Waltz out as play-by-paly announcer

Fox Sports Florida shakes up booth for Marlins broadcasts.

The Marlins will have a signifificant change in their broadcast booth for the third consecutive season.

Fox Sports Florida on Wednesday dropped Marlins play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz, who had fifilled the position for 13 years.

No replacement was named, and Fox is in the early stages of fifinding a new TV voice.

Also dismissed: studio analysts Jeffff Conine and Preston Wilson. Conine previously rejected a non-TV job to remain with the Marlins with a much lower salary and diminished responsibilities.

The Marlins dumped TV analyst Tommy Hutton two years ago, used four rotating analysts in 2016 and hired Todd Hollandsworth as its TV analyst last winter.

Hollandsworth will return as the analyst, which means the popular Hutton won’t be rehired for a game analyst role.

Jessica Blaylock will return as the reporter on Marlins TV telecasts next season. Craig Minervini will remain the studio host.

Fox Sports insisted on the record that decisions on these dismissals were made entirely by Fox, not by the Marlins.

But several people close to the situation were highly skeptical of that, noting that Fox loved Waltz all the way until the time Derek Jeter bought the team. A source very close to Conine said Jeter did not want Conine to remain with the broadcast crew.

Waltz declined to answer when asked if he believes this decision was made by the new owners.

“I am disappointed but wish the Marlins and their fans and Fox Sports Florida the best,” Waltz said. “I enjoyed every one of my 13 seasons, every inning of every game. I was blessed to work with great production people and terrifific analysts. I am proud of the charity event I started and helped run and hope it continues.”

The announce rs were informed of the decision this week.

“After a thorough review of our Marlins telecasts, we have decided to make changes with the broadcast talent for the coming season,” Fox said in a statement. “We feel that this is the right time to make a change, and we’ve shared our decision with the team. We thank Rich, Jeffff and Preston for the hard work and dedication they brought to the broadcast and wish them the best.”

Waltz will call several more college basketball games for Fox. Waltz also announces college football and basketball for CBS Sports Net.