NEW YORK _ ESPN won't assign Alex Rodriguez to cover the team he's trying to buy.
The Worldwide Leader said on a conference call that their "Sunday Night Baseball" analyst won't be broadcasting the Mets while he remains in a bidding war for the National League club.
"We don't want to put the team, Alex or Matt (Vasgersian, A-Rod's Sunday night play-by-play partner) in a difficult position," said ESPN senior VP Mark Gross on Thursday afternoon. Currently, the Mets have one game set for Rodriguez' usual slot, a July 26 against the Braves during baseball's pandemic-shortened opening weekend.
Chipper Jones will replace A-Rod during the game. The retired Braves legend owns the Mets in a different way. A career .309 hitter against the Mets during his 19-year career, Jones named his son, Shea, after the Queens stadium he made his second home.
ESPN experienced pushback over the last time one of its baseball broadcasters wore too many hats.
Back in January, former "Sunday Night Baseball" studio analyst (and Mets advisor) Jessica Mendoza slammed Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers for his role in exposing the Astros' 2017 illegal sign-stealing scandal, particularly because the veteran starter was with Houston while his teammates' trash-can banging helped secure a title.
The Astros fallout enveloped former Mets manager Carlos Beltran, who was Fiers teammate on the 2017 team and, for a brief period, Mendoza's co-worker. Beltran and the Mets couldn't withstand the blowback over his involvement in the team's cheating scheme, and he left the team that same month before managing a single game.
"I want to make extra clear that my advisor role with the team does not shape my opinion in any way, shape or form on this matter," Mendoza wrote. "I feel this way regardless of what teams, players or managers are involved."
