New Brewers radio guy -- UPDATE: Grindle gets job, to be introduced Friday afternoon 2/26

[Mass Haas]

UPDATE: Grindle gets job, to be introduced Friday afternoon 2/26

 

Monday, on Twitter, I indicated that, with some certainty, I had learned (or thought I had learned, anyway) who would be named the "new Jeff Levering", in other words, the 3rd man in the Brewers radio rotation behind Ueck and Jeff, after Joe Block's departure for the lead job in Pittsburgh.

 

Since I didn't have a full confirmation, I felt it best to do one last check with the Brewers before posting the actual name, and they politely thanked me for the double-check with them. At that point I learned from the organization (and I fully believe every word, this wasn't semantics or such), that the position has not been formally offered to anyone and it’s not just a technicality. The Brewers are still within an exhaustive evaluation process.

 

Now could a final decision be made soon? Of course, it could be, and I don't know how quickly the team would turn around to make any news official. But I think we all suspect someone will be named in a formal announcement relatively soon.

 

That being said, I did notice Tuesday morning that a Midwest-based sports blogger (Lincoln, NE) had posted news about this potential new hire (the same one I had hinted at). He cited generic sources out of Lincoln, but also closed his blog post by typing "if the report proves accurate".

 

Since the blogger, Kurt Allen (@Kacsports), has made his post, it may take a few hours, but I imagine his blog entry will make the rounds in the University of Nebraska community and eventually find a wider audience, so I felt it was appropriate to link to it here. You can read more about Kurt in this entry from his newly re-invented blog.

 

I've since learned from another (sorry, unnamed) confirmed source that Lane Grindle (great name!) is on the very short list of candidates that the Brewers are considering within the final cut.

 

I had prepared an introductory post yesterday, so I'll toss that below now for the potential (make sure you've got that, POTENTIAL) new hire.

 

***

 

We may have learned that Lane Grindle, from the Nebraska Huskers Sports Network, will be Jeff Levering's replacement (with Jeff moving to Joe Block's spot) on the Brewers Radio Network. Grindle has 11 years of experience as part of the Huskers' baseball broadcast team, along with other responsibilities for their network.

 

A quick review of the most recent Twitter accounts Lane has followed include all the regular Brewer ones you'd imagine (Adam McCalvy, Tom Haudricourt, Caitlin Moyer, FSN Wisconsin -- c'mon Lane, not me yet?). Of course, I'd follow those accounts, too, if I were preparing for a formal interview for this great gig.

 

Brewers farmhand LHP Zach Hirsch (Brevard County '15) will be psyched, he knows Grindle from their University of Nebraska connection.

 

Grindle became the PA announcer for Nebraska football this past fall, as detailed in this article.

 

You'll see Grindle in studio show clips here.

 

You can hear his voice from the game broadcast of just this past weekend via this link of archives. On the 2/21 broadcast, for instance, Grindle starts his pre-game work just after the 2:05 minute:second mark.

 

Congratulations to Lane on even being considered, I'm sure he (and from his Twitter home page, his young family) must be thrilled, but also so very nervous, at the possibility of being named.

 

Now I admit, it would be a bummer for Lane and his loved ones to come so close and not get the final nod. But even if he does not, it couldn't hurt his future employment chances elsewhere if his name was in the public view as a final candidate, much like a potential new big league manager. So in that sense, I hope this post not only finds Lane well both before this final decision, but afterwards, especially if he is named the new Milwaukee broadcast team member.

[patrickgpe]

I really wish it was someone with local ties, bringing in guys from outside only means that they will leave and the turnstile of announcers will never stop, which you have guys like Schroeder, Uecker, Paschke, Johnny Mac, they will never leave.

[JohnBriggs12]

I really wish it was someone with local ties, bringing in guys from outside only means that they will leave and the turnstile of announcers will never stop, which you have guys like Schroeder, Uecker, Paschke, Johnny Mac, they will never leave.

 

You might want to re-phrase that. Never is a long time.

[Dragonbait]

I firmly believe uecker will be here forever. Don't tell me otherwise. I won't hear it. Nope. Lalalalalalalalala *fingers in ears*

[hawing]

I really wish it was someone with local ties, bringing in guys from outside only means that they will leave and the turnstile of announcers will never stop, which you have guys like Schroeder, Uecker, Paschke, Johnny Mac, they will never leave.

I think Uecker-esque longevity has become increasingly unlikely to repeat itself, in this or other markets. Younger generations (i.e. folks younger than the examples you cited) are simply more mobile in all kinds of employment fields.

 

Having said that, I too am hoping for less frequent booth turnover for Brewers announcers than we've seen over the last decade. But I won't consider it a failure if none of the non-Uecker guys stays for 45+ years.

Yet another way in which we've been spoiled by Uecker, and so fortunate to have had him this long.

[Lee16]

I firmly believe uecker will be here forever. Don't tell me otherwise. I won't hear it. Nope. Lalalalalalalalala *fingers in ears*

 

After we trade Lucroy, Uecker will be backing up Maldonado behind the plate.

[NYChez]

I attended the Badger/Husker game last year and thought the PA announcer was very good and looked up his name afterwards. Wisconsin and Nebraska are similar states, and I think a voice and personality from that state will fit in well in Wisconsin.

[AKCheesehead]

Personally, I'd also prefer an announcer with local ties. I think a lot of former players could get the job done, with a little training and practice. I'm not saying that doing play by play doesn't take skill, but it isn't rocket science either, especially to a former major leaguer with some personality. Whatever might be lost in a broadcast by a guy not calling something perfectly can, for me, be more than made up for in other ways. I want honest homers in the radio booth. I enjoy hearing it from a former player, and his aside stories during down time. And I enjoy it for the nostalgia of a Brewer calling a Brewers game. I don't know anyone who didn't like hearing Hamilton in the booth.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers will be announcing that Lane Grindle is the new radio broadcast team member late this afternoon.

 

Congrats to Lane!

[stalton]

I really wish it was someone with local ties, bringing in guys from outside only means that they will leave and the turnstile of announcers will never stop, which you have guys like Schroeder, Uecker, Paschke, Johnny Mac, they will never leave.

 

Can Bill Hall announce?

[Mass Haas]

AUDIO via WTMJ Fri. 2/26: New Brewers radio broadcaster Lane Grindle

 

***

 

Tweet --

 

[AdvantageSchneider]

That's a nice call. I think that one call alone has more excitement in the voice than all of Joe Block's calls in two years.

 

He made a nice post about leaving Nebraska. Sounds like a guy that doesn't want to job hop, so hopefully he will be here for a while. And hopefully he'll be good, and I think he will be.

[502 to Right]

I really don't care if Brewer announcers move on. I just want them to be good when they're here.

[AdvantageSchneider]

Going to disagree with you on that. First off, there would appear to be a limited number of good announcers to bring in. I think we've been spoiled in the general quality of announcers we've had on both TV and radio, even if I haven't been huge fans of a couple of them. Second, I would prefer to not have a mercenary calling the game. I'd like to think the TV and radio crew are somewhat invested in the team. Finally I really think guys like Jim Powell who get to know the entire organization, like the minors, really bring something to the broadcast. You aren't going to get that by bringing in a new guy every 2-3 years.

[MadScientist]

I really don't care if Brewer announcers move on. I just want them to be good when they're here.

The problem is that usually announces take a year to really settle in to the role. So guys leaving every 2-3 years means we get a bad announcer every 2-3 years. I'm hoping Levering might be a bit more at ease because he did some road games last year.

[remfire]

Anybody listening to today's broadcast? It's Grindle and Levering. Grindle's voice sounds a lot like Levering's. Having a hard time distinguishing between the two. Although, that's quite possibly because both are fairly new. So far I'm a fan of Grindle. Very smooth voice. Good flow to his broadcast. Great interaction between him and Levering. Looking forward to hearing the both of them mesh as broadcasters this season.

[pitchleague]

I heard Grindle earlier this week and I thought I heard a decent amount of Matt Vasgersian's voice in it. Not the jokes and cultural references, mind you, but just the sound of his voice.

 

I think both of them will be great for the Brewers.