By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch

Responding to a Boston Herald “Track Gals” item from Wednesday, Red Sox radio voice, Jerry Trupiano, sounded both saddened and scorned during a Wednesday afternoon phone interview with Scott’s Shots.

“If they don’t want me back, than somebody should just tell me,” said Trupiano. “I’m frustrated to have to read about in the paper.”

Rumored for some time (as early as June, at this site), it appears nearly certain that Trupiano’s Sunday Sox-Orioles broadcast at 2:05 p.m., will be the sign-off on a 14-year association with the Red Sox and its radio broadcast partner, Entercom.

Contacted via email by Shots, Red Sox Executive Vice President/Public Affairs, Dr. Charles Steinberg (who was also quoted in the Track Gals story) said: “I have heard of no such decision, nor do I believe such a decision has been made. I believe it is Entercom [‘s decision], and we have the right to approve their choices.”

(Shots left a phone message and an email at the corporate website for Entercom’s Jason Wolfe, who, according to his voice mail, is out of the office until Thursday.)

Trupiano, who said the “Track Gals” never contacted him for their lead item, took some issue with the “spin” as he called it, being put on what appears to be an imminent change (and the entrance of Larry Lucchino favorite, Glenn Geffner) when the Sox move to WRKO 680 AM next season.

“They’re making it sound like I pursued something with the Cardinals or someone else. I haven’t,” said Trupiano. “The last time I talked to the Cardinals about anything, I was trying to get tickets at the old stadium for my sickly father.”

Trupiano also took issue with the paper’s mocking of his “Waaay Baaaack call,” noting that when WEEI does it, “it’s in good fun,” but also stating that everyone in his business misses calls sometimes. “I was listening on XM and heard Vin Scully miss one the other day – it happens,” said Trupiano. “If they’re (his empoyers) are unhappy with what I’ve been doing, I’ve never heard it from them. Be up front with me and I’ll be up front with you.”

According to Trupiano’s agent, Brad Blank (who also said he wasn’t contacted by the “Track Gals” for their story), the contract his client has with the Red Sox, technically expires February 1 (it is the final year of a three year deal that saw the Sox exercise two, one-year options, Blank said). Trupiano’s final broadcast, however, comes this Sunday, if the reports of Geffner joining Joe Castiglione as the radio voice of the Sox.

Blank, for his part, has heard nothing from the Red Sox since he popped his head into the Sox office of Mike Dee during an August, night game Blank attended. “I knocked on the doorframe, Mike was in the middle of something and I let him know where I was sitting and to see if he would come by and see me,” Blank said. “He didn’t and I haven’t heard from them.”

Acknowledging that the Sox are under no legal requirements to actually inform or discuss future radio plans with Trupiano, Blank did sense that the impersonal nature (and public leaks about Geffner) was starting to affect his client.

“From a human relations standpoint, it would seem that the Red Sox [or whoever is making the call] should be in touch with Jerry at the least. And maybe both of us,” said Blank, who also represents Sox’s NESN PBP man, Don Orsillo. “Jerry is such a good guy, he’s not self-absorbed by any means. I’m sympathetic to him on every level on this one.”

The situation has some similarities to the unceremonious dumping, a few years back, of former TV play-by-play man for TV38, Sean McDonough, a long-time broadcaster for the organization. McDonough, however, was likely dumped for being a bit too honest in his on-air assessments of the team, something no organization tolerates in abundance. Trupiano, on the other hand, has seemingly remained a fine “company man,” but has run into some criticism for his Waaaay Baaaack miscues.

“I’d love to finish my career here, but if I’m not asked back, than I will do what’s best for me and my family,” said Trupiano. “I’m not an egotist, but I also want people to know that I have not pursued any other jobs if that’s the spin being put on it. Absolutely not.”

Ever the dutiful representative, Blank added: “The St. Louis story is apocryphal, but if he is going to be out there looking for a job, who has a resume like Jerry Trupiano’s?”

. . . A nice interview with Troop here from a while ago.

. . . Trupiano claims that he and Castiglione are the longest running, continual radio partnership in the American Leagues (14 seasons). He also noted that he has had some great memories in Boston, of course, but also three “un-edited” major motion picture inclusions: “In ‘Fever Pitch’, ‘In the Bedroom’ and ‘Mystic River,’” he said.

. . . Asked if he has had any conversations with Geffner, Trupiano said: “I haven’t seen Glenn all year. Maybe once in the clubhouse, I think.”

Trupiano further stated he didn’t think the matter would be a topic of conversation with Castiglione once he arrived at the ballpark (Trupiano conducted the interview while driving to Fenway).

. . . The St. Louis rumor (a natural, given Trupiano’s from there) would seem sketchy at best. Mike Shannon is a legend in the area and John Rooney is completing his first season after leaving the World Champion White Sox for a chance to return to his home state.

. . . Trupiano, despite being in the booth for the call of the Sox Final Out of 2004, is not the VOICE of that particular moment; Castiglione has the call and has a deeper history in these parts. He celebrates Season 25 in ‘07, so there’s NO WAY the Sox can afford (PR-wise) to part ways - and they don’t want to anyway. Duke’s Dad (we give equal play to Duke’s Dad and Joe’s Kid) hasn’t quite reached the unlistenable level of Patriots Promoter, Gil Santos.

Stig stays, Troop treks and the Sox saunter onward.

. . . Oh, and this Terrell Owens thing: Are you kidding me? Has ESPN lost its damn mind?

Locally, adding some perspective to the story, Michael Smith did his Terrell thing from the VideoLink’s Watertown studios and once again showed how far he has come on-air.

• Kissing Suzy Kolber does a vicious (if not hilarious) takedown on Bill Simmons, The Boston Sports Guy, following a “marathon” Wednesday chat.

Some fantastic points and, let’s face it, we all need to line up on Whitlock’s side forever more. (I can confirm, through my exchanges with Simmons, what KSK suggests: Simmons does, to some extent, look down upon blogs and “gossip sites” like, perhaps, Deadspin and others (like the one Whitlock spilled to).

David Scott writes from a seaside shanty on the shores of Hull, Mass. And can be reached at shotsATbostonsportsmedDOTcom

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David Scott writes from a seaside shanty on the shores of Hull, Mass. And can be reached at shotsATbostonsportsmediaDOTcom