Is that ball possibly leaving this ballpark? He had only hit three home runs in his career before hitting the final one. Like Walk, Wehner also spent time as a player in Pittsburgh. WebJohn Paul Wehner (pronounced "Way-ner") (born June 29, 1967) is an American former utility player in Major League Baseball (MLB) and a current broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates. A lot will depend I think as we head to the end of the month and see what kind of moves are made.". They talked to my boss, the VP of Broadcasting, Dean Jordan, about recommendations he might have had for someone who might be able to do some play-by-play backup and color, but also help put the radio network together. Not a bad idea. "An incredible broadcasting journey that began the day Mike Lange handed off the mic at Three Rivers Stadium, has taken him through some of the most memorable moments of the Bisons modern era, the Bills Super Bowl seasons, and a long career calling games for his favorite childhood team. For the next 10 seasons, Brown worked in the Pirates' sales, public relations, and broadcast departments. His dad often traveled to the Steel City on business, which helped Brown become a Pirates fan. Wehner, the last person to hit a home run at Three "His most memorable moment broadcasting Pirates games came courtesy of a former Bison. Odds and lines subject to change. "Brown's signature call after every Pirates win, "Raise the Jolly Roger!," has become a phenomenon with Pirates fans. His nickname is "Rock". WebJohn Wehner Net Worth. They are all, of course, former Pirates, with most of their tenures coming during years of Pirate futility. In '90, '91, '92, they won the division, so they were drawing well then. PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan)- Through 20 games of the 2019 season, the Pirates have battled injuries, blown late-game leads, won games late, have gotten excellent starting pitchingand have had multiple players make their Major League debuts. "I would stand in the back of the broadcast booth, and any time Mike or Steve needed anything at all, a drink of water, a Coke, a scoring decision, anything, I was at the ready. Time will tell as we approach the MLB trade deadline on July 31st and we see what teams make the right moves but for right now, Pirates fans are asking the question Why not us? Its not like Major League Baseball changed its rules to encourage stolen bases and the Pirates responded by signing a 4 x 100-meter relay team. Brown continued, "He has a great story. Unlike Walk, The schedule gets tougher immediately: The Pirates opena three-game road series Tuesday against the only other team hotter than them the 23-6 Tampa Bay Rays. WebJohn Paul Wehner (pronounced "Waner") (born June 29, 1967 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a former utility player in Major League Baseball and a current broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates. His Pirates are off to a 20-9 start, the best record in the National League, and while Reynolds, wife Blair and their two children are rooted in Tennessee, they can certainly shop around in preparation for Steel City summers: Reynolds last week signed an eight-year, $100 million contract extension, the first nine-figure commitment in club history. The grit, the drive, the determination, the exhaustion of it all and the incredible fortitude. Pittsburgh Pirates Flashback: John Wehner Hits Last 3 Rivers You have to let me think about it.' Happy were settled with all that and look forward to continuing what were doing.. TV: AT&T Sports Net Greg Brown, Joe Block, Bob Walk, He's just such a brilliant person. It makes for a potent offense considering the Pirates rank second in the NL with a .343 on-base percentage meaning dozens of those walks and singles have essentially been converted to doubles. They talk about RTJR, Raise the Jolly Roger, #Raiseit. I still have faith in those four guys (Vazquez, Kela, Crick, Rodriguez) they've had a couple hiccups and as a reliever it's easy to have some bad luck. His nickname is "Rock". '"The two announcers who were chosen during the process turned out to be very important in Brown's career. Heineman was acquired in 2022 to aid the depleting catching depth. Steve Blass waved at me to sit down in Mike's chair. Right-hander Vince Velasquez, signed for a $3.15 million flyer this winter, has a 3.06 ERA through six starts, nearly two runs better than his 4.93 career mark entering the season. (Image credit: Universal Pictures/Nintendo) The Super Mario Bros. movie is in the headlines this weekend, for reasons both good and bad. Well, you dont need one. Trying to muster conversation or insight from Wehner seems akin to pulling teeth. The drive of these guys to try to win such an important ballgame." This article is written by Brian Frank of HerdChronicles.com, a website dedicated to some of the many great stories from the storied history of the Buffalo Bisons. I know that sounds like Im rewarding him for simply doing his job, but it can be tough, especially if the supporting crew is lackluster (Im looking at you Wehner, but more on that later). The first televised game is set to be the Pirates Grapefruit League Home Opener on Tuesday, March 2 vs the Detroit Tigers at 1:05 p.m. Sure, the bats will slump. He is known for hitting the final home run (in the bottom of the 5th), and also grounding into the final out in the history of Three Rivers Stadium, both on 10-1-2000. When you look at some of the broadcaster rankings around the internet, the Pirates team consistently finishes near the bottom, and I cant help but think its in no small part due to Wehner. The epic game went 18 innings before the Sounds finally prevailed by a score of 9-8.Brown also reminisced about Game 4 of Buffalo's five game playoff series with Denver in 1991, when the Bisons staged a furious comeback after trailing 9-0 and being no-hit for eight innings. List of Pittsburgh Pirates broadcasters - Wikipedia Brown has become a favorite for many, in part by virtue of being such a mainstay with Pittsburgh only Prince and Frattare were around longer. Cincinnati Reds infielder Derek Dietrich is on an incredible hot streak, and Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster John Wehner doesnt appreciate the way hes handling it. They said it was a gigantic tailgate party. He had a smile on his face. They were all listening to the game. After an outfield bobble by Marlon Byrd, Andrew McCutchen picks up the baseball and fires towards home. Pirates Broadcaster John Wehner | Audio Length: 11:40 - Vurbl As Owner Must Be on a Mission to Alienate Everyone in Oakland Brown recalls Miller interacting with the crowd at Rich Stadium. John Wehner Has Expressed Interest In Becoming The Pirates If the three consecutive last-place finishes followed by a second 100-loss season werent enough, the outfielder ran headlong into a ceiling so many stars had in the past: A de facto cap on salary commitments, an unwritten edict that prompted past stars to flee or get traded, that prevented free agents from joining the squad, that kept a franchise with a rich history operating in the 21st century at 20th-century prices. (10.15.2020) Bucco broadcaster Wehner talks baseball, life How about when the Pirates win 'Hoist the Jolly Roger.' a Pirates cult hero "The one moment was the wild card game against the Oilers," Brown said. He retired from playing in 2001. So, what gives with the major league-leading 41 steals? Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "He was from Cincinnati," Brown said of Finney. Its the voice we hear over the radio or over the television, offering play-by-play or anecdotes. Pirates Like The Fan On FacebookFollow The Fan On Twitter, First published on June 30, 2017 / 3:45 PM. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). I did morning drive sports news. Leyland, who managed the Florida Marlins, signed Wehner after he was released by the Dodgers. Without a safety net.". Former Cardinals third baseman, outfielder, and broadcaster Mike Shannon passed away last night at the age of 83, per a team announcement. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Derek Dietrich has as many home runs in the last three games against Pittsburgh as Wehner had in his entire 11-year Major League career. And I said 'Well, I guess it's not very good because the color analyst' And he said 'Exact opposite. "I happened to be away that week. Hear what he says are the storylines he is still following at this point and his Steelers takes, too. Unlike Walk, he didnt provide much to write home about as a player, registering a -1.4 WAR over his nine years in black and gold. OK, so Santana has just three stolen bases in three attempts one of seven Pirates with multiple thefts through 29games. I can strive to have fun at the job and yet take the job seriously at the same time like Pete, but I'll never match his memory. And as the decades passed, the math did not add up: Major League Baseball hurtled toward $11 billion in annual revenues, yet the Pirates largest financial commitment remained the six-year, $60 million deal given catcher Jason Kendall in 2000. In 1997 the Marlins won the World Series. It's a pretty short sample, I don't know if they've made 10 appearances apiece so there's a lot of season left.". I think it was a bad stretch for both Kela and Rodriguez. [2] He played every position except pitcher at least 3 times. Broadcasting career Dynamic (and unprecedentedly big, fast and strong) shortstop Oneil Cruz should join Reynolds and Hayes as a lineup fixture, but an ankle fracture will keep him out through June. But he started that game as a gesture by Gene LaMonte, the manager of the Pirates, to have the Pittsburgh kid play third base in the final game. 2020 will be/would have been Blocks fifth season with the team, but he still hasnt quite endeared himself to fans. Bad mushroom! Hed talk to anybody and everybody. It sure sounds like Pirates Broadcaster John Wehner believes they can when he joined The Cook and Poni Show on Friday in his regular weekly spot. The crew will be joined this year by several Pirates alumni serving as analysts and bringing their unique perspectives to each game. WebJohn Wehner was used to living out of a suitcase six months each year from March to October. There are four of the nations top six television markets No. "Just the fun that he had. The experience of calling a big league game only enhanced Brown's desire to join the booth.He also had a foot in another broadcasting door at the time. They were getting younger and they were bringing up a lot of the minor leaguers. He's a wonderful individual, too. Or perhaps this clip from when the Pirates ended up clinching a playoff berth, the teams first since 1992. Van would actually go up on the desk and he'd be reaching down and start high fiving people.