By David Scott
Boston Sports Media Watch

***UPDATED WITH O’BRIEN EMAIL***

A high level Red Sox staffer has confirmed to Scott’s Shots that ESPN’s Dave O’Brien will be announced as Joe Castiglione’s booth-mate replacement for Jerry Trupiano. The Sox (represented by COO Mike Dee) and Entercom (represented by Jason Wolfe) are holding a 2 p.m. teleconference to announce the choice of the 43-year-old O’Brien. (Shots will live-blog the teleconference beginning at 1:50 p.m.)

O’Brien in a 1:35 p.m. email to Shots also confirmed the deal, writing, “It’s all very exciting for this Quincy boy.”

The source and O’Brien also confirmed that Glenn Geffner, the Sox Vice President/Communications, will also have a role on the radio side. O’Brien said it will be a three-man booth, but that only two of the men will be on the air at any one time. We will attempt to gain come clarity on this during the teleconference.

O’Brien is a Boston native (born in Quincy, lived 12 years in Marshfield) and a Syracuse University graduate, who joined ESPN in 2002 after serving as the radio (and sometime TV) voice of the Florida Marlins from the team’s inaugural season of 1993 through 2001. It was during his time in Florida, where O’Brien likely became a favorite of then-Marlins owner John Henry.
Dave O'Brien

O’Brien has been working ESPN’s “Monday Night Baseball” broadcasts and this past summer made his debut as the Disney company’s soccer play-by-play voice, including lead responsibilities on the FIFA World Cup (with play-by-play man Marcelo Balboa). O’Brien has also, in recent years, worked the New York Mets TV package for WPIX, which earned a New York Emmy for its 2005 season coverage.

Also, according to his ESPN bio: “. . .In October 2002, (O’Brien) called ESPN-produced Division Series games on ABC Family. He has also provided commentary for Major League Baseball’s International coverage of the World Series since 2004. . .

“O’Brien worked for WSB-AM in Atlanta from 1987 to 1992. While there, he called play-by-play for University of Georgia basketball, was the school’s football pre-game host, was an evening talk show host and served as a morning and afternoon sports anchor. He was named sports director in 1989, and occasionally handled play-by-play on Atlanta Falcons broadcasts. He also did radio play-by-play on Atlanta Braves games in 1990 and ’91.

“. . .O’Brien received the Georgia Associated Press “Best Sports Play-by-Play” honor in 1988 and 1991 and the Achievements in Radio (A.I.R.) award for Best Play-by-Play for his call of Mark McGwire’s 59th home run in 1998. Also, O’Brien is the play-by-play voice of 3DO’s High Heat Major League Baseball on Playstation 2.”

O’Brien is represented by broadcasting agent Maury Gostfrand, who, up until recently had been with RLR Associates.

O’Brien will join Castiglione, who will be in his 25th year “behind the microphone” on Red Sox radio, during the 2007 season. Trupiano had been with the club for 14 years.

O’Brien’s name (and that of Geffner) will be added to a list of 44 other Red Sox broadcasters who have called Sox games on TV or Radio since 1926 (according to the Sox ’06 Media Guide and information provided to the team by John K. Moynahan, author of “50 Years at the Game, A Sport’s Traveler’s Journey”). The list includes legends like Ken Coleman, Curt Gowdy, Ned Martin, Dick Stockton and Mel Parnell.

. . . Castiglione has not worked with O’Brien, but there is one bit of symmetry we can report: both Joe’s son, Duke, and Dave O’Brien attended the same elementary school in Marshfield. O’Brien is, of course, about a decade older than Duke, who is 33.

. . . Stay tuned to Shots for the live-blog of the teleconference, beginning in about 20 minutes.