Triple-A ASG broadcast, umps set
The 2012 Triple-A All-Star Game, presented by New Era Cap Company and The Buffalo News, will take place at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo, New York, home of the Buffalo Bisons. While the Game has been telecast nationally for most of its 25-year history, including every season since 1995, this will be the third time the Triple-A All-Star Game has aired on MLB Network since 2010.
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Handling play-by-play duties on the telecast will be Paul Severino. Severino hosts several studio programs on MLB Network, including the Emmy Award-winning "MLB Tonight," "Quick Pitch" and MLB Network Strike Zone. In 2011, Severino provided play-by-play for three Arizona Fall League game telecasts on MLB Network, including the Rising Stars Game and Championship Game. Prior to joining MLB Network, Severino worked at ESPN, where he served as an ESPNews anchor. His resume includes hosting halftime shows for NBA and NCAA football games and daily programming for ESPN.com.
The role of analyst goes to Jonathan Mayo, the draft and prospect expert for MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball. He's covered every aspect of the game, including the World Series, MLB All-Star Game, the Caribbean World Series, and the College World Series, and has provided in-game color commentary, sideline reporting, and studio analysis, including during MLB Network's coverage of the MLB First-Year Player Draft. He also served as the field reporter for the national television broadcast of the 2008 Triple-A All-Star Game.
The Emmy-Award winning Sam Ryan will serve as this year's field reporter. The MLB Network studio host and reporter frequently appears on programming such as MLB Network Showcase game telecasts, "The Rundown" and "Quick Pitch". Formerly of ABC and ESPN as well as WCBS-TV in New York, Ryan has reported from the sideline for Sunday Night Baseball telecasts, the Little League World Series, NHL Stanley Cup Finals, and NFL Monday Night Football.
Ben Wagner of Buffalo and Doug Greenwald of Fresno will call the action for this year's broadcast on the Triple-A All-Star Game Radio Network. Wagner is in his sixth season as the "Voice of the Bisons" on the Bisons Baseball Network. He has called select Minor League games on MLB Network. Greenwald is in his tenth season as the lead play-by-play broadcaster of the Fresno Grizzlies. He has called the action for webcasts of the last seven San Francisco Giants Spring Trainings, and has filled in on the radio broadcast of regular season Giants games as well.
Four Veteran Triple-A Umpires Named To All-Star Crew
The International League's Mark Lollo and Toby Basner, and the Pacific Coast League's Shaun Francis and Clint Fagan have been selected as the umpires for the 25th annual Triple-A All-Star Game, to be held at Buffalo's Coca- Cola Field on July 11, Triple-A Baseball officials announced today.
The man behind the plate will be Mark Lollo. A resident of New Lexington, Ohio, Lollo is currently in his fourth season as an umpire in Triple-A Baseball and 11th season overall as a professional umpire. Before joining the International League, he served assignments in the Gulf Coast, New York-Penn, Florida Instructional, South Atlantic, Carolina, Florida State, Texas, and Eastern Leagues. He's also worked in the prestigious Arizona Fall League, and last season he made his debut filling in at the Major League level.
First base umpire Shaun Francis is in his third season of service with the Pacific Coast League. Before joining the Triple-A ranks, Francis worked games in the Gulf Coast, New York-Penn, Midwest, Florida State, Arizona Instructional, and Eastern Leagues. He resides in Cohoes, New York.
Manning second base will be the International League's Toby Basner. Basner is a nine-year veteran and is in his third season with the IL. The Snellville, Georgia resident has spent time in the Gulf Coast, Appalachian, Florida Instructional, South Atlantic, Carolina, and Southern Leagues, along with a short stint in the Pacific Coast League. Basner has also worked in the Arizona Fall League and the Dominican, Venezuelan, and Puerto Rican Winter Leagues. He has been selected for a Major League Spring Training assignment each of the last three seasons.
Making the calls on the third base side of the diamond will be Clint Fagan, who has been with the Pacific Coast League since 2010. His resume includes service with the Pioneer, Florida Instructional, Midwest, Arizona Instructional, Florida State, Eastern, Texas, Venezuelan, and Arizona Fall Leagues during the course of his eightyear career. The Tomball, Texas resident worked his first regular season game at the Major League level last season.
The 25th annual Triple-A All-Star Game, presented by New Era Cap Company and The Buffalo News, will be broadcast live from Buffalo on July 11 on MLB Network and streamed online at MiLB.TV. The All-Star Game festivities in Buffalo will include the annual Triple-A Home Run Derby, presented by Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, on July 9 and the Triple-A All-Star Luncheon featuring Tom Seaver on July 11. For more information on festivities or to purchase tickets, fans can visit the official website of the Buffalo Bisons, www.Bisons.com.