Dennis Eckersley Will Retire From NESN Broadcast Booth After 2022 MLB Season
It’s a sad day for Red Sox fans everywhere. This organization keeps taking things away from us and this isn’t even the front office’s fault. Dennis Eckersley has announced that this will be his final season calling Red Sox games for NESN. After this season, it’s over for the mustache man.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I really have,” Eckersley told the Globe’s Chad Finn. “Not that it matters, but it’s kind of a round number, leaving. I started in pro ball in ‘72, when I was a 17-year-old kid right out of high school. Fifty years ago. And I’ve been with NESN for 20 years, even though it doesn’t feel like that because I didn’t do much my first four or five years. So it’s time.”
Eckersley, 67, has been working for NESN since 2003. Eck also pitched for the Red Sox from 1978-84 and returned once more in 88. He’s just awesome in the booth. His lingo makes the game fun and interesting. I have a post on some of his infamous slang terms.
It would appear that Eck wants to return to the Bay Area where his family is. Makes sense. Eck is an A’s legend and on the mount Rushmore list, we put together.
“There are times in your life when you realize you’ve got to get on with it,” said Eckersley. “Having grandkids in the Bay Area and visiting them in the offseason, that pushed me along. I just knew, you need to go and be with the kids. Those formative years, you need to be there.”
Eck will broadcast his final game on October 5th and he will be missed. We have no idea who will replace him full time but Kevin Youkilis has done a really good job. He’s quirky like Eck but in his own way. We stan for the Greek God of walks. If NESN turns the keys over to him, they won’t regret it. I’m not sure he should do every single game but at least NESN has a good alternative they can turn to in an expanded role.
The only thing we know is that the 2023 Boston Red Sox will look very different on and off the field. Who knows what’s next for NESN but it will not be the same without Dennis Eckersley. That much is for sure.
