CBS-TV Replaces Buck on Baseball : Broadcasting: Sean McDonough, 29, will take over as play-by-play announcer in place of Jack Buck, 67.

CBS-TV announced Friday that Boston Red Sox broadcaster Sean McDonough, 29, will replace Jack Buck, 67, as its baseball play-by-play announcer.

Buck held the job for the first two seasons the network had the major league contract. CBS decided not to exercise a two-year option on Buck’s contract.

Ted Shaker, CBS executive producer, said Buck did “fine work,” but said he had not fully lived up to the network’s expectations.

“Was it all we hoped it would be with Jack? No, I can honestly say it wasn’t,” Shaker said.

Buck said he believed he and analyst Tim McCarver were meshing after two seasons together and that he would have liked to have had more time.

“Shaker said they wanted to go in a different direction,” Buck said. “He said (the decision) went to the top of the network. I guess he was passing the buck on Buck. I thought we were getting much better as time went by. We had great games, some great ratings.”

This year’s World Series was the highest rated since 1987. “What more can you say?” Buck asked.

McDonough will be entering his fifth year with the Red Sox next spring and will be paired with McCarver on CBS. He is the son of Will McDonough, an NFL analyst for NBC and a Boston Globe sports columnist.

“This is without question one of the real plums in sports broadcasting,” Sean McDonough said. “I certainly feel privileged to be selected. Obviously, it’s a great opportunity.”

Said Shaker: “Over time, I think he’s going to turn into one of the greats. We feel in time, Sean and Tim can develop into a stronger team than if we stayed with the status quo.”

Buck, who is sports director at KMOX Radio in St. Louis, was criticized for anticipating plays on several occasions in the playoffs and World Series.

But Buck said the loss of the television job was not a blow to his self esteem.

“Nah, I did this for the money, not to feed my ego,” Buck said. “But I did enjoy it a lot.”

McDonough joined CBS Sports last year as a play-by-play announcer for the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also done play-by-play for the network on NFL games and will provide play-by-play of bobsled and luge at the Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, next year.

McDonough also did baseball play-by-play for ESPN in 1990 and has covered college football, NCAA basketball and soccer for the cable network as well.

He has also covered golf for the USA Network.

“He has worked his way up at a very quick rate and has showed great versatility at a tender age,” Shaker said.