Since becoming the New York Mets play-by-play announcer for Fox Sports New York in 1996, broadcaster Howie Rose has been synonymous with the organization.
Rose spent eight years on TV before replacing iconic announcer Bob Murphy on WFAN Radio for the 2004 season. Rose remained the lead radio voice through the team’s move from WFAN to WOR and later move from WOR to WCBS where they remain to this day.
The 70-year-old play-by-play man cut his schedule down from 162 games to 125 after being diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2022.
This week, Rose told Newsday that he planned to cut back his schedule even further this season, expecting to call around 100 games in a decision he jokingly referred to as “load management.”
Rose praised his bosses and the Mets for allowing another cutback, saying, “In deference to the difficulties inherent in traveling now, and my desire to keep going for at least the near term, everybody’s been just great in pretty much letting me plot my own schedule out.”
Rose plans to call every Mets home game, in addition to the two at Yankee Stadium, and select National League East road games. His broadcasting partner, Keith Raad, will call games with Pat McCarthy when Rose isn’t available.
The veteran broadcaster also made it clear that if the team finds itself in a playoff race, he’ll be on the call for every game.
“Obviously, if they get to the postseason, I don’t care if they’re playing in Timbuktu, I’m doing those games,” Rose declared.
[Newsday]
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