Dodgers TV announcer Vin Scully announced on Friday that he will return for a 63rd season as the team's "primary play-by-play voice next year for all home games and road games against NL West opponents," according to Tony Jackson of ESPN L.A. A Dodgers spokesperson said that Scully "wouldn't hold a news conference after the game to address his decision because he wanted the announcement he made directly to television viewers to stand on its own, but Scully ended up holding an impromptu session with reporters on the elevator." The team said that Scully's 62 years with the Dodgers "constitute the longest tenure of any broadcaster in sports history" (ESPNLA.com, 8/27). During Friday night's Rockies-Dodgers telecast, Scully said, "God's been awfully good to me, allowing me to do the things I love to do. I asked him one more year, at least, and he said OK." In L.A., Dylan Hernandez noted Scully's announcement came on the heels of a report that the Dodgers "asked their season-ticket holders to evaluate the Hall of Fame broadcaster" (L.A. TIMES, 8/27). Scully cited "his 'love of people' as the biggest reason for his returning" for next season. He said that he and his wife "made the decision about a week ago" (MLB.com, 8/27).
BACK, BACK, BACK: Dodgers Spanish-language broadcaster Jaime Jarrin announced yesterday that he "will be returning for his 54th season." Jarrin told KTNQ-AM listeners, "The Dodgers have invited me back for another season, so you will have to be by my side again" (LATIMES.com, 8/28). Jarrin met with Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt on Sunday morning, "during which McCourt asked him to return in 2012." Jarrin said that he "wants to continue to call every game, although he did take an in-season vacation for the first time this year and said he likely will do so again next year" (ESPNLA.com, 8/28).
