Published: October 14, 2008 11:55 pm            

Dambach eyes spot with Bucs

Jason Dambach has seen plenty of Altoona Curve players reach the major leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

He would like to follow the same path.

Dambach, who has been with the Curve since their inception 10 years ago, is one of the candidates to fill the position in the Pirates broadcast booth opened with the departure of longtime play-by-play man Lanny Frattare.

“I’m definitely interested and would like the opportunity,” Dambach said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

A graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School, Dambach grew up with the Pirates and would like nothing better than to make it to a major league broadcast booth with the team.

“My goal – and everyone else who calls games in the minor leagues – is to be a major league broadcaster,” said Dambach, who recently submitted his resume to the big-league club. “Being that I’m a western Pennsylvania native and a lifelong Pirates fan, it piques my interest that much more.”

Dambach’s tenure with the Pirates’ Double-A affiliate in Altoona might give him an edge over an outsider.

“I think the fact that I know the organization very well – I have a relationship with 21 or 22 of the players and coaches that ended the season there – and I’d be comfortable in that situation,” Dambach said.

The Pirates haven’t given a time frame for when they plan to hire a broadcaster, and a message from The Tribune-Democrat was not immediately returned on Tuesday. The Pirates have not named any applicants, but the Post-Gazette reported Tuesday that Fox Sports Pittsburgh’s Rob King is a candidate for the job, though he has not formally applied.

Dambach said he is honored just to be linked to the opening.

“It’s nice that my name has been mentioned by a few people,” he said. “It’s very flattering. I think everyone here (with the Curve) is very supportive and knows that my goal has always been to be a major league broadcaster.”

        

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