Don LaGreca (1:47)

And the event we were coming back from, they had a nice outing for Joe Micheletti, who had retired from the Rangers. And we had a chance to see him, class. He was going to relocate out of New York and show you how classy Joe Mick is. Of course, if you're not familiar, worked with Sam Rosen for 19 years. Has done color in the New York area for 27. First got the job with the Islanders back in the day. Longtime NHL player, longtime broadcaster before he even came to New York. So MSG had a nice little gathering that was kind of cool to go to. Rooftop setting. And it was Hot. It was humid. When it actually started to drizzle, we felt.

Michael Kay (2:26)

Felt good.

Don LaGreca (2:26)

Felt good. But just to show you the kind of class act Joe Mick is, is that he didn't want to step on Sam's time. It was Sam's last season, and no one knew that this was going to be his last year. And then after the season was over, it was announced that he was going to retire from his gig with the Rangers. And congratulations to Dave Maloney, just been released now that he is going to be Joe Mick's replacement on television. Congratulations, Dave.

Michael Kay (2:55)

Yes. So good.

Don LaGreca (2:56)

Even though we just had him on last week, we're trying to get him on today to just talk about that gig. And I know how really desperately he wanted that gig because he bleeds Ranger blue, and he's terrific on radio, and he's going to be even better on television. Working with Kenny makes sense, right? Have that team Natural Progress Together for 20 years, be on television. But Joe didn't want to take the shine away from Sam. And Sam had his moment. Sam had his flowers, and Joe Mick didn't. But that's kind of the way Joe Micheletti is not about himself. He's about the team. He's about the sport. But I was really, really happy to get to see him say goodbye. And to just show you even further what a class actor is. When I. When I got to the event, people were congratulating me on the Devil Gang.

Michael Kay (3:38)

They weren't just, whoa, you walked. Can I. You're being humble. So we go to the event. It's on a rooftop, and it's a really nice setting. And we walk towards. We see everybody. So we know, okay, there's the party. We walk towards it. Don walks in, and everybody. It's all our MSG people. So it's like a family. It really is, too. All the people you work with and all the different teams, it wasn't just Ranger people. It was. Everybody was there. And the minute they saw Don, everyone stopped and applauded. And that includes Joe.

Don LaGreca (4:15)

But I don't think Joe knew why.

Michael Kay (4:16)

And Joe didn't even know why, but he saw. So it was just a celebration of Don. And it was such a great moment. Don, like, stopped, and he smiled and. And then everybody came over to shake his hand. And I was so. I was so happy that I went right to the group chat to tell everybody on our show like this, the. The Don party continues. Like, people were just so excited to see him.

Don LaGreca (4:34)

But, you know, so. So I. I shake Sam's hand. I say Congratulations on the career and everything else. And then we just, you know, go about our business. His wife then congratulated and we say, goodbye, go home. I get a long voicemail this morning from Joe. I was at kickboxing, so I didn't see the ring. He left me this message saying he didn't know until today that I got the gig. And I'm thinking when I said to him, maybe I'll see you in St. Louis when I'm calling the game. That would have been just a reach if I was still doing Rangers, but, you know, hopefully national television doesn't take it. I'll be in St. Louis this year. And he just felt so bad. I was like. So I text, don't feel bad. It was your day. But he was very happy that I got the gig. But I did not know he didn't know. So he probably was wondering, why are we all clapping? Is this kind of like a gag?

Michael Kay (5:31)

What is it, his birthday? What is this?

Don LaGreca (5:32)

Like, cheers, like, hey, Norm. It's like, oh, Don's coming in and we're gonna, you know, cheer him. But MSG really does it, right? So that was cool. So we're coming home from there. And I was listening to the game, too, and, yeah, you know, hearing just how ominous the clouds were. And they had a rain delay. And then the Yankees come back and score a ton of runs. After that, Stanton with a big three run.

Michael Kay (5:51)

Smoke that.

Don LaGreca (5:52)

I'll tell you this. Seattle's a good team. And they've got. They got Raleigh, and he's got a chance to win the home run title. Be in the conversation for the mvp. Seattle can't hit. They could pitch, but they can't hit.

Michael Kay (6:02)

One guy can.

Don LaGreca (6:03)

One guy can, but one guy isn't. As the Yankees were just saying about Judge, one guy can't carry good play.

Michael Kay (6:08)

They have. They have. J Rod. They have. Is it a Rosa Reyna, Right. They got some guys they just can't hit, but.

Don LaGreca (6:14)

And it just shows you how good their pitching is that they've been able to survive and are still a playoff team. But Warren ended up doing a great job. They win the game. The Met game was outstanding because the Mets are dead. I mean, they're.

Michael Kay (6:24)

They can't get anything going to a thinning.

Don LaGreca (6:27)

Is there a more frustrating player than Mauricio? I mean, there are times Mauricio looks like he doesn't belong in the bigs. I mean, swinging at pitches. Do you remember I'm aging myself. There was a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals called Joaquin, anduhar Yeah.

Michael Kay (6:42)

Who could not hit.

Don LaGreca (6:43)

I don't even know why they gave him a bat. They just stand up there and just.

Michael Kay (6:46)

Hope you walk right.

Don LaGreca (6:47)

He would miss pitches by like three feet. That's how Mauricio looks sometimes. But then when he gets a hold of him, he hits bombs.

Michael Kay (6:54)

Bombs.

Don LaGreca (6:55)

And the Mets have the big eighth inning. Win the game. Bullpen's hold onto it. You know, looking at some of the Twitter and comments from Oriole fans and even the broadcast was like, that was the worst Oriole loss of the year. I mean that was 6:2 lead pathetic at home. And we're 91 games. I think that was the 91st game for the Met. That's the biggest comeback they've had all year. Four runs doesn't seem like a lot.

Michael Kay (7:17)

No, it doesn't. But again, four runs in the eighth inning.

Don LaGreca (7:20)

No, that's. That's also down to the last six outs. No.

Michael Kay (7:23)

And they hit two.

Don LaGreca (7:23)

And that run homes would have been a brutal loss. Again, Holmes can't give you length and he's out at the fifth inning and he gives up a bunch of runs and for them to be able to win. And did you see. I don't know if we can find the call, if we've got the call. Did you see how the Phillies lost last night?

Michael Kay (7:40)

I heard it was pretty dramatic.

Don LaGreca (7:42)

Yeah, it was. Bailey's the catcher for the Giants. He hits a three run walk off inside the park home run. He's the first catcher to have a walk off inside the park home run since 1926. 99 years.

Michael Kay (8:02)

I'm watching it right now.

Don LaGreca (8:03)

So the Phillies have dropped the first two games in San Francisco here.

Michael Kay (8:06)

It's coming up on you.

Don LaGreca (8:07)

Can.

Michael Kay (8:07)

You want to talk me through it? Oh, of course. We got the. It's a pregame show. So let me, let me get to the highlight. You know you got to show that right away, don't you? But it was just, you know, the.

Don LaGreca (8:16)

Configurations of center field at. In San Francisco because they keep changing. The name was Pac Bell, then it was AT&T Park. And now it's what's where. Where the, where the warriors play. What's that Arena.

Michael Kay (8:29)

Chase Chase Arena.

Don LaGreca (8:30)

Oh, they now, they change that.

Michael Kay (8:31)

Yeah.

Don LaGreca (8:32)

I forget what they call it now.

Michael Kay (8:34)

But where the warriors play before that, Oakland Coliseum.

Don LaGreca (8:38)

Did it have a sponsor name? Oracle. That's right.

Michael Kay (8:42)

Oracle.

Don LaGreca (8:42)

Oracle is now the name of the state and they can't change anything. So the way the outfield bricks are configured, it just. It really could have. It was probably out of any ballpark. But it's dead center field, Carom's off the bricks and it ends up being an inside the park home run walk off for the Giants. So the Phillies dropped a couple in a row. So the Mets are now back tied with Philadelphia. It's like nobody wants this division.

Michael Kay (9:04)

I'm watching this now. It hits the brick wall on the side. So absolutely just the ball ricochets off the brick wall. But instead of it going back into like in the middle of the field, it almost as if it ran along the warning track where nobody was and it went from right field to left field and everybody's running for it, but by then it's too late.

Don LaGreca (9:28)

So the Phillies bullpen is a mess. Giants take advantage of it, Mets take advantage of it. So that's a good win for them. Mets now on a flat footed tie with Philadelphia for first place. Yankees can't gain any ground on the Blue Jays. They win again.

Michael Kay (9:42)

Ten in a row, you know, and.

Don LaGreca (9:43)

It just doesn't look like it's going to stop. They got the White Sox and they got I think the Rockies after this. So you're going to have to hope that they slow down after the All Star.

Michael Kay (9:51)

I'm not worried. Like what was more important to me last night, Dom was just seeing some at bats and seeing the Yankees break open that sixth inning was to me like, okay, that looked more like what the Yankees. And I'm sure that's what Cashman would say. That's what we expect more times than not that fifth inning.

Don LaGreca (10:10)

Let's hear what Duane Kuyper sounded like on NBCSN Bay Area on that. Inside the park.

Michael Kay (10:17)

Walk off.

Don LaGreca (10:19)

Home run inside in sf.

Michael Kay (10:30)

Off the bricks.

Don LaGreca (10:31)

This game is tied.

Michael Kay (10:33)

Bailey's on the move. Bailey's on the move and the game is over. Wait, I think he was coughing. Did he cough in the middle of that? He was coughing a lot. It sounds like he had a smoke right before the, that inning and then he's. You know how you have that one, you know we all have smokers in our lives, right? Growing up. And it's always like he's running. Okay.

Don LaGreca (10:59)

I just think, I think he just, you know, because it's, it's a long call because, because the ball's in the air forever. It's dense, dead center field. You got to catch around in the bases. If that had been like Ohtani, he probably could have gone all the way to second base after scoring like so. It was a long call. But he's, he's amazing. Not too Many former players are as good at play by play as Dwayne Kuiper is. So the Mets catch that break. Yankees don't, because the Blue Jays keep winning. But I wanted to, I wanted to get to this. And we'll take your calls on the baseball.

Michael Kay (11:34)

He's 75 years old, so I probably should just back off. But it still sounded funny for a minute.

Don LaGreca (11:40)

I just. But I don't think it's a smoker's cough.

Michael Kay (11:43)

I apologize.

Don LaGreca (11:44)

I got no air left.

Michael Kay (11:45)

I apologize. But at first. Listen, Come on, Don. Like, we all grew up with that one adult that just couldn't get through, like two sentences without, oh, you know.

Don LaGreca (11:54)

My kids don't know because we got the interns here today. The interns that we have here at espn, they, they're like in a herd. I've. I've never seen them, singular. I've always seen them.

Michael Kay (12:03)

Did you notice what they did today? They did the cool table, right? Yeah. At the, in the cafeteria. They took the big table in our, in that space we have up by the office that we generally like to congregate.

Don LaGreca (12:12)

Yeah.

Michael Kay (12:12)

And they took it over. And then when you went over to the table, it was like, where you going?

Don LaGreca (12:16)

Yeah, that was definitely the cool kids. Yeah, that was, that, that was the front of the line. Yeah. But they're great at what they do. But they're all like, in a herd. I've never seen them singular. They're always together. They would not remember there was a time where, like, smoking, you know, our parents smoked in the car when we were driving, driving us to school. Like, cigarette smoke was everywhere.

Michael Kay (12:38)

You went over your friend's house, you played, you had cartoons on. And they were probably like two moms from the neighborhood were sitting in the living room watching soaps and smoking. That was common.

Don LaGreca (12:48)

The other thing, and I'm not, I'm not going to give anybody away.

Michael Kay (12:50)

All right.

Don LaGreca (12:51)

My parents didn't do it. But you ever go to a house where there were smokers that. That stale cigarette butt wet smell when they would, like, throw the butts in the toilet?

Michael Kay (13:04)

Yeah.

Don LaGreca (13:04)

So you go use the bathroom. And the bathroom, it was flush. But whoever finished up the flush, and like, oh, I got, I got no cigarette left. I'm just going to throw it in.

Michael Kay (13:11)

The toilet and you wait till somebody else.

Don LaGreca (13:13)

And now people that have a certain age are thinking like, well, what did you. Were you animals? Where did you live at? Like the turn of the century?

Michael Kay (13:18)

Actually, that was considered. That was etiquette.

Don LaGreca (13:20)

This was all pre 84.

E (13:23)

85.

Michael Kay (13:24)

Yeah, yeah. This is late 70s, early 80s. When you're growing up and you're just used to it. You go over a house and that's what you're getting like people think it's a joke. Three moms on the patio smoking while the kids are in the above ground pool. That's suburbs.

Don LaGreca (13:38)

People thought it was a joke. It was spot on. If you go back to Forrest Gump when the doctor is putting the braces on his leg, he's smoking the heater.

Michael Kay (13:48)

That happened.

Don LaGreca (13:50)

Remember, four out of five doctors smoke Marlboro.

Michael Kay (13:53)

That's true. Yeah. So there were candies, they were candy cigarettes. We would kill for those.

Don LaGreca (14:00)

I gotta tell you, one of the.

Michael Kay (14:02)

Great things, roll the pack up in your undershirt.

Don LaGreca (14:03)

This weekend I took the kids to Wild West. Just a free plug for them. It's up, you know, Stanhope, New Jersey, Sussex county, way up in the northwestern New Jersey. And you get to just reenact the 1880s, you know, and they put on shows and the kids have the pop guns and they got the cowboy hats, the whole thing. I love it. I went there as a kid. I've been taking the kids there every year.

Michael Kay (14:26)

Nice.

Don LaGreca (14:27)

They've got. So they have different shops in this like Dodge City. Right. Like the old doc holidays, you know, dentistry or. And then they got this old saloon and one of the place like the old time Candy shop. And in the candy shop they had the, those cigarettes.

Michael Kay (14:45)

Candy cigarettes.

Don LaGreca (14:46)

Where basically the candy cigarettes were. You would be able to get a puff of smoke off of basically the sugar, the powdered sugar that was in there. And the other one, remember the, the Gold Rush gum? It came in that little sack.

Michael Kay (14:57)

Yes.

Don LaGreca (14:58)

And yeah, they were selling that. Oh my God, this is like throwback stuff. You know, for all I know, it's.

Michael Kay (15:03)

Been there since I was going to say. I want to make sure that that's.

Don LaGreca (15:05)

No, they remake all that candy and stuff. So smoking was definitely a part of it. But no Kuiper, I think just lost wind because it was such a long call. But I wanted to bring this up. And we'll take your calls at 1-800-Now-193776. We talked about yesterday, Soto not going to the All Star game and how I think that's short sighted by Major League Baseball that you don't have one of the stars of the sport, one of the biggest talking points of the off season.

Michael Kay (15:29)

Right.

Don LaGreca (15:30)

You know, be a part of your, you know, of the coverage of the game. So Soto had another big night. He's Continuing a good July after being the player of the month in June, was asked if he wanted to make the All Star team.

Michael Kay (15:44)

What do you think? I mean, I think it's a lot of money on the table. Obviously if I make it, he goes right to the money and of course to the money. Not the prestige of it, not the importance of it. Not. Nope. Because it cost him a little bonus cash.

Don LaGreca (16:04)

Now it's hard to defend what is what he said.

Michael Kay (16:09)

Why, what do you have to defend?

Don LaGreca (16:10)

Well, I'm just saying that. No, but that's about like everybody's, you know, I'm seeing comments like, yeah, he went to the Mets because of the family. It's all about the money. I, the clip that I, we played is the same clip that I saw. Like he jokingly said, what do you think? And everybody laughed.

Michael Kay (16:29)

Mm.

Don LaGreca (16:30)

Based off of that and you don't really get to see the facial expression. At least I didn't after he said it. I am going to err on the side if he was kidding.

Michael Kay (16:39)

I think about the money.

Don LaGreca (16:40)

About the money. How much money? What is his bonus for making the All Star team? You know, when you're making that much money, I mean, how much could the bonus be that you're going to complain about it? He's bringing it up because he's having fun. Come on, say what you want. If you're a Yankee fan that hates Soto, fine, hate his guts if you want. But be honest with me.

Michael Kay (17:06)

Are you ready?

Don LaGreca (17:06)

Do you think he's joking or not?

Michael Kay (17:10)

It's $100,000.

Don LaGreca (17:12)

So do you really think a guy that is amidst of a 15 year contract worth how much? $750 million is going to sit there and complain about $100,000 bonus he didn't get? Now for you or me, that's a lot of money for him. That's pocket change. He had to be kidding. Come on, he's not that tone deaf.

Michael Kay (17:36)

There's three players that were named All Stars that are getting their hundred thousand dollar bonus. Other players are 75 or 50. So on the Mets, Diaz and Lindor both get 50 grand for making the All Star.

Don LaGreca (17:52)

Okay, 50 grand? Yeah.

Michael Kay (17:54)

That's at a like Lindor's $300 million. 50 grand, like it seems silly, right? Jose Ramirez gets a hundred, Jacob deGrom gets 100, Freddy Peralta gets 100, Josh Hater gets 75. This is all spoke track, by the way. Josh Hader gets 75,000. Javi Baez, Vlad Guerrero and then the Julio Rodriguez and then Lindor and DIAZ all at 50 grand. So it's like, look, 50 grand for all of us is a lot of money. But when you're making $300 million, those type of big time contracts, 200 million dollar contracts, 50 grand's like 50 grand. 100 grand even for some. For Soto, it's a hundred. All right, like it's a tax bill. What is it? But for him, it still matters.

Don LaGreca (18:43)

No, it matters.

Michael Kay (18:44)

You took money out of my pocket. Well, see, that's by, not by. For what his numbers would argue. He should be.

Don LaGreca (18:51)

I don't disagree with that. He should be there.

Michael Kay (18:54)

So that's how he's saying I didn't. I deserved it, but somebody didn't choose me. So that's money out of my pocket.

Don LaGreca (19:00)

But when he said, what do you think? Do you think he's saying that because he lost $100,000 or is he ticked off that he's not an All Star? Because there's a pride when you're making that much money, when you've been highly coveted, when you're that kind of a player. Missing out of the All Star game from a pride factor probably bothers me, don't you think? There's a more so than the $100,000.

Michael Kay (19:22)

Wait a minute. There's a pride at just feeling like I'm one of the best players in the sport and they didn't invite me to the best player in the sport.

Don LaGreca (19:28)

And I think that's what he meant when he said, are you kidding or what do you think? Yeah, but then I think he saw it.

Michael Kay (19:33)

Can you play it again? Just the question part. You could stop it right after the question, how it was asked. What you think. We don't have the question.

Don LaGreca (19:41)

The thing is, asked if he wanted to make the All Star team. And what do you think? Of course I was. Why would I, wouldn't I.

Michael Kay (19:46)

Well, that, that. Okay, it's look for. You asked the question to get the answer. And so the question asked was not a bad question because it got a great answer. So it's not about the question, but it is a response to what he. What the question was. Right. And it's. Yeah. What do you think is his way of basically saying, of course. What do you think? I didn't want to make the All Star. Of course I wanted to make the All Star team.

Don LaGreca (20:06)

All right, we have the question. Go ahead, Jacob.

Michael Kay (20:10)

What you think?

Don LaGreca (20:12)

Would you have liked to make the All Star team?

Michael Kay (20:15)

Would you have liked to make the All Star team? What do you think? Of course I would have it's the right question to ask because it sounds like an obvious question, but no, it wasn't, because it got a great answer. So I have no problem with the question. The point is he's letting you know. Of course I did. And then he adds to it, I took money out of my pocket. I am right here costing me money.

Don LaGreca (20:37)

We'll never know the answer.

Michael Kay (20:40)

I'm telling you, man, when you. When you. You consider yourself one of the best players in the sport, and you're not invited to the best player in the sport party, I got a problem.

Don LaGreca (20:47)

No.

Michael Kay (20:48)

And it cost me money.

Don LaGreca (20:49)

But I don't get the part about costing you money. I think he's ticked off that he wasn't. He's not going to the All Star Game.

Michael Kay (20:54)

Yes.

Don LaGreca (20:55)

And here's what I think. Again, I don't even get into the fact. Well, Don, you're a Met fan. Of course you're going to defend them. You've heard I've ripped my teams. And if I really believe this, I would say it if I had a problem with him. I really think he was asked the question. He says, what do you think? Meaning, what do you think? I'm one of the best players in baseball. I'm not being invited to the All Star Game. He sees the reaction that it got, and now he's thinking, left money on the table. Kind of just like, I'm going to.

Michael Kay (21:21)

Continue to, like, let me say thing funny. And then no one thought it was funny. Yeah.

Don LaGreca (21:25)

Because everybody's just like, oh, wants to pounce on athletes for everything that they say, oh, he's greedy. And all the Yankee fans are saying, see, he went to the Mets because of the money, had nothing to do with the family or the suite or how he was treated. He was just about at the bottom line, which was true. But when you're talking about $750 million, I think $100,000 isn't what's really ticking them off.

Michael Kay (21:46)

You think everybody's reaction was, oh, damn, he went there. That seems to be the immediate reaction.

Don LaGreca (21:50)

Forget about social media. Everybody's gonna react negatively to social media. But even you're saying it, he wanted to get the dig that he lost 100 grand. Like, how tone deaf do you have to be? I think it was when you're talking to reporters, you're making that much money, and you're gonna complain that you lost out on $100,000.

Michael Kay (22:07)

I don't think it's. I don't think it's a complaint. I think this is what you were originally saying he says something like that. THEY laugh and so he's kind of feeding off the laughter with, you know, this cost me money. He's thinking it's an ironic thing for him to say and people will get it. But the problem is nobody laughed. And everybody's gonna assume that it's him saying it's about the money. Only what he's doing there is just saying, like, yeah, of course I wanted to go and it cost me some money. Ha ha. Like, it really didn't, but it did. Yeah, but everybody's going like, oh, my God, he's all about the money. No, it's just the thing that he added to it, like, I'm double pissed off. I belong there. And, oh, by the way, cost me some money, too. That's it. I don't think he's saying, I only wanted to go because of 100 grand. Sorry. For the rest of us, 100 grand is a no.

Don LaGreca (22:56)

It's a lot. And I think.

Michael Kay (22:58)

I don't think for him it's that.

Alan Hahn (23:00)

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Peter Rosenberg (24:01)

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

Alan Hahn (24:04)

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

Peter Rosenberg (24:06)

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

Michael Kay (24:13)

I love this song.

Don LaGreca (24:14)

It is a good song.

Michael Kay (24:16)

My daughter Emma. This is the my. Our song. Oh, really throwing it out there. Yeah.

Don LaGreca (24:21)

Summer breeze yeah Makes me feel fine Need a breeze last night and today too so I, I take the bike back from kickboxing, so it's like, like 11 o' clock. I'm melting.

Michael Kay (24:37)

Yeah.

Don LaGreca (24:38)

And so we got Declan over. My nephew for the summer.

Michael Kay (24:42)

Yep.

Don LaGreca (24:42)

And he's sitting there. I walk into the kitchen. He's got his glove bats. Like, oh, that Uncle Don, can we go out? So I'm out there hitting them grounders.

Michael Kay (24:52)

He 10.

Don LaGreca (24:52)

He's gonna be 10 in August, a month from now. So I'm hitting grounders to it, and I'm. I'm dying. I'm just. It was. It looked like I. Just taking a shower. Like, I'm. I'm just soaking because it's so humid. It's so hot. But, like, he was waiting for me. And, you know, like, you can't. Marco or my nephew sitting there with. He's got his met hat on, he's got his glove. His bad that we go out.

Michael Kay (25:12)

Yep.

Don LaGreca (25:13)

And then I'm like. And Marco's got the damn iPad. And I. I'm like, all right, we gotta. He's in the house. He's in the house.

Michael Kay (25:21)

Wait a minute. Declan's outside. And I know. Not going out with him, I was really upset. Oh, man.

Don LaGreca (25:25)

So now I'm dragging. I'm like, I gotta take a shower. It's like a quarter to 12. I gotta go to work. And out comes Marco running with his glove. Now he wants. So I now gotta ratchet it back up again and start hitting some. It's really cool because he's playing well. Like, I'm just hitting, like, screaming grounders.

Michael Kay (25:45)

To him, and he's no problem because.

Don LaGreca (25:46)

He, like, Marco, likes to play. He calls them incredible grounders, meaning, like, I hit ground, but he has to dive and make the play.

Michael Kay (25:54)

Dude, I do this with Cali, I swear to God, with a football.

Don LaGreca (25:58)

Oh, yeah.

Michael Kay (25:58)

Cali does this. But anyways, go ahead. Yeah.

Don LaGreca (26:00)

It's an incredible groundsword.

Michael Kay (26:01)

This must be a thing with the young kids right now. I don't know what it is, Cali. Everything has to be a spectacular. Oh, yeah.

Don LaGreca (26:06)

It Just simple catch. Like, I would just play catch with my dad, but Marco wants me to, like, throw it all the way over there so he can dive. So he. He kind of dives. No, no, Dad, I want to dive. And then I throw it a little bit too far, and I'm huffing and puffing because I just can't get it exactly where he's making this, you know, headlong dive to make the catch. So now it's quarter after 12. That was.

Michael Kay (26:29)

Is that what. You were late today?

Don LaGreca (26:30)

No, there's incredible traffic. Traffic on the turnpike. There was traffic coming off the turnpike heading to the Hudson. And for the first time since we moved down to soho in March that there was actually traffic in the city because they're doing all that construction on Spring and making the right on a very. So that's why I was really late today because the traffic was just pretty incredible.

Michael Kay (26:51)

I won't hold you to it.

Don LaGreca (26:52)

1-800-919-3776. Let's start it off with David and Elizabeth. You're on ESPN New York.

F (26:57)

What's up, Dave, Hollywood, Han, Donnie Pucks. What's going on, baby? We good? Let's jump straight into it. So, okay, when I first spoke to Michael earlier, I was like, yo, it's low hanging fruit with the Soto comment. Because it's like, yo, are you talking about chicken when you make all that money? Okay, now that you gentlemen are like, hey, yeah, you know, that's a sarcastic answer, you know, like I understand.

Michael Kay (27:22)

That's what I think.

F (27:23)

Funny. Yeah, he was being funny as in like, hey, I left money on the table.

Michael Kay (27:27)

Hahaha. Right.

F (27:28)

You know, in a joking way. So it wasn't about money. And like you and John said, he's playing outstanding, fantastic in June. It's July, he's still hitting. He had the game winning single last night. He should be an All Star Game. Manfred, I don't know what you're doing. You're 100% right, Manfred. You need to get it together, brother. Because baseball, like not for nothing is really gaining its juice because I used to never watch baseball and I'm so locked in. So please don't lose fans like myself that are, you know, trying to enjoy and met. I hope we just still think, listen.

Don LaGreca (28:04)

It'S an All Star Game, it's an exhibition, but it's supposed to be a celebration of the sport, right? So during that broadcast, there's going to be conversation about what was the big story during the off season and Soto was a free agent and oh, by the way, he's not here.

Michael Kay (28:19)

Yeah, where is he?

Don LaGreca (28:20)

He's not an All Star.

Michael Kay (28:20)

You know, he was player of the Month in June, but he's not here at the All Star Game. I mean, come on. Like it does not make sense.

Don LaGreca (28:26)

And when you look at it, because I was listening this morning, you know, Dan Grasso brought up a great point, is that when you look at every team having to be represented while the Rockies had to be represented, that's an outfielder. So that turned out to be one of the spaces for him. Plus, do you realize the players vote. Get. Get a vote and the players didn't have Soto in the top six outfielders in the National League. Now, is that the jealousy because of the contract? Is that, hey, I don't feel like doing it, let's give it to the clubhouse boy to have him vote.

Michael Kay (28:59)

Is that it? Could be.

Don LaGreca (29:01)

What is that?

Michael Kay (29:01)

What does that tell you? Is that a sense of this guy's not as good as everybody makes him out to be, But I don't think.

Don LaGreca (29:08)

You'Re going to come up with six better National League outfielders than Juan Soto.

Michael Kay (29:12)

Is it a jealousy or is it just sort of like he's, he's good. He ain't that good.

Don LaGreca (29:17)

Well, I think it comes from the jealousy of the contract. So let's pick it apart.

Michael Kay (29:22)

Whoa, that contract's good for everybody. Don't you know that?

Don LaGreca (29:25)

I know that, but do you remember Sports Illustrated would always have the, like the player polls and they would always have, you know, Derek Jeter as the worst defender. He was always overrated on Derek Jeter.

Michael Kay (29:36)

Derek Jeter was the most overrated player.

Don LaGreca (29:38)

And I would think that that came from jealousy. Good looking guy in a team that wins all the time. Let's knock him down a couple of pegs. You know, you're playing out there in Colorado and you get no love and you're like, look at this guy. I know I'm better than him, but meanwhile he's on a great team. He goes to every All Star game, he dating beautiful models, winning rings every year. You know what this, I've got a chance to control the narrative here. I'm going to knock him down a couple of pegs.

Michael Kay (30:01)

It could be, it certainly could be.

Don LaGreca (30:03)

The players are supposed to be in the know. It doesn't make sense.

Michael Kay (30:08)

You can explain it all you want, like every way you're explaining it. Don't. You could find reasons of why, but if a player, if like you can have a guy who's a great player that everybody thinks is an absolute jerk, you're still going to say, but this guy's great though. So, yeah, he deserves to be there, right? Yeah. But if you don't think, if you're like, you know, I think he's kind of overrated, he's not that good. But this guy deserves it over him. And, but don't we, Aren't we that.

Don LaGreca (30:31)

Don't we live in a world and I'll be this guy? Like, if you're telling me something as a talk show host as being that guy, I might like to try see if I can find the fault in it and how you're wrong. Like, if everybody thinks this is the best movie, maybe I'm gonna take a look at it and say it's overrated.

Michael Kay (30:50)

Right.

Don LaGreca (30:50)

I think that's the tendency with a lot of other players of two of just like you tell me how great this guy is. You're telling me that he's generational. You know what? I don't see it.

Michael Kay (31:00)

All right, reserves weren't necessarily, let's see, outfielders here. Here are the outfielders, right. For the National League. Reserves, go ahead. Corbin Carroll from Arizona. Kyle Stowers, Marlins. Tatis, the Padres. And James Wood.

Don LaGreca (31:22)

So the Marlin. He's probably the only Marlin. So that was probably where the outfielder is.

Michael Kay (31:27)

This Towers. Am I saying it wrong? Might have been.

Don LaGreca (31:29)

Stone. The fact that you're not even sure, it tells you he's not.

Michael Kay (31:30)

It tells you all you need to know.

Don LaGreca (31:33)

So again, I don't care. I'll get over it. Rest more so for the. He's better in the second half. I just don't understand when you're trying.

Michael Kay (31:42)

To market one at bat, he'll get one inning. Like, what's the difference?

Don LaGreca (31:45)

You're trying to mark your game that one of the best players in the game isn't there. Just kind of odd to me.

Michael Kay (31:50)

Do we have any injury replacements yet, though? Because that could still happen.

Don LaGreca (31:52)

Well, it could still happen for sure. Bill in Brooklyn disagrees. What do you got, Bill?

F (31:59)

Don, thank you for taking the call.

G (32:01)

As far as Soto not making the.

F (32:03)

Also team, Allen, you just said it. It's one at bat. That doesn't do anything for me. Because if he starts the game and it's the third inning, guess what? He's out of the game. Diaz is in the game. He's going to see. He may face one batter the whole game. So that doesn't do anything for me at all.

Don LaGreca (32:18)

But you're making the case that the All Star Game really doesn't do anything for you at all.

F (32:23)

No, it doesn't.

Don LaGreca (32:25)

And I'm with you. I'm on your side, Bill. I'm just saying, when I'm trying to market my sport, does it make a lot of sense that you're going through all the trouble of the All Star and the guy that just signed $750 million contract that was the talk of the entire off season, isn't playing in the game coming off being the best player in the month of June doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Now, the fans didn't vote for him, okay? But From a reserve situation, somebody doesn't tap Boon on the shoulder and say, make sure Soto's in this game.

Michael Kay (32:56)

That's all I was saying is, yes, it's one at bat. So in. In the grand scheme of things, it's not like it's this huge showcase of a player who's going to be seen a lot in the game, but that doesn't matter as much as it does when he does have the at bat. It's the conversation of the guy that broke a record for. For a contract and is in New York, and he went from one to another. And it's a great story. And he's, by the way, a terrific player who can have really fun at bats when he's locked in. And when the introductions happen, you see his face. He's there. Him not being there and him having numbers that are still on par with others. That's the part that we all agree doesn't make sense.

Don LaGreca (33:36)

Yes. Doesn't make sense all the way around. That's all Danny on Long Island. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Danny?

G (33:41)

Just back from the beach, gentlemen. I remember in 1977, I made the North American PAL All Star Game. I got a little trophy and a free cherry bonnet from Carvel, and my friend didn't get the bonnet, and, man, he was aggravated. Didn't get 50. Didn't get 50,000. I got ice cream, but I meant the world.

Don LaGreca (34:00)

And when asked after the game, he said, what do you think?

G (34:03)

He had to sit there and watch me eat it.

F (34:05)

It was the best.

Michael Kay (34:07)

Did not share at all, man. Nope.

F (34:09)

No.

G (34:09)

Can't share an ice cream cone. That's. That's. Yeah, that's not an ice cream sandwich you can snap in half. Nobody's licking my head.

Don LaGreca (34:16)

Let's leave it at that.

Michael Kay (34:17)

I didn't know. I really didn't know what a bonnet was, so. Wasn't sure. Didn't know if you get spoons. Yeah.

G (34:24)

You didn't have a childhood.

E (34:25)

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Michael Kay (34:26)

Trust me. Listen, trust me. You did. Just didn't have bonnets. Sorry, Dan.

G (34:30)

No calls out. So, listen, great little win for that. Let's talk about a game that really matters. Great win for the Mets last night. You come out of the two out of three against the Yankees with a lot of mojo starting to play good. They didn't give you a day off, which you probably didn't need, but, you know, actually, I think it was a good day off to regroup. You know, you got the Orioles out to a nice lead there. And in the eighth inning you come back with back to back two on Holmans and and and you close it, does the ninth, the next guy does the 10th and you get out of there with a win. And now you got Peterson on the mound today. So you got to feel comfortable about getting tonight and getting out of there with at least two out of three, which is what we want and we're finishing up the year. Yeah, the solid the first half solid. Let's just. But that but to be down, you know, to have a little to be down at that and have the game kind of seem like it was dragging along is understandable. These are human beings that coming after the pressure of Yankees Mets, it's understandable.

E (35:19)

To have, you know, a letdown but.

G (35:21)

Then to come back and win the game is that the game and a.

Don LaGreca (35:23)

Half it went from would have been a really bad loss against a bad team. He didn't show up to all of a sudden becoming an exhilarating win. And let's see if they can build off of it for sure. Catcher Rafael Flores from the Somerset Patriots. He is the 15th ranked prospect in the Yankees organization. He's going to join us next here on Don Hannah Rosenberg on ESPN New York.

Alan Hahn (35:45)

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Michael Kay (36:45)

H e.

Alan Hahn (36:48)

Timeout.

Peter Rosenberg (36:51)

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

Alan Hahn (36:54)

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

Peter Rosenberg (36:56)

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

Don LaGreca (37:04)

Don, Han and Roseberg take Apple 6:30. Then it's Mets baseball. ESPN has their 50 states in 50 days. And to honor New Jersey on July 12th. Coming up this Saturday, SportsCenter is going to be over at the Somerset Patriots game. And I live in Somerset, so I know the Patriots and I try to go there all the time and they do a tremendous, tremendous job. And one of the Yankee prospects, because Somerset is a Yankee Double A affiliate, so a lot of these kids that play will make it to the majors. And I've gotten a chance to see Dominguez come up there. Volpe. And the hope is that Rafael Flores, catcher for the Somerset Patriots one day will get that chance. And he joins us here on Don Hun and Rosenberg. It's Don and Han. How are you, man?

E (37:50)

Hey, nice to meet you. Hope you're doing good.

Don LaGreca (37:53)

Yeah, we're looking forward to this conversation. You know, the Yankees are always a hot topic of conversation. And as I mentioned, I go to a lot of Patriot games and that building's usually full. What's it like to play in that stadium in that atmosphere and also, you know, getting a chance to be that closer to the New York Yankees?

E (38:11)

Oh, it's awesome. I mean, the fans here every single day are always loud. It's always a great atmosphere. And I mean, for me, it just helps me play better. You know, you have all that energy behind you and helps you perform on the field a little bit. And I mean, being close to the city from here is awesome. I get, get some time to go over there and just, you know, hang out in the city. And I mean, the stadium's awesome.

Michael Kay (38:33)

Well, fans love prospects. The Yankees are loaded at catcher for those listening. So Rafi, he's the 15th player prospect in the franchise right now overall, but he had a home run, 15th home run last night too. Right. At a 51 win as well. But something that's happening tonight at the stadium while you'll be playing is something of note. So Cam Schlitler, who you both shared an award to start to start the season position player of the year, he was pitcher of the year, the Kevin Lawn Award with the Yankees. But so you, you've worked with him, you've caught him. So give us a little scout and report as Cam makes his major league debut tonight. And I'm sure while you're playing, you might be thinking about him.

E (39:14)

Oh, man, I mean, I'm just so excited for him. I've got to see him, you know, develop as a pitcher and just grow mentally and physically. And I mean, he's going to have an electric fastball. He's going to throw it probably top of the zone a lot. He's going to have a really hard cutter that he just recently added, by the way, and it's been a big league pitch and I mean, I think he's going to do really well this, I mean, debut and just for the rest of his career. I think he's super talented and I'm excited for him.

Don LaGreca (39:44)

How is that transition? Because you're happy to see these guys get promoted and make it, but you also lose a teammate. So how do you deal with the guys that get called up, that join your team, but also the guys that move on from your team and get to Triple A or get to the New York Yankees? Oh, Wyatt.

E (40:02)

I think it's important just, you know, just to keep up with guys and especially great teammates and great friends that you've met along the way. And I mean, it's always good. I mean, I still keep in contact with Cam Schlitter. I keep in contact with Benjamin Cowles. He got traded to the Cubs not too long ago. Stiegler just made his debut with the Brewers. So I mean, it's always cool to, you know, stay in contact with guys that you run into. And I mean, it's, it's all baseball at the end of the day, so it's fun.

Michael Kay (40:29)

So you were a non drafted free agent, signed by the Yankees, and in a couple of years you have had like, you're having a great season right now in Double A. What has this process been for you and what are your hopes and dreams one day?

E (40:43)

I mean, the process for me has just been to stay healthy. I've. This year I've been definitely better at the whole recovery aspect of the game and, you know, more of the mental side. And how can I be the same guy for the team every day? How can I have the same energy and, you know, stay up for my guys? You know, I, I hope I can lead this team to win more games and all that stuff. And as far as dreams and aspirations, I mean, I think everybody in the minor league wants to be a big leaguer, right? I think, you know, we all work hard and we all want to get to that dream one day. So it's a matter of how locked in can you stay and just, you know, keep playing baseball.

Don LaGreca (41:20)

We're talking to catcher Rafael Flores of the Somerset Patriots here on ESPN New York. Do you know exactly what you need to work on to take that next step?

E (41:30)

Well, there's definitely aspects of the game that, you know, they're always going to need work. I've definitely been working a lot of my throwing throughout the season and this past offseason I've been trying to learn more about my body and how to use my long levers. I'm a pretty tall catcher, so I just need to learn how to use the levers to my advantage and, you know, get stronger throws over there. But, you know, at the end of the day, there's always going to be something you have to work on, whether it's, you know, defensively, in the weight room, mentally, the mental part of the game. So, I mean, I'm just excited to keep growing and, you know, the Yankees do a great job with our development system, so they're awesome.

Michael Kay (42:07)

It's clearly the most difficult position to play in the sport. We'll say it for you. But it, it definitely is because it's wear and tear. It's having to stay locked in on every single play, literally every single pitch. And I'm curious because, you know that framing has become such a big skill for catchers, right? Like, that's something I'm sure they work with you with. There's something that they focus on so much with automated ball strike. So in the All Star Game, they're going to try, they're going to use the automated ball strike system that we have seen them use in the minors in the past. Do you like that? As a catcher?

Don LaGreca (42:40)

Would you prefer.

Michael Kay (42:42)

Does that take the pressure off framing or anything else? How does that work for you as a catcher?

E (42:47)

I mean, as a hitter, I would love it, but I mean, where catches make their money, it's receiving, it's, you know, getting those balls gained for strikes. And it's going to be a little weird getting used to it. I think, like I said, you know, that's where a lot of catches are making their money nowadays. Receiving being well at the bottom of the zone, being good at the top of the zone. But I mean, I'm interested to see how it plays out. I'm not fully against it yet.

Don LaGreca (43:14)

I know you're a kid, so it probably doesn't bother you as much as it would bother a couple of old men like us, but how do you, how do you catch in this heat and humidity?

E (43:23)

Oh, man, in the heat, it's just. You got to stay hydrated. You gotta, you gotta. You just gotta do the things that nobody, nobody really sees. And I mean, they're easy. You just got to do them. So, I mean, I Love catching. I'm going to catch in the cold. I'm going to catch in the heat. It's cold in October, so you got to get used to all weather.

Michael Kay (43:43)

Yeah, I imagine it probably a fastball hurts a lot more in the cold than it does in the heat. If you catch in the middle the wrong way.

E (43:51)

I mean, definitely, if it's Carlos Lagrange throwing 100, it's definitely going to sing a little more than usual.

Don LaGreca (43:56)

Yeah, I said I'm from. From New Jersey and I live in that area now. What did you know about New Jersey growing up in Anaheim? And do you like the area that you play in now?

E (44:08)

I barely went out of California, I'm going to be honest. I knew nothing about Jersey. So, I mean, my first time being out here and just New York in general, it was like. It was. It was so awesome. I mean, I grew up watching New York on tv. I was never a traveler much. So being out here, learning that there's a dine on every corner, there's. Bagels are super important here. Like, it's just. I've grown to love it. And I mean, I'm. I'm having so much fun.

Michael Kay (44:34)

Yeah, bagels are a big thing. But you mentioned diners, like, so I. As anywhere, you know, the boys go out, you want to get something to eat sometimes even for breakfast, do you hit the diner or do you hit, you know, a chain? Like, what. What type of guy are you when it comes to. All right, let's go out. Let's grab a bite.

E (44:51)

No, I'm more of a. Let's go to a bagel shop, grab a bagel, and then take it back to the apartments and just hang out by the pool and, you know, just chop it up. I'm more. I don't like being out in public as much, so I just. I'd rather take it home and then just hang out with the. With the teammates, with the boys.

Michael Kay (45:08)

Big doordash guy. Yeah.

Don LaGreca (45:10)

And like I said, I go to about five, six games a year. The last game I went to you wearing the diners uniform, so my son Marco had to get the jersey, had to get the hat. It's a lot of cool things they do in the minor league. All the stuff between innings that they do with the different races and stuff. What are some of the funnier things that you've seen in the minor leagues that entertain the crowds between innings?

E (45:33)

Oh, my God. I've seen some crazy things. I mean, Hudson Valley, you see a bunch of the weird, quirky games into in between innings. I love our. Where they spin. They spin with their head on the bat and then they have to run through the finish line. I mean, that's just. It gets the crowd going. And I mean, it keeps them engaged, which is super important because then, you know, once they're locked into that, they're locked into our game and they're being loud, they're chirping other teams. So it's just all fun.

Don LaGreca (46:00)

Alan, it's the funniest that you brought that up. So you put your head, forehead on the back, spin around, and there's always one person that it didn't affect them. They go straight to the finish line, and then one person just fears complete left. They end up on, like, the pitching mound. It is hilarious. But I'm looking forward to your career, man. Good luck to everything that you're doing and good luck on Saturday. You know, ESPN is going to be out there and have a lot of fun. And if you see Sparky Lyle, because it's really cool. Sparky Lyle, he used to be the manager of the team. Now he's up in the front office, is a great guy. So I can't wait to see you play again next time over in Somerset, man. Enjoy.

E (46:38)

Yep. I. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me, guys.

Michael Kay (46:40)

All right, Good to talk to you.

Don LaGreca (46:41)

Amen. Rafael Flores from the Yankees, 15th top prospect. He's a catcher and just sounds like a great kid.

Michael Kay (46:48)

Like, oh, yeah, he gets it. Totally gets it. And, you know, again, the Yankees are loaded at catcher. When you think about the depth in the organization, it is a position that they obviously put a lot of emphasis on. And so for him, like, he's looking up and he's realizing, like, I mean, it's like at least four guys in front of me, at the very least four now, if not more. The Yankees have three as it is that they really can rotate through. But, you know, you persevere, you keep going, and opportunity will come somewhere, somehow. But you heard, I loved what he said about framing pitches. Now that's where you make your money as a catcher. And the automated balls and strikes could change all of that. When it comes to the catcher position.

Don LaGreca (47:25)

Defensively, I have an opinion about framing that I'm going to share with you.

Michael Kay (47:29)

When we're looking forward to this.

Peter Rosenberg (47:31)

Thanks for listening to Madonn Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

Michael Kay (47:35)

I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know it's good.

Peter Rosenberg (47:37)

Hear more of Don Allen and Peter. Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.