You’re stuck in traffic on the 101. The sun is dipping behind the Santa Cruz mountains, and the dashboard clock says 7:05 PM. That’s when it happens. That familiar crackle of the airwaves, the hum of the crowd noise bleeding through the speakers, and the voice of a friend you’ve never actually met. For many of us, SF Giants baseball radio isn't just a way to catch the score. It’s the literal soundtrack of a Northern California summer.
It’s weirdly intimate. While TV is all about the flash and the replays, radio requires you to do the heavy lifting with your imagination. You have to "see" the dirt flying on a slide into second base based solely on the inflection in Jon Miller’s voice. Honestly, in an era where we can stream 4K video on a device in our pockets, there’s something almost defiant about sticking to the AM dial. But for Giants fans, the radio booth is arguably more iconic than the roster itself.
The KNBR 680 Legacy and the Power of the Signal
KNBR 680 is the "The Sports Leader" for a reason. It’s one of those rare 50,000-watt clear-channel stations. This means on a clear night, you can sometimes pick up the Giants broadcast as far away as Washington state or deep into the Nevada desert. It’s a massive geographic footprint.
But the tech side is secondary to the personalities. Think about it. We’ve been spoiled. Most fanbases are lucky to have one "Hall of Fame" caliber announcer. The Giants have had a rotation of them for decades. When you tune into SF Giants baseball radio, you aren't just getting a play-by-play; you’re getting a masterclass in storytelling.
The chemistry between Jon Miller, Dave Flemming, Duane Kuiper, and Mike Krukow is the gold standard. Even though "Kruk and Kuip" handle the bulk of the TV side, their frequent appearances and crossover into the radio booth keep the vibe consistent. It feels like a dinner party where everyone is slightly obsessed with pitch sequencing and Willie Mays anecdotes.
Why 680 AM Still Hits Different
There’s a specific texture to an AM broadcast. It’s got that warm, slightly fuzzy mid-range that sounds exactly like 1954 and 2026 at the same time. While the team also broadcasts on KGLX 95.7 The Game for the FM crowd in certain years or carries various affiliates across the state, 680 remains the home base.
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You’ve probably noticed that the delay on digital streams can be a nightmare. If you’re trying to listen to the SF Giants baseball radio feed via an app while watching a live "game cast" on your phone, the radio is often 30 seconds behind. That’s why the old-school transistor radio is still a common sight at Oracle Park. Fans sit in the stands with headphones on, listening to Dave Flemming describe the play they just saw with their own eyes. They want the context. They want to know why the shift was on or what the catcher said to the umpire.
The Art of the Call: More Than Just Balls and Strikes
What most people get wrong about sports radio is thinking it’s just about reporting facts. It’s not. It’s about pacing. A baseball game has a lot of "dead air." A good radio announcer fills that space without cluttering it.
Jon Miller is the undisputed king of this. His use of silence is just as important as his use of words. You hear the vendor hawking churros in the background. You hear the specific thwack of a fastball hitting the catcher's mitt. Then, Miller drops a perfect Hawaiian pronunciation of a player’s name or a story about a game in 1972 that somehow feels relevant to a 2-2 count in the fourth inning.
Then there’s Dave Flemming. He brought a younger, more analytical energy when he joined, but he’s become the backbone of the radio side. He’s the guy who climbed a ladder to call a game when the booth was under construction. That’s the kind of grit fans respect.
The Spanish Broadcast: "¡Adios, Pelota!"
We can't talk about SF Giants baseball radio without mentioning the Spanish language broadcasts. Erwin Higueros and Tito Fuentes bring a level of energy that is frankly infectious. Even if your Spanish is shaky, the rhythm of their call is unmistakable. When a ball is headed for the cove, the excitement transcends language. It’s a vital part of the Bay Area’s cultural fabric, reflecting a massive portion of the fanbase that lives and breathes Gigantes baseball.
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Navigating the Modern Airwaves: How to Listen Today
Times change. Not everyone owns a car with an antenna anymore. If you’re trying to find the game, you have a few distinct paths, and they aren't all created equal.
- The Traditional Route: KNBR 680 AM. It’s free. It’s reliable. It works during power outages.
- The App World: The KNBR app or the MLB App. The MLB App (At Bat) is actually one of the better deals in sports. For a relatively small annual fee, you get every radio broadcast for every team with no blackout restrictions. This is a lifesaver for Giants fans living in "enemy territory" like LA or New York.
- Smart Speakers: "Hey Google, play KNBR." It usually works, though sometimes geo-fencing kicks in during the actual game time due to digital rights.
- The Affiliate Map: From KTKZ in Sacramento to various stations in Fresno and the North Bay, the "Giants Radio Network" is a sprawling web of towers.
One thing to watch out for is the "territory" rule. MLB is notoriously protective of its digital rights. If you’re trying to stream the radio feed for free through a generic radio app, you might find it blocked once the first pitch is thrown. They want you to use their proprietary pipes. It’s annoying, but that’s the business.
The Evolution of the SF Giants Baseball Radio Booth
Lon Simmons and Russ Hodges set the bar. "Tell it bye-bye!" is etched into the DNA of the franchise. Following that is an impossible task, yet the current crew has managed to create their own era of legendary calls.
Think about the 2010, 2012, and 2014 World Series runs. For many, the definitive version of those memories isn't the FOX TV broadcast with Joe Buck. It’s the radio call. It’s the sound of the booth losing their minds as Brian Wilson struck out Nelson Cruz. Radio allows the announcers to be "homers" in the best way possible. They aren't neutral observers; they are part of the journey.
The Technical Grind
People don't realize the prep that goes into a three-hour broadcast. These guys arrive at the park four hours early. They’re looking at spray charts, talking to coaches, and digging through spreadsheets. But when the mic turns on, all that homework has to disappear into a casual conversation. If it sounds like work, they’ve failed. It should sound like a breeze.
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Why This Matters in 2026
We live in a world of "snackable" content. Highlights are 15-second clips on social media. Everything is fast. SF Giants baseball radio is the opposite. It’s slow. It’s a three-hour commitment to a narrative.
There is a mental health aspect to it, honestly. Tuning into a game on the radio forces you to decompress. You can't doomscroll while you're truly visualizing the game. It occupies a specific part of the brain that allows for relaxation. Whether you're painting the garage, gardening, or stuck in a soul-crushing commute on the Bay Bridge, the radio is a constant.
It’s also about community. When you see someone else in a grocery store with a single earbud in, looking slightly stressed in the bottom of the ninth, you know. You’re both listening to the same thing. You’re both part of the same invisible network.
Actionable Tips for the Best Listening Experience
If you want to take your radio listening seriously, stop relying on your phone's crappy internal speaker.
- Invest in a dedicated radio: A high-quality portable radio (like a C. Crane) can pull in 680 AM much clearer than a cheap clock radio.
- Sync the Audio: If you hate the TV announcers but want to watch the game, try to sync the radio audio. Some high-end receivers allow you to delay the audio signal to match the TV lag. It’s a game-changer.
- Check the Affiliates: If you’re traveling through the mountains or the Central Valley, keep a list of the affiliate stations. Signal strength fluctuates wildly once you leave the immediate Bay Area.
- Don't ignore the pre-game: The "Post-Game Wrap" is where the real gold is. The tension of the game is gone, and the guys really let loose with the analysis and humor.
The Giants have seen legendary players come and go. Bonds, Lincecum, Posey—they all eventually hang it up. But the radio broadcast is the bridge between those generations. It’s the one thing that feels permanent. As long as there’s a signal in the air and someone to describe a "high drive into left-center field," the soul of the team remains intact.
So next time you're out, maybe skip the podcast. Turn the dial to 680. Listen to the crowd. Listen to the cadence of a June game in a season that might not even matter in the standings. Because in the end, it’s not just about winning or losing. It’s about the story being told.
Go grab a portable AM/FM radio with a good telescoping antenna—yes, they still make them—and head to your backyard. There is no better way to experience a Saturday afternoon than with the sun on your face and the sound of the Giants on the air. Check your local listings for the nearest affiliate if you're outside the city, and remember that during night games, the AM signal travels further, so you might just catch the game even if you're hundreds of miles away from McCovey Cove.