KABC announced today that Joe Block has been named co-host of DodgerTalk, teaming with Josh Suchon on the radio postgame show for the 2011 season. Block comes directly from New Orleans, where he was a studio host for New Orleans Hornets' broadcasts, and was the play-by-play man in Jacksonville from 2003-2006, including during the Jacksonville Five era. Block was one of the candidates to become the Dodgers' backup TV announcer in 2009, a job that ultimately went to Eric Collins.
This announcement coincides with Ken Levine leaving DodgerTalk after three seasons, which is understandable since Levine will be broadcasting some Mariners' games this season (a move no doubt endorsed by our friends at AZ Snakepit), as a multi-broadcaster tribute to the late Dave Niehaus, who passed away this offseason. Levine, the Emmy-winning comedy writer who wrote several episodes of M*A*S*H and Cheers, to name a few credits, had the perfect temperament for a radio call-in show, using his sense of humor to defuse the inanity that is sometimes heard from callers to the show. Levine had a great rapport with Suchon, and it showed on the air, and off.
The good news is that Levine might still contribute in some way to DodgerTalk:
However, there's a strong likelihood that I will continue to contribute to Dodger Talk -- features and whatnot -- so I'm not totally gone.
While I am excited to have Block on board, especially for his perspective on Chad Billingsley, Matt Kemp, Jonathan Broxton, James Loney, et al, Levine will be missed.
Block is on Twitter, at @Joe_Block.