Last week, Bob and I speculated that Gregg Murphy might be reuniting with the Phillies in some way, shape, or form.

It was contained within the story about fill-in play-by-play radio guy Rob Brooks, and we wrote the following:

“One thing that was made clear to Crossing Broad is that the team’s broadcasting plans are not set in stone. According to this team official, the Phillies will consider various options as the season progresses, which would more or less confirm that Brooks has simply been asked to cover on a temporary basis while the situation is being sorted.

That could lead to a reunion with Gregg Murphy, if we’re speculating here. If we’re trying to locate the fire that is currently giving off smoke.

‘Murph,’ as you know, was the 20-year field reporter who worked for NBC Sports Philadelphia, but was let go in the wave of layoffs that also saw Serena Winters, Derrick Gunn, and others depart the network. Murphy, who is currently doing his own podcast, maintains a very strong relationship with the team, has an assigned seat in the press box, and would be a natural replacement for Jackson. In this instance, Murph would instead go on the Phillies’ payroll, whereas he was previously employed by NBCSP.”

Fast forward eight days and Matt Breen at the Inquirer is reporting the following:

“Gregg Murphy, the popular broadcaster whose ouster last summer was the cause of distress among Phillies fans, is returning to the broadcast booth.

Murphy is handling the pregame and postgame shows on the team’s radio broadcasts this season on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. He debuted Tuesday in between games of a doubleheader sweep in New York against the Mets. Murphy said he is working for the Phillies as a freelancer.”

Good to see Murph back in the fold, but it doesn’t address the 4th and 5th inning issue the team currently faces.* With respect to Brooks, who is not a professional baseball broadcaster, but instead the team’s Manager of Broadcasting, he’s been the recipient of significant negative feedback in this temporary role.

It would seem slightly odd that the Phillies parted ways with Jim Jackson as a cost-cutting measure, only to bring Murphy on as a freelancer and leave Brooks in this mid-innings radio role, but maybe there’s more to the story that we don’t know yet. Maybe the other shoe has yet to drop, as they say.


 

*I should point out that the 4th/5th inning reprieve only takes place at home. Scott Franzke does all nine innings during road games.