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Former WFAN host and longtime New York resident Dave Sims was named the new radio play-by-play voice of the New York Yankees this week. Sims He was welcomed back to the station by WFAN morning hosts Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti. He had been the television voice of the Seattle Mariners since 2007.
Sims, 71, will take over for 86-year-old John Sterling who retired a few games into last season before coming back at the end of the season and post-season, which saw the team advance to the World Series. Sims will work with his longtime friend Suzyn Waldman.
After exchanging pleasantries, and offering congratulations, Sims said, “This is one of the big moments in my life, to come back home to do the Yankees, forget about it. It’s tremendous, couldn’t be more excited, psyched to work with Suzyn, we stay in touch all the time. We see each other during games and everything, so, and we go way back.
Sims and Esiason had done some work together in the past and reminisced about those times. Giannotti marveled at how good Sims looked and Sims said he had been a lot heavier but has dropped weight, feels good and looks forward to what is ahead.
Esiason added, “Yeah, it’s amazing, they actually went to a much younger man this time!”
The three then talked a bit about the team and about the job, noting that baseball broadcasters really need to love the game to get through the long seasons, especially when the team is not doing well.
“You gotta love the guys, and you gotta love the guys on your team, and love just meeting and interacting with everybody, and I think I was taught a long time ago that that is one of the primo, you know, foundations of doing that gig, because it’s such a conversational sport,” Sims said.
“So, I like to think I know just about everybody in the league over the last 18 years, the managers and everything, so it’s an absolute thrill to come back here, I mean, you talk about the New York Yankees, it’s the brand of brands in sports, when you’re talking about not only domestically, but internationally, it’s one of the top three logos, one of the top three brands in the world.”
Giannotti would later add, “I think you’re the perfect guy at the perfect time for this job, as well. I know some younger guys were filling in. They did a great job, but you’ve got such a legend like John [Sterling] has been doing it, his style is what his style is. And then a younger guy coming in to try to find their voice, sometimes it’s tough for them, because should I go over the top, what should I be? And you’re someone who’s been doing it for so long, at such a high level. You can come in and be yourself and be Dave Sims and be one of the best play-by-play guys, and I think that’s why it works.”
Sims responded, “John’s great, I’m glad he came back for the postseason, and he certainly will be missed.”
“Well, you can’t write the history of WFAN without Dave Simms,” Giannotti added. “And now you’ve got another chapter here as you come back.”
Sims said, “Really, I mean, it’s crazy. I mean, I’m still trying to sort it out. It’s like, wow, this has really happened, man.”
