Hour 1: Poke & Hope

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – “Hour 1: Poke & Hope”

Date: September 10, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg dig into the state of New York baseball—especially the Mets’ underwhelming season—and debate what “making the playoffs” truly means in modern sports. The conversation naturally veers into their frustrations as lifelong fans, plenty of good-natured ribbing, and a few memorable analogies (including the now-legendary “poke & hope”). Along the way, the trio touch on travel adventures, wrestling responsibilities, a classic TV anniversary, and notable news in the NFL.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Behind the Mic: Banter and Personal Catch-up (00:33–04:19)

• Peter’s Missed Open & Wrestling Gig

  • Peter jokes about missing the show’s opening intro (01:09), with Don goading him for “kissing up to management.” They tease Peter about leaving for wrestling trips, like the upcoming “Russell Palooza” and Crown Jewel in Australia (01:32–02:34).
  • The trio riff on the geography of Australia, with Peter offering a handy east-west coast comparison.
  • Don: “You knew where. Oh, I know. I knew it was in Australia.”
    Alan: “Can you—where’s Perth?”
    (02:37–02:45)

• Steak Lunch & Desserts

  • The guys recount a recent steak lunch, swapping notes on side dishes and an epic shared dessert plate (04:18–05:10).
    • Alan: “There were six people and six desserts. They just gave you a plate and it had six slices of delicious dessert.” (05:06)

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2. The Mets’ Meltdown: Are They Just a ‘Poke & Hope’ Team? (05:22–18:50)

• State of the Mets: Disappointment & Deja Vu

  • Don laments the recurring cycle of the Mets being a team of “miracles” and last-gasp playoff runs (05:22–07:35).
    • “I’m tired of always having to rely on the miracle run…Is that what $350 million is supposed to be for?” —Don (06:34)
  • Peter and Alan echo the frustration, stating this was supposed to be a new, sustainable era for the team—not another “barely-squeaking-in” wild card situation (07:44–08:25).

• The “Poke & Hope” Analogy

  • Don describes the Mets as a “poke & hope” team, using the metaphor of knocking billiard balls without a plan—just hoping for luck (08:43–09:14). The analogy is met with mockery from Peter and Alan, spiraling into a running joke for the rest of the segment.
    • Don: “I fancy myself to be a pretty decent pool player…But I don’t have any plan. I’m a poke and hope guy.” (08:43)
  • He expands the analogy, likening the Mets’ hope strategy to bowling straight balls without a hook—sometimes you catch fire, usually you get split frames (10:42–11:14).
    • Peter: “Meanwhile, the Dodgers are putting a beautiful striker. They got the hook…eight strikes per game because they got a plan.” (11:14)
    • Alan sums up: “I’m sitting here living and dying, ‘Are they gonna make the playoffs?’ As the three seed!” (11:48)

• The Value of ‘Just Making the Playoffs’

  • The hosts question whether being the third wild card (or even a play-in spot, across sports) should be celebrated or considered meaningful. Alan and Don agree that terminology needs to shift—wild card and play-in teams aren’t “playoff teams” in the old sense (12:58–14:28).
    • Alan: “Wild card round feels like play-in. That’s postseason, but it’s not playoffs. Divisional round, that’s your playoffs.” (12:58)
    • Don: “Am I supposed to be proud of a team…that might finish 12 games back but we made the playoffs?” (12:50)
  • They discuss “miracle” runs by teams like the Marlins, Reds, or Guardians—and why that isn’t supposed to be the Mets’ identity.

• The Regular Season’s Value

  • Don rails against the idea that the regular season is only useful to “wake up in September,” arguing that if it’s really a “just get in” mentality, what’s the point of caring all year? (17:12–18:13)
    • Don: “If all I keep hearing is, ‘it’s too early, it’s too early, it’s a marathon’—then what am I killing myself for?” (17:12)
    • Alan: “That’s the hopeless optimist trying to hold on…miracle Don, that you are so sick of.” (18:13)

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3. Yankees: Flawed But Fortunate? (20:19–35:31)

• Both NY Teams Underwhelming

  • Discussion of how the Yankees, like the Mets, could miss 90 wins, finish as a wild card, and still get swept out—yet fans are expected to be satisfied (20:19–21:46).

• Yankees’ Bullpen Breakdown

  • Alan details the previous night’s disaster against Detroit—a bullpen collapse in the 7th that saw “14 batters come to home plate, first nine get on base” (28:13–28:41).
    • Don: “Cruz and Lighter, a combined nine earned runs…only four hits, nine runs on four hits, four walks.” (28:50–29:09)
  • They dissect key moments: Volpe’s failed bunt and the team’s Jekyll-and-Hyde inconsistency, ranting about letting slumping relievers try too long (29:35–30:46).

• External Critique: Buck Martinez’s Take

  • Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez bluntly called out the Yankees as “not a good team…if they don’t hit home runs, they don’t have a chance to win.” (32:16–32:29, with clip replayed)
    • Alan: “As I’m listening to him…where’s the lie?” (32:31–32:37)
  • Don closes: “It used to be a pretty exclusive club…Studio 54, ‘77, you weren’t getting in. Now there’s no velvet rope anymore.” (33:37)

• Old-School Playoffs vs. Modern — What’s the Bar?

  • The hosts reminisce about when making the postseason meant you were genuinely elite. Now, “just above average” teams are in, diluting the prestige of a playoff berth (34:37–36:40).

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4. Quick Hits & Lighter Moments (40:18–47:22)

• Anniversary of ‘Welcome Back, Kotter’

  • The TV classic’s 50th anniversary sparks a nostalgic riff, with Peter admitting he’s never seen it despite naming his podcast after “Juan Epstein.” (41:55–44:38)
  • Playful ribbing ensues about generational references and streaming habits.

• Islanders Luncheon & VIP Rides

  • The hosts recount attending an Islanders’ team event, with Peter jesting about his “VIP” Uber choices and Don’s need for an SUV (44:43–46:08).

• Scoreboard Check

  • Don updates on other MLB races, noting the A’s and Diamondbacks leads relevant for Yankees and Mets fans (46:31–46:39).

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5. Jets’ Move: The Case of Xavier Gibson (46:47–49:22)

• Don brings up the Jets’ release of Xavier Gibson, and plays sound from Aaron Glenn who clarifies the decision was because of a pattern of mistakes, not just one costly error (47:47–49:22).
  • Alan: “What he’s saying is…not just because he got caught holding the ball wrong…tells me they’ve probably told him a million times.” (47:55)
  • Don: “If it was something they worked on in camp and he kept not listening…that’s when it becomes a fireable offense.” (48:39)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I’m a poke and hope guy.” —Don, on his pool skills (08:43)
• “I never heard poking hope in pool ever.” —Peter (09:23)
• “Are you really that good if you’re the third wild card team?” —Don (12:50)
• “Wild card round feels like play-in. That’s postseason, not playoffs.” —Alan (12:58)
• “This would not be…‘That’s the team we thought they’d be all year.’ No, that’s not it.” —Alan, on a potential Mets run (18:50)
• “It used to be a pretty exclusive club…now they’re letting everybody in. There’s no velvet rope anymore.” —Don (33:37)
• “The way we talk about playoff teams—are we really that good? Am I supposed to be proud…?” —Don (12:50)
• Peter: “I promise I won’t [look anything up for the list].” Don: “I'll trust you.” (41:03)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Mets’ “Poke & Hope” Analysis: 05:22–18:50
• Meaning of Modern Playoffs (All Sports): 12:58–16:15
• Yankees’ Bullpen Disaster: 28:13–30:46
• Buck Martinez on the Yankees: 32:16–32:37
• Welcome Back, Kotter TV Riff: 41:55–44:38
• Jets’ Gibson Release & Accountability: 47:47–49:22

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Tone & Style

• Classic New York sports talk: candid, a bit cynical, and full of camaraderie.
• Banter and inside jokes, but also deep dives and honest critiques.
• “Fans first” approach—emotions, analogies, and arguments all out on the table.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode peels back the frustrations of New York baseball fans, challenging the current value of “playoff” labels while using sharp analogies (“poke & hope”), generational gripes, and humor. Deeply rooted in the realities and expectations of big-market teams, the hour captures the mood of the city’s sports obsessives—equal parts skeptical, hopeful, and always entertaining.

Transcript

[Don LaGreca]

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[Alan Hahn]

And if you haven't made the switch yet, here are 15 reasons why you should. One, it's $15 a month. Two, seriously, it's $15 a month. Three, no big contracts. Four, I use it. Five, my mom used to say, are you, Are you playing me off? That's what's happening, right? Okay, give it a try.

[Don LaGreca]

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[Commercial Announcer]

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[Don LaGreca]

See mintmobile.com Todd, this isn't Vietnam.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, he had a handful of twig and berries and Rosenberg.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Everything about it was pure, unadulterated ass.

[Don LaGreca]

This isn't North Dakota. This is New York.

[Alan Hahn]

This is Don Han and Rosenberg.

[Don LaGreca]

The best threesome I've ever heard on.

[Alan Hahn]

880 ESPN and the ESPN New York app.

[Don LaGreca]

Got a new open. That's a new one in the rotation. I haven't heard that one before. That's really good. You got Peter Spelling. We encourage Peter to spell so much so that we put it in an open. How's everybody doing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was talking to John and I missed the damn open again.

[Don LaGreca]

Always kissing up to management. You got the gig, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know, right?

[Don LaGreca]

And if I'm not mistaken, I think you the contract. The ink is still, still wet on the paper.

[Alan Hahn]

You ever heard?

[Don LaGreca]

It's still working an angle.

[Alan Hahn]

Notice. This is what he does, though. Waits for us to leave, then all.

[Don LaGreca]

Of a sudden it's, yeah, listen, I know.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, by the way. Little circle back oh, by the way stuff. You know what that's about?

[Don LaGreca]

Well, he thinks now when he's got a wrestling trip, he can leave at 305 because we got wrestling on ESPN now. I know. What he.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know, by the way, not true. Well, no, it will be true in.

[Don LaGreca]

October when I go to Australia, but.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Then we'll have a conversation. But, but, but for Russell Palooza next week. They told me we're taking you off radio because there might be something for you to do.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, I'm not going to give out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What it's going to be.

[Don LaGreca]

No, but that makes you feel good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but I said I'm going to.

[Don LaGreca]

Be honest, feel bad, but I don't have to be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a football Friday. I can't miss the whole. So whatever ends up happening, I'm not missing a whole show. I. You know the worst thing for me to miss is a Friday, 5 o' clock 6 o' clock hour, that's the most fun. You wait all week during Friday night.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, you're. You're waiting all day for Sunday night. Yeah. What are you talking about?

[Peter Rosenberg]

We got first.

[Alan Hahn]

You got to wait all deep Friday.

[Don LaGreca]

To get to Sunday during football season. You can't. Mondays and Fridays are sacrosanct. Right. You can't touch.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I never want to miss those. Now when I go to Australia in October for crown jewel in Perth, Australia.

[Don LaGreca]

Which our boss didn't know where it was. That bothered me.

[Alan Hahn]

Can you.

[Don LaGreca]

Where's Perth?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where?

[Don LaGreca]

You knew where. Oh, I know. I knew it was in Australia.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

You didn't know that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do you know where in Australia though?

[Don LaGreca]

No, I don't even know where Melbourne is in Australia. Australia I know is pretty big. I can't tell you where.

[Peter Rosenberg]

After looking at the map the other day, I can tell you. Melbourne. Melbourne. Melbourne, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are all the east coast. Just picture New York, Philly, Miami.

[Don LaGreca]

I think Brisbane is where they. The bluey. Bluey's are the bluey vehicles.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And if those three are on the east coast, Perth is Los Angeles.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, wow.

[Don LaGreca]

And that's a pretty good decent amount of space. Right? That's a big country.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's like the same. It's like the same. So my trip I believe is somewhere depending on between like 25 and 28 hours to get there.

[Alan Hahn]

No thanks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And on the way back I go through Doha.

[Alan Hahn]

Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know if you paid attention to the news yesterday, but that's made me a little nervous.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, well, listen, I. We wish you luck.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, well, no, I'm not leaving until October. Don't kick me out yet.

[Don LaGreca]

But that's nice to know that the English, you know, sent prisoners to Australia. Gave him some elbow room apparently. Or they just expected to have a lot of prisoners.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh my God, that's a trip for them.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, it's 3:05 in the big city. Don Hahn and Rosenberg on a overcast Wednesday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do you mean that weather wise or just what baseball feels like?

[Don LaGreca]

You know what, I'm glad you said that because you know we're going to talk about it all today. And then Booger McFarlane is going to be joining us at 4. We got a list that was cultivated as we were hurdling ourselves to the studio as Alan and I had an engagement earlier. I got into a little bit later, a little date.

[Alan Hahn]

It was delicious, by the way.

[Don LaGreca]

I mean I. How often do you have steak for lunch?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was a. It was a steak.

[Alan Hahn]

If you can you do it. Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

And that was nice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What was the side? You had a tater.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, you have mash.

[Alan Hahn]

Some. Some smash. Some. Some. Some broccoli.

[Don LaGreca]

Broccoli and some spinach.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

And French fries. Cheap burger. Nope, Those were the four.

[Alan Hahn]

Pepsi. Yeah, it was good. Good for you guys.

[Don LaGreca]

Dessert? No, we'll tell you about it. You have dessert too. I did.

[Alan Hahn]

Cheesecake.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, there was. I had options of like six different things.

[Alan Hahn]

Did you?

[Don LaGreca]

There was a carrot cake. I didn't eat the whole carrot. I just took a slither of the carrot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A slither?

[Alan Hahn]

I was gonna wait to see if you took an actual piece.

[Don LaGreca]

No, those pieces were enormous.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, there's six people at the table. There were six different desserts. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, so there were six people and six desserts.

[Alan Hahn]

They just gave you a plate and it had six slices of delicious dessert.

[Don LaGreca]

Chocolate cake, carrot cake, key lime as an option. Well, we'll get into it later, Will. We're only on till 6 today because we got to get to the Mets. Because you don't want to miss the loss.

[Alan Hahn]

Because that's where now you know, Don rinse repeat with your franchise. Because I thought this was last year's run was not supposed to be that out of nowhere run. I thought this was sustainable, building towards year after year, making the playoffs and being a formidable team. Why does last year now feel like one of those Met Miracle type things instead of a, hey, this is the beginning of something.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, the amazing Mets are their nickname. There's the Bronx Bombers, the Amazing Mets. And they got the Amazing Mets. You know, people think it was because of the run in 69. It was because Casey Stingle needed to say something nice about the 62 Mets and there wasn't anything so.

[Alan Hahn]

We're amazing.

[Don LaGreca]

They're amazing. We're amazing. We're amazing. And it was just a mess. But that's kind of what they are. Because what I'm getting so tired of, because I go to social media and it's usually all negative, right? But there are Met fans out there. They're like, well, did you think they were going to the league championship series last year? Remember in June, Everybody's selling off. It's a long season. Come on. All they need to do is just get in. I'm tired of it. I'm just tired of always having to rely on the miracle run. Now. Could it happen? Yeah. Stranger things have happened that maybe they make the playoffs. They hold off the Giants. By the way, they got a three game, two game lead on the Giants. Theoretically three because of the tiebreaker, but it's shrinking by the day. And now all of a sudden, they can't hit in a ballpark that just you should. Anybody should be able to score runs they can't pitch unless it's one of the kids. Mania looked awful again. But I still think they're gonna find a way to get into the playoffs and maybe they make a run. But is that what. Is that what $350 million is supposed to be for? Is that why they acquired Soto? Is that why we waited as long as we did for David Stearns to be the baseball guru with this team? So that I can go on a run? I want some sustainability. I want to build off of something. Last year was the run, the surprise, the shock, the year early. This was supposed to be, all right, now let's go out and win the division.

[Alan Hahn]

This was the arrival, or at least that's what you thought it would be.

[Don LaGreca]

And now clearly, and maybe, maybe they go on a run and win the World Series. Maybe. But right now, tell me it's not a huge step back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I had the exact. As I was parking. Do you drive here today?

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

It's another story. Don't get him started on the track.

[Don LaGreca]

Can we. Listen, we have a very nice list, but since we never really technically gave you the talk about it Tuesday, you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Want to get to it because we.

[Don LaGreca]

Had our truth on I. Yeah, I have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, they're filming something. It's insane here. But anyways, as I was walking from where I parked over here, I thought, yeah, we can always go on a run. There's always a run in the playoffs. Sure. But this wasn't supposed to be a let's go on a run here. You can always go. If you get in, you can go on a run. That's for a team that's barely. Barely squeaking in, which is what they're going to do. But that's not what it was supposed to be.

[Don LaGreca]

No, it's not supposed to be. Yeah. Was the plan in spring training. Oh, we're going to get off to an amazing start. We're going to hold on for dear life and we're going to make the wild card and we're going to have three rookies try to pitch us through the postseason. Was that the plan?

[Alan Hahn]

No, that's your amazing.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, that's season three rookies. I'm tired of the amazing.

[Alan Hahn]

There's your amazing.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm tired of the amazing. That's the problem. I just had it. And the analogy that I. That I thought of is I fancy myself to be a pretty decent pool player. I think I could play pool, but I don't have any plan. I'm a poke and hope guy. I'm just going to sit there and I'm going to break and hope that a couple of the balls go in and that the cue ball lines up and I'll be able to go on a run.

[Alan Hahn]

Poke and hope.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, that's what they call it. And pool. You got a filthy mind and you're using it for something else.

[Alan Hahn]

It's just.

[Don LaGreca]

I'll use that analogy. I'm the kind of guy that's just open, hoping that I'm gonna. Something's gonna happen.

[Alan Hahn]

Peter, you ever poking Hope in Maryland? You know, I.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You guys are disgusting. I never heard poking hope and pool ever.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm gonna change the analogy because you guys are filth bags. Okay. I fancy myself to be a pretty decent bowler, but I don't have a hook.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You just stick your fingers in and give it a roll. Is that the line? Stick your fingers in blindly and give it a roll? I'm just trying to figure it out because we.

[Don LaGreca]

What, did you just get back from a long trip?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'm just.

[Don LaGreca]

You know where you're going. You missed the misses A little bit. What's going on with you guys? This guy, because I've heard him. Oh, we're locking the door tonight. Are we locking the door tonight?

[Alan Hahn]

Alan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's an animal.

[Don LaGreca]

Cuz. God. I was at a function with Alan that didn't put me in any kind of mood. I enjoyed it, but Alan comes in all hot and bothered. Peter, what were you doing? Apparently there was traffic. Were you stuck in front of like a sex toy shop or something? What got you all of a sudden in the mood? I'm trying to give sports analogies and you guys just can't concentrate.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, the first one was poke the.

[Don LaGreca]

Hole or whatever you said. No, that's not what I said. You've never played pool? Help me out somewhere. You've never. No. You never played Pokemon? You don't play pool? Well, not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not regularly, but I've certainly played my share of pool.

[Don LaGreca]

Come on. Somebody else on, Jacob.

[Alan Hahn]

Why don't we just.

[Don LaGreca]

Anthony. Anybody else? All right.

[Alan Hahn]

Why don't we just keep it moving?

[Don LaGreca]

Here's the analogy. Is it if you bowl without a hook, right, and you just throw it straight, yes. You might get a few strikes, but you're also going to get a bunch of splits too. Of course, because I'm not a professional bowler. I don't So I might bowl a 220. Get lucky. That's the Mets. They might be able to, without a plan, go up there, throw the ball down the middle, get a bunch of strikes in a row, have a decent season. Or it might be the next game they throw, they get like five splits in a row. Empty frames, end up getting 100 and not winning.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are putting a beautiful striker.

[Don LaGreca]

They got the hook where it looks like it's gonna go in the gutter, and bang, right down the middle.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're getting eight strikes per game because.

[Don LaGreca]

They got a plan. Man, they know how to bowl. The brewers seem to know how to bowl in the regular season. Even the Yankees, even though Allen seems to hate on them. Like, there's a plan you're good to every year. You can figure it out because it's not just about luck. It's not, oh, I hope I throw it straight and don't get it right down the middle. I'll just get it to the right or left and I'll get a strike.

[Alan Hahn]

Is the plan to walk everybody? Because that worked last night.

[Don LaGreca]

That's part of the Yankees in a second.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I get it. I know what you're saying, but I'm not.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm sitting here on September 10th with a team that has a $350 million payroll that went out and acquired one of the best players in Major League Baseball. And I'm sitting here living and dying. Are they gonna make the playoffs? And if they do, and if they do, it's as the three seed. And the other thing that's getting me aggravated in sports in general, maybe it's time to really say, you could certainly say it about the third wild card in the NFL. You could certainly say it about the playing teams in the NBA, and you could certainly say it about the third wild card in Major League Baseball. Are you really that good if you make the playoffs? Are you really that good if you're the third wild card team? Where third wild card teams could be hovering around.500. I think the giants, who were two games out of a wild card spot, are three games above.500. So can I stop? Well, at least we're in the playoffs. Baseball keeps adding teams, so at what point do we say, yeah, we're the third wild card team, but are we really that good? Are we really a play? The way we talk about playoff teams, are we really that good? Am I supposed to be proud of a team Allen that might finish 12 games back of Philadelphia in the division? Boba, we made the playoffs.

[Alan Hahn]

Because that's the seat to me that's what we have to change the vernacular because that should not be considered playoffs. Wild card round feels still like play in. That's what it feels like to me. That's post season. It's not playoffs. Divisional round, that's your playoffs. Let's, let's be honest. That's when the tournament really I 100% agree and I think we need to get to a point in sports where we just accept that to say, to say a play in team in the NBA. By the way, think about it. It's 2/3 of your league.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, everyone's in 2/3.

[Don LaGreca]

That's it.

[Alan Hahn]

That's not the playoffs. It's postseason. At least it's just one game. May God forbid, like a three game series. They did that to legitimize the wild card. That's why they did it. Well, we got, we got to make it legitimate. A one game play in that. That doesn't feel like a playoffs, but let's make it a series. Now it called the playoffs and you have to say to yourself it's not though. It's not. It's a play in. It's. How do I get to a point where I can get into the actual playoffs? Well, you two teams that weren't good enough to be a playoff team play each other to see who gets that last spot. That's what that is. And what I don't like is that a division winner has to play somebody. But whatever. I think we have to change how we describe it as sports analysts and not call it the playoffs. If the Mets lose in the wild card round, they did not make the playoffs. They were in the postseason but they didn't get to the playoffs.

[Don LaGreca]

But here's the difference is that you will get those rogue teams like the Heat as a playing team a couple of years ago, make a run to the final.

[Alan Hahn]

But they. Yes, it's fine. But got to the playoffs out of the play. That's fine.

[Don LaGreca]

But the thing is. Yes. So you make it out of the water.

[Alan Hahn]

If you lose in that round, you did not make the playoffs.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I see it like if the Mets go two years ago, what was.

[Alan Hahn]

It three years ago when they had Scherzer and Verland and then they, they. Right, they, they.

[Don LaGreca]

Well the Padres when they lost, they circled.

[Alan Hahn]

They circled 101 games, but at least.

[Don LaGreca]

That team won 101 games.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, but they didn't make the playoffs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right, but wasn't 2016 they lost in one game.

[Don LaGreca]

The one game to the Giants and they got the Gillespie home run.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's not, it's, it doesn't count.

[Don LaGreca]

But it doesn't count. Especially now. We can get into the semantics of.

[Alan Hahn]

It, but it's real.

[Don LaGreca]

But you know, you go out there and you win 101 games like they did in 22, Peter, and you host three games in the wild card. Well, hey, I'm not, I'm not going to, I am not going to say you didn't make the playoffs when you finish a game back of a team that won 102 games. Okay, but when you, the Mets are going to win 85 games and the three games in the playoffs are going to be all on the road. So if they win 85 games, hold off San Francisco, go to San Diego, you know, get, get swept in the wild card. Am I supposed to be proud? Hey, at least we were in the playoffs. At least the 22 team. I could say we won 102 games, we finished poorly, we dropped to the wild card. That stunk. But we had a really good season. I won a hundred games. Okay, but I'm going to win 85, 86 games back into the playoffs and then get swept out or losing in the three game series to the Padres and, and then I'm supposed to hang my hat on, we made the playoffs back to back years, we're heading in the right direction.

[Alan Hahn]

What's the difference between either season? What happened? The end result was the same. The end result was the same.

[Don LaGreca]

But Alan, what I'm saying is division one, if I win 101 games, I can look in the mirror and say, you know, I'm a good team. All right, But I can't look in the mirror, win 85, 86 games, make the wild card as the third wild card, get bounced and say I'm a really good team. Am I a really good team or am I just a slightly above average team that was able to take advantage of, of a, of a crappy sport? Right now there's a lot of bad teams.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, what is wrong with your team right now that you've lost eight of the last 12 games? What is wrong with your team right now?

[Don LaGreca]

There's a couple of things, but right now specifically is they can't hit.

[Alan Hahn]

All of a sudden they went what is how many innings? 14, 15 straight innings without a, without a hit until the Vientos home run.

[Don LaGreca]

No, it's ridiculous.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, I hit a run, 15 scoreless consecutive innings from that offense in Citizens Bank. Well, that's another place That's. Yeah. I mean, you and I can hit.

[Don LaGreca]

It out of there. It's. It's. And listen, they're not getting outside of the kids. You're not getting anything out of starting pitching.

[Alan Hahn]

But Maniah is a problem.

[Don LaGreca]

It feels like a serious problem. But I'm just. I feel like. Well, they could still make. And they still could. But here's the other conversation I want to have. If you're telling me that you just get into the playoffs and you can make a run, then why am I living and dying with every pitch during the regular season? Tell me you're any different than hockey and basketball, right? Got $350 million payroll. Why should I be worried about trying to make the playoffs? Right? So, like, wake me up in September. See where we are. I'm never going to do that because I love the game of baseball. But if all I keep hearing, it's too early, it's too early. That's all we kept hearing, it's too early in the season. You can't make any conclusions. It's too early. 162 games. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Now we get to September, and it's like, oh, just get in. Because all you got to do is get in. You can make a run. Then explain to me the worth of the regular season if it's too early, too early, too early. And now instead of panicking, I'm being told by people, oh, it's okay. You can make the playoffs. And once you make the playoffs, it's a crapshoot. You can. You can. You can make a run. Then what am I killing myself for?

[Alan Hahn]

No, no. What you're hearing there is the hopeless optimist that does that so that they can keep some type of optimism going as it gets worse. And we all know it's bad. I mean, there's no. Just hold up a mirror to it. It'll know. It'll be disgusted by its own image this Met season. So there's nothing to say about. That's a hopeless optimist that's trying to hold on to a reason to still believe because of the miracle, Don, that you are so sick of. Because that's what this would be. This would not be. Well, that's the team we thought they'd be all year. No, that's not it.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, that's.

[Alan Hahn]

That's just you trying to. You're trying to make yourself feel better by saying things like that.

[Don LaGreca]

You know what's. You know what's a miracle? The Cincinnati Reds being Three back of a wild card. They could, the fans can rally around that because Cincinnati never wins. It's a small market team. You can get excited about that. Right. You know, the Cleveland Guardians being two and a half out of a playoff spot, that's something the city can rally around. Kansas City being above.500 four games back. Yeah, it's something to rally around. But is that what the Mets built here?

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Don LaGreca]

No. So. And by the way, this is year.

[Alan Hahn]

Five of Daddy Warbucks, who said in five years he wants to win a World Series.

[Don LaGreca]

And year five, he kind of came close last year, at least geographically, two wins away from going to the World Series. But much like the Yankees when they lost in five to the Dodgers, it's like, yeah, you got far, but you still didn't win it and you still got a lot of work to do. And in a lot of ways, you know, the Yankees also join that conversation of you didn't take a step forward, you took a step back. Now, you may still make the run, but right now, did you have on your bingo card, Alan, at the beginning of the season that you'd be battling with the Red Sox for the first wild card?

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, I didn't have this in June. In June. Right. This was. Win the division that there is a.

[Don LaGreca]

There'S a possibility that the Yankees and the Mets may not win 90 games.

[Alan Hahn]

Be hard for the Yankees.

[Don LaGreca]

The Yankees have 80. Well, the Yankees have 17 games left.

[Alan Hahn]

So hard to, hard.

[Don LaGreca]

To not get to 90.

[Alan Hahn]

But we're in a world, though, where both teams could fail to make the real playoffs, which is a divisional series. Both teams could be out by then.

[Don LaGreca]

But at least that's a real thing. And again, the Yankees are not where they want to be, but the Yankees can still get those games at home.

[Alan Hahn]

Would you put your money on the Yankees at Yankee Stadium against the Red Sox, yes or no? If I had had to put your money on somebody.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, I would put my money on them at home. I wouldn't touch it. I, I would be putting my money on the Red Sox at the games of Fenway.

[Alan Hahn]

You'd feel that confident the Yankees can beat the Red Sox after seeing what you've seen?

[Don LaGreca]

No, I wouldn't touch it. No, I wouldn't, I wouldn't.

[Alan Hahn]

If you were forced to.

[Don LaGreca]

If I had to, I'd put.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If I had to, I, I, if. When it comes to the playoffs recently, if I have to bet, I'm betting against the Yankees.

[Alan Hahn]

Right? Yeah, that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're too used to seeing them go Flat.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the emotion I get. And I don't want to feel like that. It's people. Like, there's. There's people out there like you. You just root for them to go wrong so you could be right. No, I want to be wrong. I've never wanted to be more wrong in my life. Unfortunately, that's not happening on a nightly.

[Don LaGreca]

Basis, because if we are going to pay attention to the regular season, we're 145 games in guys. It is what it is, right? They are where they're supposed to be based on how they play. 145 games is more than enough of a sample size to say, you know what? You're a wild card team.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you telling the girl he's a deadbeat? There's nothing you can. You can't change him.

[Don LaGreca]

Can't change.

[Alan Hahn]

You're not changing him. He's a deadbeat.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, I can change. I can change it once we're married. It's all changed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Everything can change.

[Alan Hahn]

He's a deadbeat. Yeah, that's. That's literally what you're saying.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, but that's got.

[Alan Hahn]

That's got to be the. Now, I asked you yesterday about the young pitchers, and if the worst thing that comes out of the season is three guys who, look, you know, maybe they don't win, they don't help you win in October, but they still show you something because your bullpen is so bad that even as good as Sprott might be, he. He could be unhittable, and they still lose a playoff game because the bullpen blows up.

[Don LaGreca]

But can't I, can't both be true that I could say, yeah, I'm dissatisfied with this season, but I do have hope for the future because these three kids look like they're legit, and that's going to solve our rotation.

[Alan Hahn]

That's okay.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay. And. And I got Soto for another 14 years, and maybe they bring back Alonzo and all. But the overall point is not supposed to be this.

[Alan Hahn]

Senga Minayo are supposed to be your 1 and 2. They were supposed to be your races.

[Don LaGreca]

And one is batting practice, and the other one's in the minor leagues right now.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And both of them are mentally shot.

[Don LaGreca]

So the GM that we liked, we like David Stearns. And I think he's got a plan.

[Alan Hahn]

He's smart.

[Don LaGreca]

But let's be honest, the plan this year failed because he brought back mania. Right. Senga was supposed to be the ace of this staff, and now he's in the minor leagues all right. I look, Holmes is an experiment. I think it will get better. Definitely. You know, certainly came up short here. Peterson's been a pleasant surprise lately.

[Alan Hahn]

Leaking oil.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. But overall, this rotation has not worked. And offensively, they shouldn't be struggling when you've got Lindor and Soto and Alonso and Nimmo. You shouldn't be struggling to score runs in Philadelphia when the San Francisco Giants are breathing down their neck. And if you watch San Francisco lately, I know the games are on late, they're looking up, they see the out of town scoreboard and what are they doing? Bang. Three run home run Adamas. First inning. Three run home runs. Like, all right, we got a chance to gain ground. Bang. We're gaining ground because they're seeing it, they're smelling it, and they're going to try to take advantage. The Mets may hold on, but we'll see. But right now, when you're analyzing where they are right now, not good, Bob there's nothing more satisfying than finding the perfect green paint for your living room. Except maybe popping open that can of Valspar Ultra and rolling that first smooth stroke on the wall.

[Alan Hahn]

And there's nothing more satisfying than admiring.

[Don LaGreca]

Your freshly painted wall. Except maybe peeling off the painter's tape.

[Alan Hahn]

To see those crisp edges.

[Don LaGreca]

But the most satisfying part of all? Valspar Ultra's price tag, starting at $29.98 a gallon, affordable, durable, available at Lowe's. Price varies by sheen if you've shopped.

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[Don LaGreca]

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[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don LaGreca]

Game time is brought to you by Teleportu Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, fel.

[Alan Hahn]

I like when he holds it.

[Don LaGreca]

Mets and Phillies coverage immediately following us on 880 at 6:05. The Yankees continue their series with the Tigers at 7:05. Telemore due the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured iris whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Dew. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. The Yankees of it. All right, it's two nothing home runs from Judge and Bellinger and you're thinking.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, listen, good stuff, Warren, Warren actually looked like he was in control.

[Don LaGreca]

And then, then it's two, two. But I listen, that's a first place team. They're gonna, they're gonna make some noise. Not gonna go quietly into that good night. Top of the seventh inning, nine runs.

[Alan Hahn]

91 pitches for Warren. So six innings of work, you know, you, you, you kind of can understand, I guess why, I guess the Yankees have been on this three inning bullpen thing, seven, eight, nine. We've got our guys, they really believe in, in Cruz and well, he couldn't throw a strike, man. And what I didn't understand is how did he get five batters. Now you could say, well, they had to get somebody up and warmed up. I would think that once he walks.

[Don LaGreca]

To, then you got to get somebody up.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm like, all right. Because as you could see, he was all over the map. Could not control anything. And if you're really in a 2. 2 game going to wait it out for him to figure it out. I can't trust you. No, no, that. Going five batters is number one, like, the biggest concern. Well, what. What are we doing when you're going five batters and then it's unfair. I know. Lighter wasn't great either.

[Don LaGreca]

Top.

[Alan Hahn]

What do you want him to do now?

[Don LaGreca]

Listen, if he didn't do the job.

[Alan Hahn]

No, he did.

[Don LaGreca]

But that's a. That's a real. You like to get these guys in clean innings. That's. That's the filthiest inning you can put somebody in, right paces loaded, nobody out. That's a tough spot.

[Alan Hahn]

They had 14 batters come to home plate in that inning.

[Don LaGreca]

That was crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

The first nine got on base.

[Don LaGreca]

It's almost impossible.

[Alan Hahn]

14 batters straight, and nine of them got on base in a row before you got it out. What are we doing?

[Don LaGreca]

Cruz and Lighter, a combined nine earned runs, so no help at all. But you're right. The crew set it up with the. With the three walks. Leiter had a walk. You know, hits. By the way, it was only. It was only four hits, right? Like, think about it. Nine runs on four hits. Four wild pitch, four walks.

[Alan Hahn]

It. It was.

[Don LaGreca]

Volpe almost made the play to get. That could have helped, but it was just. Just out of his reach.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, the. The pop up. Yeah, yeah. It was already 4.

[Don LaGreca]

2.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not going to kill him for that.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, maybe if he. But it. No, not going to kill him. Just saying that some of it's just bad luck, but a lot of it was just poor pitching.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, speaking of Volpe, it's all right. So it's two. Two. They just tied. You're in the bottom of the fifth. First two batters get on. Jazz gets on. Wells gets on. First and second, nobody out. Volpe up.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

What do you think he did?

[Don LaGreca]

He tried to bunted. That wasn't a good bun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It didn't go well.

[Alan Hahn]

Putting it mildly.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, but in that situation, it was a line drive to third. It wasn't like he had a pop up.

[Alan Hahn]

Like what? Like, these are the things I'm talking about. Whereas they can play well for a stretch of games, even a stretch of innings, I'll give them where it's like, they look like a competent, capable team and you're like, yeah, you know, this is a good team. And then that happened. Like, moments like that happen. Moments like that seventh inning happen, and you just stare at the screen thinking to yourself, like, it's really a Jekyll and Hyde, as cliche as that sounds, I have no other way to describe it, where all of a sudden their personality turns into bumbling, stumbling, stupid baseball.

[Don LaGreca]

If they get.

[Alan Hahn]

And we all get paralyzed because it's like, whoa, Cruz can't throw a strike. Well, let's see if he works through it. No, how about we don't? Because it's two. Two in the seventh in a game that, by the way, at the time, the Blue Jays were losing. Like, everything's opportunity right now we don't just go, maybe he'll work through it. Hell, no. Get him off the mound.

[Don LaGreca]

Wasn't that crazy? Like, it was almost like. Then you flip over to the Blue Jays, like, 3 1. They score a couple of runs in the ninth inning, win in 10 innings, and now you're three back, which in effect is four back because the Blue Jays have the tiebreaker. So it's the division starting to go away here.

[Alan Hahn]

Did you. Did you hear what Buck Martinez said on the broadcast? No, on the. On the Blue Jays broadcast, I guess they must have been talking about the division and the race and all that stuff. Did we. Were we able to get that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is when they mentioned the score, Right. It was after they gave the.

[Alan Hahn]

And Buck Martinez just starts eviscerating the Yankees. They're not a very good team.

[Don LaGreca]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

And they don't play good baseball. I mean, just. It's on their own broadcast now. You're his. Their team just lost two out of three. But what he said, like, as I'm listening to him, like, where's the lie?

[Don LaGreca]

Where was that game? Cause once.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where's the lie?

[Alan Hahn]

Toronto.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I know it was in Toronto. What I'm saying is, where was the game on television? Because once they got. I think it was runners at second and third, two outs tied at three. I thought they were going to win it in the ninth inning. So I have the baseball package, so I can't find the game. But when I went to the mix, where you can show you, like, eight games at once, it was on there, but the box is too small, and I really can't see what's going on other than the score, but I couldn't find it anywhere else. I thought it was on the MLB Network, but it wasn't there.

[Alan Hahn]

I saw it online. I just.

[Don LaGreca]

I caught that part of it. So I'm. And then by the time I figured out everything, they already had won the game in the 10th inning. But let's hear. Let's hear what Buck Martinez has to say. Once he sees that the Yankees Gave up a nine spot in the seventh inning.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, the Yankees, they're not a good team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't care what their record is.

[Alan Hahn]

They have a lot of wild pitches.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They make a lot of mistakes in.

[Alan Hahn]

The field, they don't run the bases very well. If they don't hit home runs, they don't have a chance to win.

[Don LaGreca]

Now you're in. Where's the lie? You're insane.

[Alan Hahn]

Everything he said is right. As much as I hate it and I want to like, right, well, I want to, I want to yell back, well, your team's so like, I want.

[Don LaGreca]

To say that's what I was thinking.

[Alan Hahn]

But I'm like, as I listen, it's like going like, you know, you know the Alonzo morning meme where he starts out shaking his head, angry, then he's like, then he nods like, well, you know, it is a good point, basically.

[Don LaGreca]

That that's literally what it is.

[Alan Hahn]

As you listen to it. You get angry at first because like, come on. And then you.

[Don LaGreca]

The knee jerk reaction for Yankee fans. Oh, shut up, man. I don't need the Blue Jay. But you really think about it. Is he wrong? Like, that was almost the microcosm of the season, right? Your two runs scored on two solo home runs. But then walks wild pitches, error. Like it's the same. But like the Mets in a sense is that you still have talent. And so there's enough talent there that over a long haul you'll win enough games to get in. But we all grew up on baseball. And I'm gonna sound like the old man. Cause I am. I'm 57 years old. Alan's 54, Peter's 46. Right. So we all remember a time when you won your division or you went home.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

And then there was those years where, oh man, remember that year that the Giants lost out to the the Braves for the playoff? Like one game, like one 103 games, the other 102 games, like, oh man, I wish there was a way that we could just add a wild card so those teams could still make the playoffs to where now it's become that, hey, teams that aren't very good are still going to go to the playoffs because they're letting everybody in. Right? Used to be a pretty exclusive club. Studio 54, 1977, you weren't getting in. Plus you were Joe Namath or Ron Dugay. Right? But now they're letting anybody in. As long as you got, as long as you got the COVID charge, they're letting you in. There's no velvet rope anymore. So the Yankees in a normal season back in the day, if this was 1986 and they're three back, four back of the blue Jays, right, Because what is it today? It's three, but four because of the tiebreaker. And if the Yankees end up losing out and missing the playoffs by five games because the Blue Jays win the division by five games, you'll be making changes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right?

[Don LaGreca]

We're not good enough.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

But now they get. They got 80 wins, 100. They might even win 90 games and they might be the first wild card and hosting playoff games. So it looks a lot different. But I don't think Buck is wrong and I don't think I'm wrong about the Mets. That just saying I made the playoffs doesn't necessarily mean you're a very good baseball team. It might mean you're slightly above average. And maybe Buck was a little harsh by saying I don't think they're a very good team. But was he wrong? Breaking down the reasons why the very.

[Alan Hahn]

Good team thing is it's relative in Major League Baseball, they clearly are a very good team by the standards of today. Like that's how you could say, like you can call them a very good, A very good team because in comparison to the rest of the league they are just look at the record and look at the numbers. But in comparison to what I think just baseball standard, they're not.

[Don LaGreca]

And it's just as flawed as everybody else. And that's why this gauntlet was so interesting because now you're going to take on playoff team.

[Alan Hahn]

We're 4 and 3 now.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. And think of that through 7, 4 and 3. So in order to get that 8 and 4 which you thought would be acceptable, they're gonna have to win for the next five. That's right, for the next five. Two at home against Detroit and then go to.

[Alan Hahn]

It's another two out of three. Two out of three.

[Don LaGreca]

And they may. Because I'll tell you what, Houston is a first place team. I'm not even sure how good Houston is fair play, let's be honest, right. I mean Houston and they got 28 inning streak without scoring a run. And I watched them last night when they get. They blew. They don't have a. They don't have a bullpen.

[Alan Hahn]

Right. Yeah. Yeah. So that's what I mean by in comparison today's standard. The standard of today's league is not these. They're the teams. People love parody I guess. But it doesn't make for good sports. Because when you have a watered down league, you have a watered down product which is not necessarily as good, but you're flawed.

[Don LaGreca]

But there's, but there's enough there that you'll make it. That's why I kind of take exception to the people that always throw back out. Well, we're a player. How can you say we're not good? We're a playoff team.

[Alan Hahn]

And you know that doesn't work any defined playoffs.

[Don LaGreca]

And Peter, you see it in football too. Like that third wild card is just, they're just hurting, you know, like, like yeah, you're nine and eight. Oh yeah. And for some teams that's good. Hey, we take you to New York, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh my God.

[Don LaGreca]

But it's no way to build. It's no way to live. There's no foundation. Even though it was filthed up by my teammates. Baseball shouldn't be poking up and that's what it's really become. That's a shame. 1-800-919-3776 Booker McFarlane is gonna join us at 4. At 4:30 we've got a list. Let's go. I think you're gonna enjoy it, Pete.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can't wait. I loved last week.

[Don LaGreca]

No ENN again because we've got Mets baseball, Mets and the Phillies. Oh, by the way, we're keeping an eye on the Giants and the Diamondbacks. They're about to get underway. So the reverse is here. The Mets will know what they need to do today tonight against Philadelphia because the Giants are playing an afternoon game today at home against the Diamondbacks. That game I think gets underway at like 4:00'. Clock. So we'll keep an eye on that. Don Hannah Roseberg hanging out with Ethel Six here on ESPN New York now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don LaGreca]

This episode is presented by State Farm. Having insurance isn't the same as having State Farm. It's like expecting the leadership of a team captain on the football field, but getting a sea captain. You wouldn't settle for just anything for your team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Shouldn't it be the same for your insurance?

[Don LaGreca]

So don't settle for just any insurance when you can go with a State Farm. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

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[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want to. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don LaGreca]

I may not be ever prouder of a list than I am of the one that's being cultivated right now. Curated, if you will, by myself. Well, it's. It's bold. We could, we could probably do a top 15 on this. So the honorable mentions are going to be wicked good. So it's going to be very, very debatable. It's also quality. There's a lot of different things here to analyze, so I'm really excited. It's coming up at 4:30.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You don't want to tease us because you don't want me to think about it.

[Don LaGreca]

That's right.

[Alan Hahn]

Don't you? Don't you more fun.

[Don LaGreca]

Do you really want.

[Alan Hahn]

You'll be good at this. You could be good at this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But if I promise not to look anything up, just to think about it in my head, what's wrong?

[Don LaGreca]

I'll trust you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I will never break my word. I promise I won't. But it's that good. I kind of want to tease it.

[Don LaGreca]

But it'll get in your head, and then even though you won't look it up, your mind will still be looking. But isn't that good?

[Peter Rosenberg]

My brain having more than 30 seconds to think? You guys are spending time thinking about this, and I'll only get 30 seconds to take shots at it.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, I'll tell you what. Here's. I don't want to speak for Alan, but I think he'll agree it's not coming up with the. The names.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

It's who you're taking out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's who you're taking out.

[Don LaGreca]

So you'll rattle off a bunch, and then it'll just be debate which one of these ends up making the top.

[Alan Hahn]

Very.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can you give us a hint on the topic? Like that?

[Alan Hahn]

How about that? Entertains. This is entertainment. Yeah. This is the anniversary of a beloved show. TV show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

Welcome back, Cotter.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, well, 50 years ago today, it aired for the first.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Never seen it a second in my.

[Don LaGreca]

Life, which makes it interesting. You have a podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

My podcast is named off of a character.

[Alan Hahn]

Jacob's seen it, and he's 15 years old.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You've seen it.

[Alan Hahn]

First of all, where? TV Land.

[Don LaGreca]

My mom used to watch it.

[Alan Hahn]

First of all, for the culture. You should watch that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I know, because everyone knows. It's a lot of references. I mean, listen, I named one Epstein after it, but.

[Alan Hahn]

I get it. But I'm.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I never. I just.

[Alan Hahn]

I've never seen it.

[Don LaGreca]

How is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know what it feels like. I know. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. The original. I don't know, John Sebastian.

[Don LaGreca]

You know why he's famous? You know what he was in A Loving Spoonful.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know the Loving Spoonful.

[Don LaGreca]

All right. He's. He's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's lead singer of the Loving Spoonful.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

And he's. He's a great one, and the show's great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You got. You got your trip.

[Don LaGreca]

You're a New Yorker now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's a big New York.

[Alan Hahn]

You.

[Don LaGreca]

You named your podcast one EP because you understand the significance of the Puerto Rican Jewish character. One Jew.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, of course.

[Don LaGreca]

And I would venture to say the first time that that character was ever featured on live television. Live television.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, you know, I would imagine as well.

[Don LaGreca]

So maybe the Last, the significance of the show. I. I'm. It's sometimes you just gotta take the L. Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not saying I'm right. You have to understand sometimes when I say I've never seen it, I'm not saying it in PR with. But why I just. When do I.

[Don LaGreca]

What?

[Peter Rosenberg]

When am I sitting down? You know what?

[Alan Hahn]

It's 20 minutes long.

[Don LaGreca]

Understanding the significance of naming your podcast after. Right there wasn't at least a morbid curiosity to decide. I'd like to be able to just sit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When he died when what's his face. The gentleman who played.

[Don LaGreca]

He's from Jersey too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's the gentleman's name who played one Epstein died that. That made me want to.

[Don LaGreca]

And still. And still. And still find a way to get it.

[Alan Hahn]

You kind of want to be fluent in a show like that because, you know based on the name of the podcast that people would probably want talk to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, they don't care where you can watch it. It's only available for set for purchase, but it looks like you can watch it on Fandango, YouTube, Amazon prime or Apple. All in the range $1.99 $2.99 an.

[Don LaGreca]

Episode though Amazon prime we've been watching.

[Alan Hahn]

Come on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll splurge.

[Don LaGreca]

We've been watching it with the kids.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, looks like it's on Tubi. For free.

[Alan Hahn]

To be. Gotta love to be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, look, it's on Tubi.

[Don LaGreca]

There you go.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what else is on Tubi?

[Don LaGreca]

Evolve tonight.

[Alan Hahn]

That's right.

[Don LaGreca]

Eight o'. Clock. Robert Haggis.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Great call by you.

[Don LaGreca]

Robert Haggis was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, the birthplace of or the hometown of Ray Santiago, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Take it back. It's currently unavailable on tubing. So back to $1.99 on Prime.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I'm sure you can spring for it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So that anniversary is what prompted.

[Alan Hahn]

We started talking in the ride which by the way, I forgot to give him this.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, you better. He was good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was good. What a really good job.

[Alan Hahn]

Like considering it was. I went suv. Don was not in the best of condition.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did you go. Did you go black or just. Yeah, but you went black xl.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Wow. It's Don Lagreca. Look at Don Lagreca.

[Don LaGreca]

I couldn't fit in a normal sedan. Is that what he's saying?

[Alan Hahn]

Squeeze him in into like a little ride.

[Don LaGreca]

The fact that he went the event black is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is.

[Don LaGreca]

And we'll get into the event in a little bit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right.

[Don LaGreca]

It was kind of money climbing through a car like that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you have to.

[Don LaGreca]

Leaving that event.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I. I'll see.

[Alan Hahn]

Really? What would that have looked like if the two of us climb into a prison?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, listen, I will say this. The other day, when I went to CC Sabathia's pitch in Legacy Gala, it was at the Natural Natural History Museum. Every part of me wanted to pay $11 for the Uber X for me and my wife, but Instead, I paid $27 so we could get out of a black SUV in front.

[Alan Hahn]

You could see, like. I know Islanders ownership. Hey, fellas. Thanks for coming. Sorry things aren't going well at the station. You know, we could have got your car.

[Don LaGreca]

The Islanders had a luncheon today that Alan and I were invited to. We wanted to show face.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it was nice.

[Don LaGreca]

Matthew Darj was nice enough to come on the general manager of the team. We got to meet.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Mr. Ledecky, who, you know, gave you all that swag back in the day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was one sweatshirt. But I do love Mr. Ledecky because.

[Don LaGreca]

That was because you weren't greedy. You had your pick of the litter when you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They said, go to the store and pick it out. Yeah, I love those. You know what? They may have won me over.

[Don LaGreca]

John Collins, who is the. Who is one of the main reasons why there's a Winter Classic. A lot of good things going on.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, no, it was. It was great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm a fan of the Islanders. I'm a fan of ubs. Big fan of what they're doing over there.

[Alan Hahn]

So, anyway, that's what happened.

[Don LaGreca]

Good news for the locals. The athletics have a 1 nothing lead on the Red Sox in the top of the second inning. And the Diamondbacks have taken a one nothing lead on the Giants in the top of the first.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's all we can hope for. Listen, if you're a Yankee fan, just hope for help. Just make sure other teams are doing their job.

[Alan Hahn]

This is what you want.

[Don LaGreca]

Holmes versus Sanchez tonight for the 645 first pitch. And we'll have our coverage beginning at 6:00 clock today. We've got football to discuss as Xavier Gibson was cut today by the Jets. And we're gonna talk about it with Booger McFarlane coming up at the top of the hour. It can't just be about him fumbling the kickoff. Like, I know the fans love that. Like, oh, accountability. You're entitled to mistakes. There. There has to be a little bit more of a history behind just that. And let's hear from Aaron Glenn on the release of Gibson. We released Xavier Gibson and We will be bringing in some other guys. We already brought one guy in, Isaiah Williams, who I know he was with us in Detroit, I think 23 or 24, he was with us. And then we're going to look at some guys that's in house. And I want to be known that decisions that's made are not rash decisions and they're never based off of one incident. So. And I will keep it at that. Xavier is a really good player. He's going to play in his league. But I felt it was time for us to move on in another direction. So I'll leave it at that.

[Alan Hahn]

That was important. Yeah, that part that he said there was important because when it was announced, there was a lot of reaction to the accountability factor and new sheriff in town stuff because, you know, Saleh had a hard time holding anybody accountable. And he immediately, the first chance he got, you make a mistake, it cost us a game, you're out. And he's letting you know right there, understand this is not just because he got caught holding the football on the wrong side of his body, running like that's a fundamental mistake. What he's saying is that it's not a rash decision, which tells me they probably have told him a million times. And it's like, all right, look, we can't keep telling you to do this. Eventually we've got to do something about it. And they did.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Because if you just make a mistake, yeah, that's forgivable. You can't keep making it. But if it was something that they worked on in camp and there was a technique that Glenn or the special teams coach or whatever went over with him and he continued to not listen to them, then that's when it becomes a fireable offense. So I know a lot of people got excited. See, accountability, yeah, there's accountability, but it's never just the one thing. Releasing a guy because it was a costly turnover, there's no question. But it had to be more than just that. And I'm glad that Aaron was able to clear that up. Booker McFarlane, he'll be joining us coming up next. The list at 4:30. It's Don Ana Rosenberg. We're hanging out with you until 6:00, right here on ESPN New York.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Alan Hahn]

Listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the.

[Alan Hahn]

Sausage is made, man. I just want to know it's good. Hear more More of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Don LaGreca]

This isn't just another ESPN fantasy football season, it's your shot at greatness. With a refreshed design, the ESPN Fantasy app is sharper than ever, so you can draft like a pro and dominate your league. And introducing Gridiron Gauntlet, a new game mode where the best compete to be crowned the number one fantasy football player of 2025. One app, one shot, one champion. Download the ESPN fantasy app and sign up to play ESPN Fantasy Football today.