Lou Merloni is well known in New England having been a utility infielder with the Red Sox from 1998-2003. Lou also had stops in San Diego, Cleveland and Anaheim. After the 2007 season, Lou retired and joined WEEI in 2008 as a rotating host on The Big Show with Glenn Ordway. He did work on NESN’s Red Sox pre and post-game show last year, then switched to Comcast SportsNet in January of 2009.
Since then, Lou has become part of CSN’s “The Baseball Show“, which is also simulcast on WEEI. In the wake of the recent news of his re-signing with WEEI, I conducted an e-mail interview with Merloni and this is what transpired.
Fang’s Bites: You’ve been with WEEI for the last year. How has the experience been?
Lou Merloni: I’ve had a great time the last year at WEEI. I listened to the Show for years as a fan and then as a player. Talking to the fans, the heart of Red Sox nation, is never boring to say the least. It’s a great venue to be able to voice my opinions on whats going on in sports in the city of Boston.FB: What led you to agree to your new deal with WEEI?
LM: If was a tough week but in the end I decided that I wanted to stay at WEEI because I felt that it was the best place for me to continue to grow as an analyst. One of the big reasons was that if I decided to go to CBS and co-host along side of Michael Felger, I wouldn’t be able to go to the park anymore. The show would go from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. everyday. I love going in and seeing old teammates. It’s also the best way for me to get information on what’s happening with the club. I just didn’t want to give that up. A lot of people say that I’m crazy to give up such a great opportunity and maybe I am, but I’ve also only been in this business for over a year and maybe it just wasn’t the right time.FB: Without getting too much into specifics, how hard did CBS Radio try to lure you to 98.5 FM?
LM: I guess it’s safe to say that they tried pretty hard. I had some great conversations with them and to be honest with you I thought when it was presented to me, it was a no-brainer. But, like I said, it was a tough week. There was alot to think about. I thought that the show would have been a good one. I’ve worked with Felgy (soon to be afternoon drive host, Michael Felger) a lot the last few months and I think that he is very good at what he does. But in the end, WEEI really stepped up and showed me how much they wanted me to stay. I swear, I was going back and forth all week.FB: I don’t know if you heard the report that CBS Radio decided not to bring you on board with Michael Felger after hearing an audition tape. Can you respond to that?
LM: Yeah I heard that. I’m not sure who your source was but it doesn’t sound like anyone I was dealing with. CBS was pretty up front with me that they wanted me to be along side of Felgy. I would hope that they wouldn’t offer me a contract if they weren’t interested. I just laughed when I heard that. I didn’t want to fall into that trap. I have a lot of respect for the way everything was handled and for CBS and would like to keep it that way.FB: Now that you’re firmly with WEEI, is your role going to expand with the station and the website?
LM: I know that I’m going to be a lot more involved with the website. That’s something that I’m excited about. I think that Rob Bradford and Alex Speier are very good at what they do, work very hard and I am thrilled to be working with them. Their website is growing every day so it should be fun. As far as my role on the air, that’s still to be determined but there could be some opportunities where I can get more involved. If I could use the standard line, “I’m here to help the team, whatever they ask is fine with me”FB: Describe what it’s like being on the Big Show with Glenn Ordway and how much fun you have on the show.
LM: I don’t think that its a coincidence that Big O is as successful as he is. He is the best at what he does. I’ve been told that you can either know alot about a little or you should know a little about alot. I think that he knows alot about alot. If that makes sense. He keeps the show moving. There’s alot to learn from someone thats been as successful as he has been over his career. We just have alot of fun. Everyone asks me if its as fun as it sounds and it is. The guys behind the scenes really take the show to the next level. They have a pretty good formula. If its not broken, why fix it?FB: Let’s talk a bit about the Red Sox. Do you think it’s coincidence that the team seems to falter around the Trading Deadline?
LM: This is always a tough time of year for this club. They are always in on the biggest fish on the market. Guys in the clubhouse are left wondering what the team will look like August 1st. You could be the one traded or you could be the one who’s about to lose some playing time. It’s a very uneasy time of year for everyone.FB: You know what’s it like to be traded. Can you discuss what it’s like to leave a team where you feel you’re firmly entrenched for the season?
LM: Being traded is never an easy transition. You are usually a guy that is brought in to help improve the ballclub. With that comes a lot of pressure. You want to prove your worth as soon as possible. For me back in 2003, I was traded to San Diego at the end of Spring Training. That was tough because I joined them on opening day. I didn’t have time to get to know any of my new teammates. It was the National League where not many guys new me as a player. I put a lot of pressure on myself to show them that I could play and help them win. Just as I got comfortable, I got traded back to Boston where it was obviously a smoother transition. For one, I wasn’t brought in to make a big impact. I was what I was, a small piece, a utility guy to play once in awhile, plus I already knew everyone in the clubhouse and they knew me. It was easy.
FB: When you decided to retire from baseball, was broadcasting your first option or were there other fields you were looking at?
LM: I think it was the option I was most interested in. I had an opportunity to get back on the field as a manager in the minor leagues but I just really didn’t want to go back to the minors and drive around from town to town on a bus. I’ve done enough of that in my life. I also had an opportunity to work off the field, helping out the player development side. None of these opportunities, by the way, were with the Sox. In the end, I felt like this suited my lifestyle better.FB: When did you know it was time to hang up the spikes?
LM: I knew it was time to hang it up after the 2007 season. I had played all year in AAA Sacramento and that really took alot out of me. I got hit in the head by a pitch in Spring Training that year and I really never recovered. By the time I got my feet back underneath me, the year was over. But I’m lucky because not every athlete knows when its time. I did, and I have no regrets.FB: Last year, you did work at NESN, then moved to Comcast SportsNet this year and now your role there has expanded to the Baseball Show. Tell us what was behind your decision to move to CSN and are you enjoying your role there?
LM: I really enjoy my role at Comcast Sports Net. I’ve always explained it as a “casual approach to sports”. I think thats the best way to put it. We don’t talk about what guys did, we talk about why they did it. It also gives me a chance to talk about all sports at times.FB: I know with some ex-players, there’s the notion of once a player, always a player. Are you at the point where you feel you’re truly a broadcaster?
LM: I think I’ll always be an ex-player. I always hated listening to an ex-player talk about playing this game like it’s easy. It’s like they forgot how hard it is. I will never forget how hard this game is. If i ever lose that side of me, I’ll be just another voice talking sports in this market.
I want to thank Lou for taking the time to answer my questions. I hope to talk to him as we get closer to October.
