Hour 1: Torpedo Bats

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Episode Summary: Hour 1: Torpedo Bats

Release Date: March 31, 2025

In the inaugural episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg, hosts Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg delve into a scorching hot topic dominating the baseball world: the introduction and impact of the "torpedo bat." This episode, aptly titled "Torpedo Bats," offers listeners a comprehensive exploration of the Yankees' explosive start to the season and the ensuing controversy surrounding their innovative equipment.

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1. Setting the Scene: Weather and Sports Excitement (00:00 – 03:05)

The episode kicks off with casual banter about the fluctuating weather in New York City. Don shares a vivid account of an unexpected temperature drop while playing baseball with Marco, illustrating the unpredictable nature of spring weather in the tri-state area. Alan reminisces about experiencing a similar rapid temperature change after attending a hockey game in Westchester, highlighting the region's volatile climate.

Notable Quote:

• Don Hahn (00:00): "Todd, a lot of virgins working in one room together. A lot can be accomplished."

2. The Yankees' Historic Start (03:06 – 05:14)

Alan transitions the conversation to the Yankees' remarkable performance at the season's outset. Over three games, the Yankees have smashed 15 home runs, tying the Major League Baseball (MLB) record for most home runs to start a season. This offensive onslaught has stirred both admiration and skepticism among fans and analysts alike.

Notable Quotes:

• Alan Hahn (03:06): "First impressions are great. So the Yankees get the sweep over the Brewers. They hit 15 home runs in three games."
• Don Hahn (03:20): "It's 79 last I checked. But something 80 of J. Something really weird happened on Saturday night."

3. Introducing the Torpedo Bat: Innovation or Cheating? (05:15 – 12:03)

The core of the discussion revolves around the Yankees' use of the torpedo bat, a novel piece of equipment designed with an enlarged barrel to optimize the sweet spot for hitters. The hosts debate whether this innovation provides an unfair advantage or simply represents a legitimate enhancement within the sport's regulations.

Key Points:

• Design and Functionality: The torpedo bat reallocates wood density to areas where batters are most likely to make contact, potentially increasing offensive performance without altering the bat's overall size.

• Reactions and Controversy: Non-Yankee fans and critics accuse the team of "cheating," despite the Yankees having cleared the bat's design with MLB. Don expresses frustration over the backlash, emphasizing that the bat complies with existing rules and should be credited as a smart innovation rather than condemned.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn (05:14): "They play within the margins. And what that means is we're going to try to get away with whatever we think we can get away with."
• Alan Hahn (05:43): "It's like a juice ball. It's not a juice ball. It's not a juiced player. It's just a bat in regulation, just with a different area of what is it? It's contact."

4. Analytics and MLB's Response (12:04 – 18:30)

The conversation shifts to the role of analytics in baseball and how they interact with innovations like the torpedo bat. Don compares the situation to the NHL's adaptation to curved sticks, suggesting that MLB may eventually need to regulate such equipment to maintain competitive balance.

Key Points:

• Adoption by Other Teams: Following the Yankees' lead, multiple teams including the Cubs, Braves, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles, and Twins are beginning to adopt the torpedo bat, signaling a potential shift in the league's equipment standards.

• MLB's Regulatory Dilemma: With offense being a significant driver of fan interest, MLB faces the challenge of deciding whether to embrace or restrict such innovations. Don speculates that MLB might either regulate the bats to ensure fairness or allow their use to boost offensive statistics across the league.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn (06:31): "In that area, putting them more wood in where they believe their batters are likely to hit the ball. Exactly, exactly."
• Alan Hahn (10:08): "Met since it's no, and Major League Baseball is going to have to decide whether they want this to continue because it looks like it's something that really does help."

5. Listener Engagement and Community Reactions (18:31 – 25:06)

The hosts invite listeners to call in and share their opinions on the torpedo bat. A caller named Joel from Minnesota raises concerns about Michael K.'s (a fellow broadcaster) prior discussions on the bat, suggesting that other broadcasters may have mentioned it before him. This sparks a debate about the timing and originality of the information dissemination.

Key Points:

• Caller Insights: Joel shares his experience of hearing about the bat on a Brewers broadcast before Michael K. discussed it on the Yankees' broadcast, challenging the notion that Michael was the first to reveal the Yankees' secret.

• Hosts' Perspectives: Don defends Michael K., asserting that the Yankees likely didn't intend for the torpedo bat to become public knowledge swiftly. Alan emphasizes the importance of timing in the spread of such information and how high-profile broadcasts naturally garner more attention.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn (18:48): "You put the bong down and actually listen to this."
• Alan Hahn (24:49): "And Don is asking a simple question, is like, how big of A deal is this. Don't say that it's cheating, but don't say that it has no impact on what the Yankees do."

6. The Broader Impact on Baseball and Future Outlook (25:07 – 38:49)

As more teams adopt the torpedo bat, the hosts discuss its potential to revolutionize the game. They examine how hitters like Aaron Judge, who isn't using the bat, have still excelled, complicating the narrative that the bat is the sole reason for the Yankees' success. Additionally, the conversation touches on the balance between innovation and maintaining the sport's integrity.

Key Points:

• Player Performance: The discussion highlights that while players using the torpedo bat are experiencing increased home runs, other star players not using it, like Aaron Judge, continue to perform exceptionally, suggesting that skill remains a critical factor.

• Future of the Torpedo Bat: Don speculates that as more teams experiment with the bat, MLB will need to monitor its impact on the game's dynamics. The hosts agree that while the bat has shown immediate benefits, its long-term effects remain to be seen.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn (08:46): "But I do think that there was a large exposure to the fact that, hey, you came up with an idea that literally breaks a record, don't you flex rather than say, well, it didn't have anything to do with it. That's how good we are, man."
• Alan Hahn (28:04): "And by the way, just to be clear to everybody, the bat's not bigger. It's not like Big Bertha."

7. Anecdotes and Light-Hearted Moments (38:50 – End)

Breaking from the intense discussion on baseball, the hosts engage in light-hearted banter and share personal stories. Don recounts an amusing encounter with Adam Sandler, while Alan and Peter jest about their roles and interactions within the show. These moments provide a glimpse into the camaraderie and personalities behind the microphones, offering listeners a balanced mix of serious sports commentary and entertaining conversation.

Notable Quotes:

• Peter Rosenberg (38:19): "You did talk about the bats?"
• Don Hahn (39:09): "You think really? I think it'd be the opposite."
• Alan Hahn (35:07): "You bring it all together nicely. You really do. You bring it together. Thank you."

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Conclusion

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg adeptly navigates the complexities of the torpedo bat phenomenon, balancing technical analysis with spirited debate. The hosts provide diverse perspectives, from defending innovative strategies to questioning their long-term implications on baseball's integrity. Through engaging dialogue and insightful commentary, the episode offers listeners both depth and entertainment, setting a promising tone for future discussions.

For more in-depth analysis and lively sports conversations, subscribe to Don, Hahn & Rosenberg on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your favorite podcast platforms.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

Todd, a lot of virgins working in one room together. A lot can be accomplished.

[Alan Hahn]

Han, I just got excited.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Rosenberg, Alan just expressed theoretical arousal about the Dolly Parton puppet.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Alan Hahn]

This is Don Hahn and Rosenberg. The best threesome I've ever heard. On 880 ESPN and the ESPN New York app on a Monday in New York City with Don Lagreche and Peter Rosenberg, I'm Alan Hahn. 800-919-3776 is the number. Quite a. Quite a change in the weather from day to day, fellas. I think. Did we hit 80 in New York today?

[Don Hahn]

It's 79 last I checked. But something 80 of J. Something really weird happened on Saturday night.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

Now I'm out with Marco playing ball because it's 80 degrees outside. Gorgeous day in Jersey in the tri State area. So I'm playing baseball at Marco. Jalen's doing her thing. So I'm out. I'm outside and I'm listening to all the sports. That's what I do. I drag the Alexa out there and not a person name, Alexa. The actual instrument that we use, you just say Alexa play Islanders hockey. And I get. The Islanders were playing the afternoon and then the Devils later. Then like 6:30. All of a sudden a big gust of wind comes like it had all day. And it's a warm wind, a freezing cold wind. Like it just like the cold air just blew in at the last second. And I don't know what you would call them, like on the trees. They weren't like leaves, but there's some kind of like these growths on the trees. They look like little snakes. I don't know what they are. They all start blowing off of the trees and they're full and it felt like it was apocalyptic. Like the cold air air comes blowing in. Jalen's screaming, it's raining tacos. Well, that's a dream.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a song.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can only dream.

[Don Hahn]

So it was a great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The only thing that's confusing me about your story is in Manhattan. What you're talking about happened four hours before that.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, mine. 2:30.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, 2:30 days over. It became gusty and cold in Manhattan.

[Don Hahn]

Well, in Central Jersey by 2:30, 3:00, 7:00.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that didn't even make sense.

[Alan Hahn]

It was. I remember coming back from. Where were we?

[Don Hahn]

Probably somehow Westchester.

[Alan Hahn]

No. Yeah, it was. Cali was playing. We were in Westchester and it was. I was. I remember between games, went outside the rink and laid on one of the picnic Tables. Because we got in at like 3am the night before from Milwaukee. So there wasn't much sleep going on there. So I just laid down and it was like you said, Don. It was beautiful. Like, the air was perfect. The sun wasn't blazing hot. It was in and out of clouds. And we came out and then. So we're driving home. I remember seeing it at 81 or something like that. And I remember saying, wow, 80 degrees. Had the windows down. By the time we got to the Cross Island Parkway, it was 58 degrees.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Crazy. It dropped like 30 degrees in just.

[Alan Hahn]

Seconds, the time of year.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Now we're getting thunderstorms and all that stuff, but it doesn't matter. Mets on the road, Yankees off. And they need off. They need to rest. Right. Bashing, was it 19 home runs over the weekend. Something ridiculous.

[Alan Hahn]

It has been.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Saturday was a wild day.

[Don Hahn]

Wild.

[Alan Hahn]

Quite a start because I'm trying to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Think of how I consumed it at first. How did I. No, I think before it was mentioned in our group chat.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that was Anthony right away saying, this is something, because it was back to. Back to back.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Three pitches, three home runs.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't. But I don't think I saw that actually until after the fact. And I saw somewhere. Oh, it was my other group chat. It was my Ebro group chat. And my buddy Louie, who's a huge Yankee fan, put something in there.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I went, oh, what's going on here? Throw on the tv. Talk about apocalyptic, Don. I don't know the last time I threw on a game and saw something like that.

[Don Hahn]

And I'm enraged by all of it. Enraged. Absolutely enraged.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're in a rage.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's catch everybody up. First of all, the Yankees first impressions are everything. It's early in a season, so we don't overreact. But we don't underreact. First impressions are great. So the Yankees get the sweep over the brewers. They hit 15 home runs in three games. It's the most. It ties for the most in Major League Baseball history to start a season. 36 runs scored in the first three games of a season is the third most in 100 years of baseball. Absolutely. The Bronx Bombers were bombing. No question about it. And the story out of this weekend is not just the fact that Aaron Judge hit four home runs in his first three games. Not that. Judge looks like, again, one of the best players in the sport. And is he going to miss Juan Soto? Well, so far, the answer is maybe not. But also in the story is this new fangled bat that we all saw with our eyes. And we all were wondering what the hell is jazz Chisholm swinging with? What is Anthony Volpe got bowling pins Is that. And it's. They call it a torpedo bat. And I'm sure everybody listening has heard about it already.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And it has become now this thing that all around baseball, it's being talked about, it's being debated and more and more, according to reports, teams are now saying, I want to get one of these too. And the orders are the bats are flying off the shelves, as they would say. So what's the issue, Don? This is a great new invention for the sport and it is creating some great drama and interest. And if it means that players can quote, unquote, barrel up on the ball and get, we can get more offense, what's the problem?

[Don Hahn]

Well, there's two things that have really enraged me and that's the reaction of non Yankee fans ripping the bombers for cheating. Clearly they're not cheating. They figured something out. As you heard say many times Michael said it during his show. You heard Aaron Boone say it. They play within the margins. And what that means is we're going to try to get away with whatever we think we can get away with. They cleared this with Major League Baseball. It's an idea that they had. They're running with it. Everybody else is eventually going to figure it out and Major League Baseball is going to have to decide whether they want this to continue because it looks like it's something that really does help.

[Alan Hahn]

It's like a juice. It's not a juice ball. It's not a juiced player. It's just a bat in regulation, just with a different area of what is it? It's contact. Right where there's more mass barrel up.

[Don Hahn]

In that area, putting them more wood in where they believe their batters are likely to hit the ball. Exactly, exactly. And this is the best comparison or the analogy that I've heard is when they figured out in the NHL that if we curve our stick we can get more velocity taking shots. And then the NHL had to figure out, okay, we'll allow it, but how much we allow, we're gonna have to work with that. So I'm sure at some point Major League Baseball's gonna have to make a decision on what they're gonna do with this. It's within the rules. So people complaining about it, people that I like, really respect, not just being anti Yankee, just flabbergasted. I can't believe they're getting away with this ridiculous. The way the brewers conducted themselves after it was over.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who.

[Alan Hahn]

Who's somebody you respect that's been ripping this?

[Don Hahn]

People that have covered the sport.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

I mean, listen, respect is strong, but, like, how over the top David Portnoy has gotten over this.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I mean, there you go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's not covered in sport. That's a Red Sox fan.

[Alan Hahn]

That's just. Yeah, it's a Red Sox fan who's all about covers.

[Don Hahn]

But it just. It's. But even fans, people that I follow on Twitter that are like, something needs to be done about this. This is ridiculous. This is. Stop yourself. They figured something out. Let's Major League Baseball make their decisions, but just stop. They're not cheating. It's within the margins of the rules. Give them credit for doing it. So the whole idea that there's outrage bothers me. However, on the reverse side, and I brought this up to Michael off the air, listening to Michael driving in. Oh, well, it had nothing to do with their big weekend. Oh, it's only a marginal help. Wait a minute, wait a minute. They went through all this trouble and it doesn't help. So, I mean, you gotta own it. At the same time, are the Yankees cheating? No, they're not cheating. But don't sit there like the old steroid ear. Like steroids don't help you. You still have to hit the ball. It's still about hand eye coordination. It's still about making contact. Well, if it is, then why are people breaking the law to inject themselves with some serum to help them hit if it doesn't help you? Obviously, the Yankees did this with the bats because they thought it would help. So own it. Nobody's trying to take your records away, but don't sit there and say, had nothing to do with, we're a great baseball team and we just hammer the ball. Look at Aaron Judge hit four home runs without it. Yeah, because Aaron Judge is good. But There was also 11 other home runs. Jadis Chisholm, not known as a home run here. He's got three.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not true. His first week is the Yankee.

[Don Hahn]

He hit a lot of them. I'm not taking anything away from him, but at the same time, you can't say, well, it doesn't help. Well, then why did the Yankees do it? Why did they invest all this time and effort into something that's only going to marginally help? It helped.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Allen, do me a favor. I don't want you to be. I don't think you're going to. Don't even bother being that guy today. I think you disagree with anything you just said. I think you agree with Don on everything you just said. That was completely reasonable. He's not killing the Yankees for it. He's just saying, let's not act as if it didn't have a major impact. It certainly appeared to now Majors, whoa. For three days at least now we'll see if it falls off a cliff tomorrow.

[Alan Hahn]

And that was going to be my take. My take. We'll play Michael, because I think the audience does need to hear what Don's reacting to. My take is simply this. It's. I'm in the middle. I am not going to declare this thing a huge success out of the gate. It's a weekend against the Brewers. As to Cortez, we all know, right? Like, come on. Like, am I, am I, am I impressed? Am I thinking, like, wow, they're onto something? No, I'm curious to see if they're onto something. Anything in sports takes at least a month before we can say, okay, this is legit. Making an impact. Right? Like, you don't, you don't just watch one weekend and go and declare it a huge success. I can't.

[Don Hahn]

I would say it's fair.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, go up against some of the top pitchers in the sport and see if this is making an impact.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'd say a month might be a bit more. I think in a few series we could. Well, let me say this because everybody adjusts, Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, yeah, the sport will adjust. So. All right, now I know where you're making. The analytics are so driven sport that they're going to find. Okay, we'll make sure wherever you throw it, he can't get the barrel.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That part of.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, right, because that's why I kill the brewers. And for the brewers and for Begill to complain about it, terrible weekend for them. Don't you see? The bats are different. Try to try to get them to jam them or get them to hit at the end of the bat. I mean, the idea is to not have them barrel up no matter what the bat is. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And change ups are challenging, too, because if you sit back on it, you're.

[Don Hahn]

Not able to do it. The Yankees aren't going to do this all year. And some team that's not very good isn't all of a sudden going to become good because they get the bats.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, the one thing.

[Don Hahn]

But the fact is, is you kind to own the fact that, hey, you came up with an idea that worked. Only two of the teams in the history of baseball have hit this many home runs in the first three games of the season. So all I'm saying is just own it. You came up with a brilliant idea, and it appears it works. But we'll play the Michael Samba. The whole idea. Well, I don't know what they're talking about. This team's really good. Yeah, they're good. And Aaron Judge is good. And he's not using the bat. That's why it was ridiculous that people are going after the Yankees when the guy that hit four of the 15 home runs isn't using the bat.

[Alan Hahn]

Doesn't need it.

[Don Hahn]

Doesn't need it. Cause Judge is good. Really good.

[Alan Hahn]

And correct me if I'm wrong, this was something I saw. And I don't. I meant to ask Michael, was Stanton using his bat last year? Was that.

[Don Hahn]

I think that's. That's the word on the street.

[Alan Hahn]

The word on the street is he was using it last year. And, oh, by the way, did he not blame his elbow issue on a bat that he changed last year? So, again, I don't want to get too crazy.

[Don Hahn]

I guess the Cubs used it, and there's a few Braves that have used it. So it's not.

[Alan Hahn]

It's not exclusive.

[Don Hahn]

All I'm saying is that you could sit there and not criticize the Yankees, but don't sit there and pretend that it didn't help. It did help. That's why they went through the trouble to do it in the first place.

[Alan Hahn]

Of course, Don. Yes, it's supposed to help. They saw it in spring training. They liked it. They used it jazz. Chisholm saw Volpe and was like, what's this about? Let me give it a try. And he roped one in spring training, and then he's like, I like this. And then now. So they're walking Judge. Chisholm's up next. And I love the quote from him when he's just like, you know, when I see them walk Judge, I just get a little more fired up. Oh, really?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, whatever.

[Alan Hahn]

We all get fired up. But, you know, he did hit two home runs both times. They walk Judge.

[Don Hahn]

There's hall of Famers that they would walk Judge to get to.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, all right.

[Don Hahn]

So don't get too insulted. But whatever. Whatever moves the needle. I just love the quote go out there, and I love that.

[Alan Hahn]

Anyways, here is the Michael K. Take from his show earlier on. The negativity that the Yankees are receiving because of these bats.

[D]

Since this story is broken, you really get a sense of how much people just despise the Yankees and they want the Yankees to just fail. You get a sense people screaming, have no idea about the rule while they're breaking the rules. It's illegal. Well, obviously you haven't read the rule. It's very clear that it is very, very legal. And the Yankees are just getting an advantage within the margins of what's legal. They ran it past Major League Baseball a number of times. They ran it through bat companies a number of times, and it's very legal. Anybody could do it.

[Don Hahn]

All right. That's the other thing, too, that drives me crazy. Like, obviously, everybody hates the Dodgers, right? Why? Because they're good.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And the fact that everybody hates you, shouldn't you wear that as a badge of honor?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, everybody hates us.

[Don Hahn]

You can see how much they hate us. That's a good thing. They don't hate teams that stink.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay?

[Don Hahn]

Nobody's hating the Colorado Rockies, okay? Nobody hates the San Jose Sharks, all right? Nobody hates the Washington Wizards.

[Alan Hahn]

The Mets bus does, apparently. I mean, the Rangers bus does, apparently. They don't like. They don't like. The Macklin kid took the car right out. Don, not only do you blow them out, six'one we're gonna wreck your kid's car, too.

[Don Hahn]

While we're leaving, I'm gonna blame the kid.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's tough.

[Don Hahn]

I've been in that parking lot. You know what? Park it somewhere else. All right? Don't park it.

[Alan Hahn]

Timu Solani used to park his sports cars there all the time. That never got hit.

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Anyways, go ahead.

[Don Hahn]

But you know what I mean, it's like the hatred comes from how are. And all. Hatred to me sometimes has a little bit of a. Seed of jealousy to it. So the idea, don't be offended by being hated. You should wear it as a badge of honor. Be prideful that your team is hated.

[Alan Hahn]

I completely agree. And what's going to happen is everybody's going to copy this because you knew, like, this wasn't going to be some secret that lasted weeks into the season. Right. Like, you think nobody was going to notice the weird look, like you said, look, the bowling ball bat that a couple of the Yankee players noticed.

[Don Hahn]

Stan had it. This is new to me, and apparently this is not new. Not as new, no.

[Alan Hahn]

But it's become more of a thing. I mean, they hit 15 home runs in three games. People are going to take notice. Like, what are the Yankees doing? What the hell's that bat this guy's using?

[Don Hahn]

What's this about everybody else?

[Alan Hahn]

Everybody catches being inundated with Orders now. Yeah. And now apparently it's gonna. You're gonna see it all over Major League Baseball. 800 now. 193776. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

The transmitter have anything else to say?

[Alan Hahn]

We did you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Are you implying something?

[Alan Hahn]

You. The bat, the vet development.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, Michael.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but what do you want?

[Alan Hahn]

I got the bat development or reaction to people saying that the Yankees made him talk about it. Oh, oh, yeah. You think Michael K. Was told tell the world about our secret bats.

[D]

If anything, the Yankees know they're not doing anything wrong. Why would they have K go on. Yes. And reveal this? Believe me, the Yankees didn't want K to go on. Yes. And reveal this. They wanted to keep it a secret as long as it could. Now, obviously the bats look different, so it was going to come up at some point. I was told by a cop about this bat and I think there was anything wrong bringing it forward. I think it's ingenious and smart. So I actually said it on the broadcast and it became such a big thing. But the Yankees certainly didn't want it out. That would be ill advised for them to have on their broadcast, you know, point out. Oh, by the way, this is what the Yankees are doing to succeed.

[Don Hahn]

I just thought there was more to when he was saying that it didn't help.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. The cuts we have here. Anthony, is this other one about the. The stuff that Don's flipping out about here?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don just wants to fight with Michaels.

[Don Hahn]

When it sounds like clearly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, because Michael sounded reasonable.

[Don Hahn]

The only one. But he's the only one have sound. I can't go to the people that I was hearing earlier on the morning show.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, why don't we instead go to the people who want to discuss. Let's go. We have. I mean, the calls are jammed, so let's get to them. 800 now. 193776. Joe in Minnesota wants to talk about this. Joe.

[Don Hahn]

Hi, Joe. Oh, no.

[Alan Hahn]

Joe's listening to a game right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Joe word.

[Don Hahn]

Because it's not us. He's listening.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, here he is.

[E]

Hello, this is Joel.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We know, Joe.

[E]

Hey, how's it going?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good, buddy.

[E]

Hey, Don, I just want to ask you one question. What would happen if that would have been the Mets this weekend?

[Alan Hahn]

Crickets. Nobody said a word.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, no, no. People aren't paying attention to the mess.

[Alan Hahn]

Nobody would have said a word.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it would have gotten something. Not as much as this.

[Alan Hahn]

Not nearly as that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When you win a game that big on Saturday afternoon, everyone.

[Don Hahn]

The Mets hit 15 home runs. No, of course it would be talking New York. Would my reaction be any different to it? It would be exactly the same.

[Alan Hahn]

What are you getting at, Joe?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I don't understand.

[E]

I just, I want to say, you know, the same thing happened with the softball bat. The barrel got bigger. Same thing happened with the golf clubs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[E]

There ended up being a bigger sweet spot. The balls got better. Now they had to draw them back for the pros because you could do anything you wanted with them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that may happen.

[Alan Hahn]

Advantage.

[E]

They were been better for a while and now the hitters get a chance.

[Alan Hahn]

I think, I think Joe, you're right. It has kind of. We do, we do go back and forth, don't we? Like we do, we definitely tend to fluctuate between offense and then pitching gets better than offense again. And in the past, the offensive issues or the offense have gotten better because APD's B live ball. Now this is different. And by the way, just to be clear to everybody, the bat's not bigger. It's not like Big Bertha. Remember when Big Bertha the driver came out and everybody was suddenly going to the driving range and hitting like pros because of the, you know, you, you had a larger margin of error, but the bats are not bigger. It's just a reallocation of the, the density of the sweet spot.

[Don Hahn]

So the caller no put the bong down and actually listen to this.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, Joe is. No, Joe was high.

[Don Hahn]

No. Good for him, man. It's some.

[Alan Hahn]

No. By the way, I've heard from Joe before.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That means he's doing well.

[Don Hahn]

He's always high.

[Alan Hahn]

He's good.

[Don Hahn]

But you know, what would you say of the bet? I. I did the thing. Did you not hear what I said?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The funniest part is. Let me ask you a question. The weed, by the way, question for you. If everything was the same but Judge didn't hit the four home runs, Judge was over the weekend, bigger story. Would this be a conversation?

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, it would.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How much?

[Alan Hahn]

Then it would become really noticeable.

[Don Hahn]

You think really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think it'd be the opposite. Remember, I think if you take away, Hear me out. If you take away the Judge back to back to back home runs, that was such a part of the national frenzy of the Yankee day.

[Alan Hahn]

He's three for three.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. I wonder whether. If that didn't happen.

[Alan Hahn]

No, because he wasn't using the bat.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but that's the irony.

[Alan Hahn]

He was using it. Listen, first of all, the wind was blowing in all weekend. It wasn't blowing out, it was blowing in. So Judge, let's say Judge gets a couple caught up in the wind and it's pop outs instead of home runs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

And that. And yet Volpe and Chisleman, whoever else it was that were using the bat, they're still hitting him out. It becomes a bigger deal. Judge can't. Judge can't cut through the wind. These guys are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it cuts the overall number down from 15 to 11. And you don't have the biggest superstar on the team hitting home runs. I hear you, Donna. You know what I'm saying? At all.

[Alan Hahn]

I think you're correct.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just think it's ironic it wouldn't.

[Don Hahn]

Have gotten as much attention because records wouldn't have been broken. But if you really break it down, it should be an overreaction, if that were the case. Because the guy that wasn't using the bat didn't hit any.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

And then there were still 11 other home runs.

[Alan Hahn]

That's why I think.

[Don Hahn]

But I do think that there was a large exposure to the fact that it. They won. They scored 20 runs on Saturday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

They hit nine home runs. Michael K's box score that he filled out during the game is en route to the hall of Fame. So it was an epic game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's pretty cool. So that's why people are finally something cool.

[Don Hahn]

That's why I'm saying you kind of have to own it at the same time. Because when you come up with an idea that literally breaks a record, don't you flex rather than say, well, it didn't have anything to do with it. That's how good we are, man. Like, we. We would have hit nine home runs anyway. I don't know what you're talking about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but they wouldn't want to flex what they did.

[Alan Hahn]

Like Thurston Howell right there. That was really good. Thurston. How.

[Don Hahn]

Listen. And that. And also that seems to add to the narrative that they were cheating. They didn't want anybody to know about it. No. They cleared it with Major League Baseball. But when you have a gem, why would you share. To keep it quiet as long as possible.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, oh, by the way, I mean, I got to tell you, it's a big Narcomania moment for Michael.

[Alan Hahn]

What?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anyone who believes Michael is some sort of homer, though, they were mad at him. Alan, there are people going, I can't believe Michael ratted us out.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I can you. I can definitely see this. We all work enough in the business like this where, you know that there's something where it's like, you know, don't, don't, don't bring that up. Right But Michael.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's interesting.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you serious?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And ultimately, I'm not a fanboy. I am the broadcaster. And Michael did a great job. Got a job, too, here.

[Alan Hahn]

And everybody has eyes. You're watching the broadcast. The first thing I thought when I was watching him in the. In the on deck circle, I'm like, what the hell? Bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is that right? Which is why he had to say something. How do you not now it wouldn't have blown up, though, respectfully, to Michael's great work. It blows up because your, you know, your KFC barstool and your Jom boys and your port noise, they started all taking the Michael story and then turning it into an online TikTok story that then blew up over the next 24 hours.

[Don Hahn]

So let me ask you this. If it's deemed legal, so what do you want to do if you believe it's cheating and you root for the Red Sox or the Mets or whoever you root for, are you sitting there hoping they don't get this bat, or are you hoping that they conform and do so you want. Because if you think they're cheating, you.

[Alan Hahn]

Want the sport to ban this bat.

[Don Hahn]

But even right now, they still think the Yankees are cheating. So I'll ask you, if you root for another team, are you hoping they don't use this bat, win with integrity, or are you sitting there going, dude, why aren't you? How have you not made the call already? I want the Bam Bam bat. Why couldn't they use the Bam Bam bat instead of the torpedo?

[Alan Hahn]

The Bam Bam bat. You mean like the one that's literally the Flintstones, right? I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When you saw Bam Bam, it's literally.

[Alan Hahn]

A branch off a tree, right? A little leaf sticking out of it. But because it's just so gigantic of like a hunk of wood. That's what we're talking about. I. I don't understand why any of that stuff's not legal. Why should there be limitations? Why not?

[Don Hahn]

Well, I think there has to be regulations. Even in golf now. Yeah, you just can't decide. I'm gonna go get a bat that's bigger than. Remember that.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, wait. You can't use the hockey stick putter like Happy Gilmore uses. Not allowed to do that.

[Don Hahn]

I don't think you're allowed to do that.

[Alan Hahn]

You don't think you're allowed. But he was on the tour with it.

[Don Hahn]

I think that they suspended disbelief there. No, like, Right. They took some poetic license.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

I know what. I was watching. He was on the Tour. Jeff Passion Will Major League Baseball look to ban the torpedo bat?

[Don Hahn]

I think it's something that has to at very least be considered. But for a sport that's kind of starving for offense at this point, where pitching has has so outpaced hitting in terms of technology and in terms of effectiveness, I'm not sure that MLB necessarily would look at this as a bad thing, especially because it's not like it's going to be limited to the Yankees. They got a first mover advantage that's going to amount to probably five to 10 games. And at that point, there will be others who start using it and, you know, some are going to find success with it and some are going to be like, you know what, I don't have any hits in this thing for the first three games. I'm using it back to the traditional bat because there are problems. You might not be able to get some hits off the end of the bat. Some guys aren't comfortable with it. That's why Judge isn't using it, doesn't need to feel comfortable with. And so that'll come down to that. It'll level itself off again. I don't want to take away from the Yankees greatness by what they accomplished, but they did break a record. I'm sure it helped. But to think that that's going to happen everywhere or it's going to happen to the Yankees every time they play. No, because obviously there are variations, right, where they hit 15 home runs over the weekend, nine of them in one game, so it was still only six spread out over the other two. So obviously it's not going to be the norm. But you're starting to see that this is going to become the standard.

[Alan Hahn]

And it is, it is something that is a topic of conversation.

[Don Hahn]

But what I would like to know is what's Major League Baseball's appetite? If it does increase home runs to a dramatic effect, are they more likely to dial it down or go with it because it creates interest in the sport?

[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 this show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcast. All right, let's get calls going here on this topic because it obviously has been something that everybody's been talking about, the torpedo bat. The Yankees have used them to mash 15 home runs in the first three games of the season. Now, apparently everybody in the league wants them. And Don is asking a simple question, is like, how big of A deal is this. Don't say that it's cheating, but don't say that it has no impact on what the Yankees do. They absolutely. We all know it certainly both could be true.

[Don Hahn]

Right?

[Alan Hahn]

And I do agree. But I also say let's not go crazy and think this is the latest craze. This could be something that was just a weekend. And by next week, we're laughing, saying, yeah, you know, Volpe hasn't made contact in a. In a week or whatever it is. We don't know yet. Give it more time. All right, David and Elizabeth is up next. What's up, David?

[E]

What's going on, fellas? Hey, before we start, Don Rosenberg. Did you see my man Han last night?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, how can you miss it? Couldn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That boy was fly.

[Don Hahn]

For Clyde's 80th birthday, he really.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He did his thing.

[Alan Hahn]

That jacket looked good. That jacket was so fly wings like it was. I put that on and I almost felt like I. I transformed. Like I was a different person.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can start wearing it more regularly.

[Alan Hahn]

I wish. I wish I could. I had to give it back to him.

[Don Hahn]

It was his.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, actually, no, it was Clyde's jacket. He let me use it for the day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

Was very careful not to. To make sure, like nothing happened to that jacket.

[Don Hahn]

That's awesome.

[E]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[E]

I get it. I. Two things, two things real quick, gentlemen. Number one, this I want to say. Everybody stop whining. Man, the Yankees played a gorgeous game. The bats were hot. Chisholm Judge Vulpy Bellinger, I believe everybody was hitting. And not for nothing, just like Don said, in a week or two when that whole MLB wants to start using these basketball, they swap. You guys won't even bring it up anymore and it'll just be a thing of the past. Stop crying. The Yankees played a good game, my Mets didn't. It is what it is. My second point real quick, gentlemen. I'm going to Knicks Phoenix this Sunday. I'm hoping Grunson is back. Han, if you could give me an update. Enjoy the weekend, enjoy the weather, fellas.

[Alan Hahn]

You got it, David. I. I would not anticipate him back this weekend.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Really?

[Alan Hahn]

He did. We'll get into this later in the show. He did talk about how he does want to get back before the playoffs so you can get into some game rhythm. But that seems very aggressive for him to be back that soon. But, you know, you never know. I wouldn't put it past him, that's for sure.

[Don Hahn]

You don't want him to rush? No, at the same time, you want to make sure there's enough games where he feels right. Like, what is that? Two, three games? They've got five left. So can he get back?

[Alan Hahn]

They got more than five left.

[Don Hahn]

No, no. Excuse me, eight left. But if he comes back with three left, that would be like five more games.

[Alan Hahn]

Sunday, he needs four to get to 65. And the 65 is important because that unlocks all your awards. And he'd be all NBA, like easily all NBA. So Sunday's game would then allow. Because there'd be four left after that game. And they do play Boston on that Tuesday. The last time they'll see Boston until maybe the second round. It's at the Garden. It's on national tv. Boy, would he be targeting something like that. Just, you know, like I said, I wouldn't put it past him.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

But I am not. I'm not going to anticipate anything until I literally see him on the floor.

[Don Hahn]

You think back for Phoenix would be aggressive?

[Alan Hahn]

I just think the way he talked yesterday, he's close, but not that close.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

And I'm also of a belief, I just want to put him in bubble wrap and make sure he's 100%. So if he surprises me, I wouldn't be surprised because that's what he does. But I'm never going to anticipate something like that. Let's continue with the calls. Let's go to Michael in the car. Michael.

[D]

Hello, guys. How are you?

[Alan Hahn]

The voice. Okay.

[D]

Oh, Michael, I've got some breaking news that maybe only Peter would care about. All right, so I'm walking out of the studio to go to the parking lot and begin my near two hour journey home because they decided to build a studio as far away from where I live.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I love this man. Yes.

[D]

And who do I run into, Peter? Adam Sandler holding the basketball. Going to play basketball.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No way.

[Alan Hahn]

West 4th.

[E]

Right.

[D]

We talk for about 10 minutes about the Yankees. Great guy. And I said, Peter would appreciate hearing this.

[Don Hahn]

Wow. You ask him to be in a movie?

[Alan Hahn]

How?

[D]

Wait, wait, no, I've already been in a movie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You didn't ask for a follow up?

[D]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Hmm. I think The Grown Ups 3 is not going to happen.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, I did did reference Happy Gilmore at the start of the show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh.

[D]

I actually thought for a moment, maybe I'll ask him to come up and be on with the guys. I said, well, how does that really benefit me?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, exactly. You know what, Should I go walk down to West 4th and try to get him right now?

[Alan Hahn]

You know, I was trying to get him on the show because there is The Happy Gilmore 2 coming out, and they're promoting it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Alan Hahn]

And. And I. Somebody reached out, and they were offering someone else, and I said, can we get Adam? It'd be great to have him on. And that. I never got a reply.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. And Michael. Michael, you get a little updated contact info or no, you know what?

[D]

I didn't, because it was such a nice, casual, relaxed conversation. I didn't want to be that guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who said hello to who first.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[D]

He actually said hello to me. He said, hey, Michael, and I said, hey, Adam. I didn't go Sandman, because I don't do nicknames.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's not your style.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But he saw you first. You know what I'm telling you that you're a tall drink of water. He spotted you. He went. That is the iconic voice of the New York Yankees and the guy who begged to be in my movie, Michael K. Wow.

[D]

Actually moved the needle on that movie cast. Coach Romy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You didn't mention the spin off Romy Speaks, or whatever it's gonna be called.

[D]

There was a lot of things I thought about saying, but I just didn't want to ruin a great moment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's too bad. Instead, you had to just. Did you talk about the bats?

[Don Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[D]

He said, what's. What's going on with these bats? And I gave him the whole thing. And he's in town to do a fundraiser for autism tonight.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, that's wonderful.

[D]

But he was in his Adam Sandler uniform. The shorts and the. The sweat, and he actually had a basketball under his right arm.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is a great in the Wild. Sandler in the Wild. And how close to the actual front door of our radio station?

[D]

Well, when I come out of the radio station, I make a left and then another left to walk to the parking lot. And he was coming out of a hotel.

[E]

Wow.

[D]

And it was just like, almost no. No security, nothing. Just being himself.

[Don Hahn]

That is awesome. And the reason he said, hey, Michael.

[D]

I think you should go. You should go down to the park now, Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I should look for him right now.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why not?

[Alan Hahn]

Go out in the wild? You know, he's in the wild. Go hunt.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And get him on and give him the phone and get him on the show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This would be him. You know what? Let's give it to one of our. Let's grab one of the interns. Street team guys.

[Don Hahn]

Hello. Hello. It's Monday.

[D]

I said, you have a game arranged. He goes, no, no, I'm just Gonna try to.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[D]

Pick up to a game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's a real pickup guy, man.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's what he does. Just shows up and just wants the ball. Who's around. That's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Alan's the one. Alan, you're the player on the team.

[Don Hahn]

It's true.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You should go down there and just try to get in the game.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't feel like it. I'm like. I'm, like, dressed for it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, a part of the reason.

[Don Hahn]

Feels like more is because he's not that guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Asking all those questions of all of a sudden we show up there and he finds out.

[Alan Hahn]

It would be very obvious if I.

[Don Hahn]

Suddenly just showed up at the.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, guys, anyone want to play some ball? Like, you know, that would definitely be an we. Way too obvious. Michael, you got anything while we have you, anything on the bat situation that Don is very hot about right now?

[D]

Well, I think that Don wants to, you know from. I was listening. And Don wants to just have it said. Well, obviously, that's why they hit the home runs. And I can't argue that. Obviously they wouldn't have done it if they didn't think it would work. But I don't know if they thought it would work. You know, to have no Cody Bellinger hit one 451ft. It's just hard to quantify. Although Alan said something true. These people that you know from mit, they'll find a way to quantify it.

[E]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And they'll figure it out. But I just was taking exception to the whole theory of. Well, what did it do? What did it mean? They meant something. When you. When you break a record for home runs on you, your box scores in the hall of fame. Which is the coolest thing, by the way.

[D]

Michael, my scorecard. Not the box score.

[Don Hahn]

Well, the scorecard that would. That ended in a box he had to correct. Hey, listen, I'm proud. It's called the scorecard. I know how to score a game. I'm sure neither of you two.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I used to be very good at it. My dad.

[Alan Hahn]

Dare you. I'm very fluent.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You think you still.

[Alan Hahn]

You think you still could backwards K.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, you think you still could, though, actually score a whole game. Yeah, I don't think you could. And you. And by the way, you should say proudly. I don't think I can.

[Alan Hahn]

I think I can.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's the nerdiest thing in sports. But, Michael, in this case. No, no, in your. For your job, it makes sense completely, but it is still nerdy. But this makes it all worthwhile, right? Your actual scorecard in the hall of fame. Now, do you have any other items in the hall of Fame?

[D]

No. No.

[Alan Hahn]

There you go.

[D]

I'm not worthy.

[Alan Hahn]

By the way, Michael, do you find it somewhat ironic that. That Peter is calling out what is. Isn't nerdy?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, he knows it's true.

[D]

Well, I mean, Peter does. Peter's like one of those weird people that you look at him and you, like, take. You know, the sum of his parts is cool, but the individual parts are all nerdy. I don't know how he makes it work.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No one has ever said that. That is actually one of the best compliments and accurate statements about me I've ever heard. I'm into a collection of different dorky things, but it all adds up pretty well.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, it works for you.

[Alan Hahn]

You bring it all together nicely. You really do. You bring it together. Thank you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll take that.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, now that the whole world knows that Adam Sandler's playing hoops at West 4th. Mike, that's a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, this could ruin the relationship.

[D]

I do not know if it's West 4th. He was just walking.

[Alan Hahn]

We know where we are. There's one. There's one court that everybody goes to, but it is. It's right up there, though, with of how you told the world about the bat. So you know it's on brand.

[D]

Oh, yeah. What Peter said I'm a narc.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, you really, by the way, did you. Were you getting a lot of hate? Because I did, you know, one of someone came up to me and he didn't even mean it, like, maliciously, but he was kind of like, oh, man, Michael. Michael, let the rabbit out of the bag. Like, were you getting hate for saying it at all?

[Alan Hahn]

Cat.

[D]

No, cat.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Rabbit.

[D]

Most people on X. Well, the Yankees told them to say.

[Don Hahn]

It, which is no sense.

[Alan Hahn]

We have a caller that we'll get to that is telling us that the brewers broadcast actually were talking about it before you did. Oh, well, really?

[D]

He has a timestamp.

[Alan Hahn]

So I like. I love the fact that you want the credit for it, but you don't want.

[D]

Listen, listen.

[E]

I.

[D]

You know, you're talking about Happy Gilmore. I'm on the 17th hole. I mean, so what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

17.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know about this.

[D]

I don't have much more to go life and in career.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let me ask you one more. I don't know if you caught this, but. So I hope you don't get mad. I thought it was just very funny and I have no issues with this person, but I thought it was very funny. You posted on Saturday the lovely photo of you standing on the warning track.

[Alan Hahn]

And it says center field.

[Peter Rosenberg]

At center field.

[Alan Hahn]

What a great photo.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A great photo. And it says 34th season. So lucky. 34th season, Yankees. Did you see Marshand's retweet of that, Michael?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, no.

[D]

Yeah, I think he said dramatic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, he wrote dramatic, but quite an accomplishment. He couldn't just let you get the accomplishment.

[D]

He needs content, you know, I gave him content.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, it was a lovely photo, though. Well done. And congrats. That's a great way to start year 34.

[Don Hahn]

That was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Come on, give it up. That was pretty cool.

[D]

Looking at a stadium. I said looking forward to my 34th. Every word chosen.

[Alan Hahn]

Get it back, guys. Poetic.

[Don Hahn]

Now, did you say take a picture? Am I behind? Excuse me, who did you like? Who took that picture?

[D]

There's a young lady who works in our social media department at. Yes, her name is Molly. Very talented. She's going to be a star. And we were walking into the stadium and I said, look, look how beautiful to myself. Look how beautiful the field looks. I said, mommy, will you take a picture of me while I'm standing there? So it was all staged very phony, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Every future star in this business starts out with the task being tasked to take pictures of Michael K's ass. Some of the greats. I've seen this happen before. Luko used to have that job.

[Don Hahn]

It's the stage before you start to kiss it. That's not true.

[D]

First off, she was not taking a picture of my butt. It was the whole body.

[Don Hahn]

I know, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was a body shot. That's right.

[Alan Hahn]

You don't know where it was focused. Yeah, touche.

[Don Hahn]

No, it was really iconic at your career and your job.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Look at that.

[D]

Hear that?

[Alan Hahn]

When did you start taking pictures of his butt?

[Don Hahn]

When did I start?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I mean, when I was doing updates. And then what?

[Don Hahn]

And then. And then eventually I got the co host. How do you think I got there?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, exactly.

[Don Hahn]

Just because I'm really good at what I do.

[D]

No, there was a period of time. There was a period of time, about a year when we had another person on the show and Dom wasn't allowed to talk, so he took a lot of pictures. He actually drew pictures.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I drew pictures of you about it.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

And look at him now.

[D]

I wonder where it is. He had a piece of paper with a drawn picture of me and North Turner. Nor Turner is his work.

[Don Hahn]

That's his Yeah, I gotta bring it in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, you still have it?

[Don Hahn]

I still have it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Norville.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. I was really happy with the work because that took. That's the kind of time I had.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now I gotta ask an important and difficult question.

[Alan Hahn]

Look at him now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I gotta ask the important first. Did you put. Did you include the pockmarks?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[D]

Oh, yeah, it was.

[Don Hahn]

Did I?

[D]

Yeah, it was detail.

[Don Hahn]

No, it was very.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you're gonna write. I hate to say it, but if you're gonna do a North Turner pick, it has to sort of have the skin blemishes. It's part of the normal look.

[Don Hahn]

That's how you know it's him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's.

[D]

And when he wasn't. When he wasn't drawing like that, he was in full reading a book mode.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, the Theo Fleury biography. Read the whole thing cover to cover.

[Alan Hahn]

Theo Fleury. So this is like. Basically before there was social media. This is how you ignored the show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's right.

[Don Hahn]

Well, what was I supposed to do? I was being told not to speak.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So what, I just. Should I just, like, stare at the two of them in wonderment?

[Alan Hahn]

It's interesting because Bart Scott was always told he could speak, but yet he chose to read other things during the show. I always found that to be interesting, but maybe it's me who knows.

[Peter Rosenberg]

His name was first and still chose to laugh.

[Alan Hahn]

Didn't matter.

[Don Hahn]

When you play football, you can do anything.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's true.

[Don Hahn]

Like I said, if Marcel Mo so was played in the NFL, he'd have a show on espn.

[D]

Don has a very solid contract. The way he talks.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, you could tell. You could tell that the negotiations went well.

[Don Hahn]

I love you.

[D]

I love you back.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks, Michael. 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. Let's get to calls I mentioned. There's a caller that said the brewers broadcast. Mention it before. Before Michael did. Let's see what Dennis in North Carolina has for us. Dennis.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[E]

Yeah. So I. I watched the game on the MLB app on Apple tv. And you can switch from different broadcasters. And sometimes I like to listen to the visitor broadcasting. And after the judge home run. I believe it was the first inning yesterday. They. I think it was the second inning. They started talking about the. The torpedo bats and whatever. And no Michael K. I don't have a timestamp, but they have something in the top right. Cor. Shows you what inning it is. And it was around the second inning. And I listened for about two or three innings on theirs. And then right when I went over to the YES network, Michael K. Started talking about it. So I don't like how he's taking the credit for, you know, opening this can of beans or this panda box or whatever.

[Don Hahn]

He's taking credit for it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Actually, he's not taking credit for it.

[E]

He was trying to although saying, I don't. What, do I have a timestamp? No, I just look at the inning.

[Don Hahn]

But that's the only evidence that he has like taken any kind of pride in it. I mean, he had the information. He gave it to you. And I think the reason he's being defensive is that there are many people who are saying that this is why, like the Yankees were the ones to tell him to go out there and do it, which I don't understand. Because the Yankees wanted to keep it a secret. I think he was just doing his job and. But there were some people that were trying to take exception to him doing that. As far as who had it first, whoever gave him the information obviously had it first. But it's just a matter of timing.

[E]

I just think that in between the innings he probably talks to the other broadcasters and maybe they like told them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now you're just bad mouthing Mike. This is now just hating on Michael. You're just sheerly hating on him.

[E]

Well, I like them. Until he said that. What does he have a timestamp? But he's trying to get it by my facts. I'm telling him that the reason he didn't get it first.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know why he thought, well, so first, second. I guarantee you the reason it became a bigger conversation was because it was said on yes. During the Yankees broadcast.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. That's all it is. Respectfully.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To the brewers broadcast.

[Don Hahn]

Here's the respectfully. I don't think Michael ever seemed to.

[E]

Have an actually fantastic.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'm sure it is, but it doesn't have the same viewership.

[Don Hahn]

Right. It's just, it's. And also the fact. Yeah. Or the same amount of eyeballs as. As the Yankee broadcast is going to have.

[Alan Hahn]

Because we should have taken his call before we got Michael.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

He was so sore about what Michael said.

[Don Hahn]

Here's the thing. Michael did say the timestamp because he probably was just having fun. He never claimed that he had some sort of exclusive that nobody else was going to have it. It's just that people pay a lot more attention to the Yankees than they do the brewers, because New York is bigger than Milwaukee and people happen to see it.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's the one that. If you're recording anything, it's off of that broadcast. And I agree with Dennis. You don't want to open a panda box, do you, Peter?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, you don't.

[Alan Hahn]

You don't want to open a panda box.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wait, is you playing on your rabbit out of the.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, no, no. He literally said that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, he said that.

[Alan Hahn]

Jake, you can find the panda box. The caller, your rabbit out of. What did you say now?

[Don Hahn]

Bag.

[Alan Hahn]

Rabbit out of a bag has set off now. Like we are now. People are saying, like crazy expression.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it makes a rabbit out of a hat.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what it was.

[Don Hahn]

Is out of the bag.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I confused the rabbit.

[Don Hahn]

I am going to go under the same assumption.

[Alan Hahn]

Panda box.

[Don Hahn]

That. That last caller was also high.

[Alan Hahn]

You think so?

[Don Hahn]

But again, everybody looks at that as I'm being pejorative. I. I've said it many times, and I think the K audience is carried over to this show. I think we've got the highest audience in radio.

[Alan Hahn]

Love it. Mr. Ray in Connecticut, are you high?

[E]

No, I'm not high. Been clean for a while now, but the way these guys are talking, they're making me want to. Just a quick point. You know, I agree with pretty much everything you guys are saying. I give kudos to the Yankees analytics department, but honestly, already did the math. There's almost close to 40% of the teams in the league that there are players using these bats, including Francisco Lindor. And we know he had a slow start. I'm sure if he would have been hitting seven, eight home runs, we'd be talking about his bat, but we're not. Same thing. The Twins, the Cubs, the Rays, the Blue Jays, Orioles. So three teams within the division are also using these bats. Manny Machado said he ordered some. So to me, I thought everybody's gonna be ordering nonsense and a testament of Yankee hate. Like what Don was talking about. When you're great, expect the hate. And that's pretty much it. Guys love the show.

[Don Hahn]

I say you embrace the hate because the second that you're not hated, you no longer matter. Either you're losing or nobody cares anymore. So that's. I just. I. I think that it was something that was curious, but I think as time's gone on, it's so typical of any controversy, right? People are half informed, right? They don't know all the stories. It's the Yankees, the only ones that have it. It's illegal? No, it's within the margins. They're not the only team that does it. But people react in real time, and then they get the information. But it's gonna cool down.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, we'll see. Because if the hitting continues, it'll get louder and louder. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know it's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.