Her name is Suzyn Waldman. She has been doing Yankee games -- color commentary, not play-by-play -- on the radio since 1987. Think about that: a woman on-air broadcasting major league baseball in the biggest media market in the country. For more than 30 years! How did I not know about her?
When Anthony Rizzo was so cruelly ripped from me Chicago, I began following his new team, the Yankees. I heard this woman interviewing Rizz on the pre-game show. I figured that either 1) WFAN's regular pre-game host had the day off or 2) it was going to be a fluff interview. You know, asking Rizz about his dog, Kevin, or something similar.* No, she asked him about how he changes his stance on 2-0 and his philosophy of team at bats.† She knows her shit. When she went on to do the game itself, I had to Google her.
Brett Gardner is the oldest player on the Yankee roster at 37. He was not quite four years old when Suzyn Waldman first went on the air at WFAN. She is a trailblazer, and she deserves respect and attention beyond the Yankee universe.
*Though she did ask him about the Italian ice named after him at a New Jersey pastry shop, about 15 miles from Yankee Stadium. Glad to see he's getting some love.
†Rizz likes his at-bats to be as long as possible, fouling off bad pitches when he can, leaving the pitcher a little more tired for the batter who follows him in the line up. Apparently this is not how the Yankees have been doing it lately, and Suzyn is a fan.
Now I'm curious about her--I want to hear her voice. To Google!
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