FOX Sports Detroit and Tigers announce broadcast team for 2019 season
DETROIT -- FOX Sports Detroit and the Detroit Tigers today announced the broadcast team for the 2019 Detroit Tigers season.
Tigers telecasts on FOX Sports Detroit will feature play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard (@ShepMatt) alongside Hall of Famer Jack Morris and Kirk Gibson (@23KGibby) as analysts. Additionally, Dan Petry joins Craig Monroe (@CMo_27) as an analyst on Tigers Live pre- and post-game shows.
"We're thrilled to have Matt, Kirk and Jack in our booth providing Tigers fans with an entertaining and informative telecast all season long," said Greg Hammaren, SVP & General Manager, FOX Sports Detroit. "We're also excited to have Dan joining our Tigers Live shows to provide unique insight and another fresh voice to our coverage. It's great to have the ‘84 team back together!"
"All of us with the Tigers are greatly anticipating the upcoming 2019 season, and FOX Sports Detroit's announcement regarding the new Tigers broadcasters is a sure sign that baseball is on the horizon," said Chris Granger, Group President of Sports and Entertainment, Ilitch Holdings Inc. "It's truly a standout roster our partners at FOX Sports Detroit have assembled with Matt Shepard, Hall of Famer Jack Morris, Gibby, Dan Petry and Craig Monroe. Their wealth of experience and perspective on Tigers baseball will resonate with our diverse and knowledgeable fan base. These gentlemen are undoubtedly the best for the job, and we're all excited for what's to come in 2019 and beyond."
Morris, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018, was a five-time All-Star (1981, 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1991) and played on four World Series Championship teams (1984 Tigers, 1991 Twins and 1992-1993 Blue Jays). He is currently a pre-game color analyst and game analyst for Minnesota Twins telecasts on FOX Sports North and in recent years has served in a similar role for Tigers telecasts on FOX Sports Detroit. Over the last eight years, he's been an analyst for MLB.com and MLB Network in addition to spending the 2013 season as a color analyst on Toronto Blue Jays radio broadcasts.
Gibson returns to television for his ninth season to serve as an analyst for FOX Sports Detroit's coverage of the Tigers. Previously, he served as a color analyst on FSN Detroit from 1998-2002. He played 17 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Tigers (1979-87, 1993-95), Los Angeles Dodgers (1988-90), Kansas City Royals (1991) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1992). Gibson was a member of the Tigers 1984 World Championship team and the Los Angeles Dodgers 1988 World Championship team. He began his coaching career as a bench coach for the Tigers from 2003-05 under manager Alan Trammell. He served as the Diamondbacks bench coach from 2007 until assuming the interim manager title on July 1, 2010. Gibson managed the Arizona Diamondbacks for five seasons (2010-14) and was named the BBWAA National League Manager of the Year in 2011.
Shepard has served in a variety of roles for FOX Sports Detroit since 1999, including play-by-play for the Tigers, Pistons, Lions preseason, MHSAA championships and CCHA. He has hosted Pistons Live, Lions postgame show and Lions Game Plan. A two-time NSBA Michigan Sportscaster of the Year, he was also the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Ty Tyson Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting presented by Detroit Sports Media. Shepard also serves as the radio announcer for the University of Michigan basketball and Eastern Michigan University football teams.
Petry helped the Tigers win the 1984 World Series, the 1987 American Eastern Division and the Braves win the 1991 National League Pennant. An American League All-Star in 1985, Petry played for the Detroit Tigers (1979-87 and 1990-91), California Angels (1988-89), Atlanta Braves (1991) and Boston Red Sox (1991). He was the last Tigers pitcher to win games for the Tigers in three decades (70's, 80's & 90's). Petry served as a color analyst for Tigers Live last season (Sept. 21-23). He also worked as a Tigers TV analyst when the games were split between networks and served as a substitute color analyst for the Detroit Tigers Radio Network in 2012. Petry has also worked the pre and postgame shows with Dan Miller on FOX 2 every Opening Day since 2007 with exception of 2014 and has worked pre and postgame when the Tigers have been in the playoffs since 2006.
Monroe returns for his eighth season as a studio analyst for the Detroit Tigers on FOX Sports Detroit. He also occasionally serves as an analyst on game broadcasts. Monroe played nine seasons in the majors with the Texas Rangers (2001), Detroit Tigers (2002-07), Chicago Cubs (2007), Minnesota Twins (2008) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2009).
FOX Sports Detroit, the exclusive regional broadcasters of the Detroit Tigers, televises games to more than 3.2 million households throughout Michigan and portions of Northwest Ohio and Northern Indiana. The network's 2019 telecast schedule will be released at a later date.
