Tony Massarotti

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Anthony 'Tony' Massarotti is an American newspaper sportswriter, author and columnist for the Boston Herald. Massarotti currently covers Boston Red Sox baseball beat for the Herald. He joined the paper in 1989, and has been covering the Red Sox since 1994. Massarotti is a 1989 graduate of Tufts University where he majored in English and Classics.[1]

He frequently covers the Boston Red Sox for Fox Sports New England, appears occasionally as a guest on WHDH's Sports Xtra and is a frequent guest on Boston's WEEI sports talk radio program The Big Show.

Massarotti was known for his staunch support of former Red Sox managers Jimy Williams and Grady Little, despite Little's controversial decisions, during Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series. [2]

Contents

[edit] Notable Columns

[edit] Theo Epstein contract negotiations

On October 27, 2005, Massarotti published a column in which he accused Larry Lucchino and the Red Sox management of smearing Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein during contract negotiations. In the column he also suggested that coverage of the negotiations at two local media outlets was compromised. He documented that the New York Times (parent company of the Boston Globe) owned a 17 percent ownership stake in the Red Sox and that local sports talk radio leader WEEI was currently in negotiations for Red Sox broadcast rights and paid Lucchino for a weekly radio appearance.[3] The timing of the column was notable as it came 4 days after Globe ombudsman Richard Chacón published an article in which he criticized Times management for accepting 2004 World Series rings from the Red Sox[4] , and 3 days prior to a Dan Shaughnessy column in which he revealed information detailing nuances of the relationship between Epstein and Lucchino, to the favor of Luccino.[5] The information in the column was widely thought to have originated from Lucchino and may have contributed to Epstein breaking off negotiations and resigning his position as General Manager.[6][7]

[edit] Jon Lester cancer story

In August 2006, Massarotti received some criticism for publishing a column detailing rumors that Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester was being tested for cancer.[8] Critics on an anti-Shaughnessy Web site thought it was disrespectful to Lester and his family to print what they believed to be alarmist rumors.[9] In fact, the rumors turned out to be true and Lester went on to be treated for a rare form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.[10]

[edit] Awards

[edit] Books

[edit] References

  1. ^ Interview With Tony Massarotti. CheetahZine (2005-12-01). Retrieved on 2005-12-15.
  2. ^ Boston Herald Sports Writers. Boston Sports Media Watch. Retrieved on 2005-12-15.
  3. ^ Massarotti, Tony (2005-10-27). Smear campaign stinks. Boston Herald. Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
  4. ^ Chacón, Richard (2005-10-23). The Globe-Sox connection. Boston Globe. Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
  5. ^ Shaughnessy, Dan (2007-10-30). Let's iron out some of this dirty laundry. Boston Globe. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  6. ^ Mulvoy, Thomas F. (2007-11-03). Lucchino vs. Epstein: Media stew boils over. Dorchester Reporter. Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
  7. ^ John Henry Takes Blame For Epstein Leaving Red Sox: Epstein Says Another Team Has Contacted Him. WBZ-TV.com (2005-11-02). Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
  8. ^ Lester tested for cancer -- Sources say rookie has enlarged lymph nodes. Boston Herald (2006-08-31). Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
  9. ^ Shame on the Boston Herald. Dan Shaughnessy Watch (2006-08-31). Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
  10. ^ Lester's cancer. Boston Globe (2006-09-01). Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
  11. ^ Alum Wins National Journalism Award. Tufts E-News (2001-01-17). Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
  12. ^ Alums Author Sox Books. Tufts E-News (2006-05-05). Retrieved on 2005-12-15.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
unknown		 Boston Herald Red Sox beat writer
1994-Current		 Succeeded by
Current