Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: Hal’s Comments

Date: November 25, 2025
Podcast: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg (ESPN New York)
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Theme: Dissecting Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner’s comments on team profitability, fan frustration, and the dynamics of spending and winning in Major League Baseball.

Episode Overview

This hour dives deep into Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner’s contentious comments about team profitability and spending, sparking debate about fan expectations, the legacy of the Steinbrenner family, and how money (or lack of it) relates to on-field success. The hosts analyze Hal’s statements, challenge common fan complaints, reflect on leadership in the Yankees and beyond, and briefly touch on hockey highlights and heartwarming community moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Michael Kay Lunchtime Incident (00:30–07:19)

• Classic Office ‘Invite Politics’: The hosts reenact a humorous episode involving Michael Kay choosing whom to invite on air for Knicks talk, exposing the subtle (and not-so-subtle) pecking order at ESPN NY.
• Notable Quote:
  “[Michael] sees me, our executive Steve is standing right there and he says to me, ‘Thanks for coming on, good friend. Thanks.’ ... he’s the one who didn’t even want you there. And then he also will make you feel bad. That’s the kind of maniac this man is. He could go choke on it.” – Peter Rosenberg (06:08)
• Behind-the-Scenes Banter: Teasing about lunch choices, calorie counting, and Trader Joe’s “trits” instead of Ritz crackers.

2. Don’s Night at MSG: Broadcasting Hockey Chaos & Community Outreach (07:20–09:42)

• Recap of Devils Game & Broadcast Call:
  • Replay Don’s excited end-game call during a Devils win, including post-game fights—“Put a pitchfork in this one.” (08:05, Don)
  • Discussion about the thrill and “old-time hockey” feel of a line brawl, with Don’s voice conveying genuine joy.
• Heartfelt Community Story:
  • Don shares how a child from his youth baseball team, a cancer survivor, was honored as part of Hockey Fights Cancer, getting to sign a contract with Martin Brodeur and participate with Devils players:

    “He’s only 7 years old and ... he’s gone through a lot but he’s doing well. So good job out of the Devils doing that.” – Don (09:49)

3. Audio Replay: Devils Big Finish & Fights (10:27–12:05)

• Rebroadcast of Don’s Play-by-Play:
  • High-drama final seconds, fisticuffs, and Don’s “pitchfork in this one” call get replayed and enthusiastically analyzed by Hahn and Rosenberg.
  • The joy in Don’s commentary highlights the emotional highs of live sports media.

4. The Main Event: Hal Steinbrenner’s Statement (12:05–19:54)

a) The Controversial Comment

• The Clip:
  John Heyman: “I’m assuming you make a profit [with the Yankees]. Is that fair?”
  Hal Steinbrenner: “No, it’s not fair, actually ... That’s not a fair statement or an accurate statement. Everybody wants to talk about revenues. They need to talk about our expenses ...” (12:54–13:20)

b) Host Analysis & Reaction

• Fans in Uproar:
  Don observes that fans “did not take well” to Hal’s claims of losses/expenses, seeing them as disingenuous for a team worth north of $10 billion (13:29).
• Ownership & Expectations:
  “They believe the Yankees have the ability to spend more ... and it looks foolish that Hal Steinbrenner is now crying poverty.” – Don (13:31)
• Brand vs. Business:
  Alan reiterates the Yankees' absurd global brand status, but also tries to clarify Hal’s position:
  “He knows we want to field a team that we know can win a championship ... when fans ... criticize how much he spends ... he’s still [saying] ‘we will not [lower payroll].’” (14:39–15:46)
• Spending Context:
  The Yankees have the third-highest payroll, behind the Dodgers and Mets, both with extremely wealthy ownership, unlike the more “mom and pop” structure of the Yankees’ family business (15:55–18:45).
• Comparative Logic:
  “He’s not sitting on $16 billion of hedge fund money that he can dip into anytime he wants. ... Still, the Yankees win every year, they’re competitive every year, they put the best product they can on the field.” – Don (18:46)
• Efficiency, Not Spending:
  The real complaint isn’t how much Hal spends, but how he spends. “Complain ... about the fact that the money isn’t being spent well.” – Don (19:10)

c) Historic Perspective: George vs. Hal

• George Steinbrenner Mythology:
  George spent big, but Don stresses it was because, then, winning led to profit (16:08–17:26).
  “George wanted to win ... but also wanted to turn a profit. Would he be willing to lose hundreds of millions to win a championship? ... He was trying to win because at that time it wasn’t just good enough to be the Yankees and just print money.” – Don (16:17)
• Shareholders Expectation:
  “Do you think those 45% of the shareholders want to lose money en route to a championship ... or be happy to be competitive and still make money?” – Alan (17:51)

5. Fan Calls: Airing Grievances & Moving the Debate (24:01–37:06)

a) Frustration with Hal and Cashman

• Caller Brian (Sleepy Hollow):
  Expressed irritation with Hal's continued faith in Brian Cashman and a perception of “complacency”:

  “He spends money, don’t get me wrong, but I think there’s just this culture of complacency ... If we just get ... Bellinger, if we just do a couple more things ...” (24:19)

• Alan’s Rebuttal:
  “You want an all-star at every position ... those are things you don’t pay for. It’s better coaching, better infrastructure ... Yankees didn’t have enough talent to win a championship? Or did they not play good baseball?” (24:50)

b) Profitability & Transparency Questioned

• Caller Aaron (Astoria):
  Annoyed with Hal’s evasive answers:

  “Do any of you guys think the Yankees are operating at a loss?” (33:46)
  “Just don’t blatantly lie to me.” (34:09)

• Hosts’ Clarification:
  Replay Hal’s answer, parse semantics—“I don’t want to get into it.”
  “It’s none of your business.” – Don (36:06)
  “He can’t say ‘that’s not accurate’ if it’s accurate ... at least sometimes no, or he’s lying.” – Peter (36:26–36:29)
• Bottom Line:
  Debate spirals into semantics over how much profit is “reasonable,” with Don cautioning against negotiating Hal’s personal earnings and Alan emphasizing the inefficiency of Yankees spending.

6. The Bigger Problem: Cashman, Not Cash (41:24–43:23)

• Hosts’ Consensus:
  The core fan frustration isn’t “too little spending” but rather that Hal lets Brian Cashman remain as GM despite a lack of recent championships and questionable roster-building:

  “What I’m surmising ... is this hopelessness now that the only way this franchise will ever move on from Brian Cashman ... is if Hal Steinbrenner sold the team.” – Alan (42:43)

• Accountability:
  “Complain about the guy making the decisions, not the guy signing the checks.”

7. Salary Cap and MLB Parity: A Rant (45:18–47:47)

• Gilbert from Brooklyn Calls Out Fan Hypocrisy:

  “Stop your blood clot crying when it’s not your money. ... I signed up to hear your sports, to hear your commentary, not give me financial, you know, peace and whatnot.” (44:43)

• Don’s Classic Riff on MLB’s Structure:
  Major League Baseball is a “pyramid scheme” with low-payroll teams pocketing revenue-sharing, and the lack of a salary cap being central to the endless “spend more money” debate:

  “They’re funneling players to the big market teams. They’re stealing the revenue instead of putting it back at the team, they’re put[ting] it in their pocket ... It’s a big scam. It’s a pyramid scheme.” (47:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Peter Rosenberg, on Michael Kay’s invite habits:
  “He could go choke on it.” (06:13)
• Don, on the “crying poverty” narrative:
  “It looks foolish that Hal Steinbrenner is now crying poverty when he’s got a franchise that’s worth north of $10 billion.” (13:31)
• Alan, on New York-sized expectations:
  “You need stars in New York—you can’t win without them. But what we loved about the 90s teams was ... homegrown developed talent that became stars.” (20:23)
• Don, on MLB finances:
  “Major league baseball is a pyramid scheme ... stealing the revenue ... it’s a big scam.” (47:32)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:30–07:19: Michael Kay invitation story, office humor
• 07:20–09:42: Don’s Devils game call; heartwarming Hockey Fights Cancer story
• 12:05–19:54: Discussion of Hal Steinbrenner’s profit comments and reactions
• 24:01–37:06: Fan calls on Hal, Cashman, and Yankee expectations
• 41:24–43:23: Hosts agree Cashman is the main issue, not Hal’s spending
• 44:43–47:47: Salary cap rant, “pyramid scheme” tirade

Recap & Takeaways

• Big Theme: Fan frustration with Yankees management centers less on “spending enough” and more on leadership—especially Brian Cashman’s tenure and how the money is spent.
• Hal’s Comments: Universally disliked by fans, but hosts defend the business realities at play, arguing the club does spend enough and the focus should be on competence, not payroll.
• Money Isn’t Everything: Large payrolls don’t automatically guarantee championships. Executing on spending and development is key.
• Final Thought:
  The fanbase’s sense of “hopelessness” reflects a desire for new direction, but the show’s consensus is that Hal’s willingness to spend is not the problem—it’s accountability for how that money is invested.

For listeners: The hour offers both comedic relief (office invites, lunch debates), sharp insight into team finances, and hard truths about what drives winning. Most importantly, it reframes the Yankees debate: It’s not about checking sizes—it’s about who’s holding the pen.