Broadcast team will chase Squirrels, story lines

nowBuzz up!

The radio team behind the baseball team won't be bragging about how it used to slug sliders.

Jon Laaser's hardball career peaked at a Minnesota high school. "Obviously, you want to be a major-league player, like everybody else," he said. "I knew that was a lost cause."

Anthony Oppermann's parents were so concerned with his grades in Texas that he wasn't allowed to play Little League. His most memorable personal involvement with the game: "Bat and ball in the pasture," Oppermann said.

They learned about professional baseball through experience as broadcasters in minor leagues, and this season are the voices of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Francisco Giants' Double-A club.

"There's no reason that a minor-league broadcast can't sound major league," said Laaser, 30.

The Squirrels open April 8 at Bowie, with broadcasts on WRNL (910). Laaser [LAY-zer] will be with the club for all 142 games. Oppermann will work with Laaser on home-game broadcasts. When the Squirrels hit the road, Oppermann will operate from a Richmond radio studio as the primary voice of pregame and postgame shows.

Pregame shows will begin a half-hour before the first pitch. "We'll recap the previous night's game, set the scene for that night's game, preview the pitching match-up, go through the standings, lineups, interviews," said Oppermann, 27.

The half-hour postgame shows will wrap up the day's events in the Eastern League and include phone calls from fans. "You don't see that very much in minor-league broadcasts," said Laaser.

Game coverage will feature the play-by-play baseline, but expect lots of tangents.

"We're big on the entertainment side of things," Laaser said. "You won't find us chattering on about things that don't have something to do with what's going on in the game. But at the same time, I think there are any number of avenues through what's happening that you can bring humor and levity into it, and make that relevant.

"That's really what my goal is."

Oppermann intends to focus on the human element, give listeners a reason to root for players and tell their stories. "If they're succeeding, why? If they're not succeeding, what are they doing to get better?" Oppermann said. "Make those characters kind of come alive."

Laaser and Oppermann worked as broadcasters at previous stops for members of the Squirrels' management team, hence their presence here. The franchise came to Richmond on Sept. 23, and with the relatively short time available to get the stadium ready following a year without baseball, all Squirrels employees have been involved in facility polishing.

"For right now at least, it's 'We need to get this done. Do you have the skill set to do it?'" Laaser said. "Unfortunately, I don't, but they still throw me out there. If your seat is dirty on opening day, it's not my fault. I tried my best."

This is a new franchise, but Oppermann and Laaser plan on-air reflections about the Richmond Braves, Atlanta's Triple-A team during 1966-2008 that relocated because of dissatisfaction with The Diamond, and opposing players who came through the ballpark since its 1985 opening.

"In this day and age, when you build one [stadium] and knock it down 10 years later, you don't find many places that have as many years of history as The Diamond," Laaser said. "Whatever the situation was here in the stands or with stadium talk, that didn't change the baseball.

"There were some great players who came through here. Absolutely, we'll talk about them."

Flying Squirrels Baseball To Air On Sports Radio 910

RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, are pleased to announce a two-year media partnership with Clear Channel Broadcasting - Richmond, which will make Sports Radio 910 AM the radio flagship station for Flying Squirrels baseball in their first two seasons in Richmond. Sports Radio 910 will carry all 142 regular season games, any potential post-season games and the Eastern League All-Star Game. Additionally, all games will be available via on-line streaming at SportsRadio910.com.
"Sports Radio 910 is proud to be the radio home for the exciting first two seasons of Flying Squirrels baseball, including the inaugural season in 2010," said Sports Radio 910 Program Director Michael Clifford. "We look forward to a long relationship with the Flying Squirrels and are happy to get local Richmond baseball back on the air!"

The Flying Squirrels have also announced their radio broadcast team, which will consist of Jon Laaser and Anthony Oppermann. Laaser will provide play-by-play during all 142 regular season games, while Oppermann will provide play-by-play during home games and select road games. Both voices will have a consistent presence on Flying Squirrels' broadcasts, as Oppermann will also anchor 30-minute pre and post-game shows for all game broadcasts.

"Anthony (Oppermann) and I have both come to Richmond with the goal of providing a Major League-caliber broadcast to the baseball fans in this great area," said Laaser. "We couldn't be more pleased that we have formed this partnership with Sports Radio 910, where we know we will have the opportunity to implement that broadcast, while continuing to expand the reach of Flying Squirrels Baseball."

Laaser comes to Richmond after a one-season stint as the lead broadcaster for the Montgomery Biscuits (Double-A - Tampa Bay Rays). He is reunited with Flying Squirrels' Vice President & COO Todd "Parney" Parnell, whom he worked with while calling games for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Advanced-A - Atlanta Braves) in 2008 and the Altoona Curve (Double-A - Pittsburgh Pirates) in 2007. A native of Minneapolis, MN, he has also provided play-by-play for the Yakima Bears (A - Arizona Diamondbacks), St. Paul Saints (Independent) and St. Cloud River Bats (Summer Collegiate). In addition to his experience in baseball, Laaser has also served as the lead announcer for Charleston Southern University football and men's basketball, the Minnesota State High School Football/Basketball Championships and Hamline (MN) University football. His broadcasting career began in sports talk radio, with Clear Channel's KFAN in his native Minneapolis.

Oppermann also brings a wealth of experience to the Flying Squirrels radio booth, having most recently occupied the role of "Voice of the R-Phils," as the lead broadcaster for the Reading Phillies (Double-A - Philadelphia Phillies) in 2009. A native of La Grange, TX, Oppermann spent two seasons (2007, 08) as the lead broadcaster for the Potomac Nationals (Advanced-A - Washington Nationals), based in Woodbridge, VA. His baseball resume also includes time spent with the Daytona Cubs (Advanced-A - Chicago Cubs) and Round Rock Express (Double-A - Houston Astros). He rejoins Flying Squirrels' CEM Chuck Domino, whom he worked with in Reading, as well as Flying Squirrels' General Manager Bill Papierniak, whom he worked with in Daytona