24 July 2008

NESN’s Frede is serious about his work

By Franklin Kanin
REGIONAL -

On July 26, while eager fans watch top athletes play in the 2008 Under Armour Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game on the New England Sports Network, they will be hearing the voice of Eric Frede, who will be providing play-by-play commentary of the game.

Frede has worked as a commentator for more than a decade, and his affiliation with NESN, for whom he does freelance work, stretches to 2002. In his career he has covered everything from college football to Major League baseball, and works as a reporter, broadcaster and producer, referring to himself as “kind of a jack of all trades.”

The award-winning broadcaster is excited about his upcoming job on the Cape. “I know how important it is for all the kids playing,” Frede says. “We’ll just do our best to make sure we cover it with the proper amount of class.”

In preparing for the game, Frede has immersed himself in the stories of the players and teams, and has tried to learn as much as he can about the league. He foresees some “tight races” based on the competitive nature of the season thus far.

But despite the stories and backgrounds of the players, “Once the game starts, I think we’re going to be entertained,” he says. “We’ll give you some background, but when great plays happen I want to make sure I stay out of the way and let the pictures or the sounds tell the story.”

Among Frede’s numerous and varied jobs and reports, one has stood out for him above the rest. In 2004 he covered the Boston Red Sox, and chronicled their triumphant journey to their first World Championship in 86 years — something he predicts would probably be the greatest sports event of the generation.
“That will be tough to top,” he says.

But Frede plans to treat the All-Star game with the same energy and enthusiasm he gave to that momentous series, and taking it as seriously as any game he announces.

“I think it will be a celebration, but also a break in the action from what’s been a very competitive season so far on the Cape by all accounts,” Frede says.

Not only does Frede work as a freelance broadcaster and reporter, but he also co-owns Cod Rock Media Productions, a video production company he runs with Dan Hannigan. He enjoys the versatility in his professional life. “One day I’ll be at a game, and the next day I’ll be in a studio, and the next day I’ll be reporting somewhere — I like being able to dance around from job to job, and it really keeps you sharp,” he says. “Something I’ve always taken a lot of pride in is being able to do a lot of different things.”

Joining Frede in the sound booth will be Jim Beattie, former New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, who will provide color commentary.

As the fans at home watch the players, the voice they’ll hear just wants to make sure he’ll be able to see the game. Noting the thousands of fans and talent scouts who will crowd Veteran’s Field in Chatham, Frede remarks, “I just hope I can get there early so I can get a good seat.”
NESN, NPR to carry All-Star Game live

The 46th edition of the Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game, presented by the leading banks of Cape Cod at Veterans Field in Chatham, will be broadcast live on WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR stations and also televised live on New England Sports Network (NESN) at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 26.

NPR’s Neal Conan will provide play-by-play on WCAI, while John Garner Jr. of the Cape League will do color commentary along with Dan D’Uva, voice of the Chatham A’s.

Mindy Todd of WCAI’s “The Point” will do live interviews between innings.

Veteran Boston-area broadcaster Eric Frede will provide play-by-play of the CCBL All-Star Game for NESN, while former New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jim Beattie, who played for the Harwich Mariners in 1974 and served as executive vice president of the Baltimore Orioles, will do color commentary.

The telecast on NESN will directly follow the telecast of the New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox game.

The Cape and Islands NPR stations, WCAI 90.1fm, WNAN 91.1fm and WZAI 94.3fm, are listener-supported public radio stations serving Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and the South Coast.

The radio broadcast will also be available on the Internet by going to capecodbaseball.org, or to gatemen.org for the feed provided by Cape.Com.

NESN is a regional cable televisionnetwork that covers all six New Englandstates. In New England, DirecTV carries it on channel 623 (with channel 623 for HD). NESN is channel 51 on Comcast stations on Cape Cod with NESN HD on channel 851.



If you go, watch, or listen

What: Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game

When: Saturday, July 26, 7 p.m.

Where: Veterans Field, Chatham



TV: Live on New England Sports Network (NESN)
Radio: Live on National Public Radio’s Cape Cod stations (WCAI, 90.1; WNAN, 91.1; and WZAI, 94.3)