Exiled to the internet realm, shudder, after being fired by ESPN, Harold Reynolds is bringing his game back to television. On the heels of last week's settlement with the network of his claim of wrongful termination, Reynolds signed a deal to appear on Sportsnet New York, the cable home of the New York Mets. Reynolds will make his debut Friday night on the pre- and post-game shows for Mets-Braves, the first of about 20 appearances this season.
Reynolds must be quite excited about his return to the medium but he'll likely stick to firm handshakes and hearty hellos when he meets his new colleagues. As you'll recall, it was a hug he gave to a female intern, described by Reynolds as "brief but innocuous," which precipitated his departure from the Bristol gang.
It's a boon for Mets watchers. SNY has collected a good group of announcers and Reynolds will only add to one of the better local broadcasts in baseball. The limited engagement will also keep his TV skills honed for the eventual launch of MLB's own baseball network where Reynolds, who's been working for MLB.com, should be a major player.
If there's any bad news about HR's return to the airwaves, it's that it's a local cable channel for just a handful of games and without Peter Gammons. Baseball Tonight hasn't been nearly as enjoyable since he left, mostly because no one has been able to match the Gammons/Reynolds duo for passion, knowledge and sheer enjoyment for talking baseball.
