Philly Radio: Phillies Voice To Cutback On Broadcasts

Larry Anderson

The longtime Phillies radio announcer is reducing his role further, calling just 40 home weekend games at Citizens Bank Park alongside play-by-play announcer Scott Franzke. The Phillies will turn to four former players — Michael Bourn, Chad Durbin, Erik Kratz, and Kevin Stocker — to call the remaining 122 games during the regular season alongside Franzke, reports the Philly Inquirer.

During an interview on 94.1 WIP Wednesday afternoon, Andersen said he made the decision to pare back in part to spend more time with his family. But the Phillies voice also made it clear it wasn’t an easy choice, and that he didn’t want to be a distraction for a team he has a lot of optimism about heading into the season.

“Trust me, there’s been tears,” Andersen said. “It was hard to make the decision to do it. But I just felt like it was time. A lot of heartbreak, a lot of emotion when into this. It’s not something I took lightly.”

Andersen said most weeks, he’ll call the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday games that take place at Citizens Bank Park. While the longtime broadcaster will get some well-earned free time, the new arrangement will keep him around the team and the game he’s been a part of for more than a half century.

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“I want to be around the game. I didn’t want to cut ties with the ballclub — I’m still a huge fan,” Andersen said. “I’m still going to broadcast the same way. If I’m disappointed or the team’s not playing well, I’m going to call people out.”

Andersen joined the Phillies as a color commentator in 1998, replacing the late Richie Ashburn following his death in 1997. But Andersen’s relationship with the team dates back to 1983, his first of two stints pitching for the team during his 17-year MLB career.

“After 50 years in the game, Larry has decided that he would like to have more personal time to enjoy life outside of baseball,” Phillies executive vice president David Buck said in a statement, reiterating it was “a tough, emotional decision for Larry.”

Andersen called Phillies games on both radio and television during his first eight seasons with the team before moving exclusively to the radio in 2007. Over the years, he’s developed a well-earned reputation for telling fans what’s on his mind, and he’s unafraid to offer negative opinions about the team or its players.