Brandon Liebhaber is into his third year as the voice of the Jackson Generals, and the Los Angeles native took time for a question and answer session with wnws.com.
Question: How did you become interested in a career in broadcast journalism?
Answer: I became interested in broadcasting pretty early on in life. I’m fortunate in that I’ve known what I wanted to do for some time. I played baseball through high school, but I was not at the level where I’d be able to play in college. Sports were always a passion of mine, so I figured working in the industry was a way for me to stay with it without having to play. I gravitated towards broadcast, and play-by-play specifically, because it affords me the chance to see games live and travel with the team. I’m fortunate that I get to do what I do.
Question: What broadcast experience did you bring to Jackson before you began the voice of the Generals.
Answer: Much of my initial on-air experience came in college. I studied journalism at Northwestern University, where I covered a number of Big Ten Sports. I called every sport I could while at NU, and got to travel to some cool venues to do it. I interned at CBS television affiliates in Los Angeles, my hometown, and Chicago, while at Northwestern. My relevant experience started the summer after my sophomore year. I spent two seasons broadcasting for the Chatham Anglers of the collegiate Cape Cod League. I got to see some of the top players in the country. After graduating early my senior year, I worked as a broadcast intern with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. The Quakes are a Dodgers’ (California League) affiliate about an hour away from my home of Los Angeles. Because of the proximity, big leaguers frequently did their rehab with the team. I was very lucky to call some of a Clayton Kershaw (pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers) start there in 2014. Corey Seager (Dodgers) was the team’s shortstop that year as well. I got the job with the Generals in 2015, and this is my third season.
Question: What are your impressions of the Southern League?
Answer: The Southern League is a beast, in both a good and bad way. Like every circuit in the minors, the schedule is grueling. The weather keeps you on your toes. Rain and humidity are a fact of life here. If players can grind their way through a season here successfully, they’re well-positioned to make it to the majors. Double-A features some of the best prospects in baseball, and it’s awesome to get to watch these players nightly.
Question: After a 10-year run with the Seattle Mariners, the Generals are now the Double A affiliate with the Arizona Diamondbacks. How has the transition been?
Answer: The transition has been about as smooth as I could’ve expected. Arizona has been a fantastic partner so far. They’re easy to work with, and we’ve had a fun team so far. I very much enjoyed working with Seattle the past two seasons, and last year’s championship was a great parting gift. Last season was such a thrill, and I’m happy the Generals wound up with another great parent club. They have treated us well. Orlando Hudson, who played for Arizona, is a now a Player Development Assistant with the Diamondbacks, paid us a visit. He travels to all the different affiliates to work with minor league players. I was able to interview Tony La Russa, who is now in Arizona’s front office. Those are priceless experiences for someone in my shoes. Everyone has been extremely gracious with their time, and we have a fantastic staff. I would not at all be surprised to see them move up along with many of our players.
Question: Any difference working with the Diamondbacks and Mariners?
Answer: The main difference is something you allude to in another question: Now we’re in the National League! It’s a different game. Actually, there are some similarities over the past two seasons. Last year, Seattle underwent a front office transformation and that certainly benefited us on the field. The 2016 Generals had the best record in franchise history at 84-55. This year, Arizona made some major changes in their front office and it has certainly shown. At the Major League level, they’re in the mix along with Colorado and the Dodgers in an extremely competitive NL West. We have a very good team here as well. Arizona definitely is putting a big emphasis on its minor league teams.
Question: Have you gotten use to a pitcher being in the hitting order?
Answer: Growing up in Los Angeles, I’m fairly familiar with National League baseball. But this is the first time I’ve had to broadcast games with the pitcher hitting consistently. It makes things a little more difficult, especially with the double-switches. I just have to be on my toes. It does make for some more entertaining baseball. Guys go crazy when pitchers get a hit. In our first National League game of the year since 2006 when the team was a Cubs’ affiliate, pitcher Gabe Speier hit a home run in Biloxi. It was his second-career professional at-bat. It’s a fun wrinkle, but it is certainly different. Double-A is the first level where pitchers hit, so many of these guys are swinging a bat for the first time since high school.
Question: What are road trips like? The hours on a bus – how long are some of the trips, the hotels, what do you do in your down time on the road?
Answer: The road is a lot of fun. Jackson’s location makes it such that we have some long bus rides. Our closest opponent is Birmingham, which is about four hours away. The trip to Jacksonville is about 10 hours. The hotels in this league are quite nice. I have no complaints, and I don’t mind living out of a suitcase half the summer. I’m a big fan of traveling and sightseeing, so I enjoy seeing the whole South. I love going to museums and I love American history, both of which are easy to find in this league. I particularly enjoyed the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery. I made it to the Tennessee Aquarium on our last trip to Chattanooga. The Civil War history on Lookout Mountain is fantastic as well. When we’re on the gulf coast (Biloxi, Pensacola, Jacksonville), I try to make it to the beach. It’s nice to have a little time away from the field with how often the team plays.
Question: How do you handle your time – post game, writing for the website – especially after the Generals finish a series on the road.
Answer: Time management is a key part of the job. With social media and the website, I have quite a few responsibilities. I always try to wrap things up quickly for the last game of a series and get to writing immediately. Tyler Springs, my broadcast partner, often helps out quite a bit. If he is on the road, he will pack up the broadcast equipment while I write and post the recap to the website. If I am traveling on my own, I’ll often have to do a little writing on the bus to make sure I’m done before the team leaves.
(PHOTO: Brandon Liebhaber, voice of the Jackson Generals)
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