Andy Masur well-prepared to tackle next opportunity after season with White Sox
Major-league baseball can be a brutal business.
Most players are astute enough to know it's best to rent housing in their home cities. One bad season — actually even one bad stretch — can put them on the trade block or waiver wire.
As White Sox hitting coach Frank Menechino bluntly noted last week, people in his position are hired to be fired.
Managers probably have the least amount of job security. Just ask Rick Renteria, who was fired from the Cubs and Sox after guiding both Chicago clubs through challenging rebuilds.
Uniformed personnel aren't the only ones facing daily pressure to keep their jobs.
Major-league broadcasters also know they have keep their resumes at the ready, and that includes Andy Masur.
Len Kasper left the Cubs' TV booth last week and joined the Sox's radio team.
Given his high profile, most White Sox fans were thrilled with the surprising news. But with Kasper coming in, Masur was out after one COVID-19-shortened season doing Sox radio play-by-play with analyst Darrin Jackson.
“I hope White Sox fans share our excitement about covering an up-and-coming Sox team on a nightly basis,” Jackson said. “I miss former partner Ed Farmer every single day, really enjoyed last season with Andy Masur and am appreciative of how each helped seamlessly form a tandem. Now, I am looking forward to building a long-term bond with Len, Sox fans and all of our listeners.”
For Masur, a Glenview native and Maine East High School graduate, it's on to the next chapter.
Besides working for the White Sox the past three years — he filled in for Farmer (who passed away last April) and Jackson in 2018-19 — Masur spent seven seasons (2007-14) as the TV/radio voice of the San Diego Padres.
From 1999-2007, he was a part of the Cubs' radio network at 720-AM, working as the main pregame and postgame host while also filling in as play-by-play voice sitting alongside the late Ron Santo.
No matter where he lands next, Masur will always remember getting the opportunity to work with Santo and Farmer, two legendary voices.
He'll never forget Farmer's class when Masur was doing a Cubs interleague game against the White Sox with Santo.
“It was a hot summer day, and Ed kept coming over to the Cubs booth to check on Ron,” Masur said. “Ron was a diabetic, he lost both legs, and Ed went out of his way to come in and make sure Ron was taken care of. Drinks, food, air conditioning, making sure the right TV channel was on. It was something that was special to me and I'll always remember it.
“I first officially met Ed in 2018 and mentioned that day to him. I told him, 'I'll never forget the way you treated a guy I respected and loved.' He just kind of looked at me as if to say, 'That's just me. That's kind of how I operate.'”