A general view of a Baltimore Orioles cap. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Orioles fans chant 'free Kevin Brown' during game

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 8/8/23

The Baltimore Orioles enraged fans and media across the league when it was noticed that announcer Kevin Brown had not been on the air for nearly two weeks, or posted on social media, after pointing out the team's lack of success in Tampa Bay over the previous couple of years.

It was reported that Brown was suspended by the team, prompting swift and immense backlash from all corners of the baseball world.

On Tuesday, Orioles fans started a loud "free Kevin Brown" chant during the seventh inning of their game against the Houston Astros.

A “Free Kevin Brown” chant grows voice in the seventh inning at Camden Yards pic.twitter.com/1ghipT1k4O
— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) August 9, 2023

It was also very noticeable on the television broadcast.

An audible and unmistakable "Free Kevin Brown" breaks out in the seventh inning at Camden Yards. pic.twitter.com/vjTbk4APd8
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 9, 2023

It was reported earlier on Tuesday that Brown is expected to return to the team's broadcast booth on Friday. Even then the question has to become, why so long, and why was he taken off the air to begin with?

It is a terrible look by Orioles management and ownership to discipline an announcer for simply stating a fact about a rebuilding team that had obviously struggled against a contending team.

The Orioles are one of the best young teams in baseball and have rapidly emerged as a legitimate World Series contender in the American League. It takes a staggering amount of incompetence to have a team this good, this exciting, and with this much potential to still make your fans mad at you.

But that seems to be the way things go with the Orioles and John Angelos' ownership of the team. They can never seem to get out of their own way. This is just a needless PR misstep.

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