People & Personalities: MLB Rangers Hire Rhadigan As Play-By-Play Announcer

In Ft. Worth, Jeff Wilson reports the MLB Rangers yesterday named FS Southwest studio host John Rhadigan their TV announcer, replacing Josh Lewin. Rhadigan "has been covering the Rangers since 1996." Rangers Owner Chuck Greenberg said that he "will be partnered with longtime analyst Tom Grieve as the Rangers hope to create a more conversational style in the booth that allows fans to learn more about the players" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/20). Rhadigan has been at FS Southwest, the "long-time cable home of the Rangers," since June '01. He has "no baseball play-by-play experience," and the Rangers "believe Rhadigan would be low key but be able to muster enough energy to engineer a broadcast." The Rangers also "like his name recognition," as he is "extremely well-liked throughout the local media" (DALLASNEWS.com, 1/19). Rhadigan yesterday said he considers himself a "storyteller," and added, "The voice should tell the story of the game, but also the story of the team." Greenberg: "Our fans really like our players and want to know our players. Going forward, that's something we really want to do" (DALLASNEWS.com, 1/19).

ANNOUNCER ROTATION: In Seattle, Larry Stone reports the Mariners yesterday made official plans to "ease the burden" of replacing late announcer Dave Niehaus "on any one person by employing a revolving committee of announcers to team with longtime announcer Rick Rizzs on the radio." Ken Wilson, Ron Fairly, Ken Levine, Dan Wilson and Dave Valle are the "five confirmed names in that rotation, all of whom have prior ties to Mariners broadcasting." There is a "possibility that more could be added." Rizzs, "who spent 25 years as Niehaus' partner, will be on the radio as the primary play-by-play man." Mariners VP/Communications Randy Adamack said the format will "most likely" be for just one season. Meanwhile, TV announcers Dave Sims and Mike Blowers "will return to the booth and work almost exclusively on the television side" (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/20).

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: FANHOUSE.com's Milton Kent noted ESPN "SportsCenter" host Chris McKendry is co-anchoring the net's Australian Open coverage. It was "her decision to carve out a career path that would allow her to spend as much time as possible with her two young boys that landed McKendry on the weekend morning and now weekday afternoon SportsCenters." But McKendry indicated that now that her children are "in second grade and kindergarten ... she is more willing to get out on stories and remote assignments." McKendry: "I really believe there's nothing like being at the big event, the energy, the buzz" (FANHOUSE.com, 1/19).

PERSONALITIES: The GLOBE & MAIL's Bruce Dowbiggin cited sources as saying that Toronto Star hockey columnist Damien Cox is leaving the paper to "join TSN full-time." A Toronto Star source said that Cox "has resigned effective April 1." But Cox in an e-mail said negotiations "are ongoing." Cox: "Expecting to finalize soon, but you never know." Dowbiggin noted Cox "would join Dave Naylor ... as recent additions to the journalistic side of the operation" at TSN. The move would "bolster TSN as it prepares [for] an anticipated challenge from Rogers Sportsnet" (GLOBESPORTS.com, 1/19)....Jaguars.com Senior Editor Vic Ketchman, who "became the virtual face of the franchise with his 'Ask Vic' column, is resigning to take a job with the Green Bay Packers involving enhanced media projects." Ketchman "will start working for the Packers on Feb. 15" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 1/20).