Broadcaster to cover Braves for Fox, TBS

<p>It took 15 years for Joe Simpson to cast off his "new guy" mantle as an Atlanta Braves broadcaster.</p><p>Never mind that Simpson had worked alongside Pete Van Wieren, Don Sutton and Skip Caray calling games on television and radio since 1992.</p><p>From a tenure perspective, Simpson could empathize with Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood, who joined the "World's Greatest Rock n' Roll Band" in 1975 but is still considered, by many fans, as a newcomer 31 years later.</p><p>That's no longer the case for Simpson. One season after Chip Caray, Skip's son, debuted as a play-by-play announcer with TBS, Simpson will work the 2007 season for FSN and Fox SportsSouth with another newcomer, Jon Sciambi.</p><p>"That's why I was so glad when Chip came to town," Simpson said Thursday. "It was about time. Someone else was finally the new guy on the block, so that is something I welcomed."</p><p>In a deal announced Thursday by Fox, Simpson will serve as color analyst and Sciambi as the play-by-play man for an 80-game schedule, including 55 for SportSouth. The duo replaces Bob Rathbun and Jeff Torborg.</p><p>Sciambi's telecasting career includes an eight-year stint with the Florida Marlins and most recently a two-season stop at ESPN. From Simpson's perspective, Sciambi will be fun with because of his dry sense of humor and willingness to prepare for each game.</p><p>"That means a lot," said Simpson, a 54-year-old whose 11-year career as a reserve outfielder and first baseman ended in 1983. "With a 160-game season, you're going to see some real stinkers, so it's important to have someone to feed off who can make those games still entertaining for fans."</p><p>Separate from his deal with Fox, Simpson will work in the TBS booth with Chip Caray for 50 games. He declined to discuss his arrangement with TBS because the station has yet to make an announcement.</p><p>Van Wieren and Skip Caray, who have a combined 62 years of experience with the Braves, will serve as the primary two-man team for flagship AM station WGST.</p><p>Chip Caray, the play-by-play announcer for TBS, is likely to call approximately 10 telecasts with his father. Van Wieren isn't scheduled to work television for either Fox or TBS.</p><p>Simpson plans to work a few radio games. He was a major part of the pre-game format during the last two years, hosting daily brief clubhouse interviews with third baseman Chipper Jones and pitcher John Smoltz.</p><p>Dry wit is a considerable part of Simpson's delivery. Among his many on-air gems was this wisecrack he delivered several years ago to describe the renowned tics of manager Bobby Cox and former pitching coach Leo Mazzone.</p><p>"They're rocking and rolling in the Braves dugout," Simpson once said. "Leo's rocking back and forth and Bobby's rolling his neck."</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/12/110388