Opinion: It Is Time For Rex Hudler To Go

Look, I don’t hate Rex Hudler. I don’t even dislike the man. I think he is an outgoing, enthusiastic person who truly wants the best for the Kansas City Royals and the players. But his act has worn thin with me. Last night was the last straw.

Jun 14, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher

(13) against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Kansas City Royals defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

If you weren’t watching the game, you missed Rex Hudler telling his Royals audience to imagine Kansas City’s All-Star catcher Salvador Perez in Yankee pinstripes. Play-by-play man Ryan Lefebvre quickly tried to shut the Hud down but Hudler pushed on, trying to make some point not one single Royals fan wanted to hear. Lefebvre continued to try to talk over him and was clearly irritated by the train of thought.

I don’t know what point Rex Hudler was trying to make, and, frankly, I don’t want to know. For him to even make that statement, and try to continue it over Lefebvre’s objections, just shows how little he actually understands the Royals fan base. Fans are thrilled with Salvador Perez and his long term contract. We do not want to imagine him in Yankee pinstripes, now or ever.

Rex Hudler should be fired.

Because Hudler seems like a nice guy, I have tolerated him for the past year and a half. I have never been a fan of his feel good, rah-rah style, but there are many who like him. I cannot imagine those are in the majority. I find it more and more difficult to listen to him go on and on. His mannerisms, style, and approach annoy me to no end and lessens my enjoyment of the broadcasts. It is time for him to go.

Rex Hudler tries to be enthusiastic about the Royals but he has no stake in them other than KC being his employer. He never played for the Royals and has no history with them. He has nothing invested. If he did, he never would have made those comments last night. Those thoughts never would have entered Frank White‘s mind if he was still in the booth.

Not that I am calling for White to be reinstated to the booth. I would like that but I understand that is never going to happen. Surely, though, there are other options for Fox Sports and the Royals to have in the broadcast booth. I know Jeff Montgomery doesn’t have the biggest personality in the world, and doesn’t have the best TV voice I have ever heard, but he would certainly be better in this role than Hudler.

Another option might be Mike Macfarlane. He has broadcast experience and is clear spoken, though some may not like his higher pitched nasally tone. He is extremely knowledgeable about the game. Of course, guys like Montgomery and Macfarlane have to be willing to accept the job with all of its time and travel requirements. It seems as if Monty is doing a lot of the traveling already.

I never understood why Rex Hudler was hired in the first place. Again, maybe Fox Sports and the Royals had trouble finding appropriate people with Royals history who wanted to commit to the 6-month travel grind. They need to dig deeper or sweeten the incentive a bit.

The Royals television ratings haven’t been better, despite Hudler. Think how good they would be without him. As we approach the All-Star break there is another move the Royals absolutely need to make: cut Rex Hudler. Telling Royal fans to imagine our young star Salvador Perez playing for the Yankees just isn’t acceptable and a move needs to be made.

Soon.