Orsillo to broadcast for Padres

Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images

Ryan MacLeod (RyanMacLeod15)
Contributing Writer

It appears that San Diego has found their new Anchorman. That's right, move over Ron Burgundy and crew, Don Orsillo is taking over the play by play for the San Diego Padres for the 2016 season. The long time NESN announcer, Orsillo, will be taking over for Dick Enberg who has been the play by play announcer for the Padres since 2009.

Orsillo has been with the Red Sox organization calling games since 2001, but he got his start in Boston sports broadcasting much earlier than that. While studying communications at Northeastern University, Orsillo interned under Joe Castiglione, the radio broadcaster for the Red Sox. After college, Orsillo became the play by play announcer in the Minor Leagues for the New York Mets organization and moved up through their ranks. In 1996 he became the play by play announcer on the radio for the Pawtucket Red Sox and held that role through the 2000 season until he moved to television with NESN and was the play by play announcer for the Boston Red Sox.

Earlier this season NESN announced that Orsillo would not be returning in 2016 and that he would be replaced by Dave O'Brien from the Red Sox radio broadcast. Over the last few homestands Red Sox fans have had an outpouring of support for Orsillo, with no one leading the charge more than Jared Carrabis, who distributed paper heads of Orsillo to an entire section of Fenway Park during the final home game of the Red Sox season.

Orsillo will be missed in the homes of many New Englanders, and it will surely be strange for him to call the games from the booth next September 5-7th when the Red Sox visit Petco Park in San Diego. Orsillo has been a staple for fans for 15 years it is extremely sad to see you go Don.

While NESN may not stay classy, I'm sure with Don Orsillo in town you'll stay classy San Diego.