The inaugural season for the Columbia Fireflies is just two days away, they have already brought excitement not only to Mets fans and the community in South Carolina but all of minor league baseball with the gorgeous Spirit Communications Park and unique merchandise design.

The Fireflies  will have all 140 games of their inaugural season games broadcast live on WGCV 620 AM and 105.1 FM. Kevin Fitzgerald will be the voice behind the microphone as the director of broadcasting and media relations for Columbia.

MMN – What have you learned from your two years broadcasting minor league baseball?

Kevin – Working for the TinCaps in 2015 provided an invaluable opportunity. Fort Wayne is consistently ranked as one of top minor league organizations in the country so having the chance to remain under the same ownership (Hardball Capital, Jason Freier) in Columbia was something I couldn’t pass up — especially growing up a lifelong Mets fan.

I spent the 2014 season as the director of broadcasting and media relations for the Bluefield Blue Jays (advanced-rookie, Appalachian League, Toronto) in Bluefield, WV. But in both places, I most importantly learned how major league franchises run their organizations. Tendencies, how they scout, how they develop. You learn when players are ready, you learn about developmental stresses. And of course, you learn your players’ or coaches’ stories.

MMN – Growing up a Mets fan, who were you favorite players to watch?

Kevin – Hard not to say I didn’t grow up idolizing Mike Piazza, he was Mr. Met when I first started watching them. I always loved watching Edgardo Alfonzo, too. One of the most underrated hitting infielders during that time. Al Lieter, David Wright and Jose Reyes, such an exhilarating player to watch.

MMN – When did you know you wanted to be a broadcaster?

Kevin – I was always interested in pursuing broadcasting as a career. The story-telling behind a game or a shot or a hit always intrigued me. How did Vin Scully describe Mookie’s little roller up along first? How did Bob Papa detail how Eli Manning somehow fought out of that sack?

Syracuse University is home to the best journalism school in the country, so once I enrolled there, I found out about all of the media outlets and opportunities pretty quickly. So I walked into a culture that breeds great broadcasters.

MMN – What kind of research do you do to get yourself prepared for a minor league baseball game each night?

Kevin – Research is extensive. You read player bios, you look at their stats, how do they hit against lefties, how hot are they the last 10 games, etc? The best preparation is down at the batting cage though, or in the clubhouse. Some of the most unique material you use for your broadcasts is drawn from catching up with the players and manager on a day to day basis. Find out what their hometown is like, how they played basketball as well growing up, how they faced today’s starting pitcher in college, etc. A lot of stuff you can’t gather from a stat page.

MMN – What is the excitement like from the Fireflies front office as the inaugural season gets closer?

Kevin – It’s off the charts. And all around the Columbia community as well. This isn’t just about adding a baseball team, this park is the centerpiece of a brand-new massive 170-acre neighborhood soon to be constructed in this city. So the energy here is palpable. Everywhere we go, we hear about the excitement of folks in this area.

MMN – Who would be the broadcaster you look up to the most and try to emulate his level of professionalism?

Kevin – Mike Breen is one of my favorites, the professionalism he brings to the air is second to none,  not to mention his humor. And speaking of humor, Howie Rose and Josh Lewin are the definition of on-air entertainment. Informative, always having fun, those two are wonderful.

MMN – Great talking to you Kevin, thanks for your time.

Kevin – You bet. Anything you need, just let me know.

Kevin will be joined on-air by fellow Syracuse alum Brendan Glasheen, he had this to say about his new partner, being a part of the Fireflies and how he played around with broadcasting as a kid –

I’m fortunate enough to be working alongside Kevin Fitzgerald, a colleague and friend. We worked at the same radio station in Syracuse together numerous times, whether it was play by play of Cuse’ hoops or talk radio shows. He graduated one year before I did. He reached out to me in the winter about the Fireflies and asked how I felt about being his assistant down in Columbia. First thing I thought to myself was man, we’ll be picking up right where we left off.

When I was young I enjoyed muting the video games and trying to put my own spin on the commentating. The video game lines got old quick. I just thought it was cool because I was putting my own stamp on how the game should sound.

The Fireflies, like the rest of the Mets full season affiliates, will begin their season tomorrow. They will be on the road against the Charleston RiverDogs with the game starting at 7:05 PM ET.