Volume 55, No. 10
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967
RUSSELL LEE/CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
West Geauga graduate Michael Picha, far right, produces and engineers the Spanish-speaking broadcast through MLB.com and locally on WARF 1350 AM. For Picha, 30, it’s a dream come true. He joins, from left, Octavio Sequera, Carlos Baerga and Rafa Hernández-Brito.
West G Grad Produces Guardians Spanish Speaking Broadcast By Brian Lavrich sports@karlovecmedia.com By all accounts, this has been a successful season for the Cleveland Guardians. They have won the American League Central Division and finished with the second best record in the AL. The Guardians are currently competing against the Detroit Tigers in the American League Division Series. One aspect of the Guardians organization that is growing right along with the team is its Spanish speaking radio broadcast. It started in 2023 and expanded this year to broadcast all 80 home games for the Guardians (the final home game was rained out and not made up). Fans can listen to the Spanish speaking broadcast through MLB. com and locally on WARF 1350 AM. A big part of the broadcast is Mike Picha, a 2013 West Geauga graduate, who is the show’s engineer and producer. For Picha, 30, it’s a dream come true. “Oh, for many reasons,” Picha said. “I grew up watching the then Indians. I feel attached. This allows it to come to life a little more.
“I feel blessed and grateful.” Picha attended the Ohio Media School after graduating from West G. He interned on the Lanigan and Malone Radio Show before getting a call from Curtis Danburg, Vice President of Communications and Community Impact with the Guardians. Danburg was originally interested in Picha working with Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus on WTAM 1100 AM and 100.7 FM WMMS. Ultimately that didn’t pan out. But Danburg called Picha again and offered him the position of producer and engineer for the Spanish speaking broadcast. Working for the Guardians also allows Picha time to be involved at West G where he coaches middle school cross country and is an assistant coach for the varsity boys basketball team. Picha also helps the voice of West G football, announcer Randy Sciria, during Wolverine football games. Picha is the main man behind the scenes in helping the broadcast team that consists of Rafa Hernandez-Brito, who is also the Spanish speaking broadcaster for the Cavaliers, and Octavio Sequera. Her-
nandez-Brito and Sequera share play-by-play responsibilities while former Indian All Star Carlos Baerga serves as the color analyst. “They were all strangers to me,” Picha said. “One of the coolest things is we entered this as strangers and have become brothers. We have great camaraderie. I believe we clicked so quickly because of our faith. It’s brought us together. “Living in Chesterland and going to St. Anselm growing up, faith is a big part of who I am. I make my life a big ministry. Faith makes me tick. I want to be kind to everyone.” Clearly, the on-air personalities have meshed well with Picha. “What I like about Mike Picha is he prepares himself better than anybody,” Baerga said. “He lets us know ahead of time, three or four days before that weekend. That’s something you need as a producer, as a guy in charge, the engineer who is in charge of our radio. We want to be ready. When we start the game we want to be ready for everything. “It’s been great. This is our first full season doing 80 games. It’s See Guardians • Page 8
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