Report: New York Mets Settle on New Radio Play By Play Team

The New York Mets have moved from WOR to WCBS for the foreseeable future, and that change means a new radio broadcast team. Howie Rose is already returning as the play by play man, but his most recent partner, Josh Lewin, moved on to work for the San Diego Padres’ radio team, leaving an opening on the mic. That opening will be filled by a familiar face as Wayne Randazzo, who had been doing pre and post game coverage for the Mets on WOR, will now work besides Rose on a full time basis, Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports.

Randazzo will only receive a one year deal at the start (compared to Rose’s multi-year deal) as the Mets want to evaluate how the pairing of Rose and Randazzo works on a full time basis. Entercom VP Mark Chernoff, who also oversees the New York Yankees’ radio broadcasts on sister station WFAN, and Mets’ owner Jeff Wilpon will be the ones in charge of deciding Randazzo’s future with the franchise after 2019. This is nothing new in terms of operating structure for the Entercom operation as Lewin operated on numerous one year deals when the Mets were on WFAN. Lewin eventually received a multi-year deal after the Mets moved to WOR.

Randazzo’s move to the booth full time creates an opening in his previous role of pre and post game host, and that job will also be filled by a familiar face. WFAN’s Ed Coleman, the long time Mets’ beat reporter who had been mulling retirement, has decided to stay on and assume that post again for the 2019 season. The Mets had used Coleman in that capacity when they broadcast games on WFAN, and the 70 year old is expected to work 120-130 games this year. WCBS AM morning sports anchor Brad Heller is expected to fill in for Coleman for the rest of the slate.

An interesting note from Marchand’s article is the fact that the Mets will bring in guest play by play men to fill in when Rose or Randazzo is off. These fill ins will essentially be auditioning for 2019 to see if they work better on the broadcast than Randazzo, who is on his prove it deal. Chernoff could also be looking to keep an eye on the future for his Yankees’ broadcasts as well since current play by play voice John Sterling is 80 years old. Sterling has given no inclination that he plans to retire any time soon, but the station is wise to put together a list of potential replacements for the day that he does decide to step down.