by Tamar Chalker
December 22, 2023
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This week there have been rumblings of another potential big signing with a familiar face in the Yankees’ universe. Bernie Williams is in talks with YES about a potential gig on TV for the 2024 season. Bernie was my favorite player growing up, so I am excited about this possibility and think he would be a fun voice for YES.
On a team full of stars and big personalities, Bernie was a solid presence in centerfield for 16 years for the Yankees. Unfortunately, his career didn’t necessarily end on his terms at the end of 2006, but he was someone who had a plan for his post-baseball career. A classically trained guitarist, Bernie had one album to his name before he hung up his cleats and proceeded to release another album and pursue a degree in music.
It was clear that Bernie was not happy about the way his career ended. He took a while before he did much with baseball after that. When the Yankees retired Bernie’s number 51 in 2015, he made his own retirement official, even though he hadn’t played in the Majors in almost a decade. In recent years, Bernie’s presence around the game has grown and I really look forward to hearing his perspective on the game these days and the current Yankees.
YES certainly has seen plenty of former Yankees come through the studio with mixed success. It will be interesting to see what kind of voice Bernie brings. I enjoy David Cone’s analysis and his knowledge of the game, but I also appreciate the personality that Paul O’Neill brings.
Mostly, I’m just ready for it to be baseball season again so that hopefully we can put 2023 in the rearview.
