Legendary Los Angeles Dodgers Spanish-language broadcaster Jaime Jarrín announced he will retire after the 2022 season, which will mark his 64th year in the broadcast booth.
Furthermore, Jarrín will only be on the call for Dodgers home games next year. Trimming his broadcast schedule represents the first step toward getting to spend more time with family.
“When you reach my age, you have to change your priorities. Up to now my priority was baseball first, family second. Now it will be family first, Dodgers second,” Jarrín explained. “Not because I don’t love the Dodgers, not because I don’t love baseball. I love the Dodgers because they have been so good to me.
“When I told them I was thinking of leaving, they told me stay one more year so they could give me bye-byes. I said you don’t have to do that but I will stay for home games and then I will cut my 64 years of vacation. Doing baseball has been a vacation for me, not work.
“I want to spend some time with my sons, travel a lot and go from there. And I hope the Dodgers can win another World Series. That would be great. It has been a great ride for me.”
In addition to outlining his future plans, Jarrín took the opportunity to thank everyone who helped him and made an impact on his career.
“I know you have questions to ask, but before anything, I would like to pay tribute to people that played a very important part in my professional career with the Dodgers. First and foremost, Vin Scully. Vin has been a very good friend of mine, he has been my mentor, my teacher, my friend, everything,” Jarrín said.
“I don’t have the words to thank for Vin for everything he has done on my behalf. Also, I would like to pay tribute to Walter O’Malley, Peter O’Malley, the late Tommy Lasorda, Lon Rosen, Dave Roberts, Stan Kasten and Mark Walter. Those people have really played an important part in my time with the Dodgers.
“I also want to mention good friends of mine who have been working with me for many, many years. Pepe Yñiguez and Fernando Valenzuela. It has been my pleasure to help them in the booth and share experiences with them. I have had many, many experiences. It would be very difficult to pick one or two most important, but let me tell you it’s been a great ride with the Dodgers.”
Scully wishes Jarrín well
After Jarrín announced his retirement,Vin Scully took to Twitter to congratulate Jarrín on an excellent career and wished him well as he transitions to retirement.
Similar to Jarrín, Scully announced his retirement in 2016 after 67 years with the Dodgers and he has been finding ways to enjoy his life outside the booth.
The start of 2021 was difficult for Scully as his wife, Sandi, passed away after a long battle with ALS. He also mourned the losses of former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda and Atlanta Braves legend Hank Aaron.
Losing three people in a short amount of time can be difficult for anyone to handle, but it especially is encouraging Scully has been able to maintain an optimistic outlook.
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