Yard Goats broadcaster Jeff Dooley named 2015 Connecticut Sportscaster of the Year

The Hartford Yard Goats will begin anew in 2016 with at least one thing for certain: their broadcast booth will be manned by literally the best on-air talent the state of Connecticut has to offer.

That's because Jeff Dooley, who had been the New Britain Rock Cats' broadcaster for 18 years before moving to Hartford with the club this year, has been named the 2015 Connecticut Sportscaster of the Year, according to the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

In a statement released to the media on Tuesday morning, Yard Goats general manager Tim Restall spoke highly of Dooley, who will be the club's lead play-by-play voice on Hartford's News 1410 AM, as well as MiLB.TV broadcasts online this summer.

"We are very happy for Jeff and it’s terrific to see that he is getting acknowledged by his peers for the hard work that he puts into his broadcasts," Restall said.

"This award is well deserved and we are thrilled our fans will have the opportunity to listen to Jeff announce the Yard Goats inaugural season."

Dooley's work was featured by the Colorado Rockies on ROOT Sports telecasts last summer, as well as on Minnesota Twins broadcasts in the years preceding when the Rock Cats were their Double-A affiliate.

"I am extremely honored to be recognized by NSSA as the Connecticut Sportscaster of the Year," Dooley said Tuesday in a statement.

"I want to thank NSSA for this wonderful honor, and of course thank my wife Marne’ and sons Joe and Ryan for all of their continued support with my hectic schedule. I am very grateful to the Yard Goats organization for their commitment to radio and allowing me to deliver the game to our wonderful fans each night."

Come April 7, Dooley will kick off the inaugural season with the Yard Goats, and Rockies fans who are interested in the club's prospects in the Eastern League will have an opportunity to hear the broadcaster call games every night this summer.