Baseball

Former Royal Raul Ibanez joins Fox as studio analyst

The Associated Press

March 30, 2015 2:52 PM

Kansas City Royals Raul Ibanez answers a question during Thursday's media availability session for the team on October 9, 2014 for the ALCS baseball game at Orioles Park in Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md. \u2011413\ The Kansas City Star

NEW YORK

Raul Ibanez is moving from the field to the broadcast studio.

The former Royals outfielder will be a studio analyst for Fox this season, the network announced Monday.

A 19-year veteran who hit 305 home runs, Ibanez was among the finalists to become Tampa Bay manager, then withdrew from consideration. He finished last season with the Royals after starting the year with the Los Angeles Angels.

Ibanez also played for the Royals during 2001-03

Fox also hired Joe Davis and Aaron Goldsmith as play-by-play announcers. Both have broadcast college football and basketball for Fox.

Fox’s lead crew is unchanged, with play-by-play announcer Joe Buck joined by analysts Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci, and reporters Ken Rosenthal and Erin Andrews. Newly elected Hall of Famer John Smoltz, Eric Karros and C.J. Nitkowski return as analysts.

This story was originally published March 30, 2015 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Former Royal Raul Ibanez joins Fox as studio analyst."

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