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- [00:00]
Don La Greca
McDonald's meets the Minecraft universe with one of six collectibles and your choice of a Big Mac or 10 piece McNuggets with spicy nether flame sauce. Now available with a Minecraft movie meal.
- [00:12]
Peter Rosenberg
And participating McDonald's for a limited time, a Minecraft movie only in theaters.
- [00:15]
Don La Greca
Todd, you know, maybe they can go pee on each other. That'd be great.
- [00:18]
Alan Hahn
Han, there's a lot of women out.
- [00:20]
Peter Rosenberg
There that want you. Alan and Rosenberg.
- [00:23]
Caller
Give me the porn. For God's sake.
- [00:25]
Don La Greca
This isn't North Dakota, this is New York.
- [00:28]
Peter Rosenberg
This is Don Han at Rosenberg, the threesome I've ever heard on 880 ESPN and the ESPN New York app. All right, let's get it going here on a Friday in New York City. And man, we got a busy weekend of sports to enjoy this weekend as well as a busy day. I mean, the Mets getting started their opening day, their home opener at least at Citi Field, and the weather held out good for them. The Yankees start a series in Pittsburgh this afternoon. You have that. The Knicks have a back to back over the weekend. We got hockey still to go is the playoffs are nearing and we got obviously the draft, the football draft coming up in a couple of weeks here. So we got a lot of news to get to, folks. What's happening, Don? What's happening, Peter?
- [01:12]
Don La Greca
Oh, it's at least a nice, it's not a. I don't know what you'd call today. It's warm, you know, sun fell out. But I think you're appreciating because, you know, like tomorrow is just going to be, you know, rain on and off all day Sunday, the kind of the same thing. So I guess appreciate it, take advantage of it while you can because might be tough to get some of these, the Met games in on Saturday and Sunday, but we've got, you know, huge. Basketball, hockey, there's a ton of stuff going on. Final Four, really cool weekend.
- [01:40]
Caller
I'm confused by the, by the weather. It's about 92 and sunny right now.
- [01:44]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, that's where you are.
- [01:45]
Caller
Oh, yeah, I'm sorry. By the way, Florida is not, it's not part of the world. This, this temperature is crazy.
- [01:53]
Peter Rosenberg
We're at 70 here in New York, though.
- [01:55]
Caller
I'm not mad at 70.
- [01:56]
Peter Rosenberg
No, 70 is April. No, you take the sun comes out, he probably jacks up a little bit more, but that's good.
- [02:02]
Caller
Not mad at that.
- [02:03]
Peter Rosenberg
No, can't be. Can't be mad at anything right now. We got so much to get to. Not mad at Aaron Judge. Boys, it's amazing how I, I said it yesterday. I am going to ride this roller coaster because this is not what we're conditioned to do as Yankees fans. The games where they can't, they can't hit, you'll get frustrated because there'll be a lot of strikeouts, a lot of swing and miss and that's not fun to watch. But watching him absolutely jack fastballs out of the park, that's fun to watch. And here's a great stat of all the crazy stats. There's a bunch of stats where he's having the best start of like a Mickey Mantle and all that stuff. But the stat that got me was I looked it up as we were doing get up this morning and I said, this is true. Aaron Judge has 14 RBI, right? All right. That's more than two teams in the league right now. Crazy Atlanta has 12. So that's the kind of production you're getting from Judge. And I find it, I don't know, like I said, I find it interesting that no one really is catching on to this thing. But I feel it. And I've, you know, again, as a sports writer for a long time, as a guy that's been in the media in New York for over 25 years, I am looking at this and I'm saying, when does it begin, the battle for New York? When does the Judge versus Soto begin? Because I can't remember a time where we have, because we have two of everything and three hockey teams. Where was there a time where you had to not, not start? Mega stars in the sport on opposing teams in this town and they were fighting for supremacy because both are really good teams, both are teams that have aspirations to win and two stars that are MVP caliber talents. When have we had that? And now you could remember, Don, you said, plant your flag. When have we had that? Where fans have to know that's my guy and I'm going to defend him. Like we heard last night at Yankee Stadium where Soto's starting to hear it already and he's not even in the building. When was the last time we had something like this?
- [04:10]
Don La Greca
Yeah, it's so odd because you really can have this conversation in baseball and football. That's it. You can't have it really in hockey, you can't have it in basketball. Right? Because even if the Devils or Islanders came up with a player that was one of the greats going up against one of the greats on the other team, it's still Rangers, Devils, it's still Rangers, Islanders. It just doesn't balance itself out because the one fan base for the Rangers is so much bigger than the other two. Same with the Nets. I mean, if you had modern day doctor playing right now, you know, up against Brunson, Brunson would be the beloved one and it would almost be like the Net guy would be the outsider. And again, I don't want to go throw shade at Brooklyn fans. It's just the Knick fan base is gargantuan compared to the Nets, but it's a little bit more even with the baseball and the football teams. You know, clearly the Giants and Yankees own the town, but the Yankees and the Mets and the, and the jets are close second. They're there. And any given year, if one team is really bad, you know, the jets and Mets can get a lot more attention and kind of take over the town for that little bit of time. So this would be the equivalent of, you know, two of the best quarterbacks playing for the jets and Giants. If you had a situation where you had Patrick Mahomes playing for the Yankees and Josh Allen playing for the Mets, that would be, that would be epic. Right.
- [05:33]
Caller
The answer Allen would have been, and it's not the same because it's not two quarterbacks. But I think the most recent answer we could have had, and of course we didn't, was Aaron Rodgers, first year. Giants still have Saquon Barkley, jets have Aaron Rodgers, and then the jets don't have Aaron Rodgers, and then Saquon Barkley leaves.
- [05:53]
Peter Rosenberg
But it was almost there, guys. I think you got to go back to the days when we had three baseball teams in town. Yeah. And they were not named Mets. It was Dodgers, Giants, Yankees. And you had. Each one had the superstar. Right. Like, isn't that really what we're thinking back aways. That's a ways.
- [06:11]
Don La Greca
Well, because the reason why football, the reason I brought up quarterbacks, Peter, is because that's the only fair analogy. They're the biggest guy on the team. And then you can compare stats. It's tough to compare stats between Aaron Rodgers and Saquon Barkley. They're both big, but, you know, trying to define who's better when one's a running back and one's a quarterback. But like, like you said, when you go back to the, the three baseball, when you had Willie, Mickey and the Duke, you know, that, that was, that was something, you know, the Dodgers best outfielder, the Giants best outfielder, the Yankees best outfielder. Let's have at it. We can compare batting averages and home runs and RBIs and all that it's like all. It's an apples to apples comparison. We don't have to force it. You know, Soto and Judge for the, for the most part play the same position. Right. Sometimes judges in center field. But you know, they're both outfielders. They both can hit home runs with the stats can be comparable in some way shape or form. And I don't think you can really get that in any. You can't get that in football unless they play the exact same position. And that's why I think this could the only one I can come up with guys in my lifetime because obviously the 3 baseball town was what was before me would be, you know, Keith and Donnie. Keith Hernandez and Donnie Baseball. Two of the best first baseman in baseball. Again, it wasn't as sexy as Soto Judge but I remember living through that time where who's the better first baseman? You know and even though they were two different types of players, it was hey, my first baseman's better than your first baseman. Well, my, mine's. Mine has, mine has more rings. Well, mine has, mine has more home runs. Like there was a nice little back and forth there but, but you can already pales in comparison and I can.
- [07:50]
Caller
Certainly say it pales just from being on the outside in different market. Keith was not the national star that Donnie Baseball was and in this case both guys are national stars.
- [08:02]
Peter Rosenberg
Exactly that, that, that's exactly it. And so with all that being said, I really do think this is. It went from Judge and Soto last year to Judge versus Soto this year that the two teams are going to stake their claim, it's going to divide and that rivalries make it fun. And that's where I really feel like we're finally getting I don't think the Mets from a Yankee fan perspective, not to sound arrogant, I'm just being honest. This was a real thing. Yankee fans never looked at the Mets as a rival. Remember, remember Derek Jeter's famous quote, they're just the Mets, right? Like, like for them. Like, like we had, we had rivals the Red Sox and the. We had guys, they're just the Mets to us. But the Mets and the Mets fans looked at the Yankees. That's a rival for the Mets. But I think what we heard last night at Yankee Stadium with fans chanting blank Juan Soto and you heard it and I give boy, I give Michael K all the credit in the world. He must have heard it and laid out because there was a long silence. Don't acknowledge it. Don't say anything but let the field mics pick it up and let the people at home decide for themselves. And you heard it. And that was the first time I can remember that any Yankee fan would have any reason to say anything about the Mets in a game that they're not playing in against your team. And Don, as a Mets fan, how do you receive that? Because for me, I heard it and I was like, okay, it's real. The hate's real.
- [09:24]
Don La Greca
Well, that it feels like that we, for the first time that I can remember, are living in a Yankee fan's head.
- [09:31]
Peter Rosenberg
Wow.
- [09:32]
Don La Greca
Am I wrong? Because here, this is something that Michael used to always say, but it's very poignant for this conversation. Pepsi can talk about Coke. Coke doesn't talk about Pepsi. Coke doesn't have to talk about Pepsi. Coke's number one. They don't have to talk about number two. But Pepsi is always gonna compare itself to number one. And they're gonna have the. The taste tests and all the things, because that's who they're trying to go after. You know, Burger King could talk about McDonald's. McDonald's doesn't talk about Burger King. And if we truly are the little brother that nobody cares about, then. Then what? Are you even bringing it up? I go onto social media all the time. Oh, little brother. Oh. All of a sudden the Mets have. Well, if we're the little brother. All I know is from big brother, little brother, and I was a big brother, is that you kind of ignore the little brother. You don't talk about him, because if you talk about them, they're a threat, they bother you, then you're acknowledging their existence. If the Mets truly are the little brother that you don't care about, then you don't care about them. You don't talk about them. And, you know, chanting Juan Soto's name while, you know, the Yankees are in a 9, 7 game late. It just say it seemed odd to me. Like, why is your mind wandering elsewhere? You've got your team and not letting it go tells me it, it bothers you. And I'm not saying it shouldn't, but don't sit there and tell me you don't care. And at the same time, you're chanting Juan Soto's name when he's not even in the building.
- [10:58]
Peter Rosenberg
Yep, it's. It's definitely there and it's definitely something that's going to be acknowledged. I don't mind it. Like, like, I get that some people. Like, I know I was looking on social when I retweeted there was a post story about it. And if people are calling it weak and they're saying it's pathetic from a Yankee fan perspective, I don't think it's any of that. I think there just hasn't been something like this ever as a Yankees fan where a player of that caliber, of that talent left you for them.
- [11:29]
Don La Greca
No, it's.
- [11:29]
Peter Rosenberg
And so there's a. Like I said, rivalries need are born from hatred, from enemies. That's how rivalries are born. And this was the first time that you could look to the Mets, see a guy and want to spit on the ground, man.
- [11:44]
Don La Greca
And you know, back in the day when I'm talking about Keith and Donnie, it was all fantasy. They weren't playing each other. You had the mayor's trophy game at the end of spring training and that was it. Unless they faced each other in the World Series. It was all just fantasy. Who's better than the other? And comparing notes. Now they play four to six times a year. They've already played in a subway series together. And the thing that George Steinbrenner always got, even when they weren't playing each other, they were still rivalries. For the back page of the paper, who was the opening subject on sports radio? Who was getting the chatter? Who was talking? Because you're in the same city. And that's why I never understood people rooting for both teams. It's like, dude, pick a team, man, because you're sharing the same city. So there has to be like the plant your flag that Alan came up with and then with the Nets and Knicks is like, no, listen, decide who you want to be. Can't be both. Let's pick one. And now it seems like the best time to do it because how can you play both sides now?
- [12:42]
Peter Rosenberg
Absolutely.
- [12:43]
Don La Greca
Come on, choose a team and let's go. Let's do it. And it's going to make. It's irritating. And now with social media, it's kind of, you know, exploding into ridiculousness. But at the same time, it makes April baseball, which is not the most intriguing at times. Something that is a lot of fun.
- [13:00]
Caller
And how about this? Finally, I think we can, we can finally. Don, maybe you'll disagree, but we've had an argument on the case show Alan, for the last couple of years. We'd have this argument and I'm sure it came up with you in BART too, this argument about what does the Subway Series mean during the regular season. And the Yankee people always poo pooed it. And again, younger fans seem to enjoyed it. But an older Yankee Fan particularly had zero use for the the midseason Subway Series. Allen, you can't tell me that Subway Series doesn't have juice this year.
- [13:35]
Peter Rosenberg
It's in, in May, I think it's like May 18th, right? I think it's around that time the, the Mets will come to Yankee Stadium. Soto will have his first taste of Yankee fan of being at Yankee Stadium as now the enemy. And it's going to be really like if last night was any indication randomly late in the game of a game and I believe it was 97 at the time, it was right after they. Because they look like they were going to have a laugh or of a win until it's the kids. Navy Arbo came in and just couldn't get. He couldn't throw strikes. But just randomly they decided let's, let's let Soto hear it. And it picked up steam, you know, because it usually those chants, you've been in the buildings, you know how this goes. Usually it's like two or three guys that are buddies, like let's start this chant and they'll start yelling it and if people are in the mood, they'll pick it up and they'll enjoy and they'll let us all jump in and next thing you know you got a couple of sections doing it. And in some cases you might get the whole building doing it. And, and that's what happened randomly. And so it does. I think it's fun. I think you need it. I think it's great. But I wonder how, like I said, I asked you, Don, because you're a Mets fan, of how you'd receive it. Because I know like from me being a Jets fan or somebody that followed the Islanders, I know what that, that quote unquote little brother thing feels like and what it looks like. And I was curious if it's, if it caught, if it piqued your interest.
- [14:58]
Don La Greca
I was watching and because there was nothing else really going on, I'm flipping on to some hockey. But I was focusing on the Yankee Diamondback game, especially when it be when 93 became 9 7. And, but, and I was just, I wasn't surprised by it, but I was just like, yeah, well, don't tell me that we don't matter. Don't tell me that we don't care. And, and now the argument is going to be I can predict the phone call. Well, we would have done that no matter who he signed with. Maybe the Red Sox. Because you hate the Red Sox, right?
- [15:23]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah.
- [15:23]
Don La Greca
But if he had signed with the Padres, if he had signed with the.
- [15:26]
Caller
Giants, there would have been a smattering.
- [15:29]
Don La Greca
You would, you, you would have no love for the guy because he didn't choose you, right? But there were two teams that you would not be able to stomach him choosing the Red Sox for obvious reasons, it's in your division. He would haunt you, but in another way that he haunts you, maybe even in a worse way. And we had this conversation, you know, back in the day when it was up in the air, like, who would you rather see him sign with, the Mets or the Yankees? I'll sign with the Mets. I don't want them to be a rival. But you're also seeing that now you've woke up a fan base that you live with that you might be related to, that you might be married to, that is now thumping their chest going, we got the guy Red Sox, you hate and you might know a few Red Sox fans, but Yankee fans, you know, met fans. So you've woken up the fan base and they're excited. So it bothers you and it should bother you and acknowledge it. Don't tell me we don't matter because obviously we do. Because if he signed with anybody else but the Red Sox, you would have gotten over it by now.
- [16:25]
Peter Rosenberg
800 now a 93776 for the calls on this. And it's just, again, it's, it's the fun part of it. But I also think that it is an interesting, it's a, it's a new place for Yankee fans to be because it's just not something that they've ever done before. It's not happened before. But man, it's, it's healthy, it's good, it'll be fun. Oh, but if you're Aaron Judge, I'm sorry, if you're Aaron Judge, this is also something that I don't think any other Yankee has faced since Mickey Mantle. No other. What other Yankee has ever faced something like this. Like Darren Judge is the man in this city, right? He's the man. He's the best, most accomplished current athlete that we have. Two time MVP in his prime, right? Home run record, all of it. He's got everything. And yet the one thing that he's missing is what everybody now is watching to see if he, what can he do, which is win a championship. And now you got a guy in the rival team that used to be your teammate that you. Now that we all look back now, we, we realize that when he said, you know, we got guys that want to be here, that was a little shot at Juan Soto, clearly. But if Juan Soto has, you know, he's a little slow out of the gate right now, but if he has himself a season and the Mets are winning and maybe the Yankees aren't winning at that level, Judge is going to start hearing about it. Like, there's a lot going on here, guys. I'm telling you. There's so much to peel from this onion that I think it's still. It's great for the sport, it's great for New York sports, It's great for both these baseball teams. But the pressure, the intensity of it all this is. We haven't seen anything like this in decades, clearly.
- [18:15]
Don La Greca
Well, the shame of it, though, is that, you know, it comes down to a statistic. Who's better, you know, Judge one. Judge is a better player than Juan Soto, and he will put up bigger numbers, sexier numbers than Juan Soto.
- [18:27]
Peter Rosenberg
It's about winning.
- [18:28]
Don La Greca
But if Soto goes out there and has an average season and, you know, Judge breaks his own record for home runs in the American League and the Mets win the World Series, the Yankees don't. Judge loses. And that's the shame of it, because that's what it's about now. Because really, it's not even. It's not even close. Soto is not Aaron Judge. He's close. It is close, but it's not. It's not really much of a conversation. You think Judge is the better player?
- [18:57]
Caller
You think it's.
- [18:58]
Don La Greca
It's.
- [18:58]
Caller
But is it here? Are they in separate tiers?
- [19:03]
Don La Greca
No, they're at the same table. To coin from you.
- [19:07]
Caller
Okay, they're at the same table.
- [19:09]
Don La Greca
They're at the same table and they're comparable.
- [19:11]
Caller
Okay?
- [19:12]
Don La Greca
But I'm not going to sit here and feel like I'm going to lose an argument from somebody saying that Aaron Judge is the only player. We talked about this when you were out, Alan. The only player that I will have a conversation that might be better than Aaron Judge is Shohei Ohtani. And that's because Shohotani can pitch at a high level, but it's not even close as far as, like, who is the better hitter. You know, I think there's no question that what we're seeing here is an epic player. I'll go out on a limb and say that if he continues on this trajectory, Aaron Judge is going to be the greatest Yankee of all time. I mean, those kinds of numbers, because Mickey Mantle obviously got hurt. DiMaggio is a little bit of a different player. But when you look, when it's all said and done. If he continues to rake for the next five, six years the way he has in his career, to me, he'll be the greatest Yankee to ever play. But he'll never be considered that if he doesn't win.
- [20:04]
Caller
Correct.
- [20:05]
Peter Rosenberg
That's saying a lot, by the way.
- [20:06]
Caller
It's a mouthful what you just said.
- [20:08]
Don La Greca
But tell me I'm wrong.
- [20:09]
Peter Rosenberg
That's. There's a lot of evidence that would say right now you're wrong. There's a lot.
- [20:15]
Don La Greca
Because obviously Joe DiMaggio's and Mickey Mantle's careers are over. He's better than Derek Jeter.
- [20:20]
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, yeah.
- [20:20]
Don La Greca
Well, he's a better player. Listen, he is a better player than Derek Jet. Derek Jeter might be more clutch, and Derek Jeter won a bunch of championships, and he might have been a better leader. All the intangibles are going to weigh in the side of Derek Jeter. But if you had to pick a player to start a team, I'm going to pick the guy that's going out there and hitting 60 home runs, has a rifle gun for an arm. You know, that's the guy that I'm going to build my team around. Come on.
- [20:45]
Peter Rosenberg
You're gonna. You're gonna make. You're putting me in such an uncomfortable place right now, Don, because you're gonna make me argue against somebody that's currently, like, on my favorite team that is playing, obviously, MVP level. He's one of the best, arguably the best player in the sport, if not one of the best. By the way, did ESPN rank him third or fourth in the top 100? Fourth?
- [21:06]
Don La Greca
Well, that the hell is that fourth. But those are all just lists to get people talking. Come on. Who's picking Bobby Witt Jr over Bobby?
- [21:15]
Peter Rosenberg
Come on. Anyways, you're going to make me now start finding reasons to knock, Judge. Just because I can't possibly say the sentence that you said three. Three minutes ago. But I can't.
- [21:27]
Don La Greca
I mean, I got into an argument with Michael because. Right, Peter. Like, Michael was floored when I said that. How can you say better than Derek Jeter? You know, Derek, Jerry. One shy of 100%. I get it. Because of the intangibles. As a ball player, who's the better player?
- [21:41]
Peter Rosenberg
Mickey Mantle.
- [21:43]
Don La Greca
Mickey Mantle.
- [21:44]
Peter Rosenberg
Mickey Mantle is a better player. Yogi Berra might have been the better player. Seriously, we don't give him enough credit. All right, like, think about all the different players that you're talking about in the history of the sport.
- [21:56]
Don La Greca
Understood. But you really have a conversation. But you want to honestly Open up the conversation. All right. Did Joe DiMaggio get to play the best of the best?
- [22:07]
Peter Rosenberg
Are you going to do this?
- [22:08]
Don La Greca
Well, I'm just. Why can't we.
- [22:10]
Peter Rosenberg
He played. Why.
- [22:11]
Don La Greca
Why throw nuance in and actually have a conversation?
- [22:14]
Peter Rosenberg
He played the best of his time. You can only compare it to what he played.
- [22:17]
Don La Greca
Understood.
- [22:17]
Peter Rosenberg
Those were considered understood.
- [22:19]
Don La Greca
And. And Mickey Mantle had issues, okay, off the field, that obviously hurt him. Playing to the best of his abilities.
- [22:26]
Peter Rosenberg
Right.
- [22:26]
Don La Greca
He also tore up his knee, which took a lot of his abilities away.
- [22:30]
Peter Rosenberg
True.
- [22:31]
Don La Greca
So, yes. And again, I'm all. I'm just assuming. Because, God, for. Something could happen to Judge, and it'll be laughable five years from now that I even brought it up. But what I'm saying is, if it continues on this trajectory, he will be the greatest Yankee of all time.
- [22:42]
Peter Rosenberg
Lou. Lou Gehrig. I mean, again, you have to also talk about players who did it. And this is what I hate. You're going to make me use the one thing I hate. People bring up about judge as a thing against judge, and that is, of course, October and on.
- [22:56]
Don La Greca
Well, sure. I'm not even bringing that up now.
- [22:59]
Peter Rosenberg
I know.
- [23:00]
Don La Greca
Bring it up with Jeter. Listen, Lou Gehrig and Babe, we weren't alive at that time. They could have been thrown underhand. To them, I don't know. There's barely any footage. The footage we have looks like a joke, quite frankly. But I'm not going to sit there. And Garrick and Ruth are great because they won a ton of championships, all right? There were eight teams in their league. There were 16 teams in the league, okay? Somebody was going to win a ton of championships, and the Yankees did. I'm just talking about their abilities, their amazing ability. But did Luke Garrick hit home runs the way Judge hits him? Was he facing filthy sliders that he's facing here, facing three or four different pitchers during the course of the game? I'm sorry, I cannot get around the fact that Walter Johnson was one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He was probably throwing the ball 60 miles per hour by the seventh inning because he was on his 200th pitch. Now you're facing a guy, a fifth guy coming in there that's throwing a 95 mile per hour slider, and he's only good enough to be a middle reliever.
- [23:53]
Caller
I'll tell you what you did here, Allen. You know what you've done.
- [23:55]
Peter Rosenberg
What did I do?
- [23:56]
Caller
You stumbled into what makes Don legreca a brilliant talk show host. That's what's happened here because I don't.
- [24:03]
Peter Rosenberg
Think I needed to stumble into that. I already knew that.
- [24:05]
Caller
But like, but no but here we are because now we're in the crux of it. We could argue about it all day but it's, it's a sort of impossible argument to win or lose. Judges skill set could, could definitely make him the greatest of all time. I've always said he's going to end up sitting at Table 1 of Yankee Greats, but it's hard to argue for or against Don. I could tell you right now. Now granted the sample size is much bigger and so I understand that with Judge it's more legitimate. I could tell you guys based on what I saw in year one, in six years, Jaden Daniels will be the greatest redskin slash commander who's ever played the game based on what you've seen on paper. But you have to let the whole thing play out. If Judge doesn't get championships or if God forbid, he does get injured again, Don obviously becomes completely wrong, doesn't get.
- [24:46]
Peter Rosenberg
A championship, they tell him to go sit at table number two. That's what happens.
- [24:50]
Caller
That is how it is.
- [24:51]
Don La Greca
You're not wrong, but it would be unfair. But listen, Jaden Daniels did it one year.
- [24:54]
Caller
Judge has been, he's did seven, seven years.
- [24:56]
Don La Greca
He's one of if not the best players, players in major league baseball since the end of the 16 season. It's been a while now and when he's healthy, there's nobody to compare us to.
- [25:05]
Peter Rosenberg
All right, so. So clearly we've got a lot here on the table to discuss. So let's get to it.
- [25:09]
Caller
I bet it's one thing for the next three and a half hours.
- [25:11]
Peter Rosenberg
3, 7, 7, 6. We've got calls to get to. That's. We are jam packed already and that is always a good sign. So we got your calls coming up. Plenty more to talk about with you. Mike Tanner is going to join us in the 4 o'clock hour because Colorado's got their pro day and you've got Chador Sanders out there. Travis Hunter's there too, although just physically there. He's not really doing too much. But the Giants, everybody in the organization is there people that the secretaries are there at this pro day so plenty to talk to on that front as well. And did you hear Jalen Brunson practiced today?
- [25:41]
Don La Greca
Hello.
- [25:42]
Peter Rosenberg
Do. We'll let you know. But first your calls coming up. But before all that, Peter, please.
- [25:47]
Caller
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- [25:50]
Don La Greca
All right.
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- [26:30]
Don La Greca
Wide 467369 TaxAct knows you probably don't.
- [26:34]
Peter Rosenberg
Need help filing taxes, but if you get stuck, we have live experts you can talk to. And who knows, you could hit it off and become long term tax friends. Staying up late at night talking about deductions, refunds, personal exemptions. Heck, you could even fall in love and create a little dependent of your own one day. Or they could just answer your filing questions. Tax act let's get them over with. Lowe's knows how to help pros save. That's why the new Mylo's Pro Rewards program lets you unlock exclusive member deals on the things you need every day on this job. Plus, Milo's Pro Rewards members can get volume discounts on eligible orders through a quote of $2,000 or more. Join for free today. Lowe's we help you save Exclusions More.
- [27:27]
Don La Greca
Terms and restrictions apply.
- [27:28]
Peter Rosenberg
Programs subject to terms, conditions, details@lowe's.com terms.
- [27:31]
Don La Greca
Subject to change I was never really a runner. The way I see running is a gift, especially when you have stage four cancer.
- [27:40]
Peter Rosenberg
I'm Ann.
- [27:41]
Don La Greca
I'm running the Boston Marathon presented by bank of America. I run for Dana Farber Cancer Institute to give people like me a chance to thrive in life, even with cancer. Join bank of America in helping Ann's cause. Give if you can@b of a.com supportann what would you like the power to do?
- [27:58]
Caller
References to charitable organizations is not an.
- [28:00]
Don La Greca
Endorsement by bank of America Corporation. Copyright 2025.
- [28:04]
Peter Rosenberg
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [28:07]
Don La Greca
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [28:09]
Peter Rosenberg
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcasts. So I'm. I'm having a senior moment again here. I was trying to put the Mets game on my Apple TV and being told I can't watch it because I'm in New York. How the hell does that make any freaking sense? I. I've. I've signed up for everything. It says black, blacked out. What.
- [28:35]
Don La Greca
What.
- [28:36]
Peter Rosenberg
What do you. What do we do? How do you watch this? Honestly? I'm on MLB tv. I'm literally on the app. I signed up for everything I'm supposed to sign up for, and it says you can't watch it.
- [28:47]
Don La Greca
What is your TV provider?
- [28:50]
Peter Rosenberg
There's nowhere to put that in the cable one. They don't give you that.
- [28:53]
Don La Greca
Where are you?
- [28:54]
Peter Rosenberg
What do you mean? I'm. I'm watching on it. I don't have a cable box here in my office. Oh, whose fault, really? Do I need 800 cable boxes? No.
- [29:03]
Don La Greca
You know how it works. That's the business is it's on SN1.
- [29:06]
Peter Rosenberg
Wait, wait, wait. I'm sorry. I thought we were in a world where streaming is like the new cable and you should have streaming.
- [29:10]
Don La Greca
Yeah, but Apple tv I can stream. Wait, SNY wants to still get a number for it.
- [29:17]
Peter Rosenberg
SNY doesn't have an app. They tell me to go to mlb.com I have the Snyder, but the app.
- [29:22]
Don La Greca
Is for people that don't get the. That aren't in the region to be able to get us. And why they want you to watch sny.
- [29:29]
Peter Rosenberg
That's wonderful, but it doesn't make sense. There's no way to tell them that I have a cable subscription to sny. It won't let me do that. There's nothing there. It's just saying you're out. Sorry, you can't watch. I don't understand how that makes any sense. I don't like senior moment. I blame myself, but. But I can't figure it out. So you'll have to tell me how things are going at Citi Field, which is like, you know, 30 minutes from where I am.
- [29:56]
Don La Greca
Lindor let off with a.
- [29:58]
Peter Rosenberg
With a double fun.
- [29:59]
Don La Greca
He was thrown out at second. They reviewed, he got in in time. And then Pete Alonso to run homer.
- [30:05]
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, look at that. The polar bear. He's having a start, huh?
- [30:10]
Don La Greca
Yeah.
- [30:10]
Peter Rosenberg
Good for him. In the meantime. So this was unbeknownst to me, at least. I don't know if you guys are paying attention. Our. Our stations social media account on Twitter. ESPN @ ESPN New York had a most beloved athlete tournament bracket Thingy. Did you know about this?
- [30:31]
Don La Greca
No, no, no.
- [30:32]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. Check this out. So today is the championship day, I guess, or whatever you want to call it. All right. But the brackets had all current players in New York, so you got, you know, Brunson and Cole and Alonzo Lindor had some Liberty players as well. You know, Jets, Giants, all of it. Right. Your. Your final matchup, I would think, by the way.
- [30:54]
Caller
My guess would be. Yeah, it would be Brunson and Judge would be my guess.
- [30:58]
Peter Rosenberg
That is correct. Nice. Seems like we went chalk. I think the number one seeds are meeting in the championship because Jalen Brunson was up against Matt Barzal in the first round. Would you probably say that was a one versus?
- [31:10]
Caller
I don't think that's a fair. That's not a great matchup.
- [31:12]
Peter Rosenberg
Judge and Dexter Lawrence, though. Interesting. But anyways, it is Judge versus Brunson. You can vote right now. Again, it's at ESPN New York on Twitter. And there's. We still voting. Will close tomorrow. I'm curious to see about this one, because we always have that theory of. Because the city is split with, like, what I guess we'd say. Would you say 65? What would you say? Six five, three five?
- [31:41]
Don La Greca
That's an interesting question.
- [31:42]
Caller
Yeah.
- [31:43]
Don La Greca
60, 40.
- [31:45]
Peter Rosenberg
You think it's really a full 40%?
- [31:49]
Caller
I think that's fair. That's a bit. Still a big gap.
- [31:51]
Don La Greca
I think that's where you start and maybe you build up. Is it, you know, 59, you know, 41, like. But I think that's, like, where you start.
- [31:58]
Peter Rosenberg
Okay, well, anyways, because of that, would. Would there be less votes for Judge because more for Brunson? Only because the Knicks don't really have a split in this town. So you might get more Knick fans voting for Jalen Brunson, because here's all you need to know. Jalen Brunson went up against Garrett Cole in the second round. Clearly beat him.
- [32:19]
Caller
I mean, walk easy.
- [32:21]
Peter Rosenberg
Francisco Lindor in the second round, went up against Josh Hart. Who do you think won that one?
- [32:30]
Caller
I'd go Josh Hart.
- [32:31]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. Josh Hart. It was Brunson versus Josh Hart in the Final Four.
- [32:35]
Don La Greca
That's fun.
- [32:36]
Caller
That's a good matchup.
- [32:37]
Don La Greca
I hate it.
- [32:38]
Peter Rosenberg
That makes sense.
- [32:39]
Caller
What do you mean? What are you pushing back on?
- [32:41]
Don La Greca
Well, there's a few.
- [32:42]
Peter Rosenberg
You think?
- [32:43]
Caller
No, no. Think about what this is about, though. This isn't about better player, most beloved. It's beloved and Josh Hart, literally a heart and soul player for this team. Literally walking the street after losing a playoff Game grading fans. And the Knicks are also not split with another team. So I'm not shocked.
- [33:03]
Don La Greca
I don't, I don't buy like the split with another team I get. But I also think it comes down to this. All right, I know. Listen. I and Dave Rothenberg are actually stray from this where I'm a Met Giant fan. Usually you're a Met Jet fan, you're a Yankee. Sure. Giant fan.
- [33:23]
Peter Rosenberg
Right.
- [33:24]
Don La Greca
But I still think the majority are that where I think the majority are Met Met fans, Jet fans and all that. And you might be somebody that is a. On all likelihood, you're a Yankee Knick fan.
- [33:40]
Peter Rosenberg
Okay.
- [33:41]
Don La Greca
And you love Bronson but you love Judge a little more.
- [33:45]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, it'll be.
- [33:46]
Don La Greca
But if I'm, if I'm forced to choose, like I'm not take the Yankees out of it. You know, Brunson would win. Like so you got a lot of crossing crossover where you've got like maybe there's a Met fan and a Nick fan, but he's a little bit more of a Nick fan than the Met fan. And his favorite Met is Soto now. Or maybe his favorite Met was Alonzo and so Josh Hart won out. Which then tells you, well, there are more Knick fans than Met fans. Is that the case or is it.
- [34:11]
Peter Rosenberg
Just the case of there's more to this thing? We'll get into the bracket later on. When I break down the bracket here, it's not going to make any sense, but I just wanted to get everybody to vote and let's see what happens at the very end.
- [34:23]
Don La Greca
But the thing is these are the two guys. Peter got it right no matter how we got there.
- [34:28]
Peter Rosenberg
Yes.
- [34:28]
Don La Greca
Judge and Brunson are the easy answers to go against each other.
- [34:31]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. All right, let's get some calls. 800-919-3776. We are packed top to bottom with calls on our Yankee topic to begin things. So let's get to them right now. Let's go. Let's see. Let's go to Ben and East Village to start us off today. What's up, Ben?
- [34:47]
Alan Hahn
Hey, guys. Love the show. Happy Friday. Just wanted to push back a bit against what Don was saying. How so they would only get booed with the Mets or the Red Sox. If you went to the Astros, you get booed just as bad in the Bronx in my opinion. Look at how Olduve is treated. Also real quick with 420 coming up, I feel like the show of High is about to hit its stride. Although every day is 420 for us.
- [35:12]
Don La Greca
So I told you, this is a show where the listeners get high.
- [35:16]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, it's clear.
- [35:18]
Don La Greca
I've never made more of them. Were selling.
- [35:20]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. I'll tell you what. Thanks, Ben.
- [35:22]
Don La Greca
Soto's always going to get booed when he's in the building. But just out of the building. Like, I'll throw the Astros in there, too, because the Astros are hated. If you sign with the Astros, but we're talking about Yankees, Diamondbacks on a Thursday night.
- [35:37]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. Random.
- [35:38]
Don La Greca
Out of nowhere, there's a Soto sucks chant.
- [35:41]
Peter Rosenberg
I was worse than that.
- [35:43]
Don La Greca
Well, but, you know, I. I would that happen if he signed with the Astros?
- [35:46]
Peter Rosenberg
It. No, it wouldn't have. Only when he's in the building would they acknowledge.
- [35:49]
Caller
Yeah, of course.
- [35:50]
Don La Greca
When he's in this.
- [35:50]
Peter Rosenberg
Different. Because you know why? Like you said earlier, it's in your face. He's here. The headlines. You see it in every. Every time you open the paper. You can't go on social media and follow New York Sports without hearing about Soto knowing he's still here. 420, by the way, is a Sunday this year. So we lose out. That would have been an epic show for us, but unfortunately, It's.
- [36:09]
Caller
Yeah, it's WrestleMania Sunday right there.
- [36:10]
Peter Rosenberg
That's a shame. Let's continue. We got a lot more calls to get to here. Let's go to see who's. I would like, you know, when people are on early. Al in the Bronx. Good, Al.
- [36:20]
Alan Hahn
Hey, fellas, what's going on? All right, so Don Judge and Soto are not in the same tier. Judge and Ohtani are in the same tip. Every. Every year, there's a chance that they're going to break a record. Juan Soto is a great, wonderful player, but that's not who he is.
- [36:37]
Don La Greca
So. So would you at least admit, though, that there's only two players at the table? It'd be judging Ohtani.
- [36:46]
Alan Hahn
Yeah, it's judging Ohtani. Then this next tier is Juan Soto. There's a few in that next tier, but they're definitely judging us.
- [36:53]
Caller
I have it for you. So what you're saying is if you go to my wedding table. Analogy. Judge.
- [36:59]
Don La Greca
No.
- [36:59]
Caller
Tani are actually getting married. They're like the newlywed tape.
- [37:02]
Peter Rosenberg
Yes, right.
- [37:03]
Caller
Yeah, I got it.
- [37:05]
Alan Hahn
A threat to break a record. Every year is a different.
- [37:08]
Don La Greca
Listen, I. I think we can be. It really just depends on if you want to, like, expand your tier, because if you came up with the top five players in baseball, I think Soto would be there. So to have a tier with just two players, I. I could. I could Understand that. But if you wanted to have a tier where we're going to put more than just two players, players and I, you know, maybe Bobby Wood Jr. Ends up there.
- [37:29]
Peter Rosenberg
Sure.
- [37:30]
Don La Greca
You throw in, you throw in Soto. There's a few other players that I think can make if you want that expanded out like Peter, even in your weddings table for the quarterbacks, you could have three, four quarterbacks of the first tier. But if you had to split it, there's maybe two that are clearly better than the other two. But you didn't want to have a wedding table of just two people.
- [37:50]
Caller
Right.
- [37:50]
Don La Greca
But I can understand there were.
- [37:52]
Caller
Holmes was at his own table every year. I'd get it.
- [37:55]
Don La Greca
We're saying the same thing. I said I don't even think it's debatable who's better, Judge or Soto. So we're on the same page. It's just debating how many people we're going to invite to the wedding.
- [38:04]
Peter Rosenberg
All right. Well, Don Calvin in Washington Heights actually disagrees with you. Calvin.
- [38:08]
Alan Hahn
Well, not, not only me, I don't disagree. Well, good afternoon. I may be polite. Good afternoon to all you guys. I'm a big fan of the show. So, you know, I, it's not only me that disagree with one comment. Soto is the better hitter. According to all the baseball analysts in espn, mlb, all these guys that be talking, Tim Kirchen, they say that he's the better hitter. Just to give us a little like verse drop is like, Soto was in the World Series at the age of 19. 19, 19. His team was in the world College. Huh?
- [38:40]
Don La Greca
His team was in the World Series.
- [38:42]
Alan Hahn
Well, he was in the World Series, you know, sporting, you know, hitting Garrett Cole, Justin Burnett.
- [38:47]
Don La Greca
Oh, I get it. I know. But if he was drafted by, if he was drafted by another team, maybe he would wouldn't have been in the World Series. But better hitter.
- [38:54]
Alan Hahn
But in the major leagues at the age of 19, who is the better player?
- [38:58]
Don La Greca
The better player.
- [38:59]
Alan Hahn
If you would say the better player because defensive talent, you might say Aaron.
- [39:04]
Don La Greca
Judge might say I would because Soto's a hack in the field, but Soto.
- [39:09]
Alan Hahn
Is the more complete hitter. I would like to see, to answer two questions from, from you before you switch to the next caller. I honestly believe that Ohtani is by himself in that field because he's the unicorn. He's the six tool talent player. And there's other players that are in that other list. You have Soto, you have Judge, you have acuna. That's a 52 player, Bobby Witt, a 52 player, Tati to 52 player. Those, those are the players that are in that list that, that come in that other breed. And to answer your question, with Aaron Judge being the best Yankee ever, I'm a huge fan of the. But I know people don't like a Rob because of steroids, but Alex Rodriguez was more gifted, man. He won a gold Glove and shortstop. I know he used steroids, but defense don't help you squeeze the ball better. I mean, steroids don't help you squeeze the ball better. He was a five tool player. Judge was not. But people's gonna say, oh, Ava. Using steroids, but just pure talent.
- [40:04]
Peter Rosenberg
But more complete. I don't think we're doing talent, though, Calvin. I mean, I get your point and that's, that's being super literal. But when we're talking about the best player in franchise history, that's why I say you can't discount the postseason because clutch is also a tool. Clutches. I think clutch is an important part.
- [40:21]
Don La Greca
Of being Jeter would have been every argument.
- [40:23]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, but good.
- [40:24]
Don La Greca
Yeah, but also Alex. Alex established himself as a great player before he came to the Yankees, had a whole career. And you can't throw the steroid thing away, so.
- [40:33]
Peter Rosenberg
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- [40:58]
Don La Greca
Equivalent to $15 per month.
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Peter Rosenberg
Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com push it. Real good at GNC. Nutrition's not a department, it's a whole freaking store.
- [41:12]
Caller
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- [41:14]
Peter Rosenberg
Sculpt that revenge body and have you.
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Caller
Feeling like you're ready to push it.
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Peter Rosenberg
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- [41:22]
Caller
Protein that literally tastes like cake.
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Peter Rosenberg
So you can look like cake.
- [41:26]
Caller
You got goals, you got results.
- [41:28]
Don La Greca
It's GNC, baby.
- [41:31]
Peter Rosenberg
Visit your GNC or GNC.com thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.
- [41:39]
Don La Greca
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [41:41]
Peter Rosenberg
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. It's time now for a tournament update brought to you by Schweppes. Well, the final four is tomorrow. There's your update. Florida, Auburn is a 609 tip off followed by Houston versus Duke. And that's your tournament update presented by Schweppes. Schweppes offers above the rim refreshment and is a proud sponsor of the Big east conference. Enjoy the madness. Take a break from the hoops action with a Schweppes seltzer or schweppes ginger ale. 800-919-3776. Talking baseball here with you. Let's go to Joey in Yorktown. What's up, Joey?
- [42:28]
Alan Hahn
Hey, guys. What's up? I want to chime in and say the guy before must have been Dominican because that's a little. He's a little biased, you know, about Soto right now. So I want to say, you know, 420s on Easter this year. You know, watch out for those gummies. But.
- [42:52]
Peter Rosenberg
That was good.
- [42:53]
Alan Hahn
So it was not the better player. Come on, you got some common sense here. And I just want to say to you guys, if you guys ever want. I'm. I'm. They call me the mad barber of Yorktown and. But if you ever want to get a hip hop haircut, call me up. I done. I think. I think you need a little. Little touch, you know?
- [43:13]
Peter Rosenberg
You know, we get. You get down a shape up. I mean, let's, let's, let's get him looking like, seriously. But you hook them up for hockey, for the hockey playoffs.
- [43:21]
Caller
But you don't think Don. You don't think Don shaped up, right? I'll just say what you're saying.
- [43:25]
Peter Rosenberg
I mean, a shape up.
- [43:26]
Caller
But you're. That, that's Don. You hear what he's implying there, don't you?
- [43:29]
Peter Rosenberg
Just to clean it up, that's all. What do you mean?
- [43:32]
Caller
You're saying Don's beard's a mess is what you're saying.
- [43:34]
Peter Rosenberg
What's I talking about? His beard. He said a haircut. Oh.
- [43:36]
Caller
But when you say shape up, I assume you mean the whole thing.
- [43:38]
Peter Rosenberg
Well, the problem I have with my whole thing. Why not?
- [43:40]
Don La Greca
I don't think there's anything wrong with my hair. I get a haircut and it's fine. It just, it's, it's thick, it's large, it's a thatch.
- [43:46]
Peter Rosenberg
Luxurious.
- [43:47]
Don La Greca
And I get Headphone Head. So when I have my headphones on and I take them off, it does look like a mess.
- [43:53]
Peter Rosenberg
It happens. That's all. No big deal.
- [43:55]
Don La Greca
I'm in radio, television. Element is gone now.
- [43:58]
Peter Rosenberg
No, it's time. We're not. Peter and I are not allowing this to happen. We are dragging Your carcass out of the grave and bringing it back to life. You are Lazarus, and we are taking you out of that tv. Get out of the tomb and get back into life.
- [44:14]
Don La Greca
Well, I was just talking about the yes element, and hopefully there'll be another element to this show.
- [44:18]
Peter Rosenberg
Well, we hope so.
- [44:19]
Caller
That would be nice.
- [44:20]
Don La Greca
Yeah, I don't think if I am on first take, I'll be walking around with headphones on. All right, Come back as well. Come back to me.
- [44:26]
Peter Rosenberg
All right, let's go back to calls then, shall we? Trevor in New Jersey. What's up, Trev?
- [44:31]
Alan Hahn
Happy Friday, guys.
- [44:33]
Don La Greca
What's going on?
- [44:33]
Alan Hahn
I'm just calling in to defend Don't. Don's point before about Judge. So from a pure ballplayer perspective and talent wise, I. I agree with Don. I think that Judge potentially could be the greatest Yankee of all time. And what I would compare that to is, I mean, obviously doesn't have the World Series. Hopefully he does. But we go over to hockey, and I think McDavid's probably the best player to ever lace up the skates. And Gretzky, obviously the greatest player of all time with all the accolades and everything, but I think. I think Sam McDavid could be and I think the most talented player ever to play hockey.
- [45:03]
Peter Rosenberg
So that's fair. And the reason. You know what I love to say, it's just almost like LeBron Connor McDavid is basically, if you take great players from the history of the sport and put them into one, that's what he is. I mean, he's got incredible speed, incredible strength. Think about it. He's got Lemieux size. He's got Gretzky's instincts. You know, Richard shot like. Think about all the different things, Don, right? When you think about the history of the sport, take all the great elements from the greatest players, right? And maybe the one thing, maybe. Does he have enough Gordie Howe? That might be the only thing you could say. He probably doesn't have enough Gordie Howe.
- [45:38]
Don La Greca
Here's why it's a brilliant point, is that, listen, he's. Gretzky's got more assists than anybody else has points right now. Maybe McDavid will change that by the time his career is over. He's way faster than Gretzky.
- [45:49]
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, my God. Yeah.
- [45:50]
Don La Greca
But here's the thing about Gretzky and. God, I'll never criticize Wayne for his play, but the one thing I will say is that when you're playing with Messier and you're playing with Curry, and you're playing with coffee, you're going to get a lot of assists. Right. He's playing with Leon Draisaitl. So that's not nothing. Leon Draisaitl leads the league in goals with 52. Okay, so. But he's not playing even like Lemieux. We had a chance to play with some really good players. Joey Mullen was a great player. Kevin Stevens was a great player. Ron Francis was a tremendous player. You know, Connor McDavid's got some nice players, but really the one star that is along near him is Leon Draisidl Wegretzki. Everywhere he played, had tons and tons, tons of great players. And that helped certainly with the assist. Phil Bork one time told me, absolutely, listen, it's a Phil Bork Don. It's a Don name. It's a Don name drop. It wasn't Ray Bork, it was Phil Bork.
- [46:42]
Caller
By the way, one of the best points you've ever made in the history of the show.
- [46:46]
Don La Greca
It's such. Nobody. You wouldn't have said that if Alan said it's such a don drop. But. But seriously, he said to me, the thing that makes Connor McDavid special is he can do all the great things with his hands at full speed. Like, he can fly and yet shit still shoot when he fly and catch the puck and do all. Like, a lot of those guys have to slow down. Like, he is. He is a singular. He and. And Sidney Crosby are the two players that I think could have played in any era and excelled.
- [47:16]
Peter Rosenberg
You know, he has a song. There's a Connor McDavid song.
- [47:21]
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
- [47:21]
Don La Greca
What else are they doing in Edmonton?
- [47:23]
Peter Rosenberg
No, I'm serious. It's actually not terrible. Cali has it on her. Her little playlist before games.
- [47:28]
Caller
Wow.
- [47:28]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. Yeah. Cali listens to like pump up, you know, gets herself ready for game. She's pretty serious, man. And this is one of the songs. And it's. I hear it so much. It's stuck in my head.
- [47:36]
Caller
How's it go? Sing it.
- [47:37]
Peter Rosenberg
I can't. I'm not gonna do it. I think. I think Jacob can find it.
- [47:41]
Caller
I'm sure he can.
- [47:42]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah.
- [47:42]
Caller
It's Easy David song.
- [47:44]
Peter Rosenberg
It's definitely on YouTube. But it's actually, it's. It's not awful. When you think about songs about usually that are made about athletes and players, they're usually pretty bad. This one's not terrible. So just. Just throwing it out there. He's a song about him. Does Gretzky. Probably.
- [48:02]
Don La Greca
I never heard of it.
- [48:03]
Caller
I don't remember.
- [48:04]
Peter Rosenberg
He must.
- [48:05]
Caller
I don't remember that.
- [48:06]
Peter Rosenberg
He must. It's not. What was the Ranger one done? The hockey sock rock that Esposito did.
- [48:11]
Don La Greca
Oh yeah. With. With Dave Malone.
- [48:13]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. Yeah.
- [48:14]
Don La Greca
They did rock.
- [48:15]
Peter Rosenberg
That's one that you definitely. You know, you're glad there wasn't social media at the time.
- [48:19]
Caller
And I might. Well, it's not better than where there's a meth man, you'll find a Mets fan that's as good as gets right there.
- [48:25]
Don La Greca
If those were the lyrics you would be right.
- [48:27]
Caller
Where there's a meth head, you'll find a meth head.
- [48:32]
Peter Rosenberg
Let's take Moose in Jamaica. What's up Moose?
- [48:36]
Alan Hahn
What's good fellas? Good afternoon. Thanks. Did we lose?
- [48:47]
Caller
No. Go ahead Moose.
- [48:48]
Peter Rosenberg
We got you 20.
- [48:49]
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
- [48:49]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah.
- [48:50]
Alan Hahn
No doubt, no doubt, no doubt.
- [48:54]
Peter Rosenberg
So yeah.
- [48:55]
Alan Hahn
To continue on I just want to like. Doug, you're so right about Aaron Judge possibly being the best Yankee or even the best hitter in baseball has ever seen. Like right handed. He's basically a right hand ending Barry Bonds and quickly on his numbers. In the 2022 season he was.000 some percentage points from winning the triple crowd while also breaking the American League home run record. And at the crash in his left big toe to a point where he said he doesn't think he can hit the same. He has a record breaking OPS season for a right handed hitter not seen in the 1900s. And every single postseason up until 2022 he's been a factor. He's been elite. And in the 2022 postseason and 24 postseason he has. He' in 24 he had one really bad moment but he's had moments and not been consistent enough. So like that being said Judge is going to go down as arguably one of the game's greats not just in Yankee history.
- [49:57]
Don La Greca
Now the interesting thing. I made that comment and I'll stick to it but I think it's very debatable whether he'll be able to continue to play at this level because of his body size and will he get hurt again? Like there's a lot of factors into it. So I'm not saying that it's definitely going to happen but he is definitely on the trajectory of getting there by the numbers. When he stays healthy. The question is will he age well? Because that body type. Who else in baseball. Michael Ball always bring up Dave Winfield. Dave Winfield was lanky. Strawberry was lanky. He's. He's a beast man.
- [50:32]
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. But he's not. He's not David Wells. The guy takes care of himself. He's gonna be smart. LeBron James, how does he do it at 40? And you could argue that what he does physically is way more demanding than what Aaron Judges did.
- [50:45]
Don La Greca
He's not that they're very similar in body type. See players like 6, 7, like 280 playing baseball. It's rare.
- [50:54]
Peter Rosenberg
It's rare. But it like, like that's one I've heard that that brought up before about judge and that's one where I'm not, I'm not buying it. It's a different world when it comes to athletes. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers. Calling all daydreamers and date nighters. Come immerse yourself in the rich culture of Texas and dig into our mouth watering barbecue. Trailblazers can explore our natural wonders and beach lovers will wonder why they've never felt so relaxed before. You're invited to discover experiences you can only find in Texas. Visit traveltexas. Com and plan your trip today. Let's Texas.