In San Diego, Kevin Acee reported longtime Padres radio announcer Ted Leitner hopes to return "for the Padres' home games" this week against the A's after having a kidney removed on May 31. Leitner had the surgery "for what was thought to be a cancerous tumor," though the operation "revealed the tumor was benign." Leitner said that doctors "told him even a benign tumor necessitated the kidney being removed." While he hopes to call games at Petco Park this week, he is "not sure when he will be ready to travel" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 6/16).
ANOTHER LOST METS SEASON? In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote if the Mets' season "continues heading down the toilet," SNY broadcasters Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling will be the "only reason to watch Mets games." History shows Cohen, Hernandez and Darling "will not be shy about highlighting mistakes, or giving their opinion on what the Mets need to do in the future to turn things around." However, there are "only so many ways, and times, they can offer opinions that will ultimately wind up becoming repetitive." That means the "voices, and the producers, of the telecasts will have to come up with different 'features,' which is a nice way of saying 'gimmicks'" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/16).
FRANK AND THE HAWK: In Chicago, Scot Gregor notes Baseball HOFer Frank Thomas "was thrilled to sit next to" longtime White Sox announcer Ken Harrelson in the booth for yesterday's White Sox-Tigers game as part of Harrelson's final season with the team. Thomas said, "Hawk and I have always had a great relationship. At times father-son, because baseball is a lonely sport sometimes. When you're doing well, everybody wants to talk to you. When you're not doing well, no one has answers. Hawk always had answers" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 6/18).
MAKING A CAMEO RETURN: In Houston, Chandler Rome reported longtime Astros play-by-play announcer Bill Brown "will return to the microphone this week" after retiring in '16 after 30 years with the club. Brown will "fill in" for Astros radio analyst Steve Sparks during the team's three-game series against the Rays. It is just a "routine off series for Sparks," who will return on Friday when the Astros "open a three-game series against the Royals" (CHRON.com, 6/17).
