It’s playoff time, meaning Phillies fans will turn off NBC Sports Philadelphia and tune into TBS, which is broadcasting this year’s National League playoffs.
And Jimmy Rollins couldn’t be more excited.
“Anytime we have the NL playoffs, and maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I’m 10,000 times more excited about it,” the former Phillies star and NL MVP told The Inquirer. “It’s a league I’m familiar with, rivalries I’ve participated in. It just gets me going.”
It’s quietly Rollins’ 10th season with TBS, where he’ll be part of the network’s exclusive pre- and postgame coverage of both National League Divisional Series matchups. But let’s not kid ourselves about who Rollins is pulling for, despite the fact he spent the 2015 season playing for the Dodgers.
“It’s not close. It’s Philadelphia,” Rollins said. “Now, if the Dodgers go on, I’m going to sit there and congratulate them… When it comes to being professional, I can definitely be that.”
“But when the cameras aren’t rolling, knock their heads off,” Rollins added.
That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Rollins spent 15 season with the Phillies, where he was named National League MVP in 2007 and was a core part of the team’s 2008 World Series victory. He has more hits than any player in the franchise’s 143-year history, and was recently inducted into the Phillies’ Wall of Fame.
“This is my city,” Rollins said.
Chemistry is everything on a studio show, and TBS has modeled its MLB program off the gold standard of sports programs for the past two decades, Inside the NBA on sister-station TNT. It’s a perfect fit for Rollins, who loves to debate and has developed thick enough skin to offer opinions without worrying about the backlash from players. One key to the vibe of the show is that unlike many studio programs, there are no rehearsals or in-depth preparation before the cameras start rolling.
“We want it genuine. We don’t want anything scripted, and that’s what you get,” Rollins said. “And if there’s a disagreement on the set, then it’s a real disagreement in that moment.”
While they don’t have Charles Barkley, the show is oddly Philly-centric. Joining Rollins is Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, who was also on the 2009 Phillies team that lost the World Series to the New York Yankees. In fact, Martinez shut out the Dodgers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, only to have the bullpen blow the game.
Adam Lefkoe, a Philly native and lifelong Phillies fan, will handle hosting duties for the first time this postseason. Mostly known for his NBA coverage, Lefkoe was just 7 years old when Joe Carter’s walk-off home run defeated the Phillies in the 1993 World Series, and was working as a sports anchor in Nebraska when Philly finally won in 2008.
“One thing I love about TBS is they don’t care,” Rollins said. “They want it truthful and accurate, but they love the bias. They love the fact you’re going to pull for your team.”
Rounding out the cast is three-time All-Star Curtis Granderson, who has no connection to the Phillies, but we won’t hold that against him.
This season, TBS is talking its studio crew out of the studio and sending them on the road to cover the National League Championship Series. That means if the Phillies defeat the Dodgers, fans will see Rollins back at Citizens Bank Park.
“I’m so excited,” Rollins said. “To feel that energy and actually have a chance to walk up and talk to the players… Hopefully it’s in Philly, but wherever it may be it’s going to be amazing.”
Rollins’ path from MVP to sports talker
Rollins didn’t set out for a second act as a talking head. In fact, his broadcasting career began with Fox during the 2013 World Series, while he was still a player.
After retiring in 2016 following his release from the Chicago White Sox, Rollins reached out to former MLB slugger Gary Sheffield, who at the time worked for TBS as an MLB analyst. It didn’t take long for TBS to add the former Phillies star to their talent roster, and when Sheffield left the show following the 2021 season, Rollins took his place.
In the beginning, TBS only offered studio programming during the MLB playoffs, but expanded to Tuesday nights during the 2022 season. Rollins credits that expansion with helping develop his own on-air abilities and growing the show’s popularity among baseball fans.
“I always felt like we were a pop-up crew… I think it was hard to really get a foothold in the industry,” Rollins said. “Now it’s just a continuation of what we’ve done all season long, and people really know who we are and how we get down.”
In addition to his studio work, Rollins called a handful of Phillies games for NBC Sports Philadelphia during the 2019 and 2020 seasons alongside Tom McCarthy and John Kruk. While debating fits Rollins’ style more, if the right opportunity came along, he could see himself back in the booth.
“I was a big fan of Vin Scully. Every time we played the Dodgers I’d run up the stairs to hear what he had to say,” Rollins said. “I would never do it on a local level, though — that’s way too many games.”
Who are the announcers for Phillies-Dodgers on TBS?
Game 1 of the National League Divisional Series between the Phillies and Dodgers begins Saturday night on TBS, with first pitch scheduled for 6:38 p.m. Philly time.
Calling all the action from Citizens Bank Park is veteran TBS announcer Brian Anderson (not to be confused with the Phillies’ organist), who is also the TV voice of the Milwaukee Brewers. Joining him in the booth is a familiar name for Philly fans — Jeff Francoeur, who spent most of his career with the Atlanta Braves but played for the Phillies during the 2015 season.
Lauren Shehadi will report from Citizens Bank Park.
The game can also be heard on 94.1 WIP, with longtime Phillies broadcaster Scott Franzke calling all the action alongside Larry Andersen. Andersen will call all the home games in Philadelphia, while Kevin Stocker will hit the road to handle the games played in Los Angeles.
With NBC Sports Philadelphia not broadcasting any games, Phillies TV voice Tom McCarthy will be part of the radio broadcast, taking over for Franzke calling the fourth and fifth innings Saturday night.
“I’m grateful for whatever I can do,” McCarthy said. “Scott and I are really good friends, so we work well together when it comes to that. But I don’t ever want to impose too much, because it’s a cherished opportunity… the TV guys usually just go home.”
Oscar Budejen, Angel Castillo, and Bill Kulik will call Phillies-Dodgers in Spanish on La Unika 1680 AM.
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