L.A. Times :  Rex Hudler is having a tough time

In November, after 11 seasons, he was let go from the job he loved: talking about the Angels for FS West and KLAA radio 830. More devastating, though, was the effect that had on his mother.

“When I told her I lost my Angels job,” he said, “she went downhill so fast. For the past couple of years she would sit all summer. She couldn’t do anything, she couldn’t walk or talk, but she could watch the Angels and she thought so much of her son doing those games.”

Three days before Hudler’s mother died, Rory Markas, one of Hudler’s Angels broadcast buddies who handled the play-by-play, passed away. In talking about that first week of the new year, Hudler’s voice gets unsteady—but only for a minute and above all else he said he’d like to speak to his fans.

“Everyone has personal tragedies in life,” Hudler said. “God never promised me smooth waters. He only promised me navigation.”

The Angels and FS West had decided not to renew the contracts for Hudler and announcer Steve Physioc and instead, beginning this season, would have Markas do the television play-by-play with Mark Gubicza as his analyst while Terry Smith would do radio play-by-play with Jose Mota as the analyst.

Hudler said he had spoken to MLB Network and the Baltimore Orioles about a job. “Only one job in baseball has been open and that was Baltimore,” he said. “I was considered for it and that was great. I didn’t get it, but that’s how it goes.’