Did ESPN bring back Karl Ravech a little over a week after reportedly getting rid of him?
Ravech, who first joined the Worldwide Leader In Sports in 1993, was part of ESPN's layoffs earlier this July. He apparently was informed of his fate by a reporter who reached out for comment.
“I’ll just talk about Karl Ravech, who I have worked with 23 years at ESPN. People ask me all the time about who I root for — friends, family, people you bump into. And I always say, ‘you root for good stuff to happen to good people,’ and that’s why it’s hard today with Karl, because I got to do ‘Baseball Tonight’ with him, I got to do ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ with him, and every time we worked a game — and the last time was Monday night in Philadelphia, we had no idea what was to come — man, you know, he comes in, energy, excited, prepared,” MLB insider Buster Olney said, via the New York Post. “We’re sitting in the office with Dave Roberts, the Dodgers manager, the other day, they’re having a laugh. And my heart goes out to him. And I just have loved working with Karl at ESPN.”
Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images
Despite reports about Ravech being laid off, he called Thursday night's MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals.
According to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, ESPN gave Ravech the chance to work a few more events, including the Little League World Series, this summer.
"After 33 years at ESPN, Ravech was given the opportunity to work some summer dates, according to a source with direct knowledge of the circumstances who was granted anonymity to speak on a sensitive subject. Ravech will call the Aug. 12 New York Yankees-Seattle Mariners game and will be on some Little League World Series action. He has been the lead on the Little League World Series."
Fans praise Karl Ravech.
Most fans who watched the Braves-Nationals game on Thursday applauded Ravech for still showing up to work despite being laid off.
"Karl Ravech is a Pro’s Pro," Robert Griffin III said. "Can’t wait to hear him call the Little League World Series again!"
"Is there anyone classier than Karl Ravech out there? And he called a great game at that. Not sure who ESPN will get to replace him in the future for baseball but good luck," a fan commented.
"Karl Ravech is right where he’s supposed to be. ESPN hates baseball, but that man represents ESPN BASEBALL," another fan wrote.
"Karl Ravech is a better man than me, no way I'd be calling games after being laid off," a social media user said.
There's no question baseball fans will miss Ravech when he officially moves on from ESPN.
