Steve Physioc

Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler won't be broadcasting Angels games anymore. Physioc and Hudler have been told jointly by FS West and the Angels that they will not be part of the Angels' on-air team next season. A statement by Fox and the Angels said that Rory Markas and Mark Gubicza will be the television voices for the team on FS West and KCOP next season, and Terry Smith and Jose Mota will do the radio on KLAA AM 830. Physioc, 54, who has called baseball for 25 years for the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and ESPN, said the news was "a total shock.

Three weeks ago, Rex Hudler's mother, Annie Mueller Aroni, passed away at the age of 69 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. But emotions have no sense of time. It was his mother, he said, who negotiated his first major league contract -- with Gehrig's old team, the New York Yankees, no less. And now, 32 years later, Hudler is in danger of not being involved with a baseball team for the first time in his professional life. It has been a hard few months for the 49-year-old Hudler, the best bubbly baseball analyst around, if you like your analysts unabashedly bubbly.

In sports, in broadcasting, in politics, there is no getting around it. When someone leaves a team or a booth or an office, we must speculate. Who comes next? Who will be the next center fielder? The next anchor? The next senator? The next voice of the Angels? Rory Markas, a man of subtle humor, pleasing tone and acknowledged professionalism, died suddenly and unexpectedly Monday night. He had suffered a brain aneurysm in November 2008, recovered, broadcast an entire Angels season in 2009, was well into this USC basketball season and was getting ready to be the full-time, regular television play-by-play man for the Angels in 2010.

Aside from jerseys, sneakers and toothbrushes, the Trojans are bringing something extra along on their two-game trip to the Bay Area, where they open tonight at Stanford. USC Coach Kevin O'Neill calls it a "playoff style of basketball" and he says it's the only style that travels well. The ingredients: Great defense, good rebounding, no turnovers and good shots. The outcome: "You can play well and win on the road as well as at home," O'Neill said. On its first trip, USC lost by a combined 45 points to then-No.

Channel 9 finally has an Angel announcing team. It is Steve Physioc and Jerry Reuss. Jeff Torborg was the first choice as commentator, but he had to drop out because of a family matter. Then second choice Dave Winfield this week was named a studio host for Fox. Reuss was next in line. Prime Sports is undecided on whether it will use Reuss on its Angel telecasts.

Steve Physioc, a Bay Area free-lance play-by-play announcer, will replace Bob Starr and will be joined by Hall of Fame member Deacon Jones on Ram radio broadcasts next season, The Times has learned. Jack Snow will return as a commentator, making it a three-man team. KMPC will continue as the Ram flagship station.

Arte Moreno has made great moves as the owner of the Angels. One move I'm still waiting for is to replace Steve Physioc and the "Wonder Dog" Rex Hudler in the television booth. The Stoneman-esque stance Moreno has taken with them may lead the young fans the Angels have recruited to think that television commentary consists solely of making excuses and giving false hope for a team that, more often than not this season, has been mediocre at best. KEVIN LU Alhambra

Given the apparent appreciation of Vin Scully's remarkable talent and condemnation of almost all other local sport announcers, I was wondering how is it that Paul Brownfield forgot to pass some judgment on Steve Physioc, the voice of the Angels, as well as an announcer for Fox Sports' Pac-10 games ("They Shoot, They Bore," March 31). Physioc makes a mundane layup or a short gain down the middle quite exciting by just the way he calls his college games; with the Angels, often his team in the booth was a lot more interesting than the one on the field.

With the All-Star break upon us, it seems that the results of the Edmonds-Kennedy-Bottenfield trade may be examined more carefully. Edmonds is an All-Star and there are rumors of trading Bottenfield. Touche, St. Louis. BOB METZGER Sherman Oaks The Angels' Ken Hill said he felt as if he were "throwing underwater." What about Angel fans, who feel that every time he pitches they are watching from underwater because they see nothing but a $5-million salary that's keeping the likes of Seth Etherton in the minor leagues?

A sportscaster can bring the game to the listener, but Vin Scully, the broadcaster of the century, transports the listener to the game . . . smell those grilled dogs. ROB SALTER Riverside During one Angel telecast, Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler, while the game was in progress, debated whether a hot dog should be eaten with mustard or ketchup. No wonder that last Saturday in his letter, Alvin Michaelson asked, "Is there any way to make the Angel announcers keep quiet so we can watch the game in peace?"

In sports, in broadcasting, in politics, there is no getting around it. When someone leaves a team or a booth or an office, we must speculate. Who comes next? Who will be the next center fielder? The next anchor? The next senator? The next voice of the Angels? Rory Markas, a man of subtle humor, pleasing tone and acknowledged professionalism, died suddenly and unexpectedly Monday night. He had suffered a brain aneurysm in November 2008, recovered, broadcast an entire Angels season in 2009, was well into this USC basketball season and was getting ready to be the full-time, regular television play-by-play man for the Angels in 2010.

Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler won't be broadcasting Angels games anymore. Physioc and Hudler have been told jointly by FS West and the Angels that they will not be part of the Angels' on-air team next season. A statement by Fox and the Angels said that Rory Markas and Mark Gubicza will be the television voices for the team on FS West and KCOP next season, and Terry Smith and Jose Mota will do the radio on KLAA AM 830. Physioc, 54, who has called baseball for 25 years for the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and ESPN, said the news was "a total shock.

Arte Moreno has made great moves as the owner of the Angels. One move I'm still waiting for is to replace Steve Physioc and the "Wonder Dog" Rex Hudler in the television booth. The Stoneman-esque stance Moreno has taken with them may lead the young fans the Angels have recruited to think that television commentary consists solely of making excuses and giving false hope for a team that, more often than not this season, has been mediocre at best. KEVIN LU Alhambra

Almost as certain as death and taxes these days are corporate cutbacks. Two months ago, KCAL-Channel 9 was hit with a cost-cutting edict from parent company Viacom to go with an outside company to produce its live sports coverage, beginning Jan. 1. What did this mean? Would some little-known production company take over by simply submitting the lowest bid? Would it mean one- or two-camera Laker telecasts that resembled those from the 1960s?

When are the Angels going to learn to let the starting pitchers go the distance without having their great work undermined by their, to be charitable, erratic "closer?" After watching Frankie Rodriguez blow yet another save opportunity, I have no confidence at all in him. And what was the benefit of letting Troy Glaus go in order to let the injury-prone and completely useless Dallas McPherson take over at third? And how is Cabrera an upgrade over David Eckstein? Please Mr. Stoneman, answer me. SKIP HOUSTON Laguna Beach I have mixed feelings about the contracts of the Angel announcers not being reviewed until the end of the year.

When should a sensitive news story be reported? Should it be reported at all? Channel 7 faced those issues this week. On Tuesday, the station reported that Angel pitcher Jarrod Washburn was under investigation by Anaheim police for alleged sexual assault and the accuser was a 16-year-old female. On Wednesday, the Orange County district attorney's office decided not to file charges because of lack of evidence. Did Channel 7 act too hastily? Did the station unnecessarily tarnish a player's name?

Three weeks ago, Rex Hudler's mother, Annie Mueller Aroni, passed away at the age of 69 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. But emotions have no sense of time. It was his mother, he said, who negotiated his first major league contract -- with Gehrig's old team, the New York Yankees, no less. And now, 32 years later, Hudler is in danger of not being involved with a baseball team for the first time in his professional life. It has been a hard few months for the 49-year-old Hudler, the best bubbly baseball analyst around, if you like your analysts unabashedly bubbly.

Forever, we are comparing the Dodgers and Angels. The Angels always seem to be trailing the Dodgers by a step in everything they do. Example: murals on the outfield walls this year. What an idea! The one thing the Angels trail by a lot on is their TV analysts. If I am told one more time by Rex Hudler that something "pumps him up," I'm gonna lose my periwinkle. Steve Physioc's big contribution on a nightly basis is to tell us (in a 1-1 game) that the Angels "would sure like to score a run."

Given the apparent appreciation of Vin Scully's remarkable talent and condemnation of almost all other local sport announcers, I was wondering how is it that Paul Brownfield forgot to pass some judgment on Steve Physioc, the voice of the Angels, as well as an announcer for Fox Sports' Pac-10 games ("They Shoot, They Bore," March 31). Physioc makes a mundane layup or a short gain down the middle quite exciting by just the way he calls his college games; with the Angels, often his team in the booth was a lot more interesting than the one on the field.

A sportscaster can bring the game to the listener, but Vin Scully, the broadcaster of the century, transports the listener to the game . . . smell those grilled dogs. ROB SALTER Riverside During one Angel telecast, Steve Physioc and Rex Hudler, while the game was in progress, debated whether a hot dog should be eaten with mustard or ketchup. No wonder that last Saturday in his letter, Alvin Michaelson asked, "Is there any way to make the Angel announcers keep quiet so we can watch the game in peace?"