Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg - "Hour 1: McLean Night"

Date: August 28, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Guests: Chris Carlin, Carlos Mendoza (via audio), Callers
Theme: New York Mets pitching excitement, performance-based accountability in MLB, Rutgers football preview

Main Theme & Purpose

The episode centers on the emergence of Mets rookie pitcher Nolan McLean, who has injected unexpected excitement and hope into the team’s playoff chase and pitching staff. The hosts discuss how McLean’s performances may reshape the Mets’ playoff rotation, the broader culture of accountability in both the Mets and Yankees organizations, and how leadership styles and roster management affect team success. Later, Chris Carlin joins to preview Rutgers football and share his trademark banter with the hosts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nolan McLean's Meteoric Rise and Its Impact on the Mets

• McLean’s Third Start Magic

  • Rosenberg kicks off the conversation:

    "It's three starts now for McLean... he's walking off the mound, eighth inning ovation, Citi Field dugouts waiting for him. Celebrate. Did you get that feeling like, oh, we got something here?" (01:05)

  • Don reflects on the tradition of Mets’ dominant starting pitching and how McLean’s rapid success captures the imagination of Mets fans:

    "The Mets have always been about their pitching... the identity has always been having that stud starting pitcher. So when you call up somebody from the minor leagues... Well, McClain Day might be happening here." (01:48)

  • The hosts marvel at McLean’s 3-0 record, a Mets first for a rookie’s initial starts, and how he delivered against a first-place Phillies lineup in a “must-win” scenario.

    "Eight innings, shutting down the Philadelphia Phillies, in that ballpark, walks off with an ovation. They complete the sweep. They get within four." (03:36)

• Playoff Implications and Rotation Shuffling

  • Rosenberg on McLean's playoff value:

    "If McClain is for real, that's two pitchers that you feel good about in a playoff series... you could be extremely competitive in a playoff series and start thinking that what this kid's able to do could open up the door for you." (05:29)

  • Discussion of how McLean’s poise, pitch mix, and composure against the Phillies set him apart, leading to consideration as a playoff Game 2—or even Game 1—starter if his run continues.

2. Tradition and Performance Culture in Mets & Yankees

• The Value of Competition & Accountability

  • Don underscores the necessity of performance-based decisions:

    "You've got to be able to honor the organization and say the best players are the guys. They're going to get a chance to pitch." (11:07)

  • Rosenberg elaborates on how modern sports sometimes shy away from this kind of competition, but asserts that playing time remains the biggest lever for accountability:

    "The only thing left that you could do to hold the player accountable is playing time." (12:38)

• Rewarding Performance over Seniority

  • Don contrasts Mets’ performance focus with the Yankees’ tendency toward seniority and contract loyalty:

    "I'm putting together the team that gives me the best chance to win. And now you're no longer a part of that. Not because I'm punishing you or grounding you. You didn't come in late, you didn't break curfew. It's that it's all performance driven..." (14:17)

3. Mets Front Office Philosophy & Long-term Vision

• Trading for the Future vs. Overspending on Veterans

  • Caller Dave in Elizabeth expresses his wish that the Mets had acquired a veteran ace.

  • Don and Rosenberg explain Stearns’ reluctance to sign aging pitchers to long-term deals:

    "They don't really think it's a good idea... to give those eight to 10 year deals to guys that are 30 or older. And as he said, those don't age well." (21:33)

  • The Mets’ deliberate approach prioritizes developing young arms (McLean, Tong, Sproat) over short-term splashes, aiming for sustainable contention.

    "Maybe the idea was, hey, I want to be able to get to a point where I have a rotation that's led by McClain, Tong and Sproat..." (20:00)

4. Comparing Leadership and Accountability — Mets vs. Yankees

• Manager/GM Styles

  • Don points to subtle but powerful hints of accountability in manager Mendoza’s comments (after McLean’s latest start).

    "I've really been proud of Mendoza down the stretch here... if you really listen between the lines, he says a lot of things that I think challenge his team." (29:05)

  • Contrast with Yankees' approach, where public criticism is discouraged to avoid extra media/fan pressure:

    "With that organization... the directive... is to not pile onto what's already existing in New York, which is the Yankees, and pressure and criticism from the outside." (30:43)

• Ownership Influence

  • Discussion on Mets’ owner Steve Cohen’s hands-on style compared to Hal Steinbrenner, and how it shapes the front office’s willingness to pivot or admit mistakes.

    "I think Cohen is sitting on all this money that I do think... let's not get too crazy. Okay, so maybe we'll spend the extra couple of million dollars here." (32:30)

• Yankees' Stubbornness on Underperformers

  • The hosts cite examples like Volpe and Ellsbury, questioning the Yankees’ reluctance to admit mistakes or quickly change course.

    "They have to exhaust it before they finally admit that it's not working." (36:27)

  • Rosenberg’s summary:

    "The biggest fault that he [Cashman] faces is just for once just be like, yeah, we thought this would work, but this is not... Just be human, this is not working." (39:16)

5. Rutgers Football Preview with Chris Carlin (41:00–51:00)

• Carlin paints an optimistic picture for Rutgers’ offense, highlighting two impressive New York receivers (Ian Strong, KJ Duff) and greater quarterback stability.

  "This is going to be a really entertaining team to watch. This is going to be a team that's going to score a lot of points." (43:27)

• The changes in college football, Big Ten expansion, and the challenge for Rutgers to become more than a mid-pack team.

• Carlin on Coach Greg Schiano’s national recruiting reach:

  "Now it's everywhere. Like, when you're in the Big Ten, you're everywhere." (47:43)

• Light-hearted banter about tailgate food, “Carlin’s corner table,” and the daily grind of morning radio.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mets Pitching Culture:
  Don: "The identity has always been having that stud starting pitcher. So when you call up somebody from the minor leagues, there's always going to be that... See what it's like. You know, you saw it with Harvey and deGrom recently... McClain Day might be happening here." (01:48)

• On Performance-Based Culture:
  Don: "You've got to be able to honor the organization and say the best players are the guys. They're going to get a chance to pitch." (11:07)

• On Mets Playoff Rotation:
  Rosenberg: “Haven't we seen in the history of baseball playoffs a phenom, a young pitcher that didn't know he wasn't supposed to be doing that?" (09:01)

• Carlos Mendoza on McLean:
  “He dominated one of the best lineups in the league... Everything about the kid... he's got electric stuff, but he's got pitch ability. He know what he's doing on the mound. He knows how to manipulate the baseball. He knows what hitters are trying to do to him. He's not afraid to use all of his pitches.” (28:14)

• On Mets’ Roster Management vs. Yankees:
  Don: "It really feels like there's more accountability around the Mets than there is the Yankees." (36:13)

• On Rutgers Football Hopes:
  Chris Carlin: "This is going to be a really entertaining team to watch. This is going to be a team that's going to score a lot of points." (43:27)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:05 – 04:53: Nolan McLean’s breakthrough performance and the Mets’ playoff outlook
• 05:17 – 09:35: Deep dive on McLean’s skills, playoff rotation considerations, young pitcher “phenom” effect
• 12:09 – 16:14: Mets pitching staff competition, performance-based promotions, risk of veterans losing rotation spots
• 19:15 – 22:57: Caller Dave in Elizabeth’s take and hosts’ discussion of Stearns’ aversion to long-term pitching deals
• 28:14 – 29:42: Carlos Mendoza audio on McLean’s impact
• 30:43 – 37:30: In-depth comparison of Mets and Yankees management, accountability, and handling mistakes
• 41:00 – 51:08: Chris Carlin joins for Rutgers football preview, tailgating talk, and radio banter

Episode Flow & Tone

The episode is energetic, passionate, and full of inside-New York sports banter. Don and Rosenberg break down the nuances of Mets fandom and front office philosophy, share candid thoughts on team management, and create space for fan voice via calls. The latter half with Chris Carlin shifts to upbeat college football optimism with classic food banter and familiar camaraderie.

Summary Takeaways

• Nolan McLean’s rise is fueling new hope for Mets fans and is forcing tough, merit-based decisions for the playoff rotation.
• The Mets, under GM David Stearns and owner Steve Cohen, emphasize performance and accountability, distinguishing themselves from the Yankees' approach of loyalty to contracts and reluctance to publicly admit mistakes.
• The episode highlights how real competition for jobs—not just in the minors, but on the big-league roster—can create a culture that sustains winning.
• Chris Carlin’s Rutgers preview brings light humor and local pride, adding to the show’s broader ‘New York sports—and more’ appeal.