Fox announcer Buck says he isn't biased TELEVISION

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For a very successful guy, Fox baseball announcer Joe Buck sure takes a lot of grief.

Fans complain about the way he calls ballgames. People criticized his short-lived talk show on HBO. And, here in the Bay Area, Giants fans have been killing the guy for his perceived anti-Giants bias and pro-Cardinals slant.

When asked about that perception - a topic that has filled the sports-talk airwaves and clogged this newspaper's inbox all week - Buck shrugged resignedly, like a man who'd answered the same question a thousand times.

"We get it everywhere we go," said Buck, referring to himself and partner Tim McCarver. "It's not unique to San Francisco. It doesn't matter where we are."

The reason this becomes an issue during playoff time is this: The games become national broadcasts. And Giants fans, used to hearing local broadcasters Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow on television, are suddenly listening to a pair of national broadcasters, both of whom have strong ties to St. Louis and the Cardinals. Buck came up calling Cardinal games, just like his dad. And McCarver is a former catcher who spent most of his playing career with the Cardinals.

And when you're playing the Cardinals, the perception of bias becomes reality to the Giants faithful.

"It's easily explainable in the baseball world," said Buck. "Fans are used to hearing their hometown guys. When you come at it objectively, people aren't used to it. It gets frustrating. You want to say, 'No, I don't hate the Giants.' "

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 16: Sportscaster Joe Buck attends the WWE SummerSlam VIP Kick-Off Party at Beverly Hills Hotel on August 16, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images For WWE) BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 16: Sportscaster Joe Buck attends the WWE SummerSlam VIP Kick-Off Party at Beverly Hills Hotel on August 16, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images For WWE) less BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 16: Sportscaster Joe Buck attends the WWE SummerSlam VIP Kick-Off Party at Beverly Hills Hotel on August 16, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images ... more Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images For WWE Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images For WWE Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Fox announcer Buck says he isn't biased 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Down the hall from Buck, Kuiper and his broadcast partners are still calling the games on the radio.

He sympathizes with Buck and McCarver.

"The fans are going to say the same thing every time. They want to hear our voices," said Kuiper. "In a lot of ways, the dislike of them is a compliment to us. But they're fabulous. When I hear their voices, I know it's a big game."

Buck, who will call the World Series for Fox, had high praise for the Giants and their fans, saying it was a fabulous atmosphere, possibly the best in the league. And he wanted frustrated fans to know something else.

"If it makes people feel any better, I get the same thing in St. Louis," said Buck. "People say I'm against the Cardinals."