DEGROM FROM DELAND WITH DEPITCH

Tuning in to the Texas Rangers radio broadcast is a fire-hydrant flow of information, a single source for a comprehensive view of what is going on in Major League Baseball with a Ranger-centric perspective. 

There is no air in this broadcast. Listeners are provided every detail to see the action, every data point to understand the sophisticated context of the moment, and just when there might be a second of reflection there is an announcer’s read of a sponsor’s message. 

It’s a professional booth doing a nearly flawless technical job. 

For Monday night’s Rangers game against the Mariners, I knew in the first inning that Texas starter Jacob deGrom, of DeLand, Florida, and Seattle starter Logan Gilbert, of Winter Park, Florida, both played college ball for Stetson University. 

Pride of DeLand

They’re both Hatters – that's the mascot for the school in DeLand founded by legendary cowboy hat maker John B. Stetson.  

That’s pretty good nuggetry for a listener. But the Rangers booth goes a step further. I now know retired umpire Ed Hickoxgraduated from DeLand High. Little did I suspect I would so expand what I previously knew about the Volusia County seat of government.  

Entering the game, the Mariners Cal Raleigh had not yet hit a home run after his 60-homer 2025 performance. He had struck out 20 times. 

“That fastball was just up and in enough that it got hit foul, Matt Hicks said on KRLD when Raleigh came up in the first inning. 

Raleigh worked a masterful at-bat against deGrom, seeing a dozen pitches. 

“DeGrom, hand in the black glove and he comes to the plate,” Nadel said. “That’s hit a mile to right field. The first home run of the year for Raleigh, a no-doubter.” 

Eric Nadel

Ford Frick Award-winning Voice of the Rangers for 31 years.

Nadel is in his 31st year as lead play-by-play announcer for the Rangers and his 47th year with the team. That’s the longest AL tenure in the radio booth, save for Denny Mathews in Kansas City. A Mac Engel story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram said Nadel has eschewed TV. 

He said he prefers the role because on radio he gets to “create the picture.” On television, all he does is captions. 

I got more than captions listening. I earned a complete picture not only of the game, not merely for the Rangers, but – tangentially and necessarily in context – for the big leagues. Globe Life Stadium has had its roof open twice thus far this season. I know the attendance Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I have a clear picture of the Mariners road uniforms, described distinctly and succinctly by Nadel. I can see deGrom’s delivery – from the set he brings his hands up to his cap before making a move to the plate.  

Nadel described how players wear their socks, stirrups, and pantlegs. This is, unaccountably, important to me. 

The radio call let me know the batting struggles of the Mariners with a straightforward description of what OPS means, how it is derived, and where Seattle ranks (29th out of 30).  

A good broadcast not only makes you feel a part of the action, as if you can see it yourself, but it also makes you smarter after listening and feel better about yourself. 

The newspaper columnist discussed whether radio broadcasts are dying, indeed if they are dead.

“There are also a lot of people who are listening on their phones all over the place,” Nadel told Engel in the Star-Telegram. “We’re getting all kinds of communications from people, literally all over the world, who listen to the games off the MLB app, or on SiriusXM. To say that sports on the radio is dying may be a little bit of an exaggeration.” 

It is very much alive if you are listening to Eric Nadel. 

Rangers win, defeating the Mariners 2-1. Texas moves to 5-5 and Seattle drops to 4-7 on April 6.