5 replacements for David Cone, Buck Showalter and Ken Singleton at YES Network

1. Ryan Ruocco

Ruocco has plenty of experience on the YES broadcast, but perhaps it’s time to start ushering in the new era and have him take over more games. He’s a play-by-play guru and asks all the right questions to the complementing personalities on the call with him.

Yankees fans will never forget his performance during the night of that wild game against the Twins, which ended with Aaron Hicks making a diving catch in center field with two outs and the bases loaded.

The 35-year-old is a New York native, already works for YES and has other gigs at ESPN and DAZN. Why would the Yankees risk losing him in any capacity to another company? Put him alongside Kay for Cone’s 50 missed games and work on transitioning him to the primary play-by-play announcer role.

We’re not actively trying to oust a legend like Kay, but he’s 60 years old and in his 28th year (10 on radio, last 18 on YES). Could he last even longer? Sure. But with his radio show and ESPN A-Rod Cast gig for the 2021 season, perhaps this is an easier changeover to make than anyone expected.

Either way, Ruocco should be on more and more, whether it’s with Kay or not. The liveliness of his voice helps keep you engaged in the seventh inning of a meaningless game and he keeps the conversation pumping with all the right questions and observations. Before ESPN gives him a bigger role, the Yankees better do it.

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