Natural fit: Former USC broadcaster Morgan hooking up with the Braves

Nearly a year ago to the day, Mike Morgan leaned on the dugout railing and examined the sun-kissed spring training diamond in front of him.

Behind him sat Bobby Cox. To his right was John Schuerholz.

Then the voice of South Carolina basketball and baseball, Morgan was a visitor in the Atlanta Braves' world.

The architects of the club's recent years of prosperity, Cox and Schuerholz, were surrounding him as the team prepared to play the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, Fla.

Morgan had a chance to talk with both Cox and Schuerholz, among other Braves officials, and players such as current GM Frank Wren.

"It was great to just stand near the dugout and talk baseball with those guys," Morgan said. "I felt like a sponge just learning something every time they told a story."

Funny how things work. Now they'll share their world with Morgan.

Morgan was hired this week as one of the voices that will soon become familiar to Braves fans. The 36-year-old will take on various broadcasting roles for the team beginning next week.

He'll call a pair of Braves spring games for Comcast Sports and the MLB Network -- Tuesday against the Phillies and March 11 at the New York Yankees' place in Tampa, Fla.

In another twist of fate, Morgan attended his first World Series game this past fall -- the series between the Phillies and Yankees.

Additionally, Morgan will call several more Grapefruit League games for the Braves' radio network.

Once the season arrives, he'll be part of the Braves' postgame show on their flagship station, 680 "The Fan." Morgan will take calls and share analysis, along with veteran Atlanta-area broadcaster Chuck Dowdle.

Morgan will also sometimes spell the team's broadcasters for regular season games. He will also call 25 TV broadcasts of the team's Triple-A affiliate in neighboring Gwinnett County, Ga. There, Morgan will work with former Braves outfielder Brian Jordan.

The gig allows for Morgan to continue working with other sports and teams.

He plans to again do TV broadcasts for the Carolina Panthers' preseason games. He'll also continue working on ESPN college football broadcasts, just as he did this past season. Morgan will also continue working with "The Team" (1400-AM) in Columbia, although on a more limited basis.

Morgan spent a decade at South Carolina, earning the respect of fans across the Palmetto State and beyond.

He called more than 700 games -- including three College World Series -- in that tenure, which ended in April when Morgan and USC parted ways.

Since then, Morgan says he's received more than 1,600 e-mail messages telling him that he's missed.

"You're never going to be loved by everybody," said Morgan, who recently won his fifth sportscaster of the year honor from the state, "but I couldn't ask for better support from the fans."

In addition to working with Ray Tanner and the Gamecocks' baseball team, Morgan's got some pro ball in his background -- he called games for the Class A Columbus (Ga.) Red Stixx before his move to Columbia.

He says he's again looking forward to hearing the crack of the wooden bat, as opposed to the aluminum's ping.

Morgan, too, grew up near the Braves' old spring training home in West Palm Beach, Fla.

It's a natural thing for Morgan and the Braves to be together again.

"It's a great honor to be part of a first-class organization like the Atlanta Braves have," Morgan said. "I can't think of a better television and radio network to be a part of in Major League Baseball."