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Lehigh Valley IronPigs

IronPigs Introduce 2009 Broadcast Team

February 19, 2009 - International League (IL1)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs News Release


(Allentown, PA) - The Lehigh Valley IronPigs have announced that long-time Reading Phillies play-by-play voice Steve Degler will complete one of Minor League Baseball's most experienced broadcast crews, assuming the role of color analyst for all broadcasts on the IronPigs TV Network. Degler, the longest tenured broadcaster in the Eastern League, will also continue as play-by-play announcer for all 20 televised R-Phils games on their Service Electric Cable TV2 Sports broadcasts.

Degler will team with returning members Mike Zambelli, Troy Hein, Matt Provence and Meredith Marakovits on the IronPigs TV Network. Last season's color analyst, former Major Leaguer Ricky Bottalico, is expected to join the broadcasts for both the IronPigs and R-Phils on a limited basis. Jon Schaeffer completes the crew and joins Provence in handling radio duties on the IronPigs Radio Network.

"We are excited to have Steve Degler as a part of all SECTV games in both Lehigh Valley and Reading for the 2009 season said Chuck Domino, president of both the IronPigs and R-Phils. "Steve's professionalism, familiarity with both markets and his knowledge of the Philadelphia Phillies as the radio broadcaster of the Reading Phillies for the past 17 years will serve the TV viewers well. We are also pleased that Ricky Bottalico, as he enters the Reading Baseball Hall of Fame this season, will be available on a limited basis to the TV broadcasts in both cities. Ricky established himself last season as an emerging talent in the booth and we welcome him back as his schedule allows."

Degler had been the R-Phils primary radio voice since 1992 but also has done extensive TV work for the club, most recently on Service Electric broadcasts in 2008. During recent baseball offseasons, Degler has broadcasted high school football and basketball for The Comcast Network. He has recently called college football, basketball and hockey for DeSales University, La Salle University, Niagara University, Lehigh University, Albright College and his alma mater at Kutzown University. Last year, he was part of the crew that covered the annual Big 33 game and Pennsylvania State High School Football Championships for PCN.

In 2008, Degler was nominated for a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award for his work on the New Jersey High Tournament of Champions finals on The Comcast Network.

The IronPigs TV Network, powered by Service Electric Cable & Communications, is one of the largest and most expansive in all of Minor League Baseball with a reach of more than one million households on a nightly basis. The network consists of Service Electric Cable & Communications, Service Electric Cablevision, Service Electric Broadband, Blue Ridge Cable and WYLN 35 - which will televise live all 72 IronPigs home games. WFMZ 69 will also join the network for all Saturday home broadcasts and other select games. WFMZ enters approximately three million households.

Last season, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs became the first minor league baseball team to have its entire 72-game home schedule televised live.

As previously announced, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Radio Network will have a new flagship station in 2009. The team and Nassau Broadcasting announced a three-year agreement making ESPN 1230-1320 AM the 'Flagship Station' of IronPigs baseball. The agreement, which goes through the 2011 season, makes ESPN 1230-1320 AM the Lehigh Valley's primary source for live play-by-play coverage of all IronPigs preseason, regular season and postseason games, including extensive pre-game and post-game coverage. The IronPigs Radio Network consisted of seven stations in 2008 and is still being finalized for 2009.

Extensive play-by-play coverage on the IronPigs TV Network resumes on April 9, when the IronPigs open their second season in franchise history against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees at Coca-Cola Park. Season tickets, mini-plans and group tickets for the 2009 season presented by Capital BlueCross are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (610) 841-PIGS or by visiting the Coca-Cola Park ticket office.

Lehigh Valley IronPigs Broadcaster Bios (Listed in Alphabetical Order)

Ricky Bottalico, who brings 12 years of Major League baseball experience to the booth, is expected to join the broadcasts in a limited role. Originally signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1991, Bottalico made his Major League debut in 1994. He was named a National League All-Star in 1996 after posting 34 saves and a 3.19 ERA in 61 appearances. The native of New Britain, Conn., was traded from Philadelphia to St. Louis in 1998 and also pitched for Kansas City, Arizona, New York (N.L.) and Milwaukee before concluding his playing career in 2005. In 562 career appearances, the right-hander notched 116 saves and a 3.99 ERA. Bottalico began his broadcasting career in 2007, having served as an analyst for Comcast SportsNet on the Phillies pre- and post-game shows the past two seasons.

Steve Degler joins the IronPigs TV Network as a color commentator following a 17-year stint as a radio broadcaster for the Reading Phillies. Formerly the most tenured broadcaster in the Eastern League, Degler also hosted Phillies pre-game and post-game duties on various occasions in 1999 and handled select play-by-play responsibilities in 2000. Familiar to many Lehigh Valleyians for his television play-by-play duties for Lehigh University athletics, Degler is a graduate of Kutztown University -- where he also played baseball for the Golden Bears.

Troy Hein will handle play-by-play duties on all Saturday broadcasts and select other games which also air on WFMZ 69. The Portola, Calif., native has a diverse television and play-by-play background and has won two associated press awards for his work at WFMZ. He joined the station as Sports Director in 2000 after working as an anchor and reporter at KLTV in Tyler, Texas. Hein also hosts and produces "The Big Ticket", WFMZ's award-winning high school football show that airs every Friday night during the season.

Meredith Marakovits returns to the broadcast team as an on-field reporter for the IronPigs Television Network. Marakovits has also worked as a sideline reporter for both the Reading Phillies and Lehigh Valley Outlawz (Continental Indoor Football League) on 2 Sports. She currently serves as a morning show co-host and update anchor on Sports Radio 950 AM in Philadelphia. A graduate of LaSalle University, Marakovits has also done production work for NBC's Sunday Night Football and Fox's NFL and Major League Baseball coverage.

Matt Provence embarks on his 13th season in minor league baseball following stints with the Norwich Navigators (1997), Lynchburg Hillcats (1998-2004) and Daytona Cubs (2005-2006). The New Jersey native will continue to serve as the "Voice of the IronPigs" on the IronPigs Radio Network while maintaining an on-air presence on all TV broadcasts. In addition to calling more than 1,200 minor league baseball games, the 34-year-old has also handled high school and college sporting events in both Virginia and Florida. In 2001, Provence represented the Carolina League as a broadcaster for the California/Carolina League All-Star game in Stockton, Calif., in 2001. The James Madison (Va.) University graduate began his broadcasting career interning for the New York Yankees Radio team in 1995.

Jon Schaeffer will continue to handle radio pre- and post-game show duties and radio play-by-play of the middle innings on all IronPigs home games and select road games. The 2009 season will be the seventh for Schaeffer in professional baseball after beginning his broadcasting career with Lynchburg in 2003. A native of nearby Lower Merion, Pa., Schaeffer also handled play-by-play duties for Lincoln University football and New Jersey Institute of Technology men's and women's basketball this off-season. Schaeffer is a 2002 graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

Mike Zambelli, a highly regarded and well-known sportscaster in the Lehigh Valley, will handle the majority of play-by-play duties on the IronPigs Television Network. A veteran of more than 20 years at 2 Sports, he has also served as the station's Sports Director since 1994. As part of Service Electric's award-winning local sports coverage, Zambelli has done play-by-play for the Reading Phillies, Allentown Ambassadors, Lehigh University football and basketball and hundreds of other sporting events on the high school level. In that role, Zambelli and the 2 Sports team were nominated for a regional sports Emmy recognizing excellence in play-by-play broadcasting. Zambelli also serves as the host of Sports Scene on 2 Sports - the premier source for daily sports coverage in the Lehigh Valley.

Lehigh Valley IronPigs Studio Host Bios (Listed in Alphabetical Order)

Newcomer Tim Murray enters his first season with the IronPigs and will compliment returnee Tommy Viola and handle on-air and off-air responsibilities as a studio host during all IronPigs home games broadcast on the IronPigs Radio Network. Murray is currently completing his degree at Muhlenberg College, where he is also a senior captain of the Mules' mens basketball team.

Tommy Viola returns to host studio coverage of all road games along the IronPigs Radio Network - working as a producer, engineer and providing on-air studio analysis. Viola, who also currently serves as the IronPigs Media Relations Assistant, is a 2003 graduate of Penn State University.

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