New York Yankees Radio Network - Format

Format

The broadcast begins with the pregame show, which begins approximately thirty-five minutes prior to first pitch and runs for approximately twenty-five minutes. John Sterling begins by welcoming the fans to the broadcast, reviewing the game's pitching matchup, gives the pregame show's rundown, and introduces his producer, Suzyn Waldman, and himself.

"The Manager's Show" is first on the pregame show and features a pre-recorded interview between Sterling and Yankees manager Joe Girardi from earlier in the day, where the two discuss the team and the upcoming game. Following this the pregame show returns live for "Diamond Notes", where Suzyn Waldman reports on the baseball news of the day. "The Leadoff Spot" is the last item on the pregame show where Waldman usually interviews a Yankee player but will occasionally speak to opposing players or other broadcasters. Sterling then returns live to wrap up the pregame show.

The game broadcast begins after a short commercial break, and Waldman returns to give the starting lineups and the pitching matchup. Sterling rejoins the broadcast as the game's leadoff hitter steps into the batter's box.

The fifth inning is dubbed "The Daily News Fifth", carrying on a tradition started when the Yankees called WABC home. A reporter from the New York Daily News (almost always team beat writer Mark Feinsand) joins the broadcast team during the opponent's half of the fifth and discusses news in and around the team in between pitches.

For the last inning or so, depending on how long the game continues, Sterling will announce the game by himself to allow Waldman enough time to get to the clubhouse for the postgame. If the Yankees win the game, Waldman will choose a player for her "Star of the Game" interview and then head into the clubhouse. Regardless of whether the Yankees win or not, after the final out (and the proceedings to follow), Sterling returns from one last commercial break with the totals and the winning and losing pitchers and closes the broadcast.

After another commercial break the postgame show begins, which as of 2012 is sponsored by Alcoa through its Reynolds Wrap brand and is titled the "Reynolds Wrap-Up Show". The postgame begins with the highlights from the game, with snippets from the game broadcast inserted where appropriate. One play is determined to be the best defensive play of the game, sponsored in 2012 by a local New York credit union, and the "Drive of the Game", a particular hit (usually a home run) that resulted in several runs being driven in sponsored in 2012 by New York-area Audi dealers. There is also one play dubbed the "WCBS NewsRadio 880 Turning Point of the Game", and listeners can win a prize (usually a Croton watch) by correctly remembering the play during the next morning's newscast. Waldman's clubhouse report then follows the highlight show.

After a commercial break the broadcast shifts to WCBS' studio for "The Scoreboard Show", where the station's sports anchor on duty at the time runs down the American and National League scores in this segment (previously, this segment was split into two separate segments for each league). The "Sounds of the Game" segment follows and is co-produced with the YES Network and features snippets from Girardi's postgame press conference as well as other interviews with players.

The broadcast then returns to the ballpark where Sterling announces the player of the game (he previously did this at the end of the game broadcast), runs down whatever charitable donations are being made by various companies based on what the Yankees did in the game (scoring a certain amount of runs, strikeouts recorded, etc.), and then announces the winner of the "Cut Above the Rest" award, given to the player who had the highest on-base percentage for the game and sponsored by Supercuts. The next day's pitching matchup is then reviewed, and Sterling reminds the listeners of the next game's starting time and then signs off for the evening.