C.J. Nitkowski discusses Braves broadcast job
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My contributions to @Braves baseball goes again practically 30 years when #10 hit his tenth profession HR vs. me in my third profession begin.
It was his first profession HR batting right-handed. I do know this as a result of he advised me 9 years later in Braves Spring Coaching in 2004. I appreciated that. 😂 pic.twitter.com/ybrlI1dGmI
— CJ (@CJNitkowski) December 18, 2023
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January twenty fifth, 2024
This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.
C.J. Nitkowski liked the years he spent within the Rangers’ tv sales space. His total household developed a robust bond together with his broadcast accomplice Dave Raymond, and he skilled the joys of seeing the workforce win a World Sequence final yr.
Nevertheless it’s exhausting to beat the comforts of dwelling.
So, when the Braves got here calling this previous fall, the suburban Atlanta resident jumped on the alternative to turn out to be a fixture within the Braves’ tv sales space. He’ll be filling the analyst function that opened when Jeff Francoeur opted to spend extra time together with his household.
“That is going to be superb,” Nitkowski stated. “I used to be spending a median of 125 days a yr on the highway. That’s a yr, each three years, that I used to be gone. So, it’s going to be nice being right here.”
Nitkowski’s 10-season huge league profession included a brief stint with the Braves in 2004. But, when it got here time to retire, the New York native determined to lift his household in Atlanta. He rapidly rose by the media world and joined the Rangers’ TV sales space in 2017. His hope of gaining the identical function in Atlanta appeared to fade when Francoeur grew to become the Braves’ main TV analyst earlier than the 2019 season.
It was straightforward to imagine Francoeur would fill this function for many years. However with none prompting, Francoeur went to Nitkowski in 2022 and advised him there was an opportunity he could be stepping away to spend extra time with household. This was the primary of many indicators of us in Atlanta wished Nitkowski within the function if it opened.
When final winter handed with none change, Nitkowski assumed Francoeur had modified his thoughts. However hope was rekindled in September, when John Smoltz referred to as Nitkowski to inform him there would possible be a gap. Smoltz added that he would name Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller and inform him Nitkowski could be the proper match.
Braves radio broadcaster Ben Ingram and Francoeur each referred to as with related messages over the following couple of weeks.
“It was overwhelming,” Nitkowski stated. “It’s like something, you do your job and hope to do it nicely. To have some guys you respect and a few huge names in Braves broadcasting attain out and inform you, ‘One thing goes to occur and I feel you might want to be concerned,’ was particular.”
Nitkowski’s anxiousness grew when he didn’t hear something over the following few weeks, however he later appreciated Schiller’s option to halt his pursuit till the Rangers accomplished their bid for a World Sequence title.
As soon as Nitkowski accepted the supply, he and his spouse, Megan, had been considering, “Is that this actually occurring?”
“We knew it appeared so far-fetched,” Nitkowski stated. “Everyone has been nice. We now have simply been overwhelmed.”
Nitkowski performed for eight golf equipment throughout his MLB profession after which frolicked taking part in in Japan and Korea. Stability is one thing his spouse and three children haven’t skilled a lot of throughout the baseball season.
This yr might be completely different, as Nitkowski groups with Brandon Gaudin within the Braves’ broadcast sales space. Residence might be only a brief drive away after dwelling video games. And Francoeur’s want to nonetheless do about 30 video games this yr will enable Nitkowski extra alternatives to spend time together with his household. His 15-year-old son Luke is a promising baseball participant for Creekside Excessive Faculty. His oldest son Matthew has graduated faculty, and his daughter Brooke is working towards her undergraduate diploma.
“Once I was gone doing Rangers video games, I used to be gone,” Nitkowski stated. “So the thought of taking part in tennis with my spouse within the morning or spending extra time with the youngsters, that is going to be superb.”
