Jessica Mendoza will now be a permanent fixture on ESPN on Sunday nights. She will join fellow new hire Aaron Boone in replacing Curt Schilling and John Kruk. Schilling has been moved to Monday night and Kruk will be returning to Baseball Tonight. Dan Shulman will be returning as the play-by-play announcer.
The 35-year-old Mendoza had called just one MLB game in the booth six days earlier when she took over for the suspended Schilling on Aug. 30. Her performance earned rave reviews, and she stayed on Sunday nights for the rest of the season. Mendoza became the first female analyst to call a nationally televised MLB playoff game when she worked the AL wild-card matchup.
I’m sure most impartial observers will agree this is a great and much needed move. Both Kruk and Schilling were pretty terrible, although it’s interesting that Schilling is not getting booted permanently, just moved to a lower watched day and time. Schilling who has done just about everything in his power to get fired just can’t seem to get the axe from ESPN. Mendoza’s full time presence is a welcome addition to a broadcast that had grown very stale. In her limited trial, she brought a fresh perspective and insight that was badly needed. ESPN may actually be worth watching next year. On Sundays at least.
Fan Interference 
The Mendoza line just took a giant step upward.
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Ladies broadcasting baseball? It’s the end of civilization as we know it!
That’s a good thing.
On a slightly more serious note, I wonder if Schilling’s strident political posturing has made him more immune to dismissal rather than less.
I could make a case for that.
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“less secure”
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Indeed it may; I’d agree.
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In addition to his ESPN job, Dan Schulman will be returning to the booth for 30 or so Jays games on Sportsnet, joining his old broadcast-mate Buck Martinez and Pat Tabler.
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Never disliked Kruk. He’s a good version of ridiculous. But I’m happy with this and Mendoza did really really well at the end of last season.
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Mendoza and Boone do a solid job. But I think Curt Schilling is severely underrated as an analyst because of his political antics outside of broadcasting. I learn new things about baseball when he discusses the nuances of pitching.
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The problem with Schilling is that he states things as facts that are clearly untrue….and he does it all the time, even about things like pitcher stuff or pitching mechanics…essentially, he picks a narrative and then makes shit up to support it.
He also makes everyone else worse by 1) not shutting up enough, and 2) luring them (especially Kruk) into non-baseball discussions.
I don’t care about his business ventures or politics or anti-science attitudes…those things don’t make him unique. I care about his ability to enhance the game viewing experience…and he completely lacks that ability.
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Well, damn. He has a surefire career in politics if he does that.
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Depends. The lies you tell have to be lies other people want to hear….so, he’s going to have to be flexible.
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