Dan Dickerson, the radio voice of the Detroit Tigers, and Craig Monroe had finished their first radio broadcast together in 2022 and were walking back to the hotel in Cleveland.
“All right, how did it go?” Monroe asked.
“You did great,” Dickerson said. “But one thing, you can’t talk over me delivering a pitch.”
Monroe did it a few times, which was totally understandable for his first game as an in-game analyst.
Monroe took the advice to heart.
“I want to be the best at this,” Monroe said. “So, I want to know what I need to do.”
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Dickerson and Monroe did about 35 games together in 2022 and Monroe continued to improve.
“He wants to be the best, and he clearly showed it — the way he goes about his job,” Dickerson said, his voice rising with energy. “I get very excited talking about it because I just think he was outstanding by the time we did our last game last year.”
Monroe, who played nine years in the majors, including six seasons with the Tigers, had always been known for his charisma and style, wearing colorful suits working as a studio host on Bally Sports Detroit.
But this was radio, a medium that strips everything down to its essence.
And Dickerson saw something else in Monroe. A true substance.
It was the way Monroe prepared, studying videotape of Tigers’ hitters and opposing pitchers, working through the clubhouse and asking players specific questions that only a former player might think to ask.
It was Monroe’s willingness to be critical.
But most of all, it was the insight Monroe brought to the broadcast as someone who had a sustained major league career.
“To me, that’s the value of having an ex-player,” Dickerson said. “When somebody fouls a ball straight back, I can’t always tell if they just missed it versus if they got jammed and just was late. I remember, one time last year, a guy fouled off a 2-1 fastball. Craig was like, ‘you cannot foul off a 2-1 fastball and be late on it. What are you looking for?’”
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To say Dickerson, the lead voice of the Tigers on the radio for more than two decades now, was impressed — from Monroe’s preparation to his growth — would be an understatement.
And now, Monroe is taking those talents to the TV booth.
Monroe will make his official debut as the primary in-game analyst for Tigers games on BSD on Thursday when they open the season at Tampa.
I know, I know. He’s already done some spring training games. But those don’t count. Not for the players. Not for the broadcasters.
“Yes, I will be nervous Opening Day,” Monroe said. “I want it to be great. So, I am going to be nervous. But I allow the nervousness to bring out the best in me. When that red light comes, and the lights shine the brightest, that’s when you have to slow the game down.”
It’s the same way he played.
“Don’t let the moment become too big for you,” Monroe said.
About that style
So, he’s got the substance.
And his style is undeniable.
Monroe is the Don Cherry of Tigers baseball, willing to take fashion risks. Unafraid to wear any outfit or any color. Letting his personality come out through his style.
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“I’ve heard that a lot, and I’m like, I gotta go look him up,” Monroe said about being compared to Cherry, the longtime NHL commentator known for his bright, one-of-a-kind suits. “I guess I didn’t watch enough hockey.”
Maybe Monroe isn’t quite as flashy as Cherry.
But Monroe certainly loves to dress up and wear bright colors, letting his personality show through his clothes.
“I absolutely love it,” Monroe said. “That’s confidence. Dress the way you feel. And I’m a happy, funky, optimistic kind of guy. I feel like I’m fun. And my friends will tell me that I’m fun. So my clothes have to be fun.”
Monroe owns about 50 suits, 350 ties and more than 100 shirt-tie combinations.
“I don’t have hundreds and hundreds of suits, but I’ve got way too many — let’s be honest,” Monroe said. “I’ve got way too many.”
He got his style from a pair of uncles.
“I learned it from my Uncle Wayne and my Uncle Milton,” Monroe said. “As a kid, I watched them dress to the nines. I mean, from the shoes to their socks, their outfit always matched and was always on point.”
And he wanted to emulate them.
“I’m just glad now I get a chance to do it on a day-to-day basis,” Monroe said.
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On some days, Monroe likes to send subtle messages.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed but a lot of times, I can theme it up with all these great schools around here in Michigan,” he said.
He might wear a maroon suit with a gold tie and a gold shirt — his own little “Fire Up, Chips!” look.
Or he’ll sport a green suit with a white shirt, a small wink and a nod to the Spartans. And on the Fourth of July — he’ll go straight to the red, white and blue.
“Clothes for me represents who I am, it shows off my personality,” he said. “It allows me to bring happiness and joy. It brightens my day.”
It’s one thing to put on almost anything as a studio host.
It’s a little different when you have to drag suits around the country, from city to city, going out on the road.
So, get ready folks.
Monroe is going to scale it back a little on the road.
He is only going to take three suits on road trips.
“A black, a blue and a gray suit,” he said. “I don’t care how many days it is, I’m gonna take those three. And then what I’m gonna do is I’m gonna take probably two different shirts for each one of them. I’m gonna condense it a little bit, I’m gonna try to be smarter and not take too many options where I don’t drive myself crazy.”
But that’s the road trips.
“I’m only gonna go crazy at home,” he said, laughing.
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A revolving door at the mic
Play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard and Monroe will do about 100 games together.
Shepard and Kirk Gibson will do about 40 games, and Shepard will be paired with Dan Petry and Cameron Maybin for about 10 games each.
Monroe and Maybin share an interesting history.
When the Tigers called up Maybin to make his MLB debut on Aug. 17, 2007, Monroe was the player designated for assignment.
“I was so proud and so excited for him,” Monroe said. “I’ve always considered him as a little bro. I had him a couple of years in spring training. He would hang out with me and pick my brain and I was giving him advice on how to handle himself.
“We were in New York and I was getting sent out. And I had a great conversation with him. I told him it was his time. I told him, ‘don’t feel bad at all.’ I said, ‘this is what you’ve worked your tail off. This is what you’ve worked for, to live out your dream. And there’s enough room for all of us.’ ”
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Will bright suits bring brighter days
After spending time around the Tigers in spring training, Monroe sees brighter days ahead.
“I saw a group of guys that are on the same page,” Monroe said. “I got to see a group of guys that are pulling the same way. I really enjoyed the camaraderie that I saw inside the clubhouse, the banter back and forth. And I think truly that the Tigers are gonna surprise some teams. This season, I think they’re going to surprise a lot of us.”
Typical C-Mo.
His voice full of energy.
A positive vibe.
Vibrant and colorful.
Just like those suits.
Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.
To read Seidel’s recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.