When New York Yankees radio voice John Sterling announced his retirement in mid-April, just weeks into the season, it completely shocked the baseball world.
Sterling didn’t even miss a single game from 1989 to 2019. For many fans, it was hard to imagine anyone other than the 85-year-old calling a Yankee game.
In the weeks since Sterling’s retirement, Justin Shackil, Ryan Ruocco, Brendan Burke, Rickie Ricardo, and Emmanuel Berbari have joined longtime color analyst Suzyn Waldman on the radio broadcast. However, it’s unknown whether they will be a permanent replacement.
When that permanent replacement is named, Sterling doesn’t want to be involved in the selection process, he explained this week when he appeared on The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman.
“I don’t want to hurt one person for another. I think the kids are doing a great job. No problems,” Sterling said, H/T Christian Arnold New York Post.
While he doesn’t have a pick, Sterling did proceed to share a story about Ricardo, who has been the Yankees’ Spanish play-by-play announcer since 2014.
“[After Hurricane Ida in 2021] there was an unbelievable amount of rain. And because I’m a jerk, I tried to drive through it, and I did, until I got into Edgewater,” Sterling recalled. “My car stopped and I couldn’t get out because the water was so deep. I didn’t know what to do, I called Suzyn. Suzyn called Rickie who hadn’t left yet, he does a postgame show, and he drove by and picked me up.”
Even still, Sterling wouldn’t go as far as to endorse Ricardo for the job.
“I love Rickie for that and I think he’s a tremendous broadcaster, but you’re right I’m staying out of it.”
