Jenny Cavnar continues to climb the broadcast ranks, this time making history in her new job as the Oakland Athletics’ play-by-play announcer.
The A’s announced the hiring of Cavnaar on Tuesday, making her the first female primary play-by-play voice in Major League Baseball history.
“Joining the broadcast team of the Oakland Athletics and their rich baseball history is a dream come true,” Cavnar said in a statement. “As the daughter of a baseball coach, I grew up loving the sport. , and the stories, history and relationships it offers.”
Cavnar will work alongside NBC Sports California color commentator Dallas Braden, who welcomed her to the broadcast room in a video on social media.
A dear friend, a true pro, and MLB’s first female PxP announcer…
welcome to town @jennycavnar I can’t wait to get started, man! pic.twitter.com/wOZYGsS3Rn
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) February 13, 2024
Cavnar heads to Oakland after spending the past 12 years as a Colorado Rockies reporter, backup play-by-play announcer and pre- and post-game host.
In April 2018, she became the first woman in 25 years to commentate on live MLB games on television when the Rockies hosted the San Diego Padres. It was a fitting first game for Cavnar since she previously covered the San Diego Padres as a reporter and anchor for nearly five years.
“I met Jenny through mutual friends over 10 years ago,” said Brodie Brazil, the A’s pregame and postgame host Competitor. “I’ve been following her trajectory ever since and it was obvious that she was going to get that opportunity. When I found out she was being interviewed, I would have been disappointed if NBC didn’t invite her. She’s going to do great work.” Working and being well-received — not just calling plays … but taking Dallas Braden with him.”
Cavnar also serves as anchor for men’s and women’s college basketball games and previously covered Anaheim Ducks and San Diego State track and field games.
Braden works with Cavnar
This will be the first time Cavnar and Brayden have been in the booth together, but the two have been close friends for years. Cavnar is married to former White Sox minor league right-hander Steven Spurgeon, one of Brayden’s closest friends and a teammate on his high school travel team. Brayden said Cavnar’s knowledge of the game is vast.
“I always tell (Spurgeon), man, I can’t wait until we hang out because I can finally talk about baseball. He’s like, I’m a pro, but I tell him you don’t know baseball, but your My wife, she and I can talk ball,” Brayden told Competitor Laughed.
Asked to compare Cavnar to other broadcasters, he described her as “unique”.
“This is the first female play-by-play announcer in Major League Baseball history,” he said. “So if I told you she sounded like someone, then I’d be lying to you, I’d be making things up because she’s not, because there’s no one like her. She’s Jenny.”
Brayden admitted that he was a little biased against his friend during the audition process, but he also said that since meeting her, he’s seen how her work ethic and professionalism translate into broadcasting.
“(Her preparation) I never cared about or wondered about because I knew what type of pro she was and I knew how good her job was,” Brayden said, noting Cavnaar The work that was done in announcing basketball, but also baseball.
Brayden said he and Cavnar had had conversations about the team as early as the end of last season. He knows she’s going to have a tough task getting to know the organization before Opening Day, but wants fans to be patient. She can also draw on the experience of Brayden and the A’s radio room, which includes long-time veterans Ken Korach, Vince Cotroneo and Johnny Doskow’s experience in the A’s organization.
“I can imagine how difficult it is to come to a place you’re not familiar with and you’re asked to be a conduit between an organization and its fan base,” he said. “Remember, she’s trying to do a job that has over 50 years of background history, and she’s trying to learn all of that on the fly.
“I think the way she prepares, she’s going to put herself in a good position to succeed.”
The work will begin this spring for the A’s new television broadcast staff, and it’s a dream come true for Brayden.
“For me, this is one of those moments that will never happen, where you can work with one of your best friends and call this game your favorite,” he said. “Those relationships develop when you have the opportunity, but she and I have had this incredible friendship that we can now leverage in our work.”
(Photo: Sam Watson/Getty Images)
