Apple TV+ has brought a different type of baseball broadcast to fans on Fridays. Friday Night Baseball has received mixed reviews. One of the booths during the two games includes Katie Nolan, who most remember from her days at FS1 and ESPN. She is part of the West Coast booth with Stephen Nelson and former MLB outfielder Hunter Pence.
Nolan was recently on the Gojo podcast with Mike Golic Jr and Brandon Newman. She said being in the booth was something she never thought she would do.
“I’m physically at the game in a capacity that requires me to have a pass. I’m meeting managers before games. I’m official and I don’t think anybody saw that coming, which is probably why I am terrified about it, but also excited about it because what the hell, I’m in the booth!”
Nolan told Golic Jr. and Brandon Newman that she wishes she could have gotten to know Nelson and Pence more before the first game. However, it made her think of something Dan Le Batard told her.
“You learn as you go. Dan Le Batard once described it to me when he left. It was like building a plane while already in the air. You know what, no better way to make you have to get better than doing it.”
When Nolan reads criticism of how she is doing, it has reminded her of criticisms she received that she thought she wouldn’t hear again. Plus, she wants people to know Apple didn’t hire her to remember stats.
“If what I am bringing to the table is knowing someone’s ERA, why am I there? I would be useless. What I bring to the table is ‘hey, ump’s pants are really big. Are we ever going to talk about why they don’t know how to hem their pants properly?’…I’ve been thinking it, so I’m going to say it. The point is for me to be here and try to be like if you like sports, you can like baseball.”
