Laurila: Q&A with Ben Wagner on replacing a legend in the Blue Jays radio booth
From SABR member David Laurila at FanGraphs on May 31, 2018:
Replacing a broadcasting legend isn’t easy. In Ben Wagner’s case, he’s following in the proverbial footsteps of Jerry Howarth, who retired this spring after 36 years as the radio voice of the Toronto Blue Jays. Originally alongside the equally-celebrated Tom Cheek, Howarth was immensely popular not just in the province of Ontario, but throughout Canada.
By all accounts, Wagner is more than holding his own. Primarily paired with Mike Wilner in the Jays’ radio booth, the 37-year-old Indiana native is making a smooth transition from the minors to the majors. After beginning his broadcast career with the Low-A Lakewood Blue Claws, in 2004, Wagner spent the past 11 seasons calling games for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.
Wagner talked about the challenges and rewards of his new job, and the incorporation of analytics into a broadcast, when the Blue Jays visited Fenway Park over the weekend.
Read the full article here: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/ben-wagner-on-replacing-a-legend-in-the-blue-jays-radio-booth/
Originally published: June 1, 2018. Last Updated: June 1, 2018.