"I've had some near-misses, but I don't think I would have been as happy anywhere as I expect to be in Houston." "I love the area, but I knew that if the right situation came along and I could find a full-time play by play role, that is where my heart was," he said. Kalas said he has been selective in his search for his first full-time chance to do play by play on television because of his fondness for the Tampa Bay area and for Staats, who filled the role of a second father or older brother since Harry Kalas' death. "I have seen how his style and sense of humor shine through on the telecast, and his knowledge and the personality I saw back in 2004 is as engaging as it ever was." "He and Aubrey Huff would sit behind me on plane rides," Kalas said. Kalas and Blum knew each other from Blum's season in Tampa Bay and had kept in touch over the years. "He knew the job was his and that he would be helping to pick his boothmate." "We made the decision early on that we wanted to give Geoff a chance to be in the (analyst) role every day," Ryan said.
Ryan said he received 70 applications from local and network television and radio broadcasters for the job vacated by Brown and brought in six to audition with Blum. "The fact that Todd has been a successful broadcaster with one club for so long and has been in the game for 25 years is a bonus." "Todd's reputation for being a quality broadcaster is what got him the job, but those of us who have been in baseball know that nuances of the game and relationships and history matter," Ryan said. Frick Award winners to work for the Astros, joining Elston, Milo Hamilton and Bob PrinceĪs a second-generation baseball man in his own right, Kalas' experience of growing up in a baseball family resonated with Astros president of business operations Reid Ryan, who directed the search that resulted in Kalas' hire. His signature line while in Houston, where he called games on radio and television along with Gene Elston and Loel Passe, was "That ball's in Astros orbit!" He was one of four Ford C. Harry Kalas worked in Houston from 1965 through 1970 before moving to Philadelphia, where he called Phillies games from 1971 until his death on April 13, 2009, while preparing for a game between the Phillies and Washington Nationals. 31, 1965, the final day of his parents' first year in Houston and the Astros' inaugural season at the Astrodome. The remainder of the telecast crew is employed by Root Sports Southwest and is expected to be announced after the first of the year, although the primary incumbents – studio host Kevin Eschenfelder, analyst Mike Stanton and field reporter Julia Morales – are expected to have the opportunity to return for 2017. Kalas and Blum will be employed by the Astros. I have great affection and respect for him." If it were broadcasting or if I ran a shoe store, Todd would be my guy. We found a picture of him when he was 2 years old, wearing a little Astros uniform and swinging a bat.
"I don't like the idea of losing him over here," Staats said. Kalas has spent 19 seasons as a member of the Rays' telecast team on Fox Sports Florida and Sun Sports, and he comes to Houston with the highest recommendations from his longtime Tampa Bay colleague, former Astros announcer Dewayne Staats.
I'm very grateful to the Astros and Reid Ryan." "It's good to be wanted, and it was fun to be part of the process (in Kalas' hire). "I'm excited for the opportunity," Blum said. I'm excited to be part of the Houston community and to be part of this incredible Astros team."īlum, who has worked primarily road games for the Astros since 2013, said he was looking forward to working with Kalas, whom he met while playing with Tampa Bay in 2004, and expanding his role with the Astros. "It's incredibly special to be coming back to the city and working for the team where Dad got his start. "Houston is the first place I saw baseball," Kalas said.
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