View source for Rod Allen

{{short description|American baseball player and analyst (born 1959)}}
{{For|others of the same or similar names|Rod Allen (advertising executive)|Rod Allen (singer)|Roderick Allen (disambiguation)|Rodney Allen (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name        = Rod Allen
| image       = Rod Allen Buffalo Bisons.jpg
| position    = [[Outfielder]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1959|10|5}}
| birth_place = [[Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
| death_date  = 
| bats        = Right
| throws      = Right
| debutleague = MLB
| debutdate   = April 7
| debutyear   = 1983
| debutteam   = Seattle Mariners
| debut2league = NPB
| debut2date   = April 8
| debut2year   = 1989
| debut2team   = Hiroshima Toyo Carp
| finalleague = MLB
| finaldate   = October 2
| finalyear   = 1988
| finalteam   = Cleveland Indians
| final2league = NPB
| final2date   = October 28
| final2year   = 1991
| final2team   = Hiroshima Toyo Carp
| statleague = MLB
| stat1label  = [[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
| stat1value  = .220
| stat2label  = [[Home run]]s
| stat2value  = 0
| stat3label  = [[Runs batted in]]
| stat3value  = 3
|stat2league   = NPB
| stat21label  = [[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
| stat21value  = .288
| stat23label  = [[Home run]]s
| stat23value  = 45
| stat24label  = [[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
| stat24value  = 133
| teams       =
* [[Seattle Mariners]] ({{mlby|1983}})
* [[Detroit Tigers]] ({{mlby|1984}})
* [[Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1988}})
* [[Hiroshima Toyo Carp]] ({{by|1989}}–{{by|1991}})
}}

'''Roderick Bernet Allen''' (born October 5, 1959) is an American former professional baseball [[outfielder]] and current game analyst for the [[Miami Marlins]] on [[Bally Sports Florida|Fan Duel Sports Network Florida]]. He formerly worked as an analyst for the [[Detroit Tigers]] on [[Bally Sports Detroit]] and [[Major League Baseball on Fox|Fox Saturday Baseball]]. He played for the [[Seattle Mariners]], Tigers, and [[Cleveland Indians]] of the [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), and also the [[Hiroshima Toyo Carp]] of [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] (NPB). He previously worked as an analyst for the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]].

==Baseball==
===Playing career===
Allen was selected by the [[Chicago White Sox]] in the sixth round of the [[1977 Major League Baseball draft]]. He enjoyed a brief stint with the [[Seattle Mariners]] in 1983. He was 23 years old when he made his major league debut on April 7, 1983. He hit .296 in 27 at-bats during a 15-game stint as an [[outfielder]] and [[designated hitter]] with the World Series Champion Detroit Tigers in [[1984 World Series|1984]], but was not on the team during the postseason. He enjoyed another brief stint in the majors with the [[Cleveland Indians]] in 1988. Allen spent the last three years of his playing career with the [[Hiroshima Toyo Carp]] of the NPB. He hit a pair of [[home run]]s against [[Seibu Lions]] in the [[1991 Japan Series]] and set a Japanese regular season record with four home runs in four consecutive at bats during his time in the league.  He is infamous for charging the mound after [[Yokohama DeNA BayStars|Yokohama Taiyo Whales]] pitcher Kazuhiko Daimon hit him in the back with a pitch, subsequently chasing Daimon across the entire field with both teams' benches in tow.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thesundevils.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30300&ATCLID=207841651 |title=Rod Allen Feature Story on MLB.com – Arizona State Sun Devils |publisher=Thesundevils.com |access-date=June 3, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419011753/http://www.thesundevils.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30300&ATCLID=207841651 |archive-date=April 19, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-tigers/2011/5/28/2194465/rod-allen-charges-mound-buster-posey-injury |title=Buster Posey Injury Elicits More Buzzworthy Rod Allen Playing Days In Japan Footage – SB Nation Detroit |date=May 28, 2011 |publisher=Detroit.sbnation.com |access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref>

===Coaching career===
Prior to his work as a broadcaster, Allen spent four seasons as a hitting instructor in the [[Florida Marlins]] organization from 1992 through 1995.  In 1994 and 1995, he was the [[hitting coach]] for the [[Kane County Cougars]], the Marlins Single-A affiliate in the [[Midwest League]]. Some of the notable batters he coached include [[Mike Redmond]], [[Kevin Millar]], and [[Luis Castillo (second baseman)|Luis Castillo]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=ce910155 |title=1994 Kane County Cougars Statistics – Minor Leagues |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=95458f7b |title=1995 Kane County Cougars Statistics – Minor Leagues |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-42085546 |title=Major League Cougars |publisher=[[Minor League Baseball]] |access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref>  During his time in the organization, Allen worked under Marlins GM [[Dave Dombrowski]], who would later become the Tigers president, CEO, and general manager.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/d8f07b22 |title=Rod Allen |publisher=SABR |access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref>

===Broadcasting===

====Arizona Diamondbacks====
From 1998 to 2002 he spent five seasons with the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] as a television ([[Fox Sports Arizona]]) and radio ([[KTAR (AM)|KTAR]]) analyst. He served as the [[color commentator]] on the Diamondbacks radio broadcasts during the 2001 postseason, including the [[2001 World Series|World Series]] win against the [[New York Yankees]].  Allen was replaced as Diamondbacks television analyst by former major leaguer [[Mark Grace]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/d8f07b22 |title=Rod Allen |publisher=SABR |access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref>

====Detroit Tigers====
Allen was the regular color commentator on Detroit Tigers telecasts for Fox Sports Detroit, joined by play-by-play man [[Mario Impemba]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://msn.foxsports.com/id/1531065#rallen |title=Fox Sports Detroit – On Air Talent – Rod Allen |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422071656/http://msn.foxsports.com/id/1531065#rallen |archive-date=April 22, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Allen won Michigan [[Emmy Award|Emmys]] in 2006 and 2007 for his analysis of Detroit Tigers baseball.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/team/broadcasters.jsp?c_id=det |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070524001956/http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/team/broadcasters.jsp?c_id=det |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 24, 2007 |title=Broadcasters |publisher=Detroit.tigers.mlb.com |access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref>

Allen is a longtime member of the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association founded in 1948 by Tigers broadcaster [[Ty Tyson]].

On September 21, 2016, Tigers catcher [[James McCann (baseball)|James McCann]] hit a three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins that put the Tigers up 6-0 in the sixth inning. Allen excitedly shouted "Second Deck!", but when heard, it sounded like "suck a dick." This was picked up by Detroit radio station [[WXYT-FM]] and it became their most popular drop.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2016/09/22/rod-allens-second-deck-home-run-call-is-an-internet-sensation-video/ | title=Rod Allen's "Second Deck" Home Run Call is an Internet Sensation &#91;VIDEO&#93; | date=September 22, 2016 }}</ref>

On September 4, 2018, Allen and Impemba were allegedly involved in a physical altercation off the air after broadcasting the Tigers game against the [[Chicago White Sox]]. Fox Sports Detroit sent the men home on different planes after the game, and the next night's telecast was covered by [[Kirk Gibson]] and field-level reporter [[Matt Shepard (sportscaster)|Matt Shepard]].<ref>{{cite web| first=Anthony|last=Fenech|title=Detroit Tigers' Mario Impemba, Rod Allen have 'severe' physical incident|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2018/09/06/detroit-tigers-mario-impemba-rod-allen/1210999002/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=September 6, 2018|access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref> One source claimed that there was an argument over a chair, followed by Allen using a choke hold on Impemba, but Allen's agent denied that his client choked Impemba.<ref>{{cite web| first=Anthony|last=Fenech|title=Detroit Tigers' Mario Impemba-Rod Allen altercation: Everything we know|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2018/09/06/detroit-tigers-mario-impemba-rod-allen/1218032002/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=September 7, 2018|access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref> On September 7, Fox Sports Detroit suspended both men from calling any Tigers games for the remainder of the [[2018 Detroit Tigers season|2018 season]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2018/09/07/detroit-tigers-broadcasters-rod-allen-mario-impemba/1224854002/|title=Fox Sports Detroit: Rod Allen, Mario Impemba done for season|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|last=Frenech|first=Anthony|date=September 7, 2018|access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref> It was later announced the contracts of both Impemba and Allen were not renewed for future seasons, ending their 16-year partnership.<ref>[https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2018/10/09/detroit-tigers-rod-allen-mario-impemba-fox-sports-detroit/1573699002/ Broadcasters Rod Allen, Mario Impemba won't return to Detroit Tigers] ''The Detroit Free Press'', October 9, 2018</ref>

====''Fox Saturday Baseball''====
In addition to his work for the Diamondbacks and Tigers, Allen did color commentary for ''[[Fox Saturday Baseball]]'', including games involving the Tigers until 2018.

====Miami Marlins====
In March 2022 it was announced Allen would be joining [[Bally Sports Florida]] as an analyst for Miami Marlins telecasts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-16 |title=Ex-Tigers broadcaster Rod Allen back in booth for Miami Marlins games |url=https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2022/03/ex-tigers-broadcaster-rod-allen-back-in-booth-for-miami-marlins-games.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=mlive |language=en}}</ref>

==Family life==
Allen and his wife, Adrian, have four children: Rhonda, Rod, Jr., Andrew, and Rachel. The Allens live in the [[Phoenix, Arizona]] area. Rod, Jr. was selected by the [[New York Yankees]] in the 12th round of the 2004 [[Major League Baseball Draft]] after a collegiate career at [[Arizona State University]]. He played the 2004 season with the [[Staten Island Yankees]] in the [[New York–Penn League]], and played for the [[Class A (baseball)|Class A]] [[Winston-Salem Warthogs]] in 2006 and 2007. His most recent professional stint was in 2011 with the White Sands Pupfish in the Pecos League. Andrew was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 43rd round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft.  He attended [[Desert Vista High School]] in [[Phoenix, Arizona]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/team/broadcasters.jsp?c_id=det#rod_allen |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070524001956/http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/team/broadcasters.jsp?c_id=det#rod_allen |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 24, 2007 |title=Detroit Tigers Official Site – Broadcaster Biographies – Rod Allen}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{baseballstats|mlb=|espn=1239|br=a/allenro02|fangraphs=1000158|brm=allen-002rod|retro=A/Paller001}}

{{Detroit Tigers}}
{{Major League Baseball on Fox}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Baseball}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Rod}}
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