August 31, 2024 • 33 mins
Ever wondered how delivering leftover pizzas could be the stepping stone to a successful broadcasting career? Our guest, Jeff Dooley, shares his remarkable journey from the concession stands at McCoy Stadium to becoming the voice of the Hartford Yardgoats and University of Hartford's basketball teams on ESPN+. Jeff's story is a masterclass in leveraging small opportunities and the power of persistence, filled with delightful anecdotes like his early days networking in the Pawtucket Red Sox press box.
Imagine the sheer thrill of calling Major League Baseball games for the Rockies radio network in Philadelphia. Jeff takes us on an exhilarating ride through his career, from the memorable talent waves he witnessed with the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Twins organization, to his role with the Rockies' affiliate, where he closely followed the development of stars like Trevor Story. As his professional relationships grew, so did his team loyalties, showing how personal growth and connections shape career trajectories in unexpected ways.
Balancing the demanding lifestyle of a minor league broadcaster with family life is no small feat. Jeff opens up about the challenges of extensive travel, the unwavering support of his spouse, and the year-round responsibilities with the Yardgoats. We also get a peek into his wintertime outlet of college basketball broadcasting. From being named Connecticut Sports Caster of the Year to seeing plays featured on ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10, Jeff's career highlights are as inspiring as they are diverse. Join us for an episode that showcases the highs, challenges, and serendipitous moments of a life dedicated to sports broadcasting.
***My apologies to Jeff Dooley, as my internet went out and I lost the last few minutes of his interview.
Follow Jeff Dooley on X (formerly Twitter) @JeffDools
To follow the Hartford Yard Goats online: www.milb.com/hartford
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Scott (00:00):
The guest today is Jeff Dooley.
Jeff is the lead play-by-playannouncer for the Hartford
Yardgoats, the AA affiliate ofthe Colorado Rockies.
When he's not calling home runs, Jeff also is the voice for the
University of Hartford's men'sand women's basketball teams on
ESPN+.
Jeff's highlight calls havebeen featured on ESPN
SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays ofthe Day and the Mike and Mike
Show, as well as the MLB Network.
(00:21):
Baseball America has evenselected the Yardgoats as having
the best broadcast in all ofMILB.
Jeff Dooley, welcome to CarneySaves the World.
Jeff Dooley (00:36):
Oh, Carney, it's so great to see you.
Scott, Thanks for having me on.
I was so excited.
I love talking to people thatI've obviously crossed paths
with before, and it was justpretty cool to get the email
from you.
And thanks for having me on.
Scott (00:44):
So jeff and I we worked in a concession stands at mccoy
stadium in college summers so Iwas watching a minor league game
on uh mlb network with my wifeand I heard this voice that
sounds a lot like jeff dooley.
I'm like, wait a minute, Ithink he wasn't broadcast.
That can't be jeff dooley.
And then you did your reading.
I was like it is jeff JeffD'Olive.
I said bullshit, you don't knowthat guy.
(01:05):
Right, right.
I'm like I swear to God, she'slike you know everybody.
That's where the whole theCardi Saves the World show title
comes from.
She doesn't believe anything Isay.
Every time I say something,she's like oh sure you're going.
Jeff Dooley (01:25):
I know when you left, I was working in the pizza
stand and it's funny becausewhen I talk to kids that want to
get into broadcasting I'm like,all right, let me tell you
about me.
I was like I was selling pizzaand I was working in burger
stands and rolling tarp on thefield and just anything that I
could do, you know, to talk topeople that might eventually
have a shot to hire me.
I'm always like you know whatyou want to be a broadcaster
(01:47):
that maybe get your start doingsomething where you're inside
the ballpark.
And yeah, you know, it's kindof cool how it all worked out.
Scott (01:53):
You would make these runs up to the press box.
We'd see you up in the pressbox like talking to people and
getting in there, and that's howyou got your start right there
at McCoy State in the PawtucketRed Sox press box.
Jeff Dooley (02:02):
Yeah yeah, really it was.
You know that definitely openedsome doors for me, for sure I
would.
You know I had the ability to.
When I went to school, everyoneknew I was doing broadcasting
and you know.
So the PR guy, bill Wallace atthe time, would write a pass and
I would go down and ChrisParent would let me in the
clubhouse.
And you know, I actually justsaw Chris, the former Paw Sox
clubby he was just at aYardgoats game last week.
(02:23):
So we still keep in touch andeverything.
And you know I would go in and Iwould secure these interviews
for my sports show.
But you know, when I was alittle bit older in college,
like junior senior year, I would, I would actually the pizzas at
the end of the night, theleftovers, instead of throwing
things out.
I would always make sure I went, you know, got them into the
press box so I could talk to thebroadcasters about their
(02:43):
careers and how they get started, meet the writers and things
like that.
So, yeah, that was, that was ahuge influence on my career and
that was really the first timethat I met professional athletes
and, you know, realized that ifI wanted to do this for a
living someday, this would be agood way to get going and you
know having those earlyconversations with some of these
ballplayers and you knowrealizing that, wow, they're
(03:09):
actually pretty cool and niceand talk to you and you know,
before they became famous, and Ithink that definitely had a big
influence on wanting to do thisfor a career.
Scott (03:13):
Yeah, that's such a great way to get in there and I mean
we saw so many crazy things whenwe were there.
You mentioned we were off micabout seeing the players come in
and come out and then the tarprolls.
Every time it was a rain delaywe'd get out there and push the
tarp around the field and it wasjust such a fun time yeah, it
was a fun spot.
Jeff Dooley (03:29):
It was fun and you know the friends that you make
and the connections and it, likeI said, it was cool getting an
email from you wanting toreconnect because, uh, you know,
I was often wondering what youwere doing and you know so many
others that that I had a chanceto work with there.
But it was definitely fun forsure.
I always recommend people toyou know, hey, if you want a
spot to go meet some people andfeel like there's a job that's
(03:51):
maybe not work or, you know,maybe work for a few hours and,
you know, getting to make somelifelong connections, minor
league baseball is a good spot,for sure.
Scott (04:00):
Absolutely is.
So.
You go to college forbroadcasting, you have a sports
show at college I remember thattoo and you graduate.
Then what happens?
Jeff Dooley (04:14):
So I graduated in 95 from St Joseph, maine and I
went to that school knowing thatI could get on and be a
broadcaster my freshman year.
So now it's kind of like, allright, you got your demo but
you're sending stuff everywhereand I always wanted to work in
baseball.
So I was sending to like allthe rookie league teams and the
eight ball teams.
But I actually put together acontract with Bryant University.
So that was my first job I got.
Bryant was a division two team.
They were Bryant College at thetime.
(04:35):
They played in the Northeast 10.
And I put together their radiocontract to get them on the air.
So that was kind of my firststep in.
Okay, I'm going to do this andactually get paid for it.
And I was kind of the liaisonbetween the radio station and
the university and we did apackage of.
It was probably 30 games or so,35 games men's and women's
(04:55):
basketball.
The radio station liked itbecause they made some money,
you know, in the school itself.
Obviously they were on, youknow.
So that was, you know, kind ofpromoting not only the programs
but their school.
So I had the opportunity to dothat and then changed over to
Brown University.
I was doing games for Brown andthat was a collection of like
(05:18):
men's and women's basketball andhockey and I did that for a few
years.
And then I actually went tosomeone that I worked with, the
Paw Sox.
Actually we took a like a minorleague little tour of New
England and we went down to NewHaven and then we went to New
Britain and I was really kind offell in love with the ballpark
in New Britain it was.
It was new, it was it built in96 and this was 97 and at the
(05:41):
time they did not have afull-time radio deal.
So I talked to the generalmanager, who obviously knew the
people in Pawtucket as well, sothey could kind of vouch for me,
and I said, listen, I know Ican get you guys a full-time
radio deal.
I said I did this for adivision two basketball team.
There's no reason why a doubleA team should not be on the
radio.
So I kind of like it.
(06:01):
Brian Scott, I did what I didwith New Britain and I went to
the radio station, got the twotogether, put together a
contract and now I said, well,listen, I want to be the
broadcaster, but I feel I canalso be an asset to the team.
I could sell sponsorships.
I could do X, y and Z.
I want to broadcast the games,but I think you can utilize me
in other areas.
(06:21):
If not, I'm going to have to gowork and serve fast food or
work at a bar during the day andthen do the games at night, and
they're like no, we definitelycan utilize you.
So I essentially created a fulltime job for myself.
Yeah, you know, and that's kindof how it got together.
And you know I've been thereever since.
We spent 18 years in NewBritain and then the team was
sold.
I'm on my third ownership groupand these guys are phenomenal.
(06:44):
And back in 2015, we got itapproved, where they basically
built a $100 million stadium forus in downtown Hartford, which
is a beautiful ballpark,four-time ballpark of the year,
and now that's our home and werebranded from the Rockettes to
the Hartford Yard Goats.
So that's kind of my littlebehind behind the scenes story
(07:04):
and how I got there.
You know it's been a greatplace to work.
That's awesome.
Scott (07:07):
You just hustled and made it yourself.
That's fantastic.
Congrats, man.
Speaking about the ballpark, Ilooked it up.
That is an absolute gorgeousballpark Was it.
Jeff Dooley (07:16):
Duncan Park.
Yeah, duncan Park.
Yeah, we're very fortunate,scott, I heard it and it's
absolutely true.
It's more of a tiny, tiny, tinymajor league park as opposed to
like a big, big minor leaguepark, a small major league park
as opposed to a gigantic minorleague park.
It holds about 6,000, 7,000people it's 360, so you can walk
around the whole thing.
(07:36):
It's like we have a party for6,000 people every night.
Every 10 feet there's aconcession stand, a beer stand,
a souvenir spot to grab somemerchandise.
But we do well, because I thinkthe park is so cool.
It's right in downtown.
So we're getting the collegekids, we're getting the early
20-something, we're getting theprofessionals that come in and
(07:56):
you know they'll use this as astarting point.
You know, have a couple ofdrinks, watch the game and then
kind of wander downtown afterthe game.
So watch the game and then kindof wander downtown after the
game.
So it's been really, reallygood since we moved in 2017.
We have live goats in theoutfield, out in center field.
You can't go a couple of feetwithout seeing a beer stand or
concessions or souvenirs.
So we make sure that you knowthe fans are fed well, and we
(08:18):
were nominated and won actuallyfour times the AA Park of the
Year best ballpark in thecountry.
So it's cool, it's a great vibeto be downtown.
Scott (08:27):
We don't have our hometown Pawtucket Red Sox
anymore, so disappointing andsad.
Jeff Dooley (08:32):
It is, and you know when that happened, we got a
bunch of fans that came down andthey're like yeah, we're coming
to Yardgoats games.
It's a little bit longer of adrive, but we're coming and we
said come on here.
I said, trust me, I know, Iworked there for years.
Scott (08:44):
It's a shame what happened there, but we're always
welcoming new Yardgoat fans, sothat's good Nice, you know you
said that they started out as aRed Sox organization, then they
went to the Twins, then they goto the Rockies.
Was that a hard transition foryou to have new organization?
Jeff Dooley (08:59):
Yeah, that's a great question, and probably me,
scott, more than anyone else inthe organization, because I'm
the one that deals with theplayers and you know, for the
most part, you know some uppermanagement does as well.
They'll deal with the farmdirectors and you know the
general managers of teams andstuff, but I would say it was
the biggest change for me.
Now, that being said, we knewheading into the season that,
(09:20):
okay, this is the change, nowthat we're now moving away from
the Minnesota Twins, we're goingto be the Colorado Rockies.
So I had to do a ton ofresearch and really learn the
history, the organization, theplayers and getting to new, new
coaches and things like that.
So, but yeah, now we've beentogether for I believe this is
year eight with the ColoradoRockies, maybe in year nine, and
(09:41):
it's been a great relationship.
That's awesome.
You know, one of my dreams hasalways been to broadcast Major
League Baseball and you know theRockies called me up last year.
I get to do a couple of gamesfor the Rockies radio network in
Philadelphia.
That's something that you know.
It's just.
Yeah, you talk about doing itand making as a player or
broadcast and broadcaster, andyou know it's always been
(10:02):
something that I wanted to doand, you know, when I got that
text from them saying that theywanted to know my availability,
I, you know, had one of thosethings where you read it you
know 10 times to see ifsomeone's messing with you or
not.
But it was pretty cool to be inPhiladelphia, you know, with
45,000 fans.
You know it was certainlysomething that, yeah, kind of a
dream come true for sure.
Scott (10:22):
That's so wild, that's so amazing.
Is there anybody coming off theRed Sox, the Twins, the Rockies
?
Is there anybody that reallystuck out in your head over
those years and now has made itand you're just like man, he's
just a good guy.
Jeff Dooley (10:34):
Yeah, I mean there's been a ton.
I mean my first team, my 98team, so 98 was the first.
I left Pawtucket after the 97team.
I wanted to really leave for 97, but there were some changes in
the front office and they wereactually doing their 25th
anniversary.
So you know the general manager, lou Schweckheimer at the time,
(10:55):
who actually just passed awayrecently.
He said listen, we know youwant to broadcast, but you could
do us a huge favor if youwanted to do our 25th
anniversary team and stay, andyou know work in the ticket
office.
Wow, so I did.
I stayed for the 97 season, butI knew 98, I had to get away
and I had to go do this.
You know be the play-by-playguy somewhere.
So, yeah, that 98 team wasloaded.
I think there were scott, Ithink there were 15 major league
(11:16):
guys on the team.
Wow, doug mckavich was one ofthe big ones.
Mckavich obviously is famousfor he caught the last out when
the Red Sox won the World Series.
So yeah, doug was with us in 98.
He was a really good player,probably the best in the league
and the captain of the team.
So he was our first baseman.
Christian Guzman was theshortstop, aj Pruszynski was the
catcher on that team.
The outfield had Torrey Hunterwas in center, a Gold Glove
(11:39):
Award winner.
Jock Jones was in right, chadAllen was in left, joe Mays was
on that pitching staff, jcRomero I mean, the team was
loaded.
So that was the first wave oftalent that came through.
Then, in 2001, was the nextwave and that was Justin Morneau
who won American League.
Mvp.
Michael Kadir had a long run inthe big leagues.
(12:00):
He was that second wave andthen the third wave of talent
with the twins came in in in2003.
And that's what Joe Maurer andJoe obviously just going into
the hall of fame.
So and let me tell you, joe's abetter person that he isn't a
player and he's a pretty goodplayer, obviously to be in
Cooperstown.
So there are some really goodones.
And then you know, as you know,those guys graduated, new
(12:22):
players came in with, like MattGarza and you know, kyle Gibson
who's still pitching in the bigleagues.
And then you know we make thetransition to Colorado and you
know that last year of newBritain we actually were a
Rockies affiliate Trevor storyNow with the red Sox, he was, he
was a, he was a new Britainrock cat that last year and it's
so funny to me because I wentup to fenway because the rockies
(12:45):
were in boston and he had justbeen called up, yeah, as a rocky
, and like he, he comes up to mebefore the game, he's like
duels, this is crazy.
Like pinch me, like I'm gonnaplay at fenway tonight, you know
.
And now he's like this.
You know he was a rookie thenhe was like pinch me.
Now he's like the red soxshortstop, which is when I was
telling all my red sox fanfriends that you know, I'm like
(13:06):
well, just so, you know, yeah,when he was a rocky, he was like
so nervous to have his firstgame at fenway.
Now he's starting shortstop.
So so, yeah, he was pretty good.
And then you know, thetransition to duncan park and
hartford with with, uh, you know, uh, ryan mcmahon, who just
made the All-Star team this year, and Brendan Rodgers, who was a
Gold Glove Award winner.
(13:26):
So, yeah, there's some reallygood ones, but top of the list
is probably Joe Maurer, justbecause of the fact that he went
to the Hall of Fame this year,and he's just a great person.
Scott (13:37):
That's awesome, that's great.
You grew up in New England,rhode Island.
Is it hard to transition fromRed Sox fan to Yardgoats fan?
Or you know, in the differentorganizations I had Major League
umpire Trip Gibson on and Iasked him that and he said well,
I had my allegiances kind ofsplit, you know, growing up
because he grew up in Kentucky.
But for us, we grew up in RhodeIsland, we worked for the
(13:59):
Kentucky Red Sox, we're diehardRed Sox fans.
Is that hard to change from orare you still a Red?
Jeff Dooley (14:03):
Sox fan.
No, I've changed.
I've changed.
The job has definitely changedme for sure.
I'll be honest.
First of all, your paycheckright, you got to have
allegiance to the paycheck.
I'm sure too, yes, no-transcriptto listen, but they're like oh,
(14:40):
no, we can tell by your mode,like if you know time, and then
you make that transition.
Then you meet the Twins peopleand you know, you know the
general manager and you know theassistant general manager, and
then you go to Minnesota for aplayoff game and they make you
feel like you're part of themand they bring you into their
offices and they ask youquestions and even though they
may, you know, not use anythingthat you said, they're still hey
(15:00):
, jeff, tell me about this guy,like, what's your thoughts on
this guy?
And I'm like, well, you guysare the evaluators and they're
like, yeah, but you see themplay a lot more than we do, and
I'm like so again, I don't knowif they're using the information
, but it makes you feel goodthat they asked.
So it was a great relationshipwith the twins and you get to
know their players and you know,you're on the bus rides with
(15:22):
them, you know, arriving at aplace, a hotel, at four in the
morning and you want to makesure that you know that they're
settled in and you hear thestories about their and you get
to meet their families and youknow their families come up to
you and you know cause.
You're kind of the connectionbetween the player and cause.
None of these kids are reallyfrom the area, they're from all
over the world now.
So you meet their families andthey talk about like hey, you're
(15:44):
the connection between me andmy son, you know.
So that is cool to hear.
But I thought the biggest thingwas when the Red Sox won the
World Series in 2004 for thefirst time.
I was so happy for so manypeople that I knew like my
family were like you know theywere just so excited that it
happened, that I knew like myfamily were like you know, they
(16:05):
were just so excited that ithappened.
But for me I didn't feel like Iwould have felt 10 years before
when I before I worked for thetwins.
So it definitely changed mewith being in the business and
working, you know, from foranother organization Not
everybody that I work with forthe Yardgoats.
I mean, we're a minor leagueteam, we're a affiliate of the
Rockies.
Like I said I'm more close tothe Rockies organization than
some of the others.
But we have Red Sox fans, wehave Yankee fans.
(16:27):
You know we have some Mets fanstoo, that we a lot of work
there.
But overall it was.
You know, I've kind of changedwith the job and and I thought I
would feel differently, likewhen the Red Sox won that World
Series and I was just, I wasmore happy for because I mean
when the Red Sox lost in 86, Ididn't go to school for five
(16:47):
days.
I cried.
I think you know that's great.
Scott (16:52):
So you mentioned the travel aspect of it.
So you travel with the team andyou were in that crazy travel
schedule as well.
Jeff Dooley (16:58):
Yeah, so I travel, so we do all the broadcasts.
Yeah, so I travel, so we do allthe broadcasts.
Yeah, so we do.
It's 142 games for a millionyears and I think they trimmed a
couple.
I think it's 138 now.
Yeah, so we're all over theplace.
The Eastern League is a bustravel and now with the new
changes with Major LeagueBaseball, with Minor League
Baseball, we basically go to aMonday's, a travel day or off
(17:21):
day.
The series begins on Tuesday.
You play Tuesday through Sundayand then come back home and
then they're off on Monday.
So they're trying to make itlike a little bit easier on the
players, because that, at theend of the day, is what it's all
about in development.
Scott (17:34):
And today is Monday.
We're recording on Monday.
Is this your off day, or is orthis is an off day, but are you
traveling as well?
Jeff Dooley (17:39):
No, so we're back home.
So we've traveled to NewHampshire.
We played the Fisher Cats up inManchester, new Hampshire,
yesterday, the weekend.
So sometimes I'll drive.
If it's close Like, I'll driveto New Hampshire, I'll usually
drive.
It's nice to have the carPortland.
Once in a while I'll drive, butmost of the time I'll just hop
on the bus.
You know that way, after thelast game on a Sunday I could
(18:01):
just sleep on the way back.
But yeah, it's a full bus league.
So the Eastern League goes asfar north as Portland, maine, as
far south as Richmond, virginiaRichmond Braves used to be a
AAA team for years and as farwest as Akron, ohio.
So, speaking of the travel,like the Yardgoats clinched the
playoffs, so we'll have aplayoff game in September, a
(18:22):
playoff series it's a best ofthree.
Oh, but we finish this seasonin akron, ohio and a bus, so
we're gonna have to travel fromakron, ohio.
And if the season were to endtoday, we'd be playing the red
sox affiliate portland, so we'dhave to travel from ohio to
maine.
Yeah, so that's, and get readyfor a playoff game.
So that travel is not going tobe great.
(18:42):
Yeah, on a bus.
I mean, I don't know, theymight want to fly the guys for
that one, just because it'sabout a 15-hour trip.
But I'm thinking, why are weever ending?
And it's a night game, no less,in Akron.
You know it doesn't make muchsense.
Scott (18:56):
Oh, that's brutal.
That's brutal, mm-hmm.
I didn't realize that this isyour one-off day and away from
your family so much during thesummertime.
I really appreciate your timehere.
You got how many kids?
Two kids, I think.
Jeff Dooley (19:10):
So two boys, yeah, two boys, joe and Ryan.
And Joe's just left to go backto college.
He's a junior at the Universityof Hartford.
Yeah, so he's a pitcher, he'son the baseball team.
So the kids kind of grew uparound it.
So, yeah, as you know, scott,like it's a lot of hours, it's,
you're all over the place andstuff, but there are definitely
some benefits to with the kids.
So they've got to.
(19:30):
They've got to meet some prettycool people over the years.
You know, before they werefamous and you know that's
amazing.
That's fun when they kind oftalk about that.
And then Ryan is, he's abaseball player too.
He's going into his junior yearin high school, yeah so.
And Marnie's super mom she'slike you know has to get
everything done while I'm goingthrough this crazy schedule and
(19:50):
everything.
So it's but it's.
Yeah, it's nice in the fall,though.
It's nice when you know we'reback home and you know, and
everything is kind of.
You know, I still work for theYardgoats full time, so I do.
I'm on the sponsorship salesteam too, so we'll do all that
stuff, you know, once we put theseason in bed and kind of get
ready for the next year.
Scott (20:10):
Wow, so you work full time with them off season as
well yeah, oh yeah.
Jeff Dooley (20:14):
So I, I go to the ballpark every day, yep, I um, I
go in and in the off season,starting like in the end of
september, and then we'll do, uh, major league baseball kind of
change the meetings to the fallmeetings now they're in
charlotte actually this year, sothat's in october.
So I'll go down to that for aweek and then we'll come back
and then it's basically, uh, youknow, get into the sponsorship
(20:35):
sales stuff.
I'll do that that from October,even sometimes late September
With the playoffs.
It'll be hard this year, butOctober, right through March,
then my role changes.
Really it's crazy to transitionbecause most of the sponsorship
team stays on and they'll sellright through the summer months
with me.
Once we get to spring training,like around mid-March, I'm like
(20:58):
all baseball mode, so like I'llgo to Scottsdale, arizona for
spring training for a week, wedo a show, get together with the
coaches, we'll try to figureout kind of what's you know
happening with the team, andthen once we get into the season
, it's all you know, it's allbaseball and media as well.
So we do a lot of stuff withour media, you know, and I kind
of lead that, charge stuff, soyeah, and then in the wintertime
(21:21):
too I do college basketball atthe University of Hartford, so
I've done that for a while now,so that's been fun too.
That kind of keeps my little,gives me my broadcast fix in the
wintertime.
Scott (21:30):
God, what are you working like?
16 hour days in the wintertime?
Jeff Dooley (21:33):
Yeah, it's not really work, though for the
basketball.
I mean I just show up,basically hit a button and I'm
on really yeah, yeah.
No, I mean there's obviouslysome prep work and stuff like
that, but it's uh, it's not likethe lifestyle of the baseball
for sure definitely a very busyschedule so a couple things.
Scott (21:50):
I saw that you are in 2015.
You were selected as theconnecticut sports caster of the
year.
That's, how did that come about?
Jeff Dooley (21:58):
Yeah, that was fun, that was really cool to get.
It's basically there's acommittee of peers that were on
and yeah, they voted me.
So again, it was one of thosethings where I was like, is this
real or not?
Why would they pick me?
And it was awesome.
It was actually down in NorthCarolina, so it got to go down
to Charlotte, no-transcript, sowe're at dinner and you know and
(22:46):
we all.
It was cool, we got a chance togo up and we got our trophy and
everything is the as the localguys.
And then chris berman spoke infront of everyone and then chris
in his speech recognized,recognized Dom and I as the
Connecticut and he's like, hey,I want to recognize two guys
from my state where I live, youknow, Jeff Dooley, dom Morey,
and then he worked a yard goatjoke in there too.
But it was really, really coolthat you know for Chris Berman,
(23:09):
who's, like I said, one of themaybe the top ESPN guy in the
history of the network.
You know, to mention us the daythat he's getting the national
award was really really cool.
So it was fun time it was.
It was cool that you go downthere and they, they really make
it feel like a million bucksyou know for for the few days
that you're down there with thehotel and you know they bring
you around town and they havethe dinner, and then you get to
(23:30):
network with other broadcasters,you meet some young ones coming
up, so it's definitely a funcouple of days.
I was honored, obviously, towin that.
That's so cool.
Scott (23:41):
You've been on SportsCenter Top 10 Plays and
Mike and Mike shows and MLBTonight.
Does someone tell you thatyou're going to be on there, or
do you just have to find out?
Or how do you know that you'reon there?
Jeff Dooley (23:53):
Yeah, well, I just found out.
It's funny you bring that up,because last homestand last
Friday yeah, actually Saturdaynight, it was the number one
play on ESPN SportsCenter.
Our first baseman, kyle Datras,made an unbelievable catch.
He was running full speed andhe flipped over, he basically
did a somersault into theopposing dugout, got and his
(24:15):
like hands were out like wethought he knocked himself out.
And he was like, look, becauseit was a guy at third base
looking to tag, so we thought hewas going to throw home and it
was just, it was an unbelievableplay.
So it was actually number oneon sports center that night.
And then the next morning itgot bumped to number two because
patrick mahomes threw it behindthe pass uh, touchdown-pass,
(24:36):
touchdown to Travis Kelsey in afootball game.
But I was like, ah, that's fine, number one, number two, that
still works.
But so, yeah, I knew it wasprobably going to be a top-ten
play, but I don't think we'vehad number one before.
And then it was the first timeI had a call at number one on
ESPN.
That was cool.
In fact we've had a handfulthat have been in the top 10.
And yeah, the the MLB networkstuff was, um, that was really
(25:00):
cool because so that's when Iwent to the major leagues and
you know it was, you know it's.
Obviously it was a cool storyfor them that you know 25 years
in the minor leagues and he'sfinally getting his major league
call up.
When I was filling in um forJack Corrigan, I did the game
with the one of the voices ofthe Rockies, sherry Schemmel,
and really you know, honestly,scott, I just wanted to go there
(25:21):
and do the game and not screwit up, right, I didn't need all
the publicity and you know, andI get that.
And it was cool because one ofthe local TV stations called me
there like, listen, jeff, likeour news director wants us to go
with you for this.
And I only told them I'm doingthis if I get your blessing and
(25:43):
I said, listen, I reallyappreciate that.
But I said, guys, if I show upwith a news crew, like they're
never asking me to come backagain, you know what I mean.
Scott (25:47):
I'm like I'm done, I brought my own crew, yeah yeah.
Jeff Dooley (25:52):
So I was, like I said Honestly, it means the
world, thank them, thank thenews people and I and I
understand, like I said honestly, it means the world Thank them,
thank the news people and I andI understand like it's.
They're like this is way abovesports, like this is.
They want it to be a news story.
I'm like no, no, we're good.
So you know, I'm doing the gameand I'm doing the broadcast and
having the time of my life andit's a good game.
And about the sixth inning Igot a text message from the
(26:13):
Rockies PR guy and he's like hey, mlb network wants to know if
you'll go on quick pitch withthem, like right after the game.
And again I'm like Whoa, Idon't want to.
I don't need it for me.
Like I'm, trust me, I'm alreadyin, like La La Land doing the
game.
I said this is the, this is thebest.
But I said if you want me to dothis interview and it's good
(26:33):
for the Rockies and you thinkit's good for me, or whatever
I'm in, I'll do it.
And they're like we think itwould be good for the Rockies
and you if you do it.
So I'm like all right, I'm in.
So this is funny stuff.
Cause I'm like all right, howdoes this work?
Right, like are they going tosend me a zoom link?
Or you know, I have no idea.
And so the MLB network guy,when the game ends, just go to
(26:55):
the Phillies dugout when thegame ends, and there'll be like
four guys ready for you.
And I'm like, oh, so that's howit works up here there's no
zoom link.
So so I did, I went down and,uh, that was really cool, cause
a lot nobody knew I was going tobe on, cause I didn't really
(27:15):
have a chance to tell mlbtonight, and a bunch of people
like happened to see it.
They're like, oh, and they andthey played some calls and stuff
.
So it was, it was really cool,that's awesome congrats.
Scott (27:24):
That's so cool.
Oh, like dream recognized, likeit's amazing.
So you've also had some crazythings go on with with
broadcasting, like in my league,baseball had uh, did you get a
season canceled because of COVID?
Jeff Dooley (27:36):
We did, yeah yeah, we lost the 2020 season, yeah
yeah, yeah With COVID and then.
And then we came back and evenin 2021, that was even more 2020
sucked because there wasnothing, you know, there was
just there was no baseball therewas.
There was, there was nothing.
You know, the only good thingwas it was for the first time I
could see all my kids' gamesbecause they were playing.
You know, I think my oldest wasdoing Legion, my youngest was
(27:59):
just going out to the BigDiamond, so I get to see them
play every night.
I never did that before.
So that was awesome that I gotto do that.
But it was hard not having, youknow, not working that summer.
And then in 2021, it was reallystrange because basically, it
was coming out of COVID and wehad to keep getting tested and
(28:21):
you really, they didn't reallywant you around the players, so
there was like a little bit of adistance thing.
Like, I mean, we did learn somecool things out of there.
We, we could have our managertext lineups and I didn't have
to go down and get it.
So a lot of that stuffselfishly.
Uh, we still do today, which isawesome, but you know, it was
just a little bit weird, like Ididn't get to know that team as
(28:42):
well as as I got to know some ofthe other ones, just because we
kind of limited our time, like,even though I was allowed, so
they had different tiers of youraccess and I did get all access
but I still felt like man.
The last thing I need to do istest positive for COVID and we
have to miss a series because Igave it to the team so I would
try to keep my distance.
You know best I could.
Scott (29:03):
So I was looking up the team and Bobby Meacham, former
Yankees player, is the Yardgoatsmanager.
So you must meet all kinds ofold timer baseball players as
well.
Jeff Dooley (29:11):
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah, meacham has been great.
You know, I think he's the.
You know he's got that oldschool mentality because he
played in college in the late70s at San Diego State and then,
obviously you know, played fiveyears in New York with the
Yankees.
He was the Yankees startingshortstop and he's got great
stories about playing for BillyMartin.
Scott (29:31):
Well, jeff, I know you have a hard stop.
I want to thank you so much foryour time.
This was great.
I wish we'd do a whole seriesof these.
I'm sure you have 100 billionstories and it's just awesome to
catch up with you.
I'm so happy for you.
You're always such a good guyand I'm really happy for you.
Absolutely, my friend.
I'm so happy for you.
Thank you again for being on.
Folks, he's down next weekAgain.
(29:53):
Thank you again, jeff, it'sagain.
Uh, thank you again, jeff.
It's been great and uh, takecare of my friend.
Oh, hold on one second.
I'm losing again.
What is going on with theinternet?
Can you hear me now?
That has never happened to me.
This is episode 19.
This has never happened.
This is awful.
This has never happened.
My internet keeps cutting outand everything's all messed up,
(30:13):
and I'm on the podcast with aprofessional broadcaster.
I'm disgusted with myself,disgusted God.
This is so embarrassing.
Jeff Dooley (30:23):
Hey, come on, you knew me way before I was any
sort of announcer, okay.
The guest today is Jeff Dooley.
Jeff is the lead play-by-playannouncer for the Hartford
Yardgoats, the AA affiliate ofthe Colorado Rockies.
When he's not calling home runs, Jeff also is the voice for the
University of Hartford's men'sand women's basketball teams on
ESPN+.
Jeff's highlight calls havebeen featured on ESPN
SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays ofthe Day and the Mike and Mike
Show, as well as the MLB Network.
(00:21):
Baseball America has evenselected the Yardgoats as having
the best broadcast in all ofMILB.
Jeff Dooley, welcome to CarneySaves the World.
Jeff Dooley (00:36):
Oh, Carney, it's so great to see you.
Scott, Thanks for having me on.
I was so excited.
I love talking to people thatI've obviously crossed paths
with before, and it was justpretty cool to get the email
from you.
And thanks for having me on.
Scott (00:44):
So jeff and I we worked in a concession stands at mccoy
stadium in college summers so Iwas watching a minor league game
on uh mlb network with my wifeand I heard this voice that
sounds a lot like jeff dooley.
I'm like, wait a minute, Ithink he wasn't broadcast.
That can't be jeff dooley.
And then you did your reading.
I was like it is jeff JeffD'Olive.
I said bullshit, you don't knowthat guy.
(01:05):
Right, right.
I'm like I swear to God, she'slike you know everybody.
That's where the whole theCardi Saves the World show title
comes from.
She doesn't believe anything Isay.
Every time I say something,she's like oh sure you're going.
Jeff Dooley (01:25):
I know when you left, I was working in the pizza
stand and it's funny becausewhen I talk to kids that want to
get into broadcasting I'm like,all right, let me tell you
about me.
I was like I was selling pizzaand I was working in burger
stands and rolling tarp on thefield and just anything that I
could do, you know, to talk topeople that might eventually
have a shot to hire me.
I'm always like you know whatyou want to be a broadcaster
(01:47):
that maybe get your start doingsomething where you're inside
the ballpark.
And yeah, you know, it's kindof cool how it all worked out.
Scott (01:53):
You would make these runs up to the press box.
We'd see you up in the pressbox like talking to people and
getting in there, and that's howyou got your start right there
at McCoy State in the PawtucketRed Sox press box.
Jeff Dooley (02:02):
Yeah yeah, really it was.
You know that definitely openedsome doors for me, for sure I
would.
You know I had the ability to.
When I went to school, everyoneknew I was doing broadcasting
and you know.
So the PR guy, bill Wallace atthe time, would write a pass and
I would go down and ChrisParent would let me in the
clubhouse.
And you know, I actually justsaw Chris, the former Paw Sox
clubby he was just at aYardgoats game last week.
(02:23):
So we still keep in touch andeverything.
And you know I would go in and Iwould secure these interviews
for my sports show.
But you know, when I was alittle bit older in college,
like junior senior year, I would, I would actually the pizzas at
the end of the night, theleftovers, instead of throwing
things out.
I would always make sure I went, you know, got them into the
press box so I could talk to thebroadcasters about their
(02:43):
careers and how they get started, meet the writers and things
like that.
So, yeah, that was, that was ahuge influence on my career and
that was really the first timethat I met professional athletes
and, you know, realized that ifI wanted to do this for a
living someday, this would be agood way to get going and you
know having those earlyconversations with some of these
ballplayers and you knowrealizing that, wow, they're
(03:09):
actually pretty cool and niceand talk to you and you know,
before they became famous, and Ithink that definitely had a big
influence on wanting to do thisfor a career.
Scott (03:13):
Yeah, that's such a great way to get in there and I mean
we saw so many crazy things whenwe were there.
You mentioned we were off micabout seeing the players come in
and come out and then the tarprolls.
Every time it was a rain delaywe'd get out there and push the
tarp around the field and it wasjust such a fun time yeah, it
was a fun spot.
Jeff Dooley (03:29):
It was fun and you know the friends that you make
and the connections and it, likeI said, it was cool getting an
email from you wanting toreconnect because, uh, you know,
I was often wondering what youwere doing and you know so many
others that that I had a chanceto work with there.
But it was definitely fun forsure.
I always recommend people toyou know, hey, if you want a
spot to go meet some people andfeel like there's a job that's
(03:51):
maybe not work or, you know,maybe work for a few hours and,
you know, getting to make somelifelong connections, minor
league baseball is a good spot,for sure.
Scott (04:00):
Absolutely is.
So.
You go to college forbroadcasting, you have a sports
show at college I remember thattoo and you graduate.
Then what happens?
Jeff Dooley (04:14):
So I graduated in 95 from St Joseph, maine and I
went to that school knowing thatI could get on and be a
broadcaster my freshman year.
So now it's kind of like, allright, you got your demo but
you're sending stuff everywhereand I always wanted to work in
baseball.
So I was sending to like allthe rookie league teams and the
eight ball teams.
But I actually put together acontract with Bryant University.
So that was my first job I got.
Bryant was a division two team.
They were Bryant College at thetime.
(04:35):
They played in the Northeast 10.
And I put together their radiocontract to get them on the air.
So that was kind of my firststep in.
Okay, I'm going to do this andactually get paid for it.
And I was kind of the liaisonbetween the radio station and
the university and we did apackage of.
It was probably 30 games or so,35 games men's and women's
(04:55):
basketball.
The radio station liked itbecause they made some money,
you know, in the school itself.
Obviously they were on, youknow.
So that was, you know, kind ofpromoting not only the programs
but their school.
So I had the opportunity to dothat and then changed over to
Brown University.
I was doing games for Brown andthat was a collection of like
(05:18):
men's and women's basketball andhockey and I did that for a few
years.
And then I actually went tosomeone that I worked with, the
Paw Sox.
Actually we took a like a minorleague little tour of New
England and we went down to NewHaven and then we went to New
Britain and I was really kind offell in love with the ballpark
in New Britain it was.
It was new, it was it built in96 and this was 97 and at the
(05:41):
time they did not have afull-time radio deal.
So I talked to the generalmanager, who obviously knew the
people in Pawtucket as well, sothey could kind of vouch for me,
and I said, listen, I know Ican get you guys a full-time
radio deal.
I said I did this for adivision two basketball team.
There's no reason why a doubleA team should not be on the
radio.
So I kind of like it.
(06:01):
Brian Scott, I did what I didwith New Britain and I went to
the radio station, got the twotogether, put together a
contract and now I said, well,listen, I want to be the
broadcaster, but I feel I canalso be an asset to the team.
I could sell sponsorships.
I could do X, y and Z.
I want to broadcast the games,but I think you can utilize me
in other areas.
(06:21):
If not, I'm going to have to gowork and serve fast food or
work at a bar during the day andthen do the games at night, and
they're like no, we definitelycan utilize you.
So I essentially created a fulltime job for myself.
Yeah, you know, and that's kindof how it got together.
And you know I've been thereever since.
We spent 18 years in NewBritain and then the team was
sold.
I'm on my third ownership groupand these guys are phenomenal.
(06:44):
And back in 2015, we got itapproved, where they basically
built a $100 million stadium forus in downtown Hartford, which
is a beautiful ballpark,four-time ballpark of the year,
and now that's our home and werebranded from the Rockettes to
the Hartford Yard Goats.
So that's kind of my littlebehind behind the scenes story
(07:04):
and how I got there.
You know it's been a greatplace to work.
That's awesome.
Scott (07:07):
You just hustled and made it yourself.
That's fantastic.
Congrats, man.
Speaking about the ballpark, Ilooked it up.
That is an absolute gorgeousballpark Was it.
Jeff Dooley (07:16):
Duncan Park.
Yeah, duncan Park.
Yeah, we're very fortunate,scott, I heard it and it's
absolutely true.
It's more of a tiny, tiny, tinymajor league park as opposed to
like a big, big minor leaguepark, a small major league park
as opposed to a gigantic minorleague park.
It holds about 6,000, 7,000people it's 360, so you can walk
around the whole thing.
(07:36):
It's like we have a party for6,000 people every night.
Every 10 feet there's aconcession stand, a beer stand,
a souvenir spot to grab somemerchandise.
But we do well, because I thinkthe park is so cool.
It's right in downtown.
So we're getting the collegekids, we're getting the early
20-something, we're getting theprofessionals that come in and
(07:56):
you know they'll use this as astarting point.
You know, have a couple ofdrinks, watch the game and then
kind of wander downtown afterthe game.
So watch the game and then kindof wander downtown after the
game.
So it's been really, reallygood since we moved in 2017.
We have live goats in theoutfield, out in center field.
You can't go a couple of feetwithout seeing a beer stand or
concessions or souvenirs.
So we make sure that you knowthe fans are fed well, and we
(08:18):
were nominated and won actuallyfour times the AA Park of the
Year best ballpark in thecountry.
So it's cool, it's a great vibeto be downtown.
Scott (08:27):
We don't have our hometown Pawtucket Red Sox
anymore, so disappointing andsad.
Jeff Dooley (08:32):
It is, and you know when that happened, we got a
bunch of fans that came down andthey're like yeah, we're coming
to Yardgoats games.
It's a little bit longer of adrive, but we're coming and we
said come on here.
I said, trust me, I know, Iworked there for years.
Scott (08:44):
It's a shame what happened there, but we're always
welcoming new Yardgoat fans, sothat's good Nice, you know you
said that they started out as aRed Sox organization, then they
went to the Twins, then they goto the Rockies.
Was that a hard transition foryou to have new organization?
Jeff Dooley (08:59):
Yeah, that's a great question, and probably me,
scott, more than anyone else inthe organization, because I'm
the one that deals with theplayers and you know, for the
most part, you know some uppermanagement does as well.
They'll deal with the farmdirectors and you know the
general managers of teams andstuff, but I would say it was
the biggest change for me.
Now, that being said, we knewheading into the season that,
(09:20):
okay, this is the change, nowthat we're now moving away from
the Minnesota Twins, we're goingto be the Colorado Rockies.
So I had to do a ton ofresearch and really learn the
history, the organization, theplayers and getting to new, new
coaches and things like that.
So, but yeah, now we've beentogether for I believe this is
year eight with the ColoradoRockies, maybe in year nine, and
(09:41):
it's been a great relationship.
That's awesome.
You know, one of my dreams hasalways been to broadcast Major
League Baseball and you know theRockies called me up last year.
I get to do a couple of gamesfor the Rockies radio network in
Philadelphia.
That's something that you know.
It's just.
Yeah, you talk about doing itand making as a player or
broadcast and broadcaster, andyou know it's always been
(10:02):
something that I wanted to doand, you know, when I got that
text from them saying that theywanted to know my availability,
I, you know, had one of thosethings where you read it you
know 10 times to see ifsomeone's messing with you or
not.
But it was pretty cool to be inPhiladelphia, you know, with
45,000 fans.
You know it was certainlysomething that, yeah, kind of a
dream come true for sure.
Scott (10:22):
That's so wild, that's so amazing.
Is there anybody coming off theRed Sox, the Twins, the Rockies
?
Is there anybody that reallystuck out in your head over
those years and now has made itand you're just like man, he's
just a good guy.
Jeff Dooley (10:34):
Yeah, I mean there's been a ton.
I mean my first team, my 98team, so 98 was the first.
I left Pawtucket after the 97team.
I wanted to really leave for 97, but there were some changes in
the front office and they wereactually doing their 25th
anniversary.
So you know the general manager, lou Schweckheimer at the time,
(10:55):
who actually just passed awayrecently.
He said listen, we know youwant to broadcast, but you could
do us a huge favor if youwanted to do our 25th
anniversary team and stay, andyou know work in the ticket
office.
Wow, so I did.
I stayed for the 97 season, butI knew 98, I had to get away
and I had to go do this.
You know be the play-by-playguy somewhere.
So, yeah, that 98 team wasloaded.
I think there were scott, Ithink there were 15 major league
(11:16):
guys on the team.
Wow, doug mckavich was one ofthe big ones.
Mckavich obviously is famousfor he caught the last out when
the Red Sox won the World Series.
So yeah, doug was with us in 98.
He was a really good player,probably the best in the league
and the captain of the team.
So he was our first baseman.
Christian Guzman was theshortstop, aj Pruszynski was the
catcher on that team.
The outfield had Torrey Hunterwas in center, a Gold Glove
(11:39):
Award winner.
Jock Jones was in right, chadAllen was in left, joe Mays was
on that pitching staff, jcRomero I mean, the team was
loaded.
So that was the first wave oftalent that came through.
Then, in 2001, was the nextwave and that was Justin Morneau
who won American League.
Mvp.
Michael Kadir had a long run inthe big leagues.
(12:00):
He was that second wave andthen the third wave of talent
with the twins came in in in2003.
And that's what Joe Maurer andJoe obviously just going into
the hall of fame.
So and let me tell you, joe's abetter person that he isn't a
player and he's a pretty goodplayer, obviously to be in
Cooperstown.
So there are some really goodones.
And then you know, as you know,those guys graduated, new
(12:22):
players came in with, like MattGarza and you know, kyle Gibson
who's still pitching in the bigleagues.
And then you know we make thetransition to Colorado and you
know that last year of newBritain we actually were a
Rockies affiliate Trevor storyNow with the red Sox, he was, he
was a, he was a new Britainrock cat that last year and it's
so funny to me because I wentup to fenway because the rockies
(12:45):
were in boston and he had justbeen called up, yeah, as a rocky
, and like he, he comes up to mebefore the game, he's like
duels, this is crazy.
Like pinch me, like I'm gonnaplay at fenway tonight, you know
.
And now he's like this.
You know he was a rookie thenhe was like pinch me.
Now he's like the red soxshortstop, which is when I was
telling all my red sox fanfriends that you know, I'm like
(13:06):
well, just so, you know, yeah,when he was a rocky, he was like
so nervous to have his firstgame at fenway.
Now he's starting shortstop.
So so, yeah, he was pretty good.
And then you know, thetransition to duncan park and
hartford with with, uh, you know, uh, ryan mcmahon, who just
made the All-Star team this year, and Brendan Rodgers, who was a
Gold Glove Award winner.
(13:26):
So, yeah, there's some reallygood ones, but top of the list
is probably Joe Maurer, justbecause of the fact that he went
to the Hall of Fame this year,and he's just a great person.
Scott (13:37):
That's awesome, that's great.
You grew up in New England,rhode Island.
Is it hard to transition fromRed Sox fan to Yardgoats fan?
Or you know, in the differentorganizations I had Major League
umpire Trip Gibson on and Iasked him that and he said well,
I had my allegiances kind ofsplit, you know, growing up
because he grew up in Kentucky.
But for us, we grew up in RhodeIsland, we worked for the
(13:59):
Kentucky Red Sox, we're diehardRed Sox fans.
Is that hard to change from orare you still a Red?
Jeff Dooley (14:03):
Sox fan.
No, I've changed.
I've changed.
The job has definitely changedme for sure.
I'll be honest.
First of all, your paycheckright, you got to have
allegiance to the paycheck.
I'm sure too, yes, no-transcriptto listen, but they're like oh,
(14:40):
no, we can tell by your mode,like if you know time, and then
you make that transition.
Then you meet the Twins peopleand you know, you know the
general manager and you know theassistant general manager, and
then you go to Minnesota for aplayoff game and they make you
feel like you're part of themand they bring you into their
offices and they ask youquestions and even though they
may, you know, not use anythingthat you said, they're still hey
(15:00):
, jeff, tell me about this guy,like, what's your thoughts on
this guy?
And I'm like, well, you guysare the evaluators and they're
like, yeah, but you see themplay a lot more than we do, and
I'm like so again, I don't knowif they're using the information
, but it makes you feel goodthat they asked.
So it was a great relationshipwith the twins and you get to
know their players and you know,you're on the bus rides with
(15:22):
them, you know, arriving at aplace, a hotel, at four in the
morning and you want to makesure that you know that they're
settled in and you hear thestories about their and you get
to meet their families and youknow their families come up to
you and you know cause.
You're kind of the connectionbetween the player and cause.
None of these kids are reallyfrom the area, they're from all
over the world now.
So you meet their families andthey talk about like hey, you're
(15:44):
the connection between me andmy son, you know.
So that is cool to hear.
But I thought the biggest thingwas when the Red Sox won the
World Series in 2004 for thefirst time.
I was so happy for so manypeople that I knew like my
family were like you know theywere just so excited that it
happened, that I knew like myfamily were like you know, they
(16:05):
were just so excited that ithappened.
But for me I didn't feel like Iwould have felt 10 years before
when I before I worked for thetwins.
So it definitely changed mewith being in the business and
working, you know, from foranother organization Not
everybody that I work with forthe Yardgoats.
I mean, we're a minor leagueteam, we're a affiliate of the
Rockies.
Like I said I'm more close tothe Rockies organization than
some of the others.
But we have Red Sox fans, wehave Yankee fans.
(16:27):
You know we have some Mets fanstoo, that we a lot of work
there.
But overall it was.
You know, I've kind of changedwith the job and and I thought I
would feel differently, likewhen the Red Sox won that World
Series and I was just, I wasmore happy for because I mean
when the Red Sox lost in 86, Ididn't go to school for five
(16:47):
days.
I cried.
I think you know that's great.
Scott (16:52):
So you mentioned the travel aspect of it.
So you travel with the team andyou were in that crazy travel
schedule as well.
Jeff Dooley (16:58):
Yeah, so I travel, so we do all the broadcasts.
Yeah, so I travel, so we do allthe broadcasts.
Yeah, so we do.
It's 142 games for a millionyears and I think they trimmed a
couple.
I think it's 138 now.
Yeah, so we're all over theplace.
The Eastern League is a bustravel and now with the new
changes with Major LeagueBaseball, with Minor League
Baseball, we basically go to aMonday's, a travel day or off
(17:21):
day.
The series begins on Tuesday.
You play Tuesday through Sundayand then come back home and
then they're off on Monday.
So they're trying to make itlike a little bit easier on the
players, because that, at theend of the day, is what it's all
about in development.
Scott (17:34):
And today is Monday.
We're recording on Monday.
Is this your off day, or is orthis is an off day, but are you
traveling as well?
Jeff Dooley (17:39):
No, so we're back home.
So we've traveled to NewHampshire.
We played the Fisher Cats up inManchester, new Hampshire,
yesterday, the weekend.
So sometimes I'll drive.
If it's close Like, I'll driveto New Hampshire, I'll usually
drive.
It's nice to have the carPortland.
Once in a while I'll drive, butmost of the time I'll just hop
on the bus.
You know that way, after thelast game on a Sunday I could
(18:01):
just sleep on the way back.
But yeah, it's a full bus league.
So the Eastern League goes asfar north as Portland, maine, as
far south as Richmond, virginiaRichmond Braves used to be a
AAA team for years and as farwest as Akron, ohio.
So, speaking of the travel,like the Yardgoats clinched the
playoffs, so we'll have aplayoff game in September, a
(18:22):
playoff series it's a best ofthree.
Oh, but we finish this seasonin akron, ohio and a bus, so
we're gonna have to travel fromakron, ohio.
And if the season were to endtoday, we'd be playing the red
sox affiliate portland, so we'dhave to travel from ohio to
maine.
Yeah, so that's, and get readyfor a playoff game.
So that travel is not going tobe great.
(18:42):
Yeah, on a bus.
I mean, I don't know, theymight want to fly the guys for
that one, just because it'sabout a 15-hour trip.
But I'm thinking, why are weever ending?
And it's a night game, no less,in Akron.
You know it doesn't make muchsense.
Scott (18:56):
Oh, that's brutal.
That's brutal, mm-hmm.
I didn't realize that this isyour one-off day and away from
your family so much during thesummertime.
I really appreciate your timehere.
You got how many kids?
Two kids, I think.
Jeff Dooley (19:10):
So two boys, yeah, two boys, joe and Ryan.
And Joe's just left to go backto college.
He's a junior at the Universityof Hartford.
Yeah, so he's a pitcher, he'son the baseball team.
So the kids kind of grew uparound it.
So, yeah, as you know, scott,like it's a lot of hours, it's,
you're all over the place andstuff, but there are definitely
some benefits to with the kids.
So they've got to.
(19:30):
They've got to meet some prettycool people over the years.
You know, before they werefamous and you know that's
amazing.
That's fun when they kind oftalk about that.
And then Ryan is, he's abaseball player too.
He's going into his junior yearin high school, yeah so.
And Marnie's super mom she'slike you know has to get
everything done while I'm goingthrough this crazy schedule and
(19:50):
everything.
So it's but it's.
Yeah, it's nice in the fall,though.
It's nice when you know we'reback home and you know, and
everything is kind of.
You know, I still work for theYardgoats full time, so I do.
I'm on the sponsorship salesteam too, so we'll do all that
stuff, you know, once we put theseason in bed and kind of get
ready for the next year.
Scott (20:10):
Wow, so you work full time with them off season as
well yeah, oh yeah.
Jeff Dooley (20:14):
So I, I go to the ballpark every day, yep, I um, I
go in and in the off season,starting like in the end of
september, and then we'll do, uh, major league baseball kind of
change the meetings to the fallmeetings now they're in
charlotte actually this year, sothat's in october.
So I'll go down to that for aweek and then we'll come back
and then it's basically, uh, youknow, get into the sponsorship
(20:35):
sales stuff.
I'll do that that from October,even sometimes late September
With the playoffs.
It'll be hard this year, butOctober, right through March,
then my role changes.
Really it's crazy to transitionbecause most of the sponsorship
team stays on and they'll sellright through the summer months
with me.
Once we get to spring training,like around mid-March, I'm like
(20:58):
all baseball mode, so like I'llgo to Scottsdale, arizona for
spring training for a week, wedo a show, get together with the
coaches, we'll try to figureout kind of what's you know
happening with the team, andthen once we get into the season
, it's all you know, it's allbaseball and media as well.
So we do a lot of stuff withour media, you know, and I kind
of lead that, charge stuff, soyeah, and then in the wintertime
(21:21):
too I do college basketball atthe University of Hartford, so
I've done that for a while now,so that's been fun too.
That kind of keeps my little,gives me my broadcast fix in the
wintertime.
Scott (21:30):
God, what are you working like?
16 hour days in the wintertime?
Jeff Dooley (21:33):
Yeah, it's not really work, though for the
basketball.
I mean I just show up,basically hit a button and I'm
on really yeah, yeah.
No, I mean there's obviouslysome prep work and stuff like
that, but it's uh, it's not likethe lifestyle of the baseball
for sure definitely a very busyschedule so a couple things.
Scott (21:50):
I saw that you are in 2015.
You were selected as theconnecticut sports caster of the
year.
That's, how did that come about?
Jeff Dooley (21:58):
Yeah, that was fun, that was really cool to get.
It's basically there's acommittee of peers that were on
and yeah, they voted me.
So again, it was one of thosethings where I was like, is this
real or not?
Why would they pick me?
And it was awesome.
It was actually down in NorthCarolina, so it got to go down
to Charlotte, no-transcript, sowe're at dinner and you know and
(22:46):
we all.
It was cool, we got a chance togo up and we got our trophy and
everything is the as the localguys.
And then chris berman spoke infront of everyone and then chris
in his speech recognized,recognized Dom and I as the
Connecticut and he's like, hey,I want to recognize two guys
from my state where I live, youknow, Jeff Dooley, dom Morey,
and then he worked a yard goatjoke in there too.
But it was really, really coolthat you know for Chris Berman,
(23:09):
who's, like I said, one of themaybe the top ESPN guy in the
history of the network.
You know, to mention us the daythat he's getting the national
award was really really cool.
So it was fun time it was.
It was cool that you go downthere and they, they really make
it feel like a million bucksyou know for for the few days
that you're down there with thehotel and you know they bring
you around town and they havethe dinner, and then you get to
(23:30):
network with other broadcasters,you meet some young ones coming
up, so it's definitely a funcouple of days.
I was honored, obviously, towin that.
That's so cool.
Scott (23:41):
You've been on SportsCenter Top 10 Plays and
Mike and Mike shows and MLBTonight.
Does someone tell you thatyou're going to be on there, or
do you just have to find out?
Or how do you know that you'reon there?
Jeff Dooley (23:53):
Yeah, well, I just found out.
It's funny you bring that up,because last homestand last
Friday yeah, actually Saturdaynight, it was the number one
play on ESPN SportsCenter.
Our first baseman, kyle Datras,made an unbelievable catch.
He was running full speed andhe flipped over, he basically
did a somersault into theopposing dugout, got and his
(24:15):
like hands were out like wethought he knocked himself out.
And he was like, look, becauseit was a guy at third base
looking to tag, so we thought hewas going to throw home and it
was just, it was an unbelievableplay.
So it was actually number oneon sports center that night.
And then the next morning itgot bumped to number two because
patrick mahomes threw it behindthe pass uh, touchdown-pass,
(24:36):
touchdown to Travis Kelsey in afootball game.
But I was like, ah, that's fine, number one, number two, that
still works.
But so, yeah, I knew it wasprobably going to be a top-ten
play, but I don't think we'vehad number one before.
And then it was the first timeI had a call at number one on
ESPN.
That was cool.
In fact we've had a handfulthat have been in the top 10.
And yeah, the the MLB networkstuff was, um, that was really
(25:00):
cool because so that's when Iwent to the major leagues and
you know it was, you know it's.
Obviously it was a cool storyfor them that you know 25 years
in the minor leagues and he'sfinally getting his major league
call up.
When I was filling in um forJack Corrigan, I did the game
with the one of the voices ofthe Rockies, sherry Schemmel,
and really you know, honestly,scott, I just wanted to go there
(25:21):
and do the game and not screwit up, right, I didn't need all
the publicity and you know, andI get that.
And it was cool because one ofthe local TV stations called me
there like, listen, jeff, likeour news director wants us to go
with you for this.
And I only told them I'm doingthis if I get your blessing and
(25:43):
I said, listen, I reallyappreciate that.
But I said, guys, if I show upwith a news crew, like they're
never asking me to come backagain, you know what I mean.
Scott (25:47):
I'm like I'm done, I brought my own crew, yeah yeah.
Jeff Dooley (25:52):
So I was, like I said Honestly, it means the
world, thank them, thank thenews people and I and I
understand, like I said honestly, it means the world Thank them,
thank the news people and I andI understand like it's.
They're like this is way abovesports, like this is.
They want it to be a news story.
I'm like no, no, we're good.
So you know, I'm doing the gameand I'm doing the broadcast and
having the time of my life andit's a good game.
And about the sixth inning Igot a text message from the
(26:13):
Rockies PR guy and he's like hey, mlb network wants to know if
you'll go on quick pitch withthem, like right after the game.
And again I'm like Whoa, Idon't want to.
I don't need it for me.
Like I'm, trust me, I'm alreadyin, like La La Land doing the
game.
I said this is the, this is thebest.
But I said if you want me to dothis interview and it's good
(26:33):
for the Rockies and you thinkit's good for me, or whatever
I'm in, I'll do it.
And they're like we think itwould be good for the Rockies
and you if you do it.
So I'm like all right, I'm in.
So this is funny stuff.
Cause I'm like all right, howdoes this work?
Right, like are they going tosend me a zoom link?
Or you know, I have no idea.
And so the MLB network guy,when the game ends, just go to
(26:55):
the Phillies dugout when thegame ends, and there'll be like
four guys ready for you.
And I'm like, oh, so that's howit works up here there's no
zoom link.
So so I did, I went down and,uh, that was really cool, cause
a lot nobody knew I was going tobe on, cause I didn't really
(27:15):
have a chance to tell mlbtonight, and a bunch of people
like happened to see it.
They're like, oh, and they andthey played some calls and stuff
.
So it was, it was really cool,that's awesome congrats.
Scott (27:24):
That's so cool.
Oh, like dream recognized, likeit's amazing.
So you've also had some crazythings go on with with
broadcasting, like in my league,baseball had uh, did you get a
season canceled because of COVID?
Jeff Dooley (27:36):
We did, yeah yeah, we lost the 2020 season, yeah
yeah, yeah With COVID and then.
And then we came back and evenin 2021, that was even more 2020
sucked because there wasnothing, you know, there was
just there was no baseball therewas.
There was, there was nothing.
You know, the only good thingwas it was for the first time I
could see all my kids' gamesbecause they were playing.
You know, I think my oldest wasdoing Legion, my youngest was
(27:59):
just going out to the BigDiamond, so I get to see them
play every night.
I never did that before.
So that was awesome that I gotto do that.
But it was hard not having, youknow, not working that summer.
And then in 2021, it was reallystrange because basically, it
was coming out of COVID and wehad to keep getting tested and
(28:21):
you really, they didn't reallywant you around the players, so
there was like a little bit of adistance thing.
Like, I mean, we did learn somecool things out of there.
We, we could have our managertext lineups and I didn't have
to go down and get it.
So a lot of that stuffselfishly.
Uh, we still do today, which isawesome, but you know, it was
just a little bit weird, like Ididn't get to know that team as
(28:42):
well as as I got to know some ofthe other ones, just because we
kind of limited our time, like,even though I was allowed, so
they had different tiers of youraccess and I did get all access
but I still felt like man.
The last thing I need to do istest positive for COVID and we
have to miss a series because Igave it to the team so I would
try to keep my distance.
You know best I could.
Scott (29:03):
So I was looking up the team and Bobby Meacham, former
Yankees player, is the Yardgoatsmanager.
So you must meet all kinds ofold timer baseball players as
well.
Jeff Dooley (29:11):
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah, meacham has been great.
You know, I think he's the.
You know he's got that oldschool mentality because he
played in college in the late70s at San Diego State and then,
obviously you know, played fiveyears in New York with the
Yankees.
He was the Yankees startingshortstop and he's got great
stories about playing for BillyMartin.
Scott (29:31):
Well, jeff, I know you have a hard stop.
I want to thank you so much foryour time.
This was great.
I wish we'd do a whole seriesof these.
I'm sure you have 100 billionstories and it's just awesome to
catch up with you.
I'm so happy for you.
You're always such a good guyand I'm really happy for you.
Absolutely, my friend.
I'm so happy for you.
Thank you again for being on.
Folks, he's down next weekAgain.
(29:53):
Thank you again, jeff, it'sagain.
Uh, thank you again, jeff.
It's been great and uh, takecare of my friend.
Oh, hold on one second.
I'm losing again.
What is going on with theinternet?
Can you hear me now?
That has never happened to me.
This is episode 19.
This has never happened.
This is awful.
This has never happened.
My internet keeps cutting outand everything's all messed up,
(30:13):
and I'm on the podcast with aprofessional broadcaster.
I'm disgusted with myself,disgusted God.
This is so embarrassing.
Jeff Dooley (30:23):
Hey, come on, you knew me way before I was any
sort of announcer, okay.
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