Keith Raad already sounds at home alongside Howie Rose on the radio

Filling in for Wayne Randazzo this year on the radio side of things for the New York Mets has been Keith Raad. He went from broadcasting games for the Brooklyn Cyclones straight to the show. It’s easy to understand why.

Randazzo and Howie Rose were a delightful pair who made long car rides far more enjoyable over the years. Randazzo got a television gig with the Los Angeles Angels he couldn’t refuse. This left the Mets with an opening that Raad has filled perfectly thus far.

Raad may be “the second Keith” in terms of broadcasters affiliated with this organization. This shouldn’t take away from the A+ job he has done to start the year to both replace Randazzo and partner up with Rose.

NY Mets radio broadcaster Keith Raad picked up where Wayne Randazzo left off

The comradery between Randazzo and Rose helped make them an entertaining duo. Because of their medium, they don’t get nearly as much attention as the television broadcasters. Well-respected and known thanks in part to the bonus traffic we do have in the Tristate Area, the former R’n’R team of Rose and Randazzo came to an end with questions about whether or not they could replace the latter.

What has helped Raad work so well during Mets broadcasts this year is how close he has been to the organization already. They didn’t pluck a guy from Kansas City. Raad got the promotion from the farm system. He’ll probably have much more to say about a lot of the kids we’ll see later on this year than anyone else.

Raad’s voice helps out a bit too. It’s different enough from Randazzo to pick the two out of a police lineup yet similar enough to provide those same comforts of a summer baseball game. Something about the way Raad speaks has already had me at times while listening on the radio thinking Randazzo was back with a slightly different way of speaking.

Credit should also go to Howie. He has welcomed Raad to the booth with open arms. He isn’t being a Brett Favre to Raad’s Aaron Rodgers. What else would we expect from him? The dynamic of old and young between the two, which Rose acknowledges often, is a good combination that allows for some joking around.

It has been a clean couple of weeks with these two together. Change can be tough for all of our senses. Nobody’s ears should be bleeding at this pairing. It simply works.

If you haven’t listened to them yet, give yourself an inning or two. This new pairing is a hit.