Keith Hernandez will be "filling the void left by Pete Rose" on Fox' MLB studio show beginning this postseason, according to Jimmy Traina of SI.com. Hernandez, who has been "calling Mets games on SNY for the past 12 seasons," will join host Kevin Burkhardt and analysts Alex Rodriguez and Frank Thomas. Rose was let go earlier this year "after sexual misconduct allegations" (SI.com, 10/2). Hernandez said, "I just pinch myself. I'm tickled to death." He added, "I understand that this is a big deal. It's national TV. ... But it's not like I haven't done something like this before. I know the game and I've watched the show and it's conversational and talking about the game" (NEWSDAY, 10/2). YAHOO SPORTS' Mike Oz writes it remains to be seen how Hernandez "fits into the mix at Fox." The net last year "had something interesting going" with Rodriguez, Rose and Thomas. Hernandez is a "little more old-school than A-Rod and Thomas," but he also "should be a little more polished as a broadcaster than Rose" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/2). The N.Y. Post's Mike Puma tweeted Hernandez to the Fox booth is a "good fit," and also noted he has "two years remaining on his contract" at SNY. Puma: "He's not going anywhere." MLB.com's Anthony DiComo: "Hernandez has no plans to leave his job at SNY. So settle down." After Mets play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen signed off yesterday with a cryptic preview of today's announcement, CBS Radio Sports Network's Chris Moore jokingly tweeted, "Apparently Keith Hernandez is resigning to coach the NY Giants."
HOW BIG IS THE SET? In Boston, Chad Finn reports former MLBer David Ortiz also will "join the studio team" for Fox during the playoffs. Ortiz is an "inexperienced broadcaster, but he is not a total television novice." He got "good reviews in 2014 when he was a guest analyst" for Fox during the World Series pre- and postgame shows, with his "gregarious personality translating well to the role." He also should have "significant insight" on the AL teams having just retired last year (BOSTON.com, 10/2).
