Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Hour 1: Yankees Re-Sign Bellinger

Date: January 21, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers around the New York Yankees’ long-awaited re-signing of outfielder Cody Bellinger, analyzing how his return shapes the Yankees roster, and debating whether the deal truly moves the team forward or just preserves the status quo. The hosts — Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg — dig into the implications for both the Yankees and the Mets, discuss fan expectations, roster concerns (especially pitching and offense), and take calls from listeners skeptical about the Yankees’ approach and Brian Cashman’s leadership.

Main Discussion Themes

1. Cody Bellinger’s Return to the Yankees

• Don's Relief: Alan Hahn opens with excitement and relief that the Bellinger saga has ended with him in pinstripes (00:51). Peter says he wasn’t deeply worried but admits he was desperate for Bellinger.
• Negotiation Dynamics: The delay is attributed to Bellinger’s agent, Scott Boras, leveraging time to get the best deal (01:36).
• Contract Details: Bellinger signs for five years, $162 million; the Yankees didn't want to go to six, were reluctant to even offer five, but were compelled by competitiveness (04:36).
• Yankees' Offseason Moves: Other than adding Ryan Weathers, the Yankees have been quiet in free agency, causing some concern about stagnation (03:11). The main narrative: Bellinger’s return maintains the roster rather than upgrading it.

Notable Quote:

"But it still feels, guys, that the Yankees kind of stayed pat, which isn't awful because they're a really good baseball team. But...the idea that this was gonna be an offseason, we're gonna take a huge step and spend a lot of money and improve the team. They kind of stayed the same." — Don La Greca (03:45)

2. Yankees Roster Construction and Fan Expectations

• Outfield Mix: With Grisham, Judge, and Bellinger established, discussion turns to what happens with Jones or Dominguez, and the flexibility Bellinger brings (05:04).
• Pitching Health is Key: Optimism is tethered to hopes that injured starters (Cole, Rodon, Clarkson) will return by May/June, potentially making the Yankees a strong “second-half team” (06:00).
• Offense Still a Question: There are recurring doubts about offensive depth. Outside of Judge and Bellinger, the lineup doesn’t feature many reliable bats, and struggles in clutch postseason at-bats linger in memory (12:29, 36:32).
• Fan Mentality: Don remarks on the insatiable expectations of Yankee fans for insurance policies and All-Stars at every position—a luxury few teams, even the Dodgers, can truly guarantee (07:21, 13:05).

Notable Quote:

"Yankee fans want guarantees. Yankess fans want...all stars at every position. I want to make sure if somebody goes down, somebody, the equivalent can slide in. That's hard to do." — Don La Greca (07:21)

3. The Yankees vs. the Dodgers Dilemma

• Comparisons to ‘Great’ Teams: The Dodgers are considered the lone “great” team in baseball due to recent back-to-back World Series successes (15:11–15:32). The show explores the difference between being “very good” (Yankees) and “great” (Dodgers).
• No Guarantees: Injuries and baseball’s unpredictability mean even loaded teams like the Dodgers can’t guarantee cruise-control dominance. The Yankees’ hope is to get hot at the right time, especially with their pitching healthy in the second half (16:13–18:13).

Notable Quote:

"You gotta understand that world doesn’t exist anymore. And, and you gotta let it go. I had to let it go. But when you look at the Yankees, you can at least tell yourself they have a shot, they have a chance." — Alan Hahn (16:13)

4. Cautious Optimism vs. Sober Reality

• The Optimistic Take: Alan is “bullish” on the Yankees season, especially if the pitching staff stays healthy and the team can add steam in the second half (09:48–11:41). Moves made at the 2025 deadline to get more athletic and bring in Bednar for the bullpen have already helped.
• The Skeptical Take: Peter constantly represents the “negative Yankee fan,” warning about the team’s pattern: strong on paper, snakebitten by injuries and underperformance come summer (13:03, 18:07).
• Callers Chime In: Listeners echo skepticism, especially about Cashman’s ongoing stewardship, and the team's all-or-nothing offensive approach (21:02, 22:13). Questions are raised about relying so much on home runs and failing to manufacture runs in the postseason.

Notable Quote:

“I am being that guy. I am being — I am representing the voice of the negative Yankee fan that we talk to every single day, which is, yeah, I've seen this roster...and somehow when the season starts, it never goes the way that it is on paper.” — Peter Rosenberg (18:07)

Listener Quote:

“The Yankees believe...guys, get up there and swing for the fences. Home run, home run, home run. And we lose in the playoffs. That's what I want to see.” — Rob in Nyack (21:27)

5. Roster Holes and Remaining Needs

• Shortstop Questions: Volpe’s injury and performance have raised the possibility of George Lombard pushing for a job (33:06–34:33).
• Catcher Situation: A caller notes Ben Rice as full-time first baseman means the team is heavy on left-handed catchers, wishing for a right-handed backup instead (40:41).
• Backup Plans: The rotation’s depth excites Alan, but both Rodon and Schlitler still present “ifs” based on health and brief track records (20:12; 20:55).
• Potential Moves: Callers wonder if Brian Cashman might pull off another significant acquisition (Peralta?) or if small “maintenance moves” are all that’s left (38:45–41:48).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Bellinger is all about the status quo.” — Don La Greca (03:33)
• “If it turns out to be what it is on paper...of course, Don, we're having a conversation. I'm just representing the voice that I hear so often, which is that never happens.” — Peter Rosenberg (18:07)
• “There's no guarantee. I think they're a very good baseball team...This is a team that can win the World Series. This is also a team that could settle for a wild card and get beaten by the Blue Jays again. I think both are very much on the table.” — Don La Greca (18:53)
• “I know what you're saying and I can't deny any of it, but I also don't think you had a pitching staff when healthy like this. Like this. No, but this is as deep of a starting rotation that they have had since I can remember.” — Alan Hahn (19:52)

Key Timestamps

| Time | Segment Summary | |--------|-----------------------| | 00:51 | Cody Bellinger re-signs with Yankees; host reactions | | 03:11 | Offseason roster building, Yankees “stay pat” | | 04:36 | Contract details and discussion about building the outfield | | 06:00 | Hope for pitching health and expectation Yankees will be a “second-half team” | | 07:21 | Fan demand for “insurance policies” and luxury rosters | | 09:48 | Alan’s increased optimism for the Yankees in 2026 | | 13:03 | Peter flags pattern of hype-vs-reality injuries | | 15:11 | Who’s great in MLB? Dodgers vs. the field | | 16:13 | Letting go of dominance expectations, embracing team’s “chance” | | 18:07 | Peter’s “negative fan” persona; history of injuries and disappointment | | 21:02 | Caller “Rob in Nyack” laments Yankees’ one-dimensional offense and Cashman’s job security | | 22:13 | Alan and Peter tongue-in-cheek, teasing about vocabulary and intelligence | | 36:32 | Offense is the real postseason Achilles' heel, not pitching | | 38:45 | Caller asks about potential for one more big move (Peralta trade?) | | 40:41 | Concern about backup catcher handedness and lineup versatility | | 42:19 | Final thoughts: realistic expectations for the season, focus on making the playoffs |

Episode Takeaways

• The Bellinger deal brings relief and needed stability but leaves lingering questions about whether the Yankees are truly improved.
• Much of the optimistic outlook rides on the health of their pitching staff and hoped-for improvements from within, not from splashy acquisitions.
• Long-standing concerns about the offense’s feast-or-famine nature remain.
• Despite fan restlessness and skepticism about leadership, the hosts agree: the Yankees are a “very good” team with a real but far from guaranteed shot at October success.

Tone: Playful, lively, occasionally sarcastic, with a mix of cautious optimism and realistic skepticism about perennial Yankees narratives and fan expectations. Multiple moments of camaraderie and New York sports banter, including lighthearted host teasing and engagement with caller frustrations.

For fans and listeners: This episode delivers a balanced, insightful breakdown of what the Bellinger signing does (and doesn’t) mean for the Yankees, while holding a mirror up to New York’s unique brand of sports hope — and anxiety.