Marquee Sports Network announced Tuesday that Cubs play-by-play voice Jon “Boog” Sciambi and analyst Jim Deshaies agreed to multiyear contract extensions. Sciambi will begin his second year calling the Cubs and Deshaies his 10th.
Sciambi will continue as the radio voice of ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball. Marquee will announce fill-ins for him at a later date. Sciambi joined Marquee after longtime Cubs TV voice Len Kasper left for the White Sox’ radio booth before last season.
Sciambi and Deshaies didn’t take long to connect on the air and deliver an entertaining and informative broadcast. They helped Marquee win a Chicago/Midwest Regional Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in a Live Sporting Event for the broadcast May 26, 2021, which was joined by Ryan Dempster and Taylor McGregor.
The duo benefitted from a previous relationship through Kasper, who called the Cubs for 16 years, the first 15 on WGN-TV. Sciambi worked with Kasper on Marlins broadcasts from 2002-04, and they became close friends. Sciambi would cross paths with Kasper and Deshaies while working for ESPN Radio. Kasper predicted their chemistry would be instant.
Sciambi first major-league job was with the Marlins from 1997-2004. He called the Braves from 2007-09. He also continues to call college basketball for ESPN. Deshaies, a former big-league pitcher, joined the Cubs in 2013 after 16 seasons in the same role with the Astros.
Their first broadcast of the year is on hold until Major League Baseball ends its lockout. MLB and the players last negotiated formally Saturday, when the players were unimpressed by the owners’ new proposal.
