Oakland A's Tab New #2 Voice

Vince Cotroneo has been named as the second play-by-play announcer for the Oakland Athletics, according to a press release issued by the team this afternoon.

The Brooklyn-born Cotroneo (photo at right), 45, was previously with the Texas Rangers (1998-2003) and Houston Astros (1991-1997), and was named Minor League Announcer of the Year in 1988. He was given a two-year contract by the A's to work alongside Ken Korach on their radiocasts, with Ray Fosse handling color and analysis.

The opening in the A's broadcast booth was the result of Bill King's sudden passing last October.

Still not official: the A's new flagship station here in the Bay Area. I was misquoted in the Oakland Tribune a few weeks ago as having said that KNTS/1220 would be the team's new local outlet; I said no such thing, but that hasn't stopped anyone else from continuing to promulgate that rumor.

I'm sticking to my dollar bet that it'll be the KIFR/106.9 and KYCY/1550 CBS combo, although nothing — including Clear Channel's KQKE/960 (The Quake) or KNEW/910 — would surprise me. I would love it if Robert Kieve came along and added his KLIV/1590 to the A's network to help the team get a foothold in the Southbay.