Pete Rose overshadowed the return of two former Phillies broadcasters

At this point, the less that’s written about Pete Rose’s noxious appearance with the Phillies on Sunday, the better.

Rose’s profane chatter on NBC Sports Philadelphia during Sunday’s blowout of the Washington Nationals overshadowed something much cooler — a return to the booth by former Phillies analysts Chris Wheeler and Gary Matthews, known better as “Wheels” and “Sarge.”

Wheeler, who joined the broadcast Sunday for a couple of innings, was the team’s color commentator from 1977 to 2013. He was joined by Larry Bowa and former Phillies left fielder Greg “The Bull” Luzinski, who joked that the former announcer would ask for the team’s hit and run sign, so he could bring it up in the broadcast at just the right moment.

» READ MORE: The day Pete Rose proved he does not belong in baseball. Or anywhere in public.

“That is so wrong,” Wheeler said over the duo’s laughter. “I knew the signs some years and I would never say it on the air… Go find the tapes, you won’t find them.”

Wheeler also revealed that during his stint at shortstop with the Phillies during the 1970s, Bowa would give reporters tips on fictitious trades that would end up as headlines in the newspaper the next day.

“One had a lot of legs,” Bowa admitted. “Gary Sutherland and I made one in spring training, and it was in the papers. We were stretching and he goes, ‘Let’s make up a trade, all right?’ We started throwing some names around, and the next day it was headlines in the paper. Unbelievable.”

“Why would you do that?” Kruk asked.

“You’d get bored,” Bowa responded. “After you take [batting practice] and take your grounders, you’ve got dead time and you want to keep guys fired up and ready to play.”

Matthews, who played in the outfield for the team for three seasons and was the MVP of the 1983 National League championship series, served as the Phillies analyst from 2007 to 2013. By the time he joined the booth in the eighth inning, the game was already a blowout, so the laugh-filled discussion ranged from Brandon Marsh’s beard to Matthews’ impeccable attire.

“You’re wearing shorts?” former Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who was also a guest in the booth, asked Matthews. “I’ve never seen you in anything other than slacks.”

“I don’t own a pair of jeans… I get on my son about them because I tell him they’re not soft enough for my skin,” Matthews said, drawing laughs from everyone in the booth.

After Rollins left prior to the bottom of the eight inning, the discussion turned to the Phillies’ annual alumni golf outing on Monday, which both McCarthy and Matthews attended. McCarthy encouraged his former partner to be mindful of the heat, which reached the mid-90s.

“We want you to be hydrated,” McCarthy said.

“Oh, I’m already hydrated,” Matthews shot back, sending McCarthy into a fit of laughter.

“Well, Jesus did turn water into wine,” Kruk added.

» READ MORE: Phillies slugger Bryce Harper suggests more baseball announcing is in his future

Fox named its announcing roster for the 2022 NFL season, which is topped by its new No. 1 booth featuring Kevin Burkhardt and former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (who will keep the seat warm for Tom Brady until he retires). Burkhardt and Olsen will call this year’s Super Bowl after replacing Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, who left Fox to join ESPN as the new Monday Night Football announcers.

The Eagles will kick off their season on Fox against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 11, and calling the game will be a familiar voice — Mark Schlereth, the one-time “hater Eagles fan” who joined Fox in 2017 after 16 years at ESPN. Schlereth called four Eagles games last season, including the team’s Week 11 drubbing of the New Orleans Saints, which featured angry Birds fan Mary Kate Mink — the “Mare of Havertown,” as 94.1 WIP’s Rob Ellis dubbed her.

Returning to join Schlereth is another former ESPNer, Adam Amin, who’s in his third season with Fox. Kristina Pink will handle sideline reporting duties.

Fox is scheduled to broadcast eight Eagles games (though games after Week 4 could get flexed to NBC). Here’s the Eagles’ 2022 TV schedule:

» READ MORE: WIP’s Angelo Cataldi talks last day, Mike Missanelli’s exit from The Fanatic