Orioles broadcaster introduces partner to KC BBQ: ‘Your mind’s about to be blown’
Ben McDonald is a lucky man.
McDonald, an analyst on Baltimore Orioles broadcasts, had never tried a Z-Man sandwich from Joe’s Kansas City until Saturday. The Orioles faced the Royals over the weekend, and fellow broadcaster Kevin Brown introduced* McDonald to the sandwich.
*You never forget your first time trying Kansas City barbecue, right?
Joe’s Kansas City is selling the Z-Man at Kauffman Stadium, and McDonald got to try the sandwich while on the air. Suffice to say, he didn’t do much talking about the game while eating the Z-Man.
“One of the great barbecue spots in Kansas City is now here at the ballpark,” Brown noted. “This is Joe’s, known as Oklahoma Joe’s. This is the famous Z-Man sandwich that we’ve just been handed. Have you ever had the Z-man, before?”
Brown obviously knows KC barbecue because he called Joe’s Kansas City by it’s maiden name, Oklahoma Joe’s.
McDonald responded: “I haven’t, but I’m liking what I’ve seen already with this big onion ring right here.”
“Your mind’s about to be blown,” Brown said. “The famed Z-man, this is slow smoked beef brisket, smoked provolone, two crispy onion rings right there on a toasted kaiser roll. In your review so far, what do you think?
“Well, the onion ring is outstanding.” McDonald said. “I just started there.”
“Now, different folks will tell you their barbecue town is the best,” Brown said. “Memphis people are very protective of their barbecue, different areas of Texas, the Carolinas, you got the mustard-based sauce in some areas of the Carolinas. For me, it’s Kansas City. Love the sweetness of the barbecue sauce here, which is molasses based, brown sugar tomatoes, as well.
“And Joe’s is about as good as it gets in one man’s humble opinion.”
He’s not wrong. And Brown was able to share that opinion because McDonald was busy enjoying the sandwich.
“Ben has not been talking because he’s been eating, by the way,” Brown said. “I’m trying to give a history lesson. I haven’t taken a bite of this sandwich yet.”
McDonald noted: ”You need to take a bite.”
That fun exchange was shared on Instagram.
This story was originally published April 8, 2025 at 10:32 AM.
