In a perfect world, Vin Scully would be the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers forever. But Scully is 87 and human, and eventually, it will be time for Dodger baseball with someone else behind the mic. We have no idea who will take over, and when the change will be made, but Scully is willing to mentor a successor, just like he was mentored by the legendary Red Barber.
Steve Dilbeck of the LA Times talked with Scully about possibly mentoring a broadcaster, something mentioned a week ago by Giants radio broadcaster Jon Miller.
Scully said he had actually once made a recommendation for such a role, but the unnamed broadcaster received an attractive national offer and had a wife who seemed less than eager to move to Los Angeles.
And though careful to say choosing his eventual successor would not be up to him, but to the team, he’s also not keen on eventually retiring without the Dodgers having a successor in mind.
“I would hope something would be developed for the future,” Scully said. “I wouldn’t want to leave them in the lurch.”
I don’t think the Dodgers would be looking for an experienced hand, like road PBP man Charley Steiner, to succeed Scully as their voice. In fact, I really have no idea who Scully would end up mentoring. When he took over as the every day broadcaster for the Dodgers at the start of the 1954 season, Scully was just 26-years old. You don’t see many major league broadcasters break in at that age anymore, and I think it would be a great change of pace in this day and age. Why not replace Scully with a broadcaster of his choice rather than a familiar national name?
[LA Times]
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