Back in November the Phillies announced that former World Champion pitcher Jamie Moyer would be leaving the team's broadcast booth after one year. At the time, the Phillies said that the rest of the broadcast team, including Tom McCarthy, Gregg Murphy, Matt Stairs, and Mike Schmidt would return for 2015. What has not been answered yet is whether or not the Phillies broadcasts would gain an additional member for 2015.
As the broadcast team stands now, there is no need for an additional broadcaster. Stairs and Moyer each worked 100 games last season. Over 30 of them overlapped, and Mike Schmidt was in for "Sundays with Schmidt" 13 Sundays last season. If Stairs did 100 games again and Schmidt 13, that is only a 49-game difference. If Schmidt worked the weekend series instead of just Sundays those 13 visits to Philadelphia, that makes up 26 more of the games. Could Stairs pick up 26 more games? That could be easly enough.
Then there are other candidates. Some were considered last year, but their circumstances have changed.
Ricky Bottalico
Bottalico was passed over for the job last season. Bottalico has long wanted the job; back in 2012 Bottalico said that he was interested in being a color commentator for the Phillies. However, Comcast seemed to want a 2008 World Series champion and nothing else. Could they soften their stance this year? Bottalico remained a good soldier and continued as Phillies Post Game Live commentator for them.
Perhaps Bottalico could fill a dual role, such as Flyers broadcaster Bill Clement. Clement has done in-game color commentary and Post Game Live over the course of his broadcasting career. Bottalico probably would be good at the job, if they can get over the 2008 requirement. However, seeing how he gets frustrated with Marshall Harris, they may be afraid of how he talks to Tom McCarthy on air.
Brad Lidge
Brad Lidge said no to Comcast last year when they called to express interest. The well-spoken, insightful former Phillie hosts a Sunday show on MLB Network Radio. The hard sell to Lidge was leaving the comfort of his home, where he broadcasts his radio show from. If the Phillies scaled back the workload to the 49-game gap and made sure his schedule included his hometown Denver, maybe he could be convinced, particularly with a year's worth of work on his master's degree complete.
Lidge is doing a Master of Arts degree at Regis University in Denver, focusing on Biblical archaeology, where he has been enrolled since 2011. Maybe he is complete. Regis is a sister-school to St. Joseph's University.
Mitch Williams
A year ago, Mitch Williams was too high-profile to take a job with the Phillies. On MLB Network as a studio analyst, and service as a color commentator for games on Fox Sports, the Phillies could not match his salary. Then Williams got into trouble. Williams reportedly ordered that one youth baseball player on a team he was coaching for the Ripken Baseball program to hit a batter, and called another child a derogatory term, before going off on a profanity-laced tired against an umpire.
Williams apologized for his behavior, taking a leave of absence from MLB Network Radio, but after Williams refused to avoid youth baseball in the future, MLB Network reportedly decided to cut ties with Williams. Williams is currently suing the network for $2 millionin lost compensation. MLB Network responded to the lawsuit by publicly stating that Williams' behavior "speaks for itself."
Without a job that pays better to compete with, the only question left for the Phillies is whether or not Williams is worth the risk. Phillies fans have gotten over the infamous Joe Carter home run to end the 1993 World Series. Can they forgive this profanity-laced tirade?
Speaking of Jamie Moyer…
Congratulations to Jamie on being added to the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame:
Kudos to new #Mariners’ Hall of Famer Jamie Moyer. I guess this means he’s officially retired.
— Larry Stone (@StoneLarry) January 13, 2015
