After several years broadcasting for High Desert in the Class A California League, STAA client Alex Freedman was out of baseball last season.
Starting next week, he’ll be the interim full-time broadcaster for the RedHawks.
Freedman has been serving as an assistant to RedHawks media relations and broadcasting director J.P. Shadrick this season.
Monday, Shadrick announced he had accepted a position as the Communications Coordinator for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
Freedman was informed of the change Monday by RedHawks President/General Manager Michael Byrnes.
“My head was spinning for the next few hours after that,” Freedman said.
Shadrick said the broadcast booth will be left in good hands.
“Alex is sharp,” Shadrick said. “He’s a really, really smart guy who knows more about baseball than I do and he’s very good on the air.”
Freedman, 27, spent last season in his hometown of St. Louis working for a public relations firm and a sports memorabilia company but wanted to return to broadcasting in some form.
“It didn’t have to be just baseball,” Freedman said. “I interviewed with a few places for different multimedia positions — the NCAA and a couple colleges — but nothing worked out.”
It was when he was interviewing for a job with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies when he learned of the opening with the RedHawks.
A few days later, he talked to Shadrick and shortly afterward was offered the position.
For Shadrick, the move is a return to a familiar place.
He spent five seasons as the voice of the Double-A Jacksonville Suns.
Jaguars Vice President Dan Edwards called Shadrick just before the start of the RedHawks season.
With the change in ownership to Shahid Khan, the Jaguars were reorganizing their communications department, with a space opening up.
Shadrick had worked with the Jaguars on game days and was familiar with the department.
It seemed like a good fit for Shadrick but it took some serious thought before he eventually accepted.
“I like to finish what I started and I didn’t like the idea of leaving during the season,” Shadrick said. “But when the NFL calls, it’s hard to say no. This opportunity doesn’t come around every day and I had to do what was best for me.”
The transition will be quick. Shadrick will call his last game Sunday when the RedHawks close the homestand against Round Rock, then will start in Jacksonville on May 3, a day before the Jaguars’ rookie mini camp opens.
Freedman will call his first solo game Monday in Albuquerque.
“I’m not sure what to think about the travel,” Freedman said. “I’ll be going to a lot of places I’ve never been and ballparks I’ve never seen, but I’m really looking forward to it.”
Read more at the Oklahoman where this story was originally published.
(Visit Alex’s STAA Talent Page).