Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 1: Yankees Wild Card Preview (Sept 30, 2025)
Episode Overview
The hour dives deep into a high-stakes day for New York sports fans as the Yankees prepare to face the Red Sox in the Wild Card round at Yankee Stadium. With Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg at the helm, the show explores the significance, matchups, anxieties, and hopes swirling around this pivotal moment for the Yankees. The tone oscillates between serious analysis, classic sports radio banter, and a nostalgic look at postseason baseball.
Main Topics & Key Discussion Points
1. “Varsity Takes the Field” — The Yankees as New York’s Main Event
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Don and company elevate the Yankees above the Giants, Jets, and Mets:
“The varsity show. Now we're talking about the team that deserves to be talked about. This is the varsity now. All the little JV shenanigans...JV's over. Get off the field. Now the varsity comes. Now the varsity is taking the field...now the lion comes in and says, all right, now it's time to play ball.”
(Hunter Rosenberg, 01:56–02:52) -
The narrative is that, despite not being a personal Yankee fan, even Hahn admits the team’s historic power and timing demand attention.
2. Wild Card Series: Do-or-Die Mentality
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Critical analysis of why the Wild Card form raises the stakes:
- Yankees and Red Sox share identical records; “could be over in a snap and all it was was one bad inning by one pitcher.” (Don Hahn, 05:26)
- Emphasis on the unpredictability: One misstep—by a pitcher or fielder—could end the season.
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Tonight’s Game 1: Freed vs Crochet
- “The winner of tonight wins the series because it's Freed and Crochet. Right?...Trust factor to me is tonight.” (Don Hahn, 03:53–04:01)
- Both aces, both seasons on the line, both with something to prove. “Crochet has owned the Yankees, but the Yankees usually own you when you're making your playoff debut....Something's got to give.” (Don, 04:32)
- Discussion about pressure: Is Crochet’s “business casual” travel attire a sign of laser focus or added nerves?
3. Bullpens will Decide It All
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Modern postseason baseball is defined by bullpens, not starters lasting 7-9 innings:
- “Managers are hot. Excuse me, to go to their bullpen, I mean, almost like trying to find a vein. I mean, they want to mainline the bullpen.” (Hunter, 05:50)
- Likely scenario: After Freed and Crochet exit, “it's a battle of the bullpens. And it didn't matter, like. And then we'll come and we'll analyze tomorrow the result of the game and everything we'll talk about is what happened after the seventh inning. Because it's all about the bullpen.” (Hunter, 06:01–06:25)
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Notable closer discussion — the 'Deadpool':
- Who’s most likely to melt down? Chapman, Bednar, Devin Williams, etc.
- “Chapman, he's coming in and he's just going to get Rock because that. Would be something, him coming into Yankee Stadium in the postseason to try to get the Yankees out in front of 50,000 screaming fans.” (Don, 11:17)
4. Yankee Stadium Postseason Atmosphere
- Deep appreciation for the electric environment—even in the new stadium:
- “Yankee Stadium is always electric. It's always pretty much full...But when they put the bunting up, it's a different way.” (Hunter, 09:23–10:09)
- Postseason changes everything: “The roll call will be louder. Everything will hit different today.” (Peter, 10:11)
5. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton: Legacy and Pressure
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Judge:
- “This needs to be a judge October. It's time.” (Don, 12:11)
- Great in Wild Card round (1.217 OPS, best ever) but falls off in later series. “Carryover” expected for this matchup vs. Boston.
- Debate on psychological tone-setting: “Can you imagine what that building will be like if out of the gate Judges balling out?” (Peter, 13:16)
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Stanton:
- “Stanton has 18 postseason home runs as a Yankee third all time ... And what's even more insane, listen to this. Number one is Bernie Williams. Bernie Williams has 22 postseason home runs in 121 games. Jeter is second with 20 in 158. ... Stan has to be in, what, 40 games? 41....Like you want to talk about. That's, that's, that's a crazy. It's a perfect score. His home runs per game, off the charts.” (Don & Peter, 34:14–35:04)
- Verdict: He has an aura in the room—respected by younger players, might be a Hall-of-Famer with a ring and another 50+ home runs.
6. Lineup Controversies and Analytics vs 'Hot' Hand
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Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm benched despite hot finishes—analytics and matchups rule for Aaron Boone & Yankees:
- “Analytics doesn't believe in hot. Ben Rice finished the season on, as you would say, a two. Right? But against Crochet, historically, he's one for eight and a lot of swing and miss. So you keep him out. Now, if they bring in a righty, he'll come in.” (Don, 31:05)
- Hunter: “I believe in hot. I believe how you played down the stretch...But to start, they're not going to be there because what did Alan say about analytics? They don't believe in hot. They believe they won those eight games because they had the right matchups during those eight games.” (Hunter, 44:27–44:43)
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Fan frustration—callers echo desire for going with the hot hand over “cold” numbers.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On the stakes for Yankees tonight:
"Mark my words, we're going to go into the final nine outs of this game and that is where the win or loss is going to lie. So once they've put these guys to bed, that's when it's on."
— Hunter Rosenberg (07:34)
The postseason magic of Yankee Stadium:
"But when they put the bunting up, it's a different way."
— Don Hahn (09:55)
On Judge’s postseason history:
"In the wild card, he's a .300 hitter with three home runs. 1.217, which is incredible, by far the best...then you get to the divisional round where he has played 26 games and he's got a batting average of .192...So in 262 postseason at bats, he has struck out 86 times..."
— Hunter Rosenberg (13:49–15:22)
Stanton’s Postseason Clutch Factor:
"Stanton has 18 postseason home runs as a Yankee, third all time...in 41 games."
— Don Hahn / Peter Rosenberg (34:14–35:04)
The Analytics Debate:
"They don't believe in hot. They don't believe in, you’re on a roll. They believe in the matchups. That's why they do the…I'm with you, I'm with you. I go with the guy that's rolling."
— Don Hahn (42:18–42:29)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Timestamp | Topic/Segment | |--------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:56–02:52 | Elevating Yankees—“Varsity” status, other NY teams dismissed | | 03:53–04:31 | Game 1 (Freed vs. Crochet) “winner of tonight wins the series” | | 05:26–06:25 | Best-of-three's pressure, “one bad inning” can end a season | | 08:08–08:26 | Bullpen warfare, not starters, will decide outcome | | 09:23–10:09 | The postseason energy at Yankee Stadium (“they put the bunting up”) | | 12:11–13:49 | Judge: “It’s time”—his wild card vs. divisional round performance | | 34:14–35:04 | Stanton’s postseason HR leadership—historic pace | | 42:18–44:43 | Explicit rejection of ‘hot hand’ by Yankees’ front office | | 45:57–46:35 | Boone: “This is the best group we’ve gone in with” |
Additional Highlights
- Caller Neil in the Bronx (41:18) — asks for divine intervention for Judge to have his “Reggie Jackson moment.”
- Lineup Analysis (33:00–34:13) — Breakdown of Yankees lineup for Game 1; Rice and Chisholm out, Rosario at second for his strong history v. Crochet.
- Baseball Nostalgia — The hosts reminisce about 70s–80s postseason classics (Dodgers-Reds, Brett, Schmidt, Molitor, trading cards). Light-hearted break from the intensity.
- Show Energy and Banter: Frequent jokes, ribbing, and references to previous shows, social media responses, and the hosts’ own sports fandom and history.
- Manager Quotes: Snippets from Aaron Boone on lineup, matchups, and team vibe delivered with context and critical interpretation.
Conclusion
This episode sets the emotional and analytical landscape for Yankees fans heading into the Wild Card round. The hosts balance in-depth strategizing around the pitching matchups and bullpen roles with interpersonal dynamics—both inside the Yankees’ clubhouse and across the rabid fanbase. The themes of pressure, legacy, and the razor-thin margins of Wild Card postseason baseball run throughout. The episode finishes by previewing upcoming interviews, continuing discussion of lineup decisions, and preparing for the first pitch.