Former professional baseball catcher and YES broadcaster John Flaherty. 

By Ben Crnic From Daily Voice

YES Network is parting ways with longtime New York Yankees analyst John Flaherty, a Hudson Valley, NY native who has been a familiar voice in broadcasts for two decades. 

The move is part of a broader shakeup as the network looks to streamline its baseball coverage around its marquee commentators — David Cone, Paul O’Neill, and Joe Girardi — the NYT's The Athletic reported on Wednesday, Oct. 29. 

Flaherty, 58, joined YES in 2006 immediately after retiring from a 14-year Major League career, which included three seasons as a Yankees catcher. 

Flaherty said he had been informed of the decision by YES executive producer Jared Boshnack earlier this week, adding that he was not surprised after the network declined an option in his contract over the summer, according to The Athletic. 

"It quickly went from, the reality that you are not going to be back to what a great run for 20 years to go right from retiring as a player to right into the booth in 2006 and stay with the same network for 20 years," Flaherty told the outlet, adding, "I just became very grateful for what a long and great run it has been." 

The Athletic also reported that the former catcher said he now looks forward to new opportunities — possibly in broadcasting, or perhaps, for the first time in nearly 40 years, outside of baseball altogether. 

YES, which operates its main offices and studios in Stamford, Connecticut, produces game broadcasts and other Yankees programming, including its pregame and postgame shows featuring Bob Lorenz and Jack Curry. 

Flaherty’s departure follows YES’s recent decision not to renew contracts for part-time analysts Jeff Nelson and Dave Valle, as the network continues retooling its broadcast lineup.

It also marks the end of an era for a local star who went from the fields of Rockland County to the booth at Yankee Stadium, spending nearly 20 years breaking down games for the same team he once played for. 

The catcher-turned-broadcaster has many ties to the Hudson Valley and New Jersey — he grew up in Rockland County's West Nyack and attended grammar school at Nanuet's St. Anthony School. He also graduated from Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey. 

Click here to read the full report from The Athletic.