Garagiola, Jackson and Torre Can Still Talk a Pretty Good Game : Announcers: Three former major league players bring 42 years of broadcasting experience to Angels’ TV booth.

During 21 seasons in the major leagues, Reggie Jackson never had much trouble jostling for a spot in the starting lineup.

But in the broadcast booth?

That’s where Mr. October found himself last fall when he worked as an analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Joe Torre for four Angel telecasts on KTLA.

As a former Angel with announcing experience, Jackson was an obvious candidate for the commentator’s opening for the 1990 season.

Jackson had some competition--Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Bob Gibson.

Jackson, 43, who played five seasons with the Angels, announced games against Cleveland, Texas and Chicago last August and September. Torre was filling in for play-by-play announcer Bob Starr, who was doing radio broadcasts on Ram games for KMPC.

Bench and Gibson each worked one game with Torre. But Jackson, as he was known for doing throughout his career, talked a pretty good game.

“Bench was awfully good, too,” said Joe Quasarano, KTLA sports director. “It would have been a coin flip between him and Reggie, except that Reggie played for the Angels.

“It wasn’t really a tryout for these guys. Reggie and Joe sounded good together, so we gave them a try.”

Jackson will join Torre, a former manager with the Mets and Braves who played for 18 seasons.

Torre will work a dual role as play-by-play announcer for KTLA’s 55 telecasts and analyst with SportsChannel’s 35 telecasts. Joe Garagiola, the former NBC baseball announcer, will do SportsChannel’s play-by-play.

Station officials say they chose the trio of former players for their perspective. Among them they have 857 home runs, 5,407 hits and 3,142 runs batted in, 48 years of major league playing experience and five World Series championship rings . . . and 42 years of broadcasting experience.

Jackson hit 563 home runs, sixth highest all-time, in a 21-year playing career. He won four World Series rings with the A’s and Yankees. He also has worked for ABC-TV as a commentator during the playoffs and World Series and has been the host of a syndicated show, “Play Ball,” for ESPN.

“This (KTLA job) is a different situation than with ABC,” Jackson said. “There was so much pressure there (at ABC). Everyone was so high-strung. This is much more laid back. Joe and I are working with one team that we’re familiar with.”

Torre said he’s comfortable with Jackson.

“He has a tendency to intimidate people,” Torre said. “That’s not the case with us.”

Last October, Torre replaced Starr--the Angels’ play-by-play announcer for the past 10 seasons--when Starr’s contract wasn’t renewed. Torre, who was Starr’s commentator, was replaced by Jackson.

“I had no idea at the time that they were considering a permanent move,” Torre said. “But the feedback we (Reggie and Torre) got on the games we worked was very positive.”

Torre said viewers can expect a more analytical commentary when he and Jackson are in the booth.

“I felt very comfortable in the analyst role with Bob,” said Torre, who also was an analyst with ESPN during the 1989 National League playoffs and World Series. “Bob was very unselfish in bringing me in on discussions and setting me up.

“Now I’m moving over to left seat, so to speak, with Reggie. It won’t be the same relationship that Bob and I had. Reggie and I are both former players, and I think that will encourage more analysis and discussion between us. We’re going to feel our way around and see what works.”

Torre, who is starting his sixth year broadcasting Angel games, played catcher and first and third base during his 18-season career, hitting .297 with 252 home runs. He played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, the Cardinals and Mets.

His best year in the majors was with the Cardinals in 1971, when he won the batting title (.363) and was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player. As a manager he guided the Braves to an 89-63 record and the NL West title in 1982, the club’s first playoff appearance in 13 seasons.

“Our strength with this telecast is mutual respect,” Jackson said. “People don’t realize that Joe was a great player as well as a manager. We talked about our experience last winter. I asked him if I can bounce ideas off him, ask him how he would handle a situation as a manager.”

Quasarano said Torre and Jackson will work well together.

“You have a great catcher and manager in Torre and a great batter with Reggie,” he said. “That should lend a lot of perspective to (the telecast). The only drawback is that you don’t have a polished play-by-play man like Starr.”

But the SportsChannel does have a veteran play-by-play announcer in Garagiola.

Garagiola has the most announcing experience of the three, starting in 1955 as a radio and television analyst for the Cardinals, one of four teams he played for in his nine seasons.

Garagiola’s experience, most notably his 27 years broadcasting the Game of the Week with NBC, caught SportsChannel producer Jim Zrake’s eye.

Garagiola’s association with NBC ended when the network decided not to renew his contract. Zrake was looking for a play-by-play announcer to replace Joel Meyers, who switched to SportsChannel’s Dodger telecasts. Torre encouraged Garagiola to apply for the job.

Zrake said the network signed Garagiola to a one-year contract.

“It’s ideal for me,” Garagiola said. “I don’t want to do 162 games. I was looking for a limited schedule.

“And the Angels are a ballclub that will contend. The announcer is there, but if you have a good club, that’s what people tune in for.”