FS Florida on Wednesday “dropped Marlins play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz, who had filled the position for 13 years,” according to Barry Jackson of the MIAMI HERALD. No replacement was named, and the RSN is in the "early stages of finding a new TV voice.” Also dismissed were studio analysts Jeff Conine and Preston Wilson. Conine previously “rejected a non-TV job to remain with the Marlins with a much lower salary and diminished responsibilities.” Fox Sports “insisted on the record that decisions on these dismissals were made entirely by Fox, not by the Marlins.” But sources were “highly skeptical of that, noting that Fox loved Waltz all the way until the time” Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter bought the team. A source said that Jeter “did not want Conine to remain with the broadcast crew.” Todd Hollandsworth will “return as the analyst.” The Marlins “dumped” TV analyst Tommy Hutton two years ago, used "four rotating analysts” in ‘16 and hired Hollandsworth as their TV analyst last winter. Jessica Blaylock will “return as the reporter on Marlins TV telecasts next season” and Craig Minervini will “remain the studio host” (MIAMI HERALD, 11/23). In Ft. Lauderdale, Tim Healey noted Conine had been a part of FS Florida’s telecasts "for the past nine years, Wilson for six years.” For Conine, nicknamed “Mr. Marlin,” this “marks his complete removal from the Marlins franchise” (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 11/23). In N.Y., Hannah Withiam noted Waltz “declined to lay blame” on Jeter and Sherman when “asked about the timing of the decision lining up with the start of a new Marlins era” (NYPOST.com, 11/22).
