A week after announcing that Joe Buck, Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci are the “A” MLB on Fox team, we have this stating that MLB Network stalwarts Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz are another team. They would be likely the “B” team for Fox.
They’ll call games on both Fox and Fox Sports 1.
Vasgersian is familiar to Fox viewers as he hosted the MLB Network-produced MLB on Fox Saturday pregame show for the last two seasons and also called various games. While he won’t host on Fox anymore, he’ll continue to host MLB Tonight on MLB Network and also call various games for the channel.
Smoltz will also continuing as an analyst for MLB Network, but he will no longer call games for Turner as he had for the past few seasons.
Here’s the Fox announcement.
MATT VASGERSIAN & JOHN SMOLTZ ADDED TO MLB ON FOX STARTING ROTATION
Renowned Broadcaster and Future Hall of Famer Team Up To Call MLB Games on FOX and FOX Sports 1
New York – FOX Sports added to its already deep MLB lineup, today announcing that former Cy Young Award winner John Smoltz and nationally renowned broadcaster Matt Vasgersian team up to call MLB games on the FOX Broadcast Network and FOX Sports 1. The announcement was made by John Entz, Executive Vice President, Production & Executive Producer, FOX Sports. Smoltz and Vasgersian join the game roster that already includes Joe Buck, Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci, reporters Erin Andrews and Ken Rosenthal, and play-by-play announcers Kenny Albert and Thom Brennaman.
“We are thrilled to add Matt and John to our arsenal of MLB on FOX broadcasters,” Entz said. “Both are very well respected within the game, and each has a style that resonates with viewers.”
A familiar face to sports fans, Vasgersian has called MLB and NFL on FOX telecasts and hosted FOX Sports’ national pregame show from the MLB Network studios in Secaucus, N.J. He continues to work in the booth and studio for MLB Network, and along with recently announced MLB on FOX lead game analyst Harold Reynolds, has been part of the multi-Emmy Award winning program MLB Tonight. Vasgersian has also worked on NBC Sports’ Olympics broadcast team, most recently having called ski jumping at the Sochi Games, a role he also held in Vancouver (2010) and Turin (2006). Before joining FOX Sports and MLB Network, Vasgersian served as the television play-by-play voice of the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers.
Smoltz pitched more than two decades in the Major Leagues, primarily with the Atlanta Braves, earning eight All-Star selections and winning the Cy Young Award in 1996. After undergoing Tommy John surgery, Smoltz made the switch from starter to reliever, spending four seasons in the bullpen before resuming his starting role. Smoltz is the only player in MLB history with more than 200 career wins and 150 career saves, and is one of just two players to have recorded a 20-win season and a 50-save season. Smoltz also continues to work as a game and studio analyst for MLB Network and previously spent time in the booth for TBS during the network’s regular and postseason games. Smoltz made his television broadcasting debut in August 2008, and served as an analyst for 45 games during the 2010 season on Peachtree TV.
FOX Sports, MLB’s primary broadcast rights holder since 1996 and exclusive national broadcast partner since 2001, this year begins a new eight-year, multiplatform media rights agreement that adds national cable and digital coverage to its portfolio, doubling regular season exposures, mostly on Saturdays, from 26 to 52 combined on the FOX Broadcast Network and FOX Sports 1, with 20 Saturday doubleheaders, 10 exclusively on FOX Sports 1 and 10 split between FOX Sports 1 and the FOX Broadcast Network. For the first time ever, all regular season games, Division Series, League Championship Series, World Series games and the All-Star Game broadcast by FOX Sports are being streamed live via FOX Sports GO through participating video providers. Click here for the MLB on FOX schedule: http://foxs.pt/OHkT1X.
In addition to game coverage, FOX Sports last week announced its expanded studio coverage, including the introduction of MLB WHIPAROUND on FOX Sports 1, a baseball-specific show airing weeknights with quick-turnaround highlights of in-progress games, news and analysis, live from Los Angeles. Ryan Field and Chris Myers host individual editions, with one or two analysts from the rotation of Frank Thomas, Eric Karros, Gabe Kapler and C.J. Nitkowski. MLB WHIPAROUND premieres Monday, March 31, and airs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights from 10:00-11:00 PM ET and most *Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00 AM ET (*airs at 10:00 PM ET on Wednesdays without prior programming conflict).
That will do it.
