Zelasko Wants To Work Blue
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Not in that way, silly.
By now you've likely read that Jeanne Zelasko, the former host of Fox's MLB pre-game show (which got the ax earlier this year) would like to bring her voice to play-by-play. Zelasko has thrown her name into the hat to call the package of 40 L.A. Dodgers' road games that Vin Scully doesn't. (For those of you unfamiliar with the arrangement, Scully scaled back his broadcast work a couple years back; he doesn't call road games outside the NL West, with the exception of Angels interleague games. Basically, he doesn't travel further east than Colorado.) Charley Steiner held this role for a few years, but the Dodgers decided to have him handle all of the radio broadcasts with Rick Monday (he had been replaced by Jerry Reuss when called on to do TV.)
Despite a lack of experience (she's never done PBP for the sport before, only handling such duties for gymnastics and figure skating), she obviously believes she's a strong candidate for the gig. As someone who watches a lot of Dodger games, I probably wouldn't mind her. I don't find her as annoying as some folks do, but the "no experience with calling a game" thing is a bit of a bother.
Zelasko seeks Dodgers' play-by-play gig [Arizona Republic]
Zelasko interested in Dodgers' play-by-play gig [Sports Media Watch]
Charley Steiner will do radio only for the Dodgers [L.A. Times]
11 Comments:
Forgetful memory, AA? Suzyn Waldman is the first woman to do play-by-play of baseball games. She has worked on the New York Yankees radio play-by-play for the last few years and also did some play-by-play for the New York Yankees on televison on WNYW.
As a longtime Dodgers fan, I'd rather listen to Rick Monday then have to tolerate Zelasko learning on the job. Go use another franchise for a classroom, Jeanie!
It was S2N writing, anon.
Sorry. I barely pay attention to the Yankees and forgot about Waldman's effusive brown-nosing over Roger Clemens.
I think we have gone trough the "Learing on the job" thing with Bryant Gumble over at NFL Net. I think her chacnes of getting this job are slim and none. Sorry, Jennie, I don't think a team like the Dodgers are going to hire someone with no experiance, but then again, they hireed a dope like Steve Lyons.
Are you all serious? How would she be any worse than Charlie Steiner? This is a man who raises his voice cadence at pop flies hit slowly to outfielders in close games. Nothing dicks with fans more than getting excited over easy outs late in the game when your team is down.
Anon@506: Suzyn Waldman got her Yankee radio gig with a guarantee that she would not have to do PxP. God forbid what should happen if John Sterling gets sick or has a family emergency or gets run out of the booth by the umpires.
Is somebody going to have the spine to tell Zelasko that she absolutely sucks and has no redeeming value to baseball?
I have nothing against Zelasko or Waldman but as a woman why must they be the first females to do PBP? Honestly! They are like the Thatcher and Palin for us.
@12:47 - Not sure what's supposed to be so awful about Thatcher and Palin, but at least you have Pam Ward!
verification word: "swoopla"
Zalasko's chances all summed up in three words:
Not. Gonna. Happen.
She's likely going back to Pit Road for Fox's NASCAR coverage as Dick Bergeron's replacement, and Dick will be co-host with Chris Myers.