Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez is unfortunately stepping away from the booth after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Martinez announced the decision himself with a press release, presented here by Sportsnet. The Blue Jays responded with a show of support. Martinez will undergo treatment, after which he hopes to be able to return to the booth.
Martinez has long been an ambassador for the Blue Jays, going all the way back to his playing days. Martinez spent the final six seasons of his 17-year playing career with Toronto. He would even go on to manage the club from 2000-01. He’s now been part of the Toronto organization for four decades.
But the 73-year-old has become closely aligned with the Blue Jays from his work in the booth. While he has some experience as a national broadcaster, he is now in his 12th year with Sportsnet announcing Blue Jays’ games, notes MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. Blue Jays games certainly won’t be the same without Buck’s familiar commentary over the next couple of months. We here at MLBTR wish Martinez a speedy recovery as he, in his words, fights the good fight.
Get better! Fu** cancer
One of my favorite broadcasters, and I can’t remember which game he was a broadcaster on – maybe like Triple Play 2000? He was a part of my childhood playing that game. Wishing him the best in his battle ahead.
Can’t stand his booth work but was a serviceable catcher and after what Jerry Remy, his family and Boston fans went through, I’m only praying for the best. Good luck Buck.
Maybe not disparage a guy with cancer?
Just cuz he has cancer doesn’t mean he can’t give his opinion about his booth work. He literally wished him well, you don’t have to be a fan of someone to wish him well sensitive sally
Yup, I personally love eulogies that start, “I couldn’t stand this guy but a lot of people I loved suffered the same fate this guy did, so I just wanted to stand up to say I feel sorry for him. Still think he’s awful, but he’s gone now so I’m not so bothered by that. And he should have suffered less, despite how little I think of things he’s done… “
Calm down Karen
It’s kind of a “he who smelt it dealt it” situation when it comes to calling someone a Karen
Twas a funny, apt comment
I wanna say Triple Play 98?
I think he was on all the PS1 Triple Play games.
He was, he and Jim Hughson. I remember that one too. My favorite parts of that was where you could have home run derbies in crazy stadiums like a giant living room. In that one, if you homered, you’d sometimes hear a crash as if the ball broke something, after which Buck would say, “I don’t know what the heck those were, but they’re sure broken now!”
Get well soon. He’s a very good baseball announcer. On that note, I really miss Jerry Remy.
Hopefully we all do….the Rem Dog was unique. But i said it before. I’ve never watched a Jays game that I didn’t learn something from Buck or Schulman (and I’m ancient); they’re among the best Here’s wishing the best.
I miss Tom Cheek
Tom and Jerry were the first and best Blue Jays broadcast combo I’ve known. Hope Buck’s situation develops very differently than Tom’s.
Watching opening day without Remy was so strange. Eckersley is trying but Remy and his thick Boston accent just can’t be replaced
I’ve always kinda like Buck. He’s not the best in the game, but I would rather listen to him then a lot of other guys.
Get well Buck. Not that you’re going to see this.
We support Buck!
Anyone remember Buck from the old Triple Play video game series for the original Playstation? “I love swirly wind” and “this game is brought to you by Lobster Cola”
Yep. Played the crap out of that game.
Is that the one with the home run derby mode in a living room?
“Boy oh boy, he couldn’t of hit that pitch with a snow shovel!”
Triple play ‘98 with him and Jim Huson. Best baseball game around.
*couldn’t have
He’s quoting someone. Are you certain the source quote was grammatically correct?
Since the source quote was verbal, yes.
That logic doesn’t pass the smell test. It’s pretty easy to tell when someone says “couldn’t of” vs “couldn’t have”
Get well soon !
I hope that he beats it and gets better. I just lost my mom (not to cancer though) very recently and she was just a few years younger than Buck. Her and I would rarely miss watching a game and I know she’d be rooting for him to be back in the booth too.
Sorry for your loss. Glad you have nice memories of her and blue jays baseball
All the best Buck…
Get well Buck!
A former mlb catcher, coach, mlb manager, Buck calls great games. He goes in detail whats going on not just saying a ball was hit in cf. Learned so much about players, other teams, the game from him.. Cant even listen to other announcers.
Try listening to Shulman, he’s one of the best, and lucky for you, you won’t have to switch networks to hear him. Get well soon, Buck!
Shulman + Buck is a great combo. Martinez is so much more relaxed when he gets to be an analyst.
Agreed
And they’ve been working together for many years. There’s something to be said for that kind of familiarity.
Best wishes.
Cancer sucks no matter the form. Hope his is a very treatable form and they caught it early. Lost my wife to a very rare form that they still trying to figure out what causes it let alone treat it. Godspeed Buck and fight like hell
Between Buck and Jamie having cancer it’s not a good time to be a current/former jays broadcaster. Get well soon Buck we’re gonna miss you. Said he’s hopeful to be back for the pennant race
Genetic engineering could help eliminate cancer in people.
Baseball won’t be the same with out him, hopefully he will be back soon, cancer free with his beautiful head of hair
Sending great prayers and thoughts to Mr Martinez & his family. Wishes for a full and speedy recovery ……
Good Luck Buck!
Listening to Buck broadcast is amazing. Wishing you a quick recovery!!
He was the Royals catcher when I first started watching them. Godspeed Buck!
Kick cancer straight in the testes
That stinks. Always liked tuning into Toronto games partially because of their broadcast booth. Stay away from their “treatments” for Cancer. Chemo, and Radiation are tragically inept and archaic. Best wishes Buck!
Better yet, how about get several opinions and choose the route that you want to go. Suggesting that someone should avoid treatments because you claim that they are inept and archaic also can lead to a premature death. Many forms are easily treatable with chemo an radiation. Not all cancers are the same and my wife and I chose to get numerous opinions before she picked the route that she wanted to follow for treatment. Universally she was given the prognosis that what she had was not curable. She was an ICU nurse. Knew exactly what was being told to her. If she would have stayed away from treatments, she would have been dead within 6 months. Met several other patients and families over the few years of surgery and treatments. Many had curable forms and got to meet many that were only coming in for a periodic scan to make sure no signs of the cancer were returning. Treatments now are more refined than what they were even 10 years ago. I prefer getting multiple opinions and choosing how I want to proceed instead of staying away from treatments.
Firstly I’m sorry your loved one had to go through that reprehensible disease.
You speak of curable cancers, and ones that aren’t… to what? The status quo “treatments”?
The fact remains that the consensus cancer treatments are woefully inept. Sure you can kill an ant hill with a napalm bomb, but there’s obviously collateral damage. Chemo works in the same fashion. If someone is required to wear a hazmat suit to administer something, but you’re going to accept that into your body intravenously (I know not all forms of chemo are that way)? As far as the other, Radiation causes cancer. Again backwards thinking to “treat” something with another that causes harm. Cancer “treatment” is a racket. Most people don’t even approach alternatives because their insurance only covers these inferior options. More people die from their “treatments” than the actual cancer. Of course people are going to do whatever they decide. It’s a travesty that they’re not presented with options outside of Chemo, Radiation, and Surgery. Unfortunately most people are programmed into thinking that’s just the way it is.
First of all, Chemo is not administered in a hazmat suit, even Intravenously. . 2nd, yes, there are some alternative methods but not for all cancers. There are many biologics that are used now that are alternatives to chemo and they are covered by insurances. You can believe what you wish to believe but I know people that have beaten cancer and have no lasting effects from the treatments. given. No one method works for all. I choose not to bash any methods but rather choose to get opinions of all methods and choose what I feel is right for me. I recommend none and do not try to discourage any as what is right for me is not necessarily right for you. To try to discourage any course of action is a disservice from others and will prevent people from seeking opinions to make the best choices that they can. My wife got all kinds of options and chose what she did because it was going to give her the best chance at the most time to get to experience all that our kids did in the 3 years from diagnosis. If she chose nothing, 6 months max or some of the homeopathic options, they only were offering 6 to 12 months based on results from others. . Universally, she was told there was no cure for her cancer. She chose the one that would give her the longest. best quality of life that she could expect. To tell her that she should have ignored and stayed away from what she did would have caused her to miss out on 3 college graduations, the start of Grad school for a now Dr. of Physical Therapy, 1 marriage and one engagement. I would never tell another person to ignore options just because I do not agree with them myself. What is right for me is not always right for you. I just believe you are doing others a disservice by telling people that they should avoid options without getting professional opinions about those options first.
Close the comments. I don’t appreciate others exerting their cancer treatment ideology on me. Waa.
I am actually doing to opposite. I am advocating for doing what is best for you after talking to as many professionals as possible to be able to make a decision.
No problem with either post. I was attempting to mock the ridiculous levels of sensitivity regarding the reading of opinions that no one is forced to read. Not meant to be disparaging to you or @Kelly.
Obviously you have your opinions, and I have mine. And you’re going to believe whatever you believe. I don’t know where you’re coming from in that there aren’t alternatives to the typical trifecta of Chemotherapy, Radiation, and Surgery regardless of the Cancer. That’s just not true. You talk about your experience with the disease (which I wish on nobody). Trust me when I say I’ve been through it many times over. I can’t argue about whatever it is your loved one thought was the best course of action in her situation. People are going to do what they will. But for me and anyone I care about, I’ll tell them to stay as far away from the snake oil salesmanship of typical cancer treatments. Been through it too many times. I’ve also seen “miracles” from patients who were written off to die in weeks from Mayo Clinic with stage 4 Liver Cancer (in this example) only to still be walking, and talking about their experience years after their time was supposed to be up. That’s just one example. I’ve seen many more. So sure, seek out opinions, seek out options. You’re only doing a disservice to yourself if you’re not. Despite my feelings and opinions on the subject, I’m not telling anyone what to do with their lives. Ultimately it’s their decision to make. All I’m doing is letting them know where I stand on it. Once again people will do whatever it is they feel is best. It was a statement that I obviously feel strongly about. Still, I caution anyone that wants to “treat” with Chemotherapy, and or Radiation. Best wishes to you and yours. God bless.
No worries. Amazing that people feel the need to act like ultimate authorities on subjects and post things that can actually endanger people. Too many people read posts,like,that and will buy into it and not seek the advice of professionals. Any good health professional will tell you to seek all of the opinions that you can before treatment.starts if you have the time to do so depending on the severity of the issue.
I never said that there were not alternatives. On the contrary, I agreed that there were. All I said was that not every treatment, alternative or the traditional are not for everyone. I said that one should seek multiple opinions and decide what course of action is best for yourself. I chose not to disparage the consideration of any option because what is the best course of action for on patient is not going to be the best course of action for another. Depends on the diagnosis, prognosis based on how advanced the cancer is, where the cancer is located etc. To patently advise others to not consider something based on you own opinion is not something one should do. Information and research are the best tools one has to fight cancer. I too have known people who have beaten cancer with alternative treatments. Some a combo of,both alternative and traditional. Never said what was best because there is no best everyone.
PS you did specially tell people what they should do when you specifically said “Stay away from their “treatments” for Cancer. Chemo, and Radiation are tragically inept and archaic.” That to me was advising people who read your post that they should not consider all of the options.
Like I already said, that is my opinion based from my experiences. I’d advise against Chemotherapy and Radiation. I think they’re poor options to put it mildly. But let’s be real here. I don’t expect Buck Martinez to sift through Major League Baseball Trade Rumors looking for medical advice. Hell, I don’t think anyone is going to look for their Cancer treatment options on this site. Sure, I’d “tell” them what I think if asked. Ultimately I have no power over whatever someone decides to do with their treatment for whatever ails them. But in my opinion, those are inferior treatment options. I would certainly advise steering clear of them. But I don’t disagree that anyone who is in that unfortunate position should seek out whatever options, and opinions that they need to feel as if they’ve left no stone unturned. There’s quite possibly nothing more personal than having to choose how they’ll go about their battle. Obviously we have differing views on the subject. You still think there’s validity in Chemotherapy and or Radiation. I disagree. That pretty much sums it up. Again best wishes to you and yours. God bless.
Hey, Your last post is how you should have said your position in the first place.. You said you advise looking to alternative treatments before making a decision. That is all that I was saying too. Get advice from everywhere before deciding. Your initial post said to avoid any status quo options. Never said that you had experience with alternatives. Just was a straight bash on status quo. If my wife would have had a viable option that could have given a similar prognosis to the status quo, she would have seriously considered it. She researched and could not find any alternative treatments available for her cancer. Also, I was not thinking that Buck would be reading but many other people do. Those are who I was thinking of and many people are impressionable. If you would have phrased your initial post similar to the last one, would have upvoted it and agreed,
Fair enough. Point well taken. Take care.
You take care as well.
Loved that great laugh of his.
All my best to you and your family Buck. You will be missed but know you will return! Pat and Dan will carry the commentator’s torch in your absence and keep your seat warm for your triumphant return when the Jays carry Canadians once again into the post season! Get well soon Buck!
Kind regards,
Shae Hirsche
Get better Buck! The sounds of summer baseball in Canada are Dave Van Horne, Jerry Howarth, Tom Cheek, and Buck Martinez. All legends in my book.
I met Martinez during Spring Training 2002. He is a nice guy and a real benefit to the Jays organization. I hope he recovers soon.
BTW The article indicated Martinez “would even go on to manage the club from 2000-01.”. Martinez managed the Jays in 2001 & 2002, not 2000 – 2001. How am I the only one here who caught the error in the article? Even worse, how did the author make that mistake and how did it get by the editors? 😀
Tactful.
Playoff baseball with Vasgersian and Buck can’t be beat. Prayers for Buck beating this.
Get well my man. A fine announcer.
About ten years ago in a New Jersey we recognized him in an eatery… The young guys with us,including my grandson, had just lost a particularly hard- fought baseball game, did line up for his autograph when they heard he was an ex-major-leaguer.
He couldn’t have been more kind and gracious to the boys considering the fact that he was eating ,but he took real time with the boys, signing autographs on hats and balls and talking. to them. He wished them luck in the future on his way out.. He is a real class act in my opinion.
I always considered him among the best broadcasters around even before that. After that I really considered him one of the best human beings.
I sincerely hope he beats his cancer and continues his broadcasting career.
That’s the Buck I know yup
The best in the business. Martinez and Schulman call the most informative and interesting game.
Best wishes for a full recovery
Buck one of the best ever. Keep fighting!!!
Fight On,,,, Stay Strong
The Martinez/Whitt platoon was more constant than gravity, almost its own “ism”.
A stand-up guy. Best wishes to you and your family. Hope to see and hear your soon.
Best wishes.
Buck and Dan are a great broadcaster combo. Now we have to listen to pat tabler. Looks like I am now listening to the visitors broadcast instead. Hurry back Buck and God healing to you.