Does the New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman think he can just regurgitate the same column and no one will notice? In September of 2011, Raissman suggested Yankee radio rights moving to a terrestrial outlet other than WCBS would open the door to replacing play-by-play commentator John Sterling and color analyst Suzyn Waldman. Sadly for the non-deaf, WCBS remained the Yanks’ flagship station, and the Sterling/Waldman Reign Of Error continued. In today’s paper, however, Raissman essentially makes the same prognostication.
Sterling continues messing up routine stuff (like the score or where a ball is hit) and Waldman continues cleaning up after him. This produces uncomfortable, sometimes cringe-inducing radio. It also makes it impossible to follow the game.
Sterling doesn’t paint the word picture — he finger paints it.
Still, this is their ninth season together and there’s a segment of Yankee fans that feels Ma and Pa are like family. They don’t care about the rough spots. And when it comes to baseball on the radio, the likability factor is huge. It cannot be manufactured. While it doesn’t drive the ratings, it plays a factor in keeping them healthy.
If we were calling the shots, we would keep them (we readily admit this is also because we dig writing about them).
For Sterling and Waldman, the Yankees factor is key. Despite some of the embarrassing on-air moments, the organization has always stood by them. Does that still hold true? Or as time passes has it already changed?