It couldn't have been an easy decision, especially with the high profile nature of ESPN exposure. He'd already worked there, but opted in the end to stay in Canada instead. And now he looks like a genius, because it appears ESPN will lose the rights to MLB after this season. 

But he says it was all based in his wanting to be home more for his family. And flying across the U.S. all spring and summer made that impossible.

“Doing Sunday Night Baseball in the summer and then doing college basketball in the winter, and I was still doing ESPN Radio all through October too,” Shulman said. “I was doing the playoffs and the World Series, so I was out of town probably 48 out of 52 weekends. Part of it was just to try to get to be home on weekends a little bit more just to be home. I’m doing more games than I’ve ever done, but I’m home more than I used to be.”

And besides, there's an added bonus to calling the games for Sportsnet on TV - he works across the booth from his son, Ben, who does the same job on radio. Although he's careful not to intrude.

“If he’s talking to Bo Bichette, the last thing he wants is for dad to wander into the conversation, so one of the boundaries I placed on myself is if Ben’s talking to a player, I don’t go over,” Shulman said. “I give him all the space in the world, but it’s fun, just as a father and son.”

Why Dan Shulman Stepped Away From ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ to Stay With the Toronto Blue Jays