This series will help coaches and spectators, old and new alike, get a better idea of who each of the participating coaches is from a BBL standpoint. We asked the coaches a set of questions about their experiences with Backyard Baseball and the BBL:

Yurya

Preferred Alias/Nickname: Yuryavic

Any details on your life outside of the BBL that you would like to share? I’m the tallest BBL coach IRL until proven otherwise. Hobbies include: Softball, Disc Golf, playing Bass in my church’s worship band and elsewhere, and hacking games more than playing them.

How long have you been playing Backyard Baseball? How did you get started with it? Got the original one Christmas when I was 9 or so. But it wasn’t until I broke my leg and my Uncle got me BYB 2003 that I started playing more regularly and got hooked on the game. As I got older I still played periodical and would usually make a roster that matched the MLB’s WS champions. Like I’d try and get a team that closely matched a starting lineup the WS team actually used.

What’s your preferred version of Backyard Baseball? Oof. I’d love ’03 fields with some of the ’01 pros, but I’d have to settle on the 2003 version, but I admit that the 2001 version is probably better for our league even though fewer fields and more bugs exist. The set of pros, especially with the generic clones of the pros doubling them makes for better games.

What’s your favorite field? Dubois Diamond. Making the pigs squeal on a HR is a joy. I’m probably best at Tin Can Alley though.

What’s your favorite team to play as? Green Monsters

What’s your favorite real-life team? New York Mets

Who’s your favorite Backyard Kid? Kenny Kawaguchi

Who’s your favorite Pro Kid? Derek Jeter

Who’s your favorite generic player (if you have one)? Henri Deschenes

How did you get into the BBL? I made it

Briefly explain your history in the BBL. S1 Green Monsters & Arizona Diamondbacks, S2 Green Monsters, S3 Green Monsters & New York Mets

What are your hopes and/or expectations for this season? Every year my Green Monsters have made the playoffs but never making the Championship. I hope to repeat the first part and break the second. Also drafting as many of Kenny, Jeter, Kendall, Cornelius Floyd and Shawn Green as I can.