In a world of unsure TV circumstances around Major League Baseball, the Yankees and their fans can at least be thankful for what the YES Network brings them. Not only does it provide consistent coverage
with no signs of stopping, but it does so with plenty of research and consideration being utilized throughout broadcasts. One sign of that is producer Troy Benjamin’s brainchild: “Name That Yankee.”
The segment took over in 2024 in place of the mid-game trivia that graced YES broadcasts for years, with 2025 featuring just as many head-scratchers, remember-that-guy moments, and obvious choices. The game reveals a set of clues, usually basic stats like a pitcher’s career W/L record, ERA, and strikeouts, or a hitter’s batting average, home runs, and hits, along with a timeline of the teams they played for. It is a simple game, but for the trivia-loving sorts like us and surely many of you reading this, the game is a delight.
I find the segment to be particularly fun, as someone who has spent many empty moments of my life randomly perusing Baseball Reference pages. Some of the players were no-brainers, while some were laughably difficult, and I think keeping that balance is part of the fun! Let’s get into some of the highlights.
The 10s
In 2025, there were 21 players assigned the hardest difficulty of 10, a big step up from last year’s ten (as an aside, shout-out to our managing editor Andrew for keeping tabs on all of this). This is where we find some that I would qualify as absurd. I mean, how could we forget Otto Vélez’s 105 games (over four seasons) with the Yankees to begin his career, or the seven Yankee plate appearances Stan Javier had in 1984, kicking off a 17-year career which wouldn’t resume until 1986. Jay Johnstone played 20 big league seasons, which is a legitimate accomplishment, but of course, he’ll always be remembered for the partial 1978 and ‘79 seasons he had with the Yankees – 59 total games. In a late July game against the Rays, the “Name That Yankee” answer was one Sam Militello, who pitched just two seasons (1992-93) and played only for the Yankees. It feels almost impossible to come up with that answer.
I remember watching the broadcast on July 19th, when the answer was “Paul Zuvella.” He allegedly played from 1982-91, amassing -2.3 bWAR, and played 35 sub-replacement level games with the Yankees. He never played in more than 81 games in a season, and the only footage of him in a Yankee uniform was of a failed bunt attempt. This one made me laugh when the answer was revealed, because it is a reminder of one of baseball’s greatest gifts: there are So Many Guys. If you correctly pulled Zuvella from the clues — I do not believe you.
Some of the 10s were also perhaps a bit misjudged. Reid Brignac, though far from a household name, played for the Yankees not that long ago, and also spent the bulk of his career with a division rival. Snuffy Stirnweiss, also rated a 10, had a couple of 8+ WAR seasons, was an All-Star, and received MVP votes in two different seasons. I’m not going to claim that I got this correct, but a 10 might not quite be warranted like it is for Mr. Zuvella.
Questionable Ratings
An added layer of this game is also the judgement of the difficulty ratings. More often than not, it seemed that the discrepancies often came from an answer being deemed more difficult than it likely was for most. Brandon Drury was rated as a 7, and although he certainly won’t be remembered as a Yankee, he was active until 2024, and has won a Silver Slugger in his career. Luis Tiant was also rated as a 7, and although he spent just two seasons with the Yanks late in his career, he is a borderline Hall of Fame level player who is a significant character in baseball history. Mike Lowell, rated a 6, is also a significant player who spent minimal time with the Yankees, though that in itself is a somewhat notable part of his timeline.
On the lower end, Nick Swisher was rated as a 3 in a September broadcast. Although a 3/10 should not be impossible, a lineup stalwart in the last World Series team seems more like a 1 or 2. On the other side of the coin, Steve Sax, a very good player in his own right, was rated a 1. That’s not an overly difficult one for many fans, but I wouldn’t call it any easier than Swisher, or someone like Dave Winfield.
The Easy Ones
“Name That Yankee” wouldn’t be what it is without its share of easy answers, either. We had Don Mattingly, who spent his entire excellent career with the Yankees come up in September. Wade Boggs and his 3,000 career hits around the AL East was rated a 1 in early May, and was immediately followed by Winfield the next day (somehow rated a 2). There was CC Sabathia in June and Johnny Damon a week later, with several other 1s scattered in that month. The game wouldn’t be as fun without a few easy ones, and I’d argue the mix of deep pulls and Yankees greats keeps things interesting.
This game is not without its flaws, but I find it to be a fun addition to the broadcasts on YES. If nothing else, it is a good conversation starter, and often the entrance to a Baseball Reference rabbit hole. The segment helps to keep the memory of some of these guys ongoing, which is important and fun in its own right.
Now, I’m off to read the “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” segment of Paul Zuvella’s Wikipedia page.
