NESN Rebuffs Jerry Remy Remarks Regarding Yankees Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka

NESN has apologized for remarks made by network baseball analyst Jerry Remy surrounding New York Yankees’ starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka during NESN’s Yankees-Boston Red Sox telecast last night.

NESN in a statement said: “Relative to last night's NESN telecast from New York, NESN does not agree with any such views expressed by Jerry Remy and we know from talking to Jerry that he regrets making them. The network sincerely apologizes to anyone who was offended by Jerry’s comments,”

During the fourth inning of last night’s Yankees-Red Sox game, Remy commented that Tanaka, who speaks Japanese, shouldn’t be allowed to have a translator present when the team’s coaches visit the mound. Tanaka’s translator Shingo Horie joined Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild on the mound to speak to Tanaka.

‘‘I don’t think that should be legal,’’ Remy said, according to the Boston Globe. ‘‘Learn baseball language. You know, learn, it’s pretty simple. You break it down pretty easy between pitching coach and pitcher after a long period of time.”

The comment drew criticism on social media. 

 Remy also issued an apology via twitter:  

I sincerely apologize to those who were offended by my comments during the telecast last night.

— Jerry Remy (RemDawg) (@Jerry_Remy) June 7, 2017

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.