Baltimore Orioles play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Brown addressed his suspension for the first time Friday, just hours before he was set to return to the booth.
Brown was suspended by the Orioles after he accurately acknowledged that the team hasn’t been very good in recent seasons on a broadcast last month. That has led to an outcry against Orioles leadership and widespread support for Brown. Fans at Camden Yards even broke out in a “Free Kevin Brown!” chant during a game on Tuesday.
On Friday, before Brown was set to return for the team’s game against the Seattle Mariners, Brown insisted that his relationship with the Orioles’ front office is fine.
“Unfortunately, recent media reports have mischaracterized my relationship with my adopted hometown Orioles,” Brown wrote, in part. “The fact is that I have a wonderful relationship with the organization, and our ownership and front office has fully supported me since 2019 when I first came aboard.
“I ask that everyone disregard the distracting noise of the past few days. I have worked closely with O’s SVP Greg Bader for the past four years, and Jon Angelos and I have a solid dialogue based on mutual respect. We are all good here in Birdland!”
Unfortunately, recent media reports have mischaracterized my relationship with my adopted hometown Orioles. The fact is that I have a wonderful relationship with the organization, and our ownership and front office has fully supported me since 2019 when I first came aboard.
— Kevin Brown (@kevinnbrown) August 11, 2023
I am proud to be an Oriole and call Baltimore home, and there is no place in baseball I’d rather be now and for the long haul. Go O’s!
— Kevin Brown (@kevinnbrown) August 11, 2023
Brown didn’t say much about the suspension specifically, other than that he never want “to be a part of the story.”
Brown first made the comments in question during a pregame segment on July 23 ahead of the Orioles’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays. He didn’t criticize the team, management or CEO John Angelos, but rather he pointed out that the Orioles haven’t been very good against the Rays in recent years.
Here’s the clip of Kevin Brown’s pregame comments on the Orioles’ recent record against the Rays ahead of a series finale on July 23. Sources tell AA these comments led to Brown’s current indefinite suspension from Orioles’ broadcasts. pic.twitter.com/csURU04fJU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 7, 2023
“It’s been a minute,” Brown said of the Orioles finding success on the road against the Rays. “The Orioles split a two-gamer with the Rays in June. They had lost their last 15 series here at Tropicana Field. You have to go back to when our now-colleague Brad Brach picked up the win in the series finale June 25, 2017 — the last time the Orioles won a series here in St. Pete.
“Already gone 3-2 at the Trop this year after winning three of 18 the previous three years combined.”
The Orioles suspended him, and he hasn’t called a game since July 26. The team reportedly suspended him in part because it thought his comments made the club sound cheap. The Orioles issued only a brief statement saying that they “don’t comment on personnel matters,” and that they “look forward to hearing Kevin’s voice soon.”
The suspension drew plenty of backlash, including from broadcasters and others in sports. Then on Tuesday, fans at Camden Yards erupted in support of Brown during their game against the New York Mets.
While the situation wasn’t great for anyone involved, it sounds like Brown is ready to move on. He’ll get the chance to do just that Friday night.
