Expectations were high for Joe Davis when he was announced as Vin Scully's successor in 2015. Davis says the advice that Vin Scully gave him before taking over the play-by-play role was (and something that Red Barber told Vin Scully before his first year) to just be yourself. In LA, there were a lot of questions about the new face to the television broadcasts. Joe Davis answered those by simply being himself and not allowing the pressure of filling Vin Scully's shoes get to him. He used his ability to describe the game in his own manner to win over the hearts of Dodgers fans. Another piece of advice that Scully gave Davis was to be simple in a way that captures the magnitude of the situation and allows to let the crowd to do the talking. Joe Davis has done this on several occasions. A few weeks back, the Dodgers were in Philadelphia in a back-and-forth contest that saw a two-hour rain delay sandwiched in the middle of it. Rookie Matt Beaty came to the plate after the delay with two men on base and promptly hit a three-run home run. Joe Davis said a line after the ball left the park that garnered the approval of Dodgers fans when he said, "Rain clears. Lightning strikes. Dodgers take the lead in the ninth." It is simple, but to someone who was watching the game and knew the situation, it resonates deeper. Joe Davis says this kind of call requires taking into account the entire situation and that it doesn't just come naturally.
There is a hint of another Joe when you hear Joe Davis. Joe Buck has been a staple in the big games that the current generation of young broadcasters have seen, so Davis says there was the natural influence from him. For someone who knew what he wanted to do when he was 10-years-old, Joe Davis says he is living the dream everyday that he goes to work.
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