Deitsch On Adam Jones: 'Absolute Disgrace' NESN Is Letting Go Orsillo
BOSTON (CBS) -- Red Sox fans are still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that next season, Don Orsillo will not be the voice entertaining them during game broadcasts.
NESN announced Tuesday that Orsillo will not be back after his contract is up this winter, a decision that has left many fans shocked and angry. Sports Illustrated media columnist Richard Deitsch called in to The Adam Jones Show on Wednesday to discuss NESN's change in the broadcast booth, calling it an "absolute disgrace."
"When you write about the media, you run into a lot of people who are charlatans, narcissists, ego-maniacs -- people you wouldn't want to spend any time with if you didn't have to write about them. So when you have Don Orsillo, who is a class guy, but beyond that, someone who has provided for listeners the exact thing you hope for in a broadcast -- professionalism, smarts, humor, intelligence, preparation -- national quality, national caliber game calling," he said.
"You had that in Orsillo and you've had that for 14 years, so it's infuriating when you one day wake up and see this guy got run out of dodge for absolutely no reason," said Deitsch. "There is no merit to the decision on the professionalism of the broadcast. If I was a Red Sox fan I would be infuriated. It's an absolute slap in the face to you; you deserve a good broadcast, and this is no disrespect to Dave O'Brien, but you have an exceptional top-of-the-line broadcaster, and what NESN and Red Sox ownership basically says is. 'We don't care. We don't care what you want or that you've enjoyed this. We're making a move.'
"It's an absolute disgrace and I feel horrible for Red Sox nation; they don't deserve this," he continued. "Orsillo will be fine. He's been on Turner and will get another job, if not a national job. But as a romantic, I expect better from ownership of networks and baseball management. I'm disgusted. I don't live in Boston, but as someone who respects quality broadcasting, it's an absolute disgrace in my opinion."
Deitsch says Orsillo is one of the top five or six broadcasters in the country, and if fans really want to make a stink about NESN's decision they'd start complaining to network's sponsors.
"That said, people will still watch Red Sox games and Dave O'Brien will do a good job," he added. "But it's really just an infuriating day in Boston and in baseball broadcasting circles."
Deitsch also touches on the future of Jerry Remy, and Curt Schilling's recent suspension from ESPN:
