Gary Cohen among Ford C. Frick Award finalists for 2017

Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen has been named one of the eight finalists for the 2017 Ford C. Frick Award. Cohen has been broadcasting Mets games since 1989 and was for many years part of the team’s radio broadcast alongside 1994 Ford C. Frank Award winner Bob Murphy.

For some background on the award, here’s a snippet of what the National Baseball Hall of Fame has to say about it:

The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." The award, named after the late broadcaster, National League President, Commissioner, and Hall of Famer, has been presented annually since 1978. Frick was a driving force behind the creation of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and he helped foster the relationship between radio and the game of baseball.

Mets fans might not be spoiled by on-field success, but there’s no doubt they’ve had it made when it comes to announcers. Original Mets broadcaster Lindsey Nelson received the award in 1988. And Ralph Kiner, who spent decades as a Mets commentator and hosted the famous Kiner’s Korner, was among the finalists for the award in 2015 and would be a more-than-deserving recipient of it. And on top of those legendary broadcasters, Mets fans have gotten to listen to Cohen, Howie Rose, Ron Darling, Keith Hernandez, and Josh Lewin, among others, in recent years.

Cohen would be a great choice for the award this time around. Here’s hoping there’s a double “outta here” in store for him when the results of the award are announced in December.