Padres Dropping Monday From Broadcast Team

The Padres, looking to trim their payroll in all areas, sliced 25% of their broadcast team when they announced Monday that Rick Monday’s contract would not be renewed.

Jerry Coleman, Bob Chandler and Ted Leitner will return, the club also announced, forming a three-man team to handle all radio and television assignments in 1993.

“(Monday’s) a good friend and a close friend,” Chandler said. “I know I’ll miss him.

“From a personal standpoint, he was a classy guy. He added a lot to the organization. I think the players really liked him and liked having him around.”

Chandler said each broadcaster was called in separately Monday and informed of the team’s decision.

Why was Monday let go?

“Economics,” Chandler said.

Monday was hired by the Padres four seasons ago after working as a broadcaster on Dodger cable telecasts and as the sports anchor for KTTV in Los Angeles. Before broadcasting, Monday played 18 years in the major leagues as an outfielder for the Dodgers, Athletics and Cubs, compiling a career .261 average and 241 home runs.

An All-American at Arizona State, Monday was the first player selected in baseball’s first draft in 1965.

Coleman and Chandler have been in the Padres’ organization for 21 years apiece. Leitner has been a Padre broadcaster for 13 seasons and is also the sports director of KFMB Radio and KFMB-TV.

Monday could not be reached for comment.

Paul Phipps, director of broadcasting for the Padres, issued this statement: “Coleman, Chandler and Leitner have been working together for several years, and we believe they will handle the transition smoothly,” Phipps said. “We wish Rick the very best. He has been a real professional at his job, and we are going to miss him.”

With Monday out of the booth next season, Coleman and Chandler will be the primary team for broadcasts on KFMB Radio. When a game is being televised on KUSI-TV, Leitner will join the team on radio with Chandler as the swing man between the two broadcasts. Details on the rotation plan in the booth have yet to be ironed out.