In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal wrote White Sox TV announcer Steve Stone "seems rejuvenated," as he and play-by-play man Jason Benetti are "complementing each other even better this year than in the previous three seasons," when former longtime announcer Hawk Harrelson was also involved. Stone has undergone an "apparent rebirth" stemming from his partnership with Benetti. Stone said, "Jason has had an effect on me that I never even considered before." Stone also said, "I understand the situation of selling a product, but I also know the fans want to know something about their team" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/3).
JUST EXPERIENCED: In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote under the header, "Retirement Talk Off Limits For Suzyn Waldman, John Sterling." Raissman noted HBO's Bryant Gumbel did a feature on YES' Sterling for "Real Sports," where he "painted a portrait" of a man "living in his own world." But Gumbel "also revealed a guy with no thoughts of the end." Sterling "doesn't even see it." While Sterling and Waldman's ages "should not matter, it will in terms of whether the duo can handle the grind of a 162-game season and a possible playoff run" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/3).
MAKING MOVES: In San Diego, Jay Posner notes longtime local radio personality Darren Smith was hired by KLSD-AM and will "host a weekday show" from noon to 3:00pm PT beginning today. Smith's longtime producer, Marty Caswell, also was "hired by the station." Smith and Caswell were "just about to begin a show" at XEPRS-AM on April 10 when the "station was taken off the air by the company that owned the transmitter" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/6)....In L.A., John Cherwa reported Michael Wrona will be the full-time announcer at Los Alamitos Race Course "starting at the end of the year," after he was "dismissed from Santa Anita before the start of its problem-plagued meeting this year." Wrona will replace Ed Burgart, the "legendary quarter-horse announcer" who will retire in December (L.A. TIMES, 8/3).
