Courtesy Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

(May 14, 2010) When Milwaukee Brewers radio broadcaster Bob Uecker decided to undergo heart surgery, WTMJ Radio enlisted the help of Davey Nelson of Fox Sports Wisconsin to serve as an analyst for at least the 10-game road trip following Uecker's surgery on April 30.

Working with Cory Provus, who handles all nine innings of play by play, Nelson has been providing commentary on game broadcasts.

Nelson will continue in that role, according to Steve Wexler, executive vice president of television and radio operations for the Journal Broadcast Group, which owns WTMJ Radio.

"We'll be staying with the current configuration going forward," Wexler said. "Cory and Davey have done a really nice job of holding down the fort while we await Bob's return."

The surgery for Uecker, 75, included replacing an aortic valve, aortic root and part of his ascending aorta, as well as a coronary bypass.

Uecker's recovery was expected to take 10 to 12 weeks, which would make his return between July 16 and 30. Uecker was released from Milwaukee's Froedtert Hospital on May 6.

A Hall of Fame broadcaster, Uecker is in his 40th season as the radio voice of the Brewers.

In Uecker's absence, the broadcasts now belong to Provus, who is in his second season with the Brewers. With Uecker, he calls innings three, four and seven. Now he calls them all and really determines where the broadcast goes, framing the discussion and setting up Nelson.

Becky Ross, a spokeswoman for FS Wisconsin, said Nelson will not have his regular presence on Brewers pregame and postgame TV shows until his radio duties are concluded.

Nelson, an employee of the Brewers, is a good baseball man, but is not yet a polished and smooth broadcaster. He is amiable and upbeat, with a good self-deprecating sense of humor. He has a ton of experience as a player and coach that he can draw on for his analysis and storytelling.

But to these ears, it's Provus who's at the center of these recent broadcasts, which for 40 seasons have belonged mostly to Uecker.

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