Yankees Radio Guy Dave Sims Opens Up On Replacing John Sterling

The New York spotlight might scare some people away ... but new voice of the Yankees Dave Sims isn't sweating over his new gig, even though he has big shoes to fill -- telling TMZ Sports he's excited for the dream opportunity!!

We caught up with Sims on the streets of NYC ... and he explained he feels no pressure to fill the shoes of longtime radio announcer John Sterling, who retired after 36 years -- 'cause it's something he's experienced in the past.

"John had a great run," he said. "I had a great run in Seattle. I essentially replaced Dave Niehaus in Seattle. I've done this before. I'm back home in New York, I mean it doesn't get better than this."

A native New Yorker ... Sims said he's excited to feel the vibes from the Stadium once the first pitch is thrown.

"They are the defending American League champions. It's not like they're coming from the depths. They got a good club. A couple young guys are going to get some opportunities to do some good things."

Despite the good vibes heading into the season, Sims did cite the third-base situation as an area of concern ... and he's hoping Oswaldo Cabrera can find his footing this season. He also noted that their prized prospect, Jasson Dominguez, can stay healthy and Marcus Stroman can pitch well.