Cubs' dramatic Brewers series proved Marquee Sports Network should keep one big change

Ever since the departure of Len Kasper, there's always been a slight divide among Chicago Cubs fans over whether or not Boog Sciambi has been a worthwhile replacement. He certainly was a splashy addition when he took over as the television voice of the team alongside Jim Deshaies on Marquee Sports Network in 2021. Sciambi had spent years cultivating a reputation as one of the most respected national broadcasters in the game during his time with ESPN, yet, for some, that was a bit of a double-edged sword.

There are moments when Sciambi still feels like a national broadcaster first and a team announcer second. Compared to Kasper or Pat Hughes, he's more likely to have the odd call where his level of excitement doesn't quite sell the moment for the Cubs. Even so, there's a reason he's consistently ranked among the best announcers in baseball and, this year, even topped the Chicago Sun-Times list of on-air Chicago sports media personalities. With time at Marquee, he's called his fair share of memorable plays, from the infamous Will Craig-Javier Baez debacle to Mike Tauchman's game-saving grab against the Cardinals, and many a dazzling Pete Crow-Armstrong play.

I've personally enjoyed Sciambi in the booth, and I think his chemistry with JD only gets better with each passing season. It's perfectly understandable why the Cubs chose to commit to the duo long-term in 2022. With that said, ever since former Iowa Cubs broadcaster Alex Cohen was called up to the big leagues as Sciambi's go-to fill-in on days when he's busy with ESPN, he's increasingly lived up to the moment and shown a downright infectious enthusiasm. On Sunday against the Brewers, he got his crowning achievement as a broadcaster so far, with an instant classic call as the Northsiders eked out a game and series win against their arch-rivals on a game-ending double play.

Cohen has the same feel to him as many a great Cubs play-by-play man has had before him, from Kasper to Hughes and even back to the great Harry Caray. He also has one admittedly unfair advantage over Sciambi in that he's a homegrown voice whose history with the franchise runs deeper. Like a great minor league prospect, he started making fans through his time in Iowa and his interactions online. Every step of the way, he keeps showing he has what it takes to be the guy who people associate with watching Cubs baseball.

Alex Cohen should be the heir to the Chicago Cubs play-by-play throne

I'm not going to advocate for a straight-up change. As I said, I like Sciambi and JD together, and I believe they genuinely deserve the ever-increasing yearly ranking they keep receiving from Awful Announcing. With that said, I wouldn't mind a change when the time comes to renew contracts. Sciambi is great, but Cohen adds a personal feel for the game that seems better suited for a local broadcast and a history with the organization and fans that makes him even more personable.

It's undeniable what Sciambi has done in Chicago. He's built a rapport with Deshaies, Taylor McGregor, and much of the Marquee crew and added gravitas to the Cubs broadcast after the loss of Kasper to the White Sox. He was the right hire at the right time, and it would be remiss not to also mention the good he's put out into the world through his extensive yearly promotion of ALS awareness. Cohen just keeps proving himself as a worthy successor, though. As if he needed more convincing, Monday's game against the Padres saw him call another gem when Seiya Suzuki delivered more late-game heroics to walk off Mason Miller.

Whatever direction the Cubs go, having too many good broadcasters is a good problem to have. Marquee has gotten better with its rotating cast of color commentators and other voices, too. Deshaies will always be my favorite, but I'm also a fan of Cohen's recent pairing with Cliff Floyd. There have certainly been questions about how the team's television arm is run, but the on-air product has only improved since the network first launched.

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