Local NetworksMLBBy Jesse Pantuosco on

Dennis Eckersley, a fan favorite throughout his 20 years in the NESN broadcast booth, announced his retirement in 2022, enjoying an emotional sendoff last fall in his final game at Fenway Park.

“It was sad leaving. That was a great day for me, even though it was sad,” said Eckersley on Baseball Isn’t Boring, hosted by longtime Red Sox reporter Rob Bradford. “Because it wasn’t just the broadcasting. It was the end of 40 years [in baseball].”

Now eight months removed from his farewell tour, the Hall-of-Famer returned to Boston this past weekend and reflected on his career and life, admitting that while he doesn’t miss the daily grind, he still longs for the adrenaline rush that broadcasting gave him for so many years.

“I miss it. I miss being alive,” said Eckersley, one of just two pitchers in MLB history with both a 20-win and 50-save season. “But the other side of that is, I don’t. I guess that’s the way it’s going to be.”

Citing a desire to be closer to his home base in California, Eckersley made the difficult decision to leave NESN last year, prompting the network to replace him with a rotating team of analysts comprised of former players Kevin Youkilis, Will Middlebrooks, Kevin Millar, Tim Wakefield, and Lou Merloni. Eckersley’s departure came on the heels of Jerry Remy’s passing in 2021 following a 13-year cancer battle.

“It’s addictive,” said Eckersley of broadcasting. “I love to compete. I love to compete when I’m good at something.”

Known for his eccentric shorthand with popular catchphrases like “branch work” and “pair of shoes,” the former American League MVP was a true original, resonating with fans who appreciated his enthusiasm and unique perspective. Bradford may have put it best, describing Eckersley’s commentary as “what you would be saying to your buddy on the couch.”

Though he made it look easy, Eckersley acknowledges how hard it was to strike the right balance, giving unfiltered analysis without being perceived as overly critical.

“Getting behind a team and not being a homer and not being too critical. It’s a fine line because you’ve got to be honest,” said Eckersley, explaining his approach to calling games. “Part of you is like, I don’t have to be ‘on’ anymore. Sometimes, it’s like, I’m glad I didn’t have to talk about that.”

Eckersley has seen the sport evolve, almost beyond recognition, in recent years, working to accommodate a new generation of fans who—as products of the social media age—no longer have the attention span to sit through three and four-hour games. While purists might balk at gimmicks like pitch clocks and starting extra innings with a runner on second base, Eckersley actually prefers it, wholeheartedly endorsing baseball’s efforts to make the game more efficient.

“That’s how I was professionally anyway. I was in a hurry. That’s me in life. I have no patience, zero,” said Eckersley. “They used to call timeout. I would get pissed. Because my rhythm was everything. I was trying to paint, man. It’s like boom, boom, boom. So I like it.”

[Baseball Isn’t Boring]

About Jesse Pantuosco

Jesse Pantuosco joined Awful Announcing as a contributing writer in May 2023. He’s also written for Audacy and NBC Sports. A graduate of Syracuse’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a master’s degree in creative writing from Fairfield University, Pantuosco has won three Fantasy Sports Writers Association Awards. He lives in West Hartford, Connecticut and never misses a Red Sox, Celtics or Patriots game.

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