The Padres yesterday formally announced Don Orsillo will join the club's broadcasting team in '16 after the outgoing Red Sox play-by-play announcer "reportedly received a six-year contract," according to Dennis Lin of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Orsillo "will call games" on both TV and radio in '16 before becoming the Padres' lead play-by-play voice on FS San Diego in '17. Longtime team announcer Dick Enberg "will return to the FSSD booth for one final season as the Padres' 'primary play-by-play voice,' though the club has not released the number of games he will call." The Padres "aggressively courted Orsillo last month," and he will have the "opportunity to broadcast some national games" for Fox. Mark Grant "will return for his 21st season as color analyst for TV broadcasts." Ted Leitner will call his 37th season "as the team's radio play-by-play voice," while Jesse Agler "will move from lead host of 'Padres Social Hour' to a full-time broadcasting role." Radio color analyst Bob Scanlan "is not being brought back, at least not in the same capacity" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/1). ESPN BOSTON's Gordon Edes cited sources as saying that the six-year deal gives Orsillo a "raise over what he was being paid by NESN" (ESPNBOSTON.com, 9/30). In Boston, Michael Silverman writes the Red Sox and NESN "underestimated the backlash of fans ... over removing Orsillo from telecasts." Orsillo said, "All the support -- I’ve heard it all, I’ve read them and I’m completely humbled by their feelings for me" (BOSTON HERALD, 10/1).
THROUGH THE WINDOW SILL: SNY's Ron Darling yesterday called a WEEI report that he would "possibly replacing Jerry Remy as color analyst at NESN 'completely untrue.'" Darling said, "I have a long-term deal with SNY to do the Mets. I have deals on MLB Network, and Turner, so I don't think there'd be time to do NESN." He added, "I have had absolutely no contact with NESN" (Chad Finn, BOSTON GLOBE, 10/1). Remy yesterday said, "It’s 100 percent not true, it ain’t happening, that’s what I’ve been told." The BOSTON HERALD's Silverman writes there "appears to be little substance to the report, and that’s a good thing." The last thing NESN and the Red Sox "need to do right now is mess" with Remy. Did anyone "hear Orsillo thank or even acknowledge the Red Sox and NESN in his comments in the Herald in reaction to the news of his new job?" Issuing a "quick and clear commitment to Remy’s continued deep involvement in broadcasts would be a nice first step toward restoring faith" (BOSTON HERALD, 10/1).
