Posts tagged ‘Braves Radio’

Longtime Braves Braves broadcaster Don Sutton Makes His Return.

 The news finally broke today that former Braves broadcaster and baseball hall of fame player Don Sutton will return to be the Braves radio broadcaster alongside Atlanta native and former Brewers broadcaster Jim Powell. Sutton spent the 07, and 08 seasons with the Washington Nationals broadcast team. Before that Sutton was part of the Braves broadcast team both on TV and radio since 1989. Many questions had developed on the web about just who would replace the legendary Braves hall of fame broadcaster Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren. Powell was announced last week and the rumors were then confirmed on Sutton.

Jim Powell will have huge shoes to fill, but knows what a great tradition the Braves radio network has. Powell grew up in the Roswell area and also worked with the extremely popular and beloved “Mr. Baseball” Bob Uecker for 13 years with the Brewers. Powell was also a University of Georgia Broadcaster where he attended college at, and spent time covering the Falcons on weekends at WSB radio. Powell called minor league baseball action from 1987-1995. He started his professional broadcast career in 1993 in a part time role with the Twins. Powell is still young for a pro broadcaster at the age of 44. Powell should bring a natural excitement to the Braves broadcast booth considering he was a Braves fan growing up just like the rest of us.

Don Sutton will provide the comfort of having a familiar voice on the radio. He also provides commentary that only a hall of fame player can provide but does not throw that fact out there every other minute like some national broadcasters. Sutton will have to make the adjustment back to radio from TV but was a very good play-by-play man before he left. My guess is that the two will alternate the play-by-play duties throughout the game. Sutton still has family in the Atlanta area and may have some personal reasons that will be helped along with his return to Atlanta. He was present for some recent Braves fundraising activities this past week. The deal has been pending for the last few weeks with the details just recently being worked out between the Braves, Brewers, and their broadcast stations. Sutton still had 2 seasons remaining on his contract. Sutton should have an official news conference soon, and will have his first interview locally on WGST AM 640 on the morning show with Randy Cook on Wednesday morning.  

The new duo will serve only as the radio crew and may be joined on occasion by Chip Caray who has done some radio game on nights off from his Peachtree duties. Mark Lemke and Mitch Evans should remain as pre-game and post-game hosts. Lemke can also serve as a color broadcaster in emergency or fill in roles. The Braves radio network servers over 150 radio affiliates and is well known for being one of the largest sports radio networks in the world.    

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