Jason Benetti has been a welcome change to Detroit Tigers' TV broadcasts

The Detroit Tigers' biggest addition this offseason was arguably the new voice of Tigers baseball, Jason Benetti. Benetti is a well-known, well-respected broadcaster calling both NCAA basketball and MLB games since 2011. There was a lot of excitement from fans excited for the beginning of a new era, and even more excited for the end of the previous era.

Matt Shepard had been calling Tigers games from 2019-2023 and fans had enough. His lackadaisical announcing, unwarranted excitement on routine plays, boring stories, and incorrect baseball slang pushed fans over the edge. Many older fans had been used to Ernie Harwell, one of the greatest ever to hold a microphone. Mario Impemba was never elite but held his own and became a staple of young Tigers fans' memories. Now, it is Benetti's turn to shine.

Benetti had called Chicago White Sox games since 2016. With the Tigers opening in Chicago against the White Sox, it was clear that he was beloved by fans. There was a moment on the big screen with a shoutout from the public address announcer, fans wearing Jason Benetti hats, and fans holding signs saying how much they will miss him.

There was even a cool moment where a ball was fouled into the Tigers' broadcast booth and was able to give it back to a fan in the crowd.

Jason Benetti has been a true breath of fresh air for the Detroit Tigers

Benetti seems to have settled into his new role nicely, often having genuine laughs with Craig Monroe and Johnny Kane while still focusing on the game. There are not long rants about who knows what like the previous booth had. There is always an emphasis on what is happening between the foul lines.

Benetti has also made plenty of Detroit references, connecting with fans instantly when speaking about Coney Dogs, his favorite model of car, and Eminem. These are things the people want to know. Having a connection with a broadcaster strengthens the bond between the broadcasters and the fans, and leads to a long, healthy tenure.

Benetti also has not had any issues getting along with his main broadcast partner Craig Monroe. There has been plenty of banter between the two, often poking fun at each other professionally and engagingly. He continues to grow his relationship with Monroe and hopefully will make him a better announcer as well. It is nice not having to hear everyone get referred to by nickname now.

There is a sense of professionalism between the entire team, with full names being used at the beginning of broadcasts and throughout the game. None of these changes seem forced between the two either, which makes things even better. It all seems so natural and flowing.

Finally, Benetti knows when to get excited, how to get excited, and how excited to get. In New York, when Carson Kelly hit his three-run home run to bust the game open, Benetti was ecstatic but it did not feel like he was rocking the booth and blowing out TV speakers around Detroit. Even on Opening Day, a slow, 1-0 Tigers win, he stayed engaged in the game, not just sitting back and talking about things that do not matter. Benetti never got overhyped at a routine fly ball to right and just had the perfect energy.

I have nothing but good things to say about the new voice of the team and look forward to him sticking around for years to come.