Courtesy New York Daily News

(March 23, 2009) On SportsNet New York, Kevin Burkhardt is most often seen as a reporter on Mets telecasts. In spring training, he also works behind the play-by-play microphone. That's where he was Sunday (Braves-Mets) when he donned his third hat - de facto chairman of the Luis Castillo Fan Club.

Through the course of nine innings, play-by-play men, especially on television, have an opportunity to express multiple opinions. It's one way of getting analysts involved. Still, when it becomes a sermon on how fans should react to a particular player, the voice is walking a fine line.

Sunday, Burkhardt dangled from that wire. With Castillo, the recipient of heavy Shea-bombs last season, on base, Burkhardt started setting things up. And it became obvious where this was going. He began praising fans ("they are going to act as they act") for their "super passion" before making his point.

"I think it would benefit Castillo to lay off him," Burkhardt said.

That theory applies to all players. None of them enjoys being booed or cursed at.

Burkhardt then attempted to make the case that fans who booed Scott Schoeneweis during the 2008 home opener set the tone for his awful season. "I think it might help for fans to give him (Castillo) a little leeway to start the season," Burkhardt said.

Boo hoo. This show of compassion nearly produced a flow of tears. The waterworks were preempted by Ron Darling, the analyst, who delivered a giftwrapped package of reality to the pity party Burkhardt was throwing for Castillo.

Darling said when a team built for playoff baseball collapses (again), certain players (he called them "whipping boys") are going to be verbally abused.

"That's what happened to Luis last season," Darling said. "But they don't call it the big leagues for nothing. It's a tough town. It's a tough league. And everyone is getting paid lots of dough (in Castillio's case, a four-year deal worth $25 million). They are going to go through those kind of things."

Anyone tired of hearing mouths make excuses for players or, in this case, basically instructing you to baby Castillo was glad Darling arrived wielding an alternative opinion rather than a rubber-stamp.

Darling may have even convinced Burkhardt to cancel the order for those "Lay Off Luis" T-shirts.