Eck is done in the NESN booth after the season

Max Power

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Not a lot of positive support for Youk here. I think he merits some time to grow in the role, but I would still be interested in taking a run at Ron Darling this winter.
I like Youkilis. He's a little rough around the edges, but brings the perspective of a modern hitter to the booth. And I think he'd be better able to show his humor if he didn't have a dead fish like DOB with him. The one thing he just doesn't have and never will is the amazing recall of Eck or Remy, who could tell you the pitch sequence of an at bat from 40 years ago. Youk barely remembers that he played for the White Sox.
 

gryoung

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Given a choice from the rotating knuckleheads this season, Youk would be my selection.

Like Eck, he could grow into the role.

Tony Mazz is intolerable. His voice grates.

Millar never stops talking. He goes on and on and on. Offering nothing.

Hopefully they go outside this group. But it is NESN. Probably looking at Charlie Moore.
 

InsideTheParker

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I like Youkilis. He's a little rough around the edges, but brings the perspective of a modern hitter to the booth. And I think he'd be better able to show his humor if he didn't have a dead fish like DOB with him. The one thing he just doesn't have and never will is the amazing recall of Eck or Remy, who could tell you the pitch sequence of an at bat from 40 years ago. Youk barely remembers that he played for the White Sox.
I like Youkilis a lot. His voice is pleasing and he knows a lot about baseball. He finally called out Verdugo's lack of hustle. I wasn't listening yesterday so I don't know what he may have said about Duran. I think someone has to tell him that being critical is okay. He's been in the job very briefly, give him a chance.
 

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I think he'd be better able to show his humor if he didn't have a dead fish like DOB with him.
O'Brien is such an awkward listen with a partner who isn't ready-made and able to exist on their own, such as Remy or Eck. He's had his moments, of course, but he's just so stiff and seems out-of-synch with what's happening on the field or in the booth.

Youk has a decent-enough voice for this, a tad vanilla perhaps, but you're right about his needing a PBP guy with whom he can establish some chemistry.
 
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ifmanis5

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Who's going to hold the team accountable now?
That's Maz's music who is a grating scold. It's mostly a schtick so I hope he doesn't get the gig.
Losing Remy and Eck is really tough. The whole organization feels like it's flipping over on all fronts.
Youk is okay and currently in the drivers seat but I think they'll have a revolving door until there is a clear winner for a while.
Thanks Eck, it was a blast.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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O'Brien is such an awkward listen with a partner who isn't ready-made and able to exist on their own, such as Remy or Eck. He's had his moments, of course, but he's just so stiff and seems out-of-synch with what's happening on the field or in the booth.

You has a decent-enough voice for this, a tad vanilla perhaps, but you're right about his needing a PBP guy with whom he can establish some chemistry.
First games I heard Youk do were spring training games with Mike Monaco (I think). They seemed to have good rapport.

That said, I think if he (or anyone else) is given a more full time gig, he could develop chemistry with DOB. Remy and Eck were polished products by the time they started working with DOB, so it will be hard for anyone to live up to that standard right out of the gate.
 

Two Youks

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I don't listen to sports radio (I don't need a bunch of mediocre middle aged people yelling at each other over something that should be considered an entertaining diversion from the struggles of day-to-day life... and, yes, I recognize the irony of posting that statement here), but I'm surprised at how bad Mazz is at this gig. His voice is like nails on a chalkboard. He brings absolutely no real knowledge of the game or its history to the table (certainly nothing people who have lived in New England for a decade or two don't already know). He talks a lot, but says nothing. There's no reality where he should be brought back next year, let alone over Youkilis as some have suggested.
 

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First games I heard Youk do were spring training games with Mike Monaco (I think). They seemed to have good rapport.

That said, I think if he (or anyone else) is given a more full time gig, he could develop chemistry with DOB. Remy and Eck were polished products by the time they started working with DOB, so it will be hard for anyone to live up to that standard right out of the gate.
Agreed, though my comment was more about DOB than about Youk. I've just recently begun watching on a regular basis and I have to say I'm just not impressed with O'Brien. As I said upthread, clean house and bring in a new team. If that's Monaco and Youk, I'd be fine with giving them time to make the broadcast their own.
 

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I’ve thought for a long while now that Dustin Pedroia would be the ideal successor to Remy. I think he’s said he wants time to be with his kids before he comes back to baseball in some form, but I would see if he’s open to a part time gig this offseason.

Naturally funny and quick witted with the media, dude bled for the team and the city, and could easily wind up having a longer broadcasting career than playing career.

Youk isn’t it and Millar babbles on like he’s trying to fill dead air for a Sirius XM show. If there’s any be guy I’d be delighted to see and hear on a daily basis, it’s Pedey.
 

Bergs

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This is not good news. Not surprising, but it sucks nonetheless.
 

Mueller's Twin Grannies

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Pedeoia might test the limits of the 7-second delay.

I don't know that DOB really wants to be here. Maybe he does, but he's so milquetoast that you can't ever really tell. But I don't think he's ever fully transitioned to being a regional/local play-by-play guy, not the way he sometimes seems to openly ask for the worst to happen just because it might be more interesting. I think he's better off as a radio guy (I don't think he'd go back to work with Castig, but that would be my first choice) or a national guy.

So, yeah, if Eck is out, I would give Dave the option of the radio call with Joe or a pat on the back and firm handshake on the way out the door.

Edit: Fixed typo - thanks @Archer1979 for quoting my post so I could see the mistake.
 
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Granite Sox

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Man, I really enjoy Eck on the Sox broadcasts… like, a lot. But after reading Chad’s article, I can also relate to Eck’s personal circumstances. As a grandfather with 5 grandkids who retired within the last year, I think I understand the pull to spend time with one‘s family. At some point we all need to focus on what matters most and enjoy life. As much enjoyment as Eck brings to Sox fans, he deserves the “rest of his life” to live on his own terms and maximize his time with family. Godspeed and thanks for the memories. The vacuum that has been created with his pending retirement and Jerry’s death is dramatic. I like Youk, feel like he can grow into the role, but the next few years are gonna be rough. Really rough.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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Or give Orsillo a blank check to return and pick his partner. (Of course, that’s not going to happen for a variety of reasons).
 

ngruz25

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Youkilis has gotten waaaaay better since his initial few games. He's stopped cheering the action from the booth (maybe a byproduct of having little to cheer about, to be fair).

Mazz's voice is beyond grating and Millar is like Eck with a case of Red Bulls in him. I'm on team Youkilis here.
 

CarolinaBeerGuy

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Youkilis has gotten waaaaay better since his initial few games. He's stopped cheering the action from the booth (maybe a byproduct of having little to cheer about, to be fair).

Mazz's voice is beyond grating and Millar is like Eck with a case of Red Bulls in him. I'm on team Youkilis here.
If our options are limited to those 3, I’ll take Youk every time. I’d love it if they’d replace the whole booth, but I don’t see that happening.
 

Archer1979

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Pedeoia might test the limits of TBD 7-second delay.
That was my first thought as well... The viewing audience would see about a minute after it actually happened,,, but it is cable, so if NESN decides to go edgy...

After this season, overhauling both booths might not be the worst thing in the world. Just leave Joe Castiglione where he is.
 

8slim

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Maybe I'm the only one, but I like Mazz in the booth. I like Youk as well. Neither are close to Eck or Remy, but both could grow a lot more in the role.
 

Big Papa Smurph

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I’ve thought for a long while now that Dustin Pedroia would be the ideal successor to Remy. I think he’s said he wants time to be with his kids before he comes back to baseball in some form, but I would see if he’s open to a part time gig this offseason.

Naturally funny and quick witted with the media, dude bled for the team and the city, and could easily wind up having a longer broadcasting career than playing career.

Youk isn’t it and Millar babbles on like he’s trying to fill dead air for a Sirius XM show. If there’s any be guy I’d be delighted to see and hear on a daily basis, it’s Pedey.
I don't think Pedroia has much interest in being a commentator. Last year, during his retirement ceremony, he visisted the booth and said that in a few years he would most likely go the coach/manager route.
 

Mueller's Twin Grannies

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I love Papí, but he doesn't strike me as a color guy. He works on MLN Network because he's an analyst dropping sound bites between highlights. I can't see him wanting to sit through 9 innings, especially if it's a bad game. Pedro, too, but more because he feels like he's above that sort of thing, what with being a minor deity and all.
 

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Maybe I'm the only one, but I like Mazz in the booth. I like Youk as well. Neither are close to Eck or Remy, but both could grow a lot more in the role.
I like Mazz and Youk too. I think that Millar is a try-hard, but he enjoys baseball so he's fine too. I don't think that the color guys are usually too bad, it's the play-by-play dudes that are the problem because they control how the game is heard.
 

Mystic Merlin

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I would live with a rotating color roster of Mazz and Youk if you told me O’Brien was going, but fat chance that happens since NESN/Sox seem to love him. They kicked Orsillo to the curb in part to make sure O’Brien didn’t jet, and I think his lifeless, low key regularity is just fine by them.
 

moretsyndrome

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I love Papí, but he doesn't strike me as a color guy. He works on MLN Network because he's an analyst dropping sound bites between highlights. I can't see him wanting to sit through 9 innings, especially if it's a bad game. Pedro, too, but more because he feels like he's above that sort of thing, what with being a minor deity and all.
Minor?
 

Patriot_Reign

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Was listening to something over the weekend where they were talking about how NESN is in a real pickle trying to find someone to replace Remy/ Eck in that modern day players who are successful are paid so handsomely there's little incentive to consider a second career when their playing days are over. Or at least working for a regional network in a job that would involve weeks long road trips living out of a hotel calling games almost daily in a season that lasts 7 months.

However, could see Lou Merloni leaving talk radio and taking over the role, particularly given 98.5's dominance (get out while you can get out).
 

InsideTheParker

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Was listening to something over the weekend where they were talking about how NESN is in a real pickle trying to find someone to replace Remy/ Eck in that modern day players who are successful are paid so handsomely there's little incentive to consider a second career when their playing days are over. Or at least working for a regional network in a job that would involve weeks long road trips living out of a hotel calling games almost daily in a season that lasts 7 months.

However, could see Lou Merloni leaving talk radio and taking over the role, particularly given 98.5's dominance (get out while you can get out).
According to my husband, Merloni has been complaining so vociferously about the failure of the Sox to build the team better that the organization may not be eager to give him more prominence.
 

103mph Screwball

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Day late, but just wanted to chime in that this is a true hell world we are living in. There will never be another booth as entertaining as Eck, Remy and Orsillo.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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The DOB / Eck / Youk booth is really good. I think the model should really be DOB with two former players; I don’t any of the other combos work.
 

pedro1918

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What I like most about Mazz is his presence in the booth makes it very easy for me to switch to the Castiglione audio feed on MLB.tv. To be completely fair, I have not heard much of him in the booth. I hate him and his voice from the radio show. But I haven't heard his radio show in years. Millar is too much for me. Especially when he is remote. Please be quiet Kevin.

I'm good with Youk. He started awkwardly but, in my opinion, has grown into the job. Hopefully the trend continues.
 

MuzzyField

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The DOB / Eck / Youk booth is really good. I think the model should really be DOB with two former players; I don’t any of the other combos work.
Eck and Youk = good.

DOB is a personality-free cardboard cutout who should still be boring America on a who gives a fuck weeknight game on ESPN with Rick Sutcliffe, not providing the drone television voice of our summer. i can’t wait for ACC football to start.
 

Leskanic's Thread

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What I like most about Mazz is his presence in the booth makes it very easy for me to switch to the Castiglione audio feed on MLB.tv.
Bless you for saying this, since I forgot this was an option now that I have a Fire stick to run mlb.tv on. My enjoyment of tonight's game just ticked up notably.

Mazz is awful. I can't believe they are tainting one of the dwindling number of Eck games with him as the third man in the booth.
 

riboflav

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Jesus in a way this so so sad. Really for me as a fan. I'm happy for Eck that he's choosing his own exit from the game and going out on his own terms. He deserves that. But, it's these kinds of moments for those born of a certain era (the late 70s in my case) where these moments seem to be piling up at a hyper speed of late. Growing old sucks.
 
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brandonchristensen

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Jesus in a way this so so sad. Really for me as a fan. I'm happy for Eck that he's choosing his own exit from the game and going out on his own terms. He deserves that. But, it's these kinds of moments for those born of a certain era (the late 70s in my case) where these moments seem to be piling up at a hyper speed of late. Growing old sucks.
Yeah it's really annoying. Everything is so impermanent. Even when we get Green Fields of The Mind, you used to know what to expect in the spring. I have no idea.

Losing Orsillo was brutal, losing Remy was awful, now losing Eck...the day to day experience of watching a game on NESN has never been less tantalizing.
 

Bergs

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I've got a decade on @riboflav, and I am experiencing the emotions in his post at an elevated level.

Orsillo, Remy, Eck in an era where we had actually won some fucking World Series was as good as it could possibly get.

Fuck NESN, fuck cancer, fuck DOB for being so boring that he made Eck retire*, and fuck me for being so goddamn nostalgic this time of year.

* Kidding. I think.
 

Leskanic's Thread

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Yeah it's really annoying. Everything is so impermanent. Even when we get Green Fields of The Mind, you used to know what to expect in the spring. I have no idea.

Losing Orsillo was brutal, losing Remy was awful, now losing Eck...the day to day experience of watching a game on NESN has never been less tantalizing.
This is well said. Even in the best case scenario, where the announcers brought in next season solidify themselves as the next great NESN crew, it'll take a few years for them to get the rapport and ease that Orsillo, Remy, and Eck had together.

They've been auditioning long-term replacements for a few years now...and seem to be no closer to figuring out the move as they were when they started. I fear it'll be a rotating cast of whatevers in the booth, since that'll be cheaper and more efficient for NESN management.

Anyway, I'm going to miss Eck.
 

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They've been auditioning long-term replacements for a few years now...and seem to be no closer to figuring out the move as they were when they started. I fear it'll be a rotating cast of whatevers in the booth, since that'll be cheaper and more efficient for NESN management.
Yes, NESN is cheap and has made some dumb decisions in which talent to keep and which to let go, but I think the entire league is going to have a problem getting good color guys soon. The non-stars from Eck and Jerry's generation didn't make much money, so they really needed to keep working after they retired. They were willing to call 162 games because that's what the job was. If you want someone with major league experience calling every game for you these days, you need to find someone who washed out of the league before they made free agency. That's a small pool to draw from. It seems like the rotating booth is going to be a permanent thing going forward, so you can get someone like Youk to do half the games and try to fill out the rest.

I have tickets to today's game, but I set the DVR to record to see Eck's send off. I hope it doesn't get washed out.
 

brandonchristensen

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Yes, NESN is cheap and has made some dumb decisions in which talent to keep and which to let go, but I think the entire league is going to have a problem getting good color guys soon. The non-stars from Eck and Jerry's generation didn't make much money, so they really needed to keep working after they retired. They were willing to call 162 games because that's what the job was. If you want someone with major league experience calling every game for you these days, you need to find someone who washed out of the league before they made free agency. That's a small pool to draw from. It seems like the rotating booth is going to be a permanent thing going forward, so you can get someone like Youk to do half the games and try to fill out the rest.

I have tickets to today's game, but I set the DVR to record to see Eck's send off. I hope it doesn't get washed out.
That makes sense. Because the names bandied about up top that would be awesome are just not feasible. That’s a bummer.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Yes, NESN is cheap and has made some dumb decisions in which talent to keep and which to let go, but I think the entire league is going to have a problem getting good color guys soon. The non-stars from Eck and Jerry's generation didn't make much money, so they really needed to keep working after they retired. They were willing to call 162 games because that's what the job was. If you want someone with major league experience calling every game for you these days, you need to find someone who washed out of the league before they made free agency. That's a small pool to draw from. It seems like the rotating booth is going to be a permanent thing going forward, so you can get someone like Youk to do half the games and try to fill out the rest.

I have tickets to today's game, but I set the DVR to record to see Eck's send off. I hope it doesn't get washed out.
100% and well said. What we've had not just with the Sox but with all of the local teams over the last 20-30 years is not going to be repeated. We've had it good to have a lot of really good announcers and color guys who've been around for years if not decades (Remy, Eck, Castiglione, Gorman, Heinsohn, Grande, Max, Santos, Cappelletti, Brickley, etc). They're hard to replace and no one is going to step right in and do the job and fill those shoes from day one.

At least for the time being, I think we have to resign ourselves to accepting the rotating cast and hope that someone emerges not only as the clear choice but also is willing to take on a bigger share of games so they can bounce the weak links. It's far more likely to be a Will Middlebrooks than a Dustin Pedroia or Pedro Martinez though, for the reasons MP stated.
 

8slim

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There are so few announcers that truly enhance the game-viewing experience, and Eck is right at the top of the list for me. A perfect mix of insight and humor, never falling into lazy self-parody - which is soooo easy to do once you become successful at the craft. Sucks to see him go.

That being said, in time there will be another we enjoy. There always is.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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It wasn’t the same this year without Remy; I’m thankful Eck gave us another year but am sure this year was difficult on him. Will really miss Eck but kudos to him for going out on top and recognizing their are more important things in life. He always gave it his all, told it like it was without being preachy, and he went from a guy I hated (remember him as an A) to a guy I loved. We had it pretty great for many many years.