Color commentator excited to be back covering Red Sox
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
BOSTON -- As familiar a sight at Fenway Park the last two decades as the Green Monster, popular color commentator Jerry Remy resumed his perch in the NESN broadcast booth for Friday night's Red Sox-Yankees game.
Remy took a leave of absence on May 6 to fully recover from the effects of lung cancer surgery. Last week, he confirmed that a bout with depression had prolonged his return.
After easing his way back in by sitting in the booth for a half-inning for the Aug. 12 game -- during which he received a boisterous ovation from the Fenway faithful -- Remy was convinced that he was ready to come back.
"That helped tremendously, because for the longest period of time, I didn't want any part of the ballpark," Remy said. "I just didn't want to come in here, because it brought me down, more than anything else. The last week, I felt better. I felt like I wanted to get in here. It was kind of a trial run, just to see some people and get back here. It did help a lot, it really did. I made up my mind after that day that this would be the day I was going to try to do it."
It's just that Remy never envisioned the type of butterflies he would have running through him as he drove back to work on Friday. It was probably something he hadn't felt since his days as a player.
"I was nervous this morning," Remy said. "I had the kind of feeling this morning, as [if] I was coming in like a player to play on Opening Day. It was very strange. It wasn't a comfortable day for me. But I feel more comfortable since I've been here."
The Red Sox were happy to see Remy back to work. He has always been a presence in the clubhouse and has traveled with the team throughout his 21 years in the booth.
"We're obviously very excited," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "Hopefully nobody more than me. I missed him."
"It will definitely be good to hear his voice sitting in the clubhouse before I go out there [to the bullpen]," said Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. "He's been great. He's been one of the great guys for our Red Sox team. Hopefully he'll bring a little more luck when he comes back to us."
Remy, at least for now, will work on a part-time basis.
"We're going to kind of roll with it," said Remy. "I intend on doing all the home games and I think the road is a question. There's only two road trips left and I don't know if that would be the right thing for me to do at this stage. But you know, we'll see what happens. I could come in and do this week and feel entirely different and be ready to go on the road. I don't know. But the plan right now is to do the home games."
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
BOSTON -- As familiar a sight at Fenway Park the last two decades as the Green Monster, popular color commentator Jerry Remy resumed his perch in the NESN broadcast booth for Friday night's Red Sox-Yankees game.
Remy took a leave of absence on May 6 to fully recover from the effects of lung cancer surgery. Last week, he confirmed that a bout with depression had prolonged his return.
After easing his way back in by sitting in the booth for a half-inning for the Aug. 12 game -- during which he received a boisterous ovation from the Fenway faithful -- Remy was convinced that he was ready to come back.
"That helped tremendously, because for the longest period of time, I didn't want any part of the ballpark," Remy said. "I just didn't want to come in here, because it brought me down, more than anything else. The last week, I felt better. I felt like I wanted to get in here. It was kind of a trial run, just to see some people and get back here. It did help a lot, it really did. I made up my mind after that day that this would be the day I was going to try to do it."
It's just that Remy never envisioned the type of butterflies he would have running through him as he drove back to work on Friday. It was probably something he hadn't felt since his days as a player.
"I was nervous this morning," Remy said. "I had the kind of feeling this morning, as [if] I was coming in like a player to play on Opening Day. It was very strange. It wasn't a comfortable day for me. But I feel more comfortable since I've been here."
The Red Sox were happy to see Remy back to work. He has always been a presence in the clubhouse and has traveled with the team throughout his 21 years in the booth.
"We're obviously very excited," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "Hopefully nobody more than me. I missed him."
"It will definitely be good to hear his voice sitting in the clubhouse before I go out there [to the bullpen]," said Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. "He's been great. He's been one of the great guys for our Red Sox team. Hopefully he'll bring a little more luck when he comes back to us."
Remy, at least for now, will work on a part-time basis.
"We're going to kind of roll with it," said Remy. "I intend on doing all the home games and I think the road is a question. There's only two road trips left and I don't know if that would be the right thing for me to do at this stage. But you know, we'll see what happens. I could come in and do this week and feel entirely different and be ready to go on the road. I don't know. But the plan right now is to do the home games."
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