Whitecaps master calling at-bat, golf style

While the Minor League season got fully underway this weekend, many in the sports world turned their attention to Georgia to watch golf’s finest compete in the Masters. West Michigan broadcasters Dan Hasty and Nate Wangler decided to bring a bit of the green to the baseball diamond.

Complete with calming music and muted crowd noise, the voice of the Tigers’ High-A affiliate transported his listeners to Augusta as he called an at-bat in the spirit of the famed tournament during the Whitecaps’ 3-1 win over Fort Wayne on Saturday.

“We just wanted to do something different, trying to be something different,” Hasty said. “For our home games, we pivoted to a TV-style broadcast, and that lends itself perfectly to making baseball sound like golf. You can’t do that without pictures.”

Hasty, a big golf fan, was spitballing ideas with other members of his team on how to spice up the broadcast when the idea of the Masters came up in conversation. The original idea was to do a half inning, but they whittled it down to a single at-bat in case it went on for too long.

Thanks for the shoutout! @GolfDigest

Minor-league baseball announcer calls at-bat as if it were the Masters, becomes instant legend https://t.co/d7ynBjABmt

— West Michigan Whitecaps (@wmwhitecaps) April 10, 2023

“This is inning No. 7 … still in the front nine, if you will,” Hasty said Saturday, referring to the top of the frame. The broadcast cut from the game feed to inside the booth, and Hasty and Wangler laughed to each other. “Right now, looking at a pitch from about 60 feet, 6 inches.”

Hasty made a list of golf-baseball hybrid remarks to try and work into the broadcast ahead of time. He only ended up using about three of his ideas, but to Hasty, less is more when it comes to a golf-style broadcast.

“Baseball looks like hyperspeed compared to the way they commentate golf,” Hasty said with a laugh. “I know the speed and tempo of golf, so knowing that and understanding that gave us the angle.”

A lifelong fan of the franchise, Hasty has been with the Whitecaps since 2015 and relishes the opportunity to keep his broadcast interesting and entertaining at every turn.

“I’m just happy people enjoyed it,” Hasty said. “I hope it was as fun for them to watch as it was for us to make.”

Someone get this man a green jacket.