Tigers#1
12-18-2002, 11:04 PM
Ex-Diamondbacks broadcaster played on '84 team
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
DETROIT -- The Tigers stayed within the family of alumni to replace Kirk Gibson as Fox Sports Net analyst, even though Rod Allen didn't play long with the Tigers.
"My playing time with the Tigers was brief," Allen said Wednesday, "so I feel I have some unfinished business in Detroit."
Allen won the job over Detroit native Tom Paciorek, the other finalist from a group that included Tiger alumni such as Jack Morris and at least one current nationally-known analyst. In the end, Allen provided the best of both thought processes on the candidates.
Like Paciorek, the 43-year-old Allen has broadcasting experience, having spent five years broadcasting Arizona Diamondbacks games for FSN and the Diamondbacks radio network. It was the brainchild of play-by-play man Thom Brennaman, who observed Allen coaching rookie league ball and thought his knowledge and energy would work well over the air.
"This is a double-edged sword for us, because we are excited about the opportunity presented for Rod, but we will sorely miss his personality and insight on our broadcasts," Diamondbacks president Rich Dozer said in a statement. "It's a unique situation for Rod, who will reunite with some old friends in a familiar environment."
And like Gibson, Allen has a Tiger past, brief as it was. He went 8-for-27 in 15 games as a DH/outfielder on the 1984 World Championship club. Add in stints on the 1983 Mariners and 1988 Indians, and Allen played 31 games in his career, going 11-for-50 with three RBIs. He followed with three years with Hiroshima of Japan's Central League. He joined the coaching ranks as a minor-league hitting instructor for the Florida Marlins before heading to the D-Backs.
"Tiger fans, accustomed to Gibby's aggressive work on the telestrator, will enjoy Rod's extremely active approach to game analysis," FSN Detroit executive producer John Tuohey said. "His passion for the game is contagious."
Tuohey took a primary role alongside Tigers senior vice president Jim Stapleton in the interview process. They teamed up for a smaller committee than the Tigers' search for a radio play-by-play broadcaster to replace the retiring Ernie Harwell. That committee included Stapleton, Veeck, president/GM Dave Dombrowski and owner Michael Ilitch.
Allen will team with Mario Impemba, who enters his second season as the FSN's play-by-play voice.
"I've gotten to know Rod the last 3-4 years in the league. I've always found him to be one of the nicest guys in the business," Impemba said Wednesday night. "You counter that with the fact that he is extremely knowledgeable and he's really a solid broadcaster.
"He's analytical, yet he's excited and he's entertaining. And I think he has a great mix. And I think that's a lot of what Gibby brought to the booth, the ability to break down the game yet not make it mundane. It'll be a good fit."
Allen has four kids. The oldest, Rod Jr., is ranked 36th on Baseball America's list of top 100 college prospects as a junior at Arizona State.
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
DETROIT -- The Tigers stayed within the family of alumni to replace Kirk Gibson as Fox Sports Net analyst, even though Rod Allen didn't play long with the Tigers.
"My playing time with the Tigers was brief," Allen said Wednesday, "so I feel I have some unfinished business in Detroit."
Allen won the job over Detroit native Tom Paciorek, the other finalist from a group that included Tiger alumni such as Jack Morris and at least one current nationally-known analyst. In the end, Allen provided the best of both thought processes on the candidates.
Like Paciorek, the 43-year-old Allen has broadcasting experience, having spent five years broadcasting Arizona Diamondbacks games for FSN and the Diamondbacks radio network. It was the brainchild of play-by-play man Thom Brennaman, who observed Allen coaching rookie league ball and thought his knowledge and energy would work well over the air.
"This is a double-edged sword for us, because we are excited about the opportunity presented for Rod, but we will sorely miss his personality and insight on our broadcasts," Diamondbacks president Rich Dozer said in a statement. "It's a unique situation for Rod, who will reunite with some old friends in a familiar environment."
And like Gibson, Allen has a Tiger past, brief as it was. He went 8-for-27 in 15 games as a DH/outfielder on the 1984 World Championship club. Add in stints on the 1983 Mariners and 1988 Indians, and Allen played 31 games in his career, going 11-for-50 with three RBIs. He followed with three years with Hiroshima of Japan's Central League. He joined the coaching ranks as a minor-league hitting instructor for the Florida Marlins before heading to the D-Backs.
"Tiger fans, accustomed to Gibby's aggressive work on the telestrator, will enjoy Rod's extremely active approach to game analysis," FSN Detroit executive producer John Tuohey said. "His passion for the game is contagious."
Tuohey took a primary role alongside Tigers senior vice president Jim Stapleton in the interview process. They teamed up for a smaller committee than the Tigers' search for a radio play-by-play broadcaster to replace the retiring Ernie Harwell. That committee included Stapleton, Veeck, president/GM Dave Dombrowski and owner Michael Ilitch.
Allen will team with Mario Impemba, who enters his second season as the FSN's play-by-play voice.
"I've gotten to know Rod the last 3-4 years in the league. I've always found him to be one of the nicest guys in the business," Impemba said Wednesday night. "You counter that with the fact that he is extremely knowledgeable and he's really a solid broadcaster.
"He's analytical, yet he's excited and he's entertaining. And I think he has a great mix. And I think that's a lot of what Gibby brought to the booth, the ability to break down the game yet not make it mundane. It'll be a good fit."
Allen has four kids. The oldest, Rod Jr., is ranked 36th on Baseball America's list of top 100 college prospects as a junior at Arizona State.