Joe Block, the Pirates’ new play-by-play man, can’t get enough baseball. In 2010, when he worked as a radio studio host for the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets, Block called the general manager of the Billings Mustangs, the Cincinnati Reds’ rookie-level minor league affiliate.
Block had summers off, so he spent the season in Billings, Mont., calling some of the more than 1,400 professional games he has worked in a career that included nine seasons broadcasting in the minor leagues. His latest stop: Pittsburgh, where, the team announced Saturday, he joins the Pirates broadcasting team as a play-by-play announcer.
“The journey is just as good as the destination,” Block said. “ … I think that every step of the way, I’ve had a lot of enjoyment just doing baseball games. I really enjoy just calling baseball games.”
Block joins fellow play-by-play man Greg Brown and color analysts Bob Walk, Steve Blass and John Wehner on the crew that will work Root Sports television broadcasts and KDKA-FM 93.7 The Fan radio broadcasts. Block replaces Tim Neverett, who took a similar job with the Boston Red Sox.
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Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
