpecialSurgery<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WeDbdVYgek\">pic.twitter.com\/WeDbdVYgek<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SNY_Mets\/status\/1689067596228812800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 9, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Christopher joined the Mets\u2019 celebrated broadcasting team of play-by-play legend and Mets Hall of Fame member Gary Cohen, as well as commentators Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez \u2013 both stars of the World Series-winning 1986 Mets team \u2013 to call the bottom of the fourth inning as the Mets\u2019 lineup faced Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike past \u201cKid Casters,\u201d Christopher did not bring any notes into the booth, choosing to deliver a truly off-the-cuff performance that left the Mets\u2019 award-winning broadcast team as stunned as they were happy. Christopher donned a navy blue polo shirt, just like his three temporary colleagues, and fit in with the team well beyond the clothing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVogelach, with nobody on, and the pitch \u2026 he takes a ball low,\u201d the Toms River youngster confidently announced after settling into Darling\u2019s usual seat. \u201cBut there have been some questionable calls from the umpires today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/SNYtv\/status\/1689068034214821888<\/p>\n<p>Amidst some laughter, Hernandez agreed: \u201cHe seems like a pitcher\u2019s umpire.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As Mets outfielder Abraham Almonte faced Taillon in a 2-0 count with two outs, Darling mentioned how important pitch counts have been in recent seasons.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEspecially when you\u2019re playing the Mets \u2013 you never know when they\u2019ll start hitting,\u201d Christopher chimed in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou fit in this booth fine,\u201d said Darling, cracking up at the smooth and humorous delivery.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is the impact we have on people, Ronnie,\u201d said Cohen, known for his independent takes on the team\u2019s performance despite being a lifelong fan himself.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Mom and dad are watching proudly \u2764\ufe0f<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HSpecialSurgery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@HSpecialSurgery<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/X3sfxLQiu8\">pic.twitter.com\/X3sfxLQiu8<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SNY_Mets\/status\/1689067829633359873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 9, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Every year, Cohen usually ends the inning by asking the young talent if they\u2019d rather keep aiming for the booth, or if they\u2019d rather be on the field. Christopher, who said his favorite position to play is shortstop, was perhaps the first to choose a career above the field.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have a great future as a broadcaster,\u201d Cohen prefaced the question, \u201cbut if you had a choice, broadcaster or shortstop?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBroadcaster,\u201d he replied, to the delight of Cohen, who grew up attending Mets games and listening to Bob Murphy calling games on the radio, imagining himself one day doing the same.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;We&#39;ve never had anyone less nervous than this young man right here.&quot; \u2013 Ron<\/p>\n<p>\u27a1\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HSpecialSurgery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@HSpecialSurgery<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ffR7vte06I\">pic.twitter.com\/ffR7vte06I<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SNY (@SNYtv) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SNYtv\/status\/1689068917484863488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 9, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve never had anyone less nervous than this young man right here, no notes!\u201d said Darling.<\/p>\n<p>As for the Mets, the game unfortunately slipped out of the team\u2019s hands after relief pitcher Drew Smith gave up a home run to Cubs hitter Mike Tauchman in the eighth inning, providing Chicago with the run they needed to secure a 3-2 win.<\/p>\n<p>Being a natural \u2013 now with some experience to back it up \u2013 it is well within the realm of possibility that Christopher\u2019s voice may be heard on a professional broadcast some day. Johnny Gadamowitz, a Long Island native who joined the booth as a Kid-Caster in 2013, is now the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets\u2019 Single-A farm team in Coney Island.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fcbkbttn_buttons_block\" id=\"fcbkbttn_left\"><div class=\"fb-share-button fcbkbttn_large_button \" data-href=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/2023\/08\/he-fits-right-in-toms-river-kid-caster-calls-inning-of-mets-cubs-game-and-he-was-a-natural\/\" data-type=\"button_count\" data-size=\"large\"><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Toms River is known for producing many notable names in baseball, and one day, that may extend beyond players to the broadcasting booth. On Tuesday night\u2019s telecast of the New York Mets game on sports network SNY, a township boy got the chance to accomplish a feat he said he\u2019d prefer even compared to taking [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[12],"tags":[24,4484,5009,5010,5007,2899,5008,5006,100],"class_list":["post-22578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ocean-county","tag-brick-nj-news","tag-featured","tag-gary-cohen","tag-keith-hernandez","tag-kid-caster","tag-new-york-mets","tag-ron-darling","tag-sny","tag-toms-river"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/F3DF7ujWsAA4IMw.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgt2Ft-5Sa","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22578","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22578"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22578\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}