During each of the last two seasons Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully has thrilled fans with the announcement he’d return the following year.
However, some of the excitement for this year’s announcement was tempered as Scully indicated the 2016 season, which will be his 67th season with the team, is likely to be his last.
As much as Scully has been synonymous with Dodgers baseball, he’s expressed confidence the franchise and fan base will move on just fine once he’s sailed off into the sunset.
For those holding out hope Scully perhaps would reverse his decision and return in 2017, that appears unlikely. The voice of the Dodgers prefers to walk away on his own terms rather than push the envelope in attempt to complete a 68th season, according to Steve Dilbeck of the LA Times:
“I really can’t see that I would come back,” Scully said. “Sooner or later, you have to be realistic. I’ve done it for a long, long time. I’ve done reasonably well at it. But I don’t want to stay on any longer than I feel I should. Which makes it a very tough decision, but I really do feel it would be time for me to walk away rather than have somebody say, ‘Gee, you know, you’re not the same. You’re not quite this, you’re not quite that.’ I don’t want that. So I think if I can get through next year doing reasonably well, it would be time then to walk away.”
Given that broadcasting games is all Scully has known throughout his career, he admits being fearful of what’s to come with retirement:
“If I stop to think about it — I’ll be very honest — I’m somewhat scared to death,” Scully said. “When you’ve run the same motor for all these years and suddenly turn it off, I know there will be a deafening silence. But I’ll just have to be fortunate having had a wonderful marriage. I’ll spend more time with Sandi, and God willing, with family and smell the roses.”
Scully missed the postseason after undergoing a recommended medical procedure. Three weeks after the surgery he offered a positive update on his health and said he’s very much looking forward to next season.
The Dodgers have not yet announced if Scully’s road schedule will be further reduced. They did add Joe Davis to the SportsNet LA television booth, with Davis slated to call 50 road games in 2017.
