(CNN) -- Baseball. The radio. Summer. There is something about the connection between the three of them that nothing can tear apart. If baseball on the radio sounds a little different lately, there is a reason. Richard Sandomir of The New York Times reported recently on the proliferation of "drop-in" advertisements on radio broadcasts of ballgames around the nation. Drop-in ads are paid commercials that air not as traditional advertisements, but as part of the play-by-play. The first walk during a New York Yankees game is accompanied by "Just walk into CityMD's six convenient locations"; the first run scored in a Texas Rangers game is described by the play-by-play man as "the First Financial First Run."
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Bob Greene: Baseball radio play-by-play is working commercials into the announcers' descriptions
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He says baseball on the radio is still special -- it's free and comforting commentary in summer
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At times, play-by-play can reach heights, as in description of Stan Musial's last at bat, Greene says
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