Hour 2: Fraud Alert Friday

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Episode "Hour 2: Fraud Alert Friday"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
• Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
• Episode: Hour 2: Fraud Alert Friday
• Release Date: May 16, 2025
• Description: Hosted by ESPN New York and New Jersey personalities, the show delves into New York sports, hip hop, WWE, and more, offering lively discussions and insightful commentary.

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Main Topics Covered:

1. Juan Soto’s Trade: Yankees to Mets
2. Fraud Alert Friday: Fan Loyalty and Behavior
3. Listener Calls and Host Reactions
4. Traffic Updates and Timely News
5. Player Performance and Team Dynamics

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1. Juan Soto’s Trade: Yankees to Mets

Discussion Overview: The core of the episode revolves around the high-profile trade of Juan Soto from the New York Yankees to the New York Mets. The hosts delve into the motivations behind the trade, its implications for both teams, and the broader impact on fan sentiments and team rivalries.

Key Points:

• Motivations Behind the Trade:

  • Don Hahn [01:34]: Reflects on the historical context of the Mets traditionally acquiring players at the tail end of their careers, contrasting it with Soto’s prime acquisition.
  • Alan Hahn [03:01]: Highlights that while the Mets outbid the Yankees, Soto primarily chose the Mets for financial reasons rather than loyalty, stating, “I think a lot of people, and maybe not you do feel a significant amount of extra sauce because the guy was the star in the Bronx.”

• Financial Implications:

  • Don Hahn [03:01]: Emphasizes Steve Cohen’s financial prowess, mentioning, “I know Steve Cohen's sitting on $16 billion,” underscoring the Mets' newfound financial muscle.
  • Alan Hahn [06:01]: Discusses the substantial $60 million over 15 years deal Soto secured with the Mets, contrasting it with potential offers from other teams.

• Fan Reactions and Rivalries:

  • Peter Rosenberg [04:05]: Notes that Soto had previously indicated a preference for the Yankees, adding credibility to the perception that the Mets “blew the Yankees out of the water.”
  • Don Hahn [05:06]: Expresses discomfort with the Mets seemingly “stealing” from the Yankees, despite Soto’s personal choice being financially motivated.

• Historical Comparisons:

  • Don Hahn [02:34]: Compares Soto’s acquisition to past Mets signings like Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter during their primes, highlighting a shift in the Mets’ strategy.
  • Alan Hahn [06:31]: Argues that Soto’s deal could signify a new era where the Mets can compete financially on an equal footing with the Yankees, potentially altering future free-agent signings.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn [01:34]: “When I was growing up, the Yankees always got the best players. They always bought the best players... it was never about getting it from the Yankees, just getting the player, period.”

• Alan Hahn [03:01]: “I think deep down in his heart, he wanted to stay with the Yankees. If he had to organize money, he's...”

• Peter Rosenberg [04:05]: “Soto has admitted several times that the Yankees were his top choice. His response is always, 'but we couldn't get it done.'”

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2. Fraud Alert Friday: Fan Loyalty and Behavior

Segment Overview: "Fraud Alert Friday" is a recurring segment where the hosts entertain and judge listeners' admissions of potentially disloyal fan behavior. This episode features multiple callers who describe actions that might be considered "fraudulent" in the realm of sports fandom.

Key Points:

• Definition of 'Fraudulent' Fan Behavior:

  • Supporting rival teams for convenience.
  • Subtle displays of allegiance that contradict stated loyalties.
  • Switching teams during periods of poor performance.

• Host Judgments:

  • Alan Hahn: Often initiates the judgment process by presenting the caller’s scenario.
  • Don Hahn: Provides definitive rulings, often in a humorous and exaggerated manner.
  • Peter Rosenberg: Adds commentary and supports the rulings, emphasizing the importance of fan loyalty.

Examples of Fraudulent Behavior:

1. Wearing Subtle Team Colors:

   • Caller [25:07]: Wears a yellow hoodie and blue jeans to subtly support the Denver Nuggets while being a lifelong Knicks fan.
   • Don Hahn [25:28]: “It's fraudulent behavior.”
   • Alan Hahn [26:26]: Rates this behavior as a low-level fraud, assigning it “one Wahlberger.”

2. Switching Team Allegiances:

   • Caller [27:36]: A friend who began rooting for the Golden State Warriors over the Knicks due to the latter's struggles.
   • Don Hahn [27:44]: Declares this a “10 Wahlbergers” level fraud, citing the betrayal of loyalty.

3. Renouncing Original Team Loyalty:

   • Caller [29:56]-[38:18]: A listener who transitioned from being an Oakland A's fan to supporting the Washington Nationals after the A's left Oakland.
   • Don Hahn [30:49]: Sensibly judges that this is not fraud, as it involves relocating and shifting team loyalty due to franchise changes.
   • Alan Hahn [33:29]: Explores the nuances, suggesting that temporary shifts or "hovering" could be considered fraud.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn [23:33]: “What are you saying? Is it fitting?”

• Alan Hahn [34:35]: “Can my fraud card be removed?”

• Peter Rosenberg [26:38]: “This was a big one. That's one of the most impressive verdicts we've had so far.”

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3. Listener Calls and Host Reactions

Discussion Overview: Throughout the episode, multiple listeners call in to share their thoughts on recent sports events, particularly focusing on Juan Soto’s trade. The hosts engage with these callers, providing their insights and sometimes correcting misconceptions.

Key Points:

• Performance Analysis:

  • Don Hahn [10:15]: Addresses callers' praise for Soto, emphasizing that his recent stellar performances were bolstered by being in a strong Yankees lineup.
  • Alan Hahn [46:14]: Discusses Soto’s consistent performance, countering claims that his success is solely due to playing behind better hitters.

• Team Strategy:

  • Peter Rosenberg [12:53]: Defends the Knicks’ game plan regarding Nick Saban (Catfish Hunter) and the utilization of his three-point shooting.
  • Don Hahn [46:53]: Criticizes the narrative around Soto’s performance, asserting, “He’s not Aaron Judge. He’s not...”

• Yankees vs. Mets Dynamics:

  • Don Hahn [44:35]: Explores the potential long-term impacts of Soto’s departure on the Yankees, pondering whether it forced them to pivot and invest differently.
  • Peter Rosenberg [46:58]: Suggests that Soto’s decision has both immediate and future implications for team strategies and player pressures.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn [10:15]: “Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880, ESPN...”

• Peter Rosenberg [12:53]: “He averaged 25 and 13 this year. He is a great three-point shooter.”

• Alan Hahn [46:14]: “What? Watch the guy play? I mean, didn't people watch him play last year?”

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4. Traffic Updates and Timely News

Discussion Overview: Given the live nature of the podcast, the hosts provide real-time updates on traffic conditions affecting listeners, especially those traveling to sporting events.

Key Points:

• Throgs Neck Bridge Closure:

  • Peter Rosenberg [18:56]: Warns listeners about the closure of all lanes on the Throgs Neck Bridge, impacting commutes to the Bronx.
  • Don Hahn [20:23]: Adds that the closure has severely disrupted traffic, comparing the Cross Bronx Expressway to “hell.”

• Alternative Routes and Transit Issues:

  • Don Hahn [19:35]: Suggests using the Whitestone as an alternative, albeit inconvenient.
  • Peter Rosenberg [19:58]: Mentions the added difficulty for Jersey commuters amid a transit strike.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn [20:23]: “It’s wrecked.”

• Peter Rosenberg [20:16]: “It is a Friday. All lanes, Bronx bound, Throgs Neck Bridge.”

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5. Player Performance and Team Dynamics

Discussion Overview: The hosts analyze the performance of key players, particularly Juan Soto and Nick Saban, and discuss the impact of these performances on their respective teams.

Key Points:

• Juan Soto’s Performance:

  • Don Hahn [10:15]: Critiques Soto’s performance metrics, highlighting his dependency on higher-performing teammates like Aaron Judge.
  • Peter Rosenberg [46:14]: Points out Soto’s statistical consistency and argues against the notion that his success is solely due to playing behind better hitters.

• Nick Saban (Catfish Hunter):

  • Listeners express frustration with Nick Saban’s performance for the Knicks, prompting debates on his effectiveness.
  • Don Hahn [27:06]: Compares the criticism of Saban to historical sports moments, emphasizing the complexity of team dynamics.

• Team Strategies:

  • Peter Rosenberg [12:53]: Discusses the Knicks’ game plan and its effectiveness against opponents like the Celtics.
  • Alan Hahn [33:29]: Explores potential future strategies if team compositions change, such as re-signing key players.

Notable Quotes:

• Don Hahn [46:53]: “He’s a great player. He's not Aaron Judge. No, he's not.”

• Peter Rosenberg [12:53]: “They are putting guards on him, put him in the post and have him post up.”

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Conclusion

The episode "Hour 2: Fraud Alert Friday" of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg offers a comprehensive exploration of Juan Soto’s significant trade from the Yankees to the Mets, delving into financial motivations, historical context, and the shifting dynamics within New York sports rivalries. The engaging "Fraud Alert Friday" segment adds a humorous yet insightful look into fan loyalty, highlighting the thin lines between genuine support and convenience-based allegiance. Through lively discussions, listener interactions, and timely updates, the hosts provide a multifaceted view of current sports narratives, making the episode both informative and entertaining for fans who may not have tuned in live.

Notable Quotes Recap:

• Don Hahn [01:34]: “When I was growing up, the Yankees always got the best players...”

• Alan Hahn [03:01]: “It's never about who best place to win or..."

• Peter Rosenberg [04:05]: “Soto has admitted several times that the Yankees were his top choice...”

• Don Hahn [23:33]: “What are you saying? Is it fitting?”

• Alan Hahn [27:36]: “Can my fraud card be removed?”

• Don Hahn [46:53]: “He’s a great player. He’s not Aaron Judge. He’s not...”

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For More Episodes: Catch the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg podcast on the ESPN New York app, your favorite podcast platforms, or smart speakers. Stay tuned for more engaging discussions, insightful sports analysis, and interactive segments that keep you connected to the heart of New York sports.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg.

[Don Hahn]

Podcast that sounds like heaven to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Don Hahn]

Game time is brought to you by Talibar Dew Irish Whiskey because when it's game time fell, the Knicks look to close out the Celtics with coverage beginning at 7 o' clock on 10:50am and the subway Series kicks off tonight in the Bronx with coverage immediately following us on 880 at 6:25. Tullamore Dew the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish Whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Dew honey during tonight's action. Glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. Brandon Nimmo spoke and I've got the quote if you bear with me. Alan Hahn was nice enough to text me this information because I can read.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It if you'd like.

[Don Hahn]

I got it. When I was growing up, the Yankees always got the best players. They always bought the best players, nimmo said that day. It was just a common known fact. And now you see something here where the Mets were able to bring Soto over. It's a change to the way things have always been. I definitely think it's sweet to have done it this way. I guess that comment was from when the Mets landed Soto. Yeah, because that was the that's the thing to get excited about is that now like it felt like the Mets were out of being the small market, never being able to land that player. To me, it was never about getting it from the Yankees, just getting the player, period. You know, and that's not the player they always landed. It's get Verlander at the end of his career, get Scherzer at the end of his career, Bonilla, Coleman, Saberhagen. It always seemed like you're getting these players that either just didn't work out or were at the tail end of their careers. You know, the Mets were really great when they went out and got Keith Hernandez in his prime, Gary Carter in his prime. That's when the Mets were great. And it seemed like for 30 years, the Mets were getting, you know, the, the ancillary guys or the guys at the end to be able to get a free agent in the prime of his career. No, that, that's not what the Mets did. And that's what made it exciting. That's what made, like the, that. That's why you wanted Steve Cohen to be your owner, and that's what's exciting.

[Alan Hahn]

I just think that every time you bring that up, you're, you're absolutely right. It's 100% true. But I think a lot of people, and maybe not you do feel a significant amount of extra sauce because the guy was the star in the Bronx and still chose. And, and even though the deal in, in Queens was a, you know, significantly better deal, when you look at the details, had he wanted to stay in the Bronx, it wouldn't have been such an unbelievable sacrifice to give up the signing bonus and the escalators and things of that nature. Well, he could have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Peter, you're right. And add to it that Soto has admitted several times that the Yankees were his top choice. His, his response is always, but we couldn't get it done. So like, add to that, because that's. The other part of it is that he actually did want to stay. But the Yankee, the, the Mets blew the Yankees out of the water. That's why that is, that is significant.

[Don Hahn]

What you just said, Alan, is why I don't celebrate stealing something from the Yankees. He wanted to be a Yankee, but he was about the money.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

And the Mets ever.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When were the Mets ever in that place? I think that's what Peter's trying to say. No, no, I never came for that.

[Alan Hahn]

No, you actually contradicted what I, you were contradicting what I was saying.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I misunderstood because for me, again, it's, it's. And this is something I can understand, like, you know, growing up with the Islanders, they were never getting the players the Rangers were going to get. It just wasn't going to happen. Right. So you always just knew, no matter what. I remember Mike Milbury had this great line that the. Neil Smith took the corporate jet, I took the corporate bicycle. Like, that's just how you know, it was. So you never thought you'd ever gonna be in on anything significant. So the Mets, it was kind of the same way. You never had a chance to compete that way with the Yankees. So the fact that he, that you were able to blow them out of the water financially, doesn't that give you something As a fan, you're like, you know what? I gotta know that I can throw it around. I've never had that before. This is awes. You got to feel good about that. It's not embarrassing that. Oh, hell, he was only about the money. So what? He still was about taking the money and we had the money to give him.

[Don Hahn]

And that. And that feeling would have been the same had they taken him from the Nationals, the Padres, whoever.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's the evil empire. Don.

[Don Hahn]

It's a little more significant because he said, why would I hang on the rim to a Yankee fan when he said I wanted to stay with the Yankees, so I had to overpay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You lured him away. You took him away.

[Don Hahn]

That doesn't count to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Your owner couldn't write the check.

[Don Hahn]

That's like, you know, you win the girl over because you put more money on the bar. You get to be with her, but you didn't really win.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He didn't really win, but you got her.

[Don Hahn]

I understand that and I'm happy with that. But that's why I don't hang on the rim to Yankee fans. Because I think deep down in his heart, he wanted to stay with the Yankees. If he had to organize money, he's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No longer going to be overwhelmed financially. That is a huge deal in Met history.

[Don Hahn]

But. But if he took less money to come to the Mets, then you can hang on the rim and stick a tight fan.

[Alan Hahn]

Look, there's two. We're having two separate conversations.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We are.

[Alan Hahn]

Clearly there's. There's one. There's one argument to be had that it's great that you're able to have an owner who can now get those people. That is one thing to celebrate. But I also hear what Don saying of. Let's not act as if he went there because he believed more in the Mets. Although I'm gonna push back on his whole I wanted to be a Yankee and they blew him out of the water. That was not a blowing out of the water. It accumulating to $60 million over the course of 15 years.

[Don Hahn]

Not blowing for the whole.

[Alan Hahn]

I get it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

His own sweet.

[Alan Hahn]

We're talking about being. Having Don. We're talking about having $700 million. You want to talk about what wanting to be on a team looks like. Let's talk about Jalen Brunson. That's wanting to be on a team. If. If Juan Stto had wanted to be on the Yankees, the 60 million over 15 years that he's going to get in Queens would not have been enough. He didn't want to be a Yankee. It proves Don's point. He only wanted money. He didn't want to be a Yankee. Whatever deal was slightly better, he was going to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's where we're having different conversations. And Peter, because I can't argue with that part. But again, the point I was try. Been desperately trying to make is the one of that's where as a fan, the fact that you've had the Will Pons for all these years and it has been nothing but a. A Jaylen Brown punch to the. You know what's. Every time. Right. It was always maddening. They called them, you know, again, coupon. That whole thing. You had to live with that. And it was kind of like, you know, when we just get into the real league, look at these teams spending. And then when you did, it was always like dumb spending.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is now the first time. It was the first real Steve Cohen swung it around and let everybody know who the fat cat in town is. And there's something to say about that. That's all I'm saying.

[Don Hahn]

And I just went through. Peter and I went through a year on the K show of having to hear Yankee fans say, he's never going to leave. He's going to love it in New York. He loves the Bleacher Creatures. He loves the chance to win in every year. And we laughed at those people saying he's going to go for the top dollar, you know, so it was never about anything but the money. So that's why I'm happy to have him. I want him here. I'm excited about it. But I never. Right, Peter. I never. Oh, we beat out the. No, it was just. That's why I felt he was always going to come here, because I know Steve Cohen's sitting on $16 billion. I hate that about the sport of baseball because it's not about who best place to win or. I like the schools. All the, you know, the stupid stuff that Hampton said when he went to Colorado. I like the school. Stop it. It's about the money. George Young always said, when they say it's not about the money, it's about the money.

[Alan Hahn]

But this could be. This whole situation could end up being Don. I think ultimately you're right. But this could end up being a major step in the process of the Mets one day truly being on equal fitting with the Yankees.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Equal footing, I should say. I really do feel that the ownership. Yes, you're right. In the case of this guy, it probably was just about the money. But there may be a situation out a couple years when the next guy comes down the pike where he's really choosing between the Mets and Yankees evenly. And that was not the case previously.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, of course. I think it. Did it help that the Mets all of a sudden were functioning and they go to the playoffs? I mean, would this have, would this have happened if the mets had come off 100 loss season? I still think it did. I still think it would. But, you know, I think it's nice to think about, hey, the Mets are a functioning franchise, that they're winning again, that they're part of the conversation. But I just always thought from the very beginning that it was going to be about the money. That's why I never hung on the rim about being the Yankees. And I'm sure there are Met fans that felt that way and make it a big deal. And I just think you got to know your role, man. That's not it yet. There's a lot more work to be done and it's not about owning the town and it's not about who's more popular and who gets better ratings on regionals. It's about finally getting a chance to win a championship. To me, that's what it's supposed to be about to begin with. And there hasn't been many of those situations. Let's go to Will in the car. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Will?

[Caller]

Hey, fellas, how you doing? I'll be real quick, Don. Mr. Hahn, you brought up a great point. Allen, I'm sorry, I'll take a Nick win for a Yankee loss.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's number one.

[Don Hahn]

Number two, I'm not going to boo Juan Soto.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was great for us last year.

[Caller]

But I will say this, Met fans need to pump their breaks, my man. The reason he had such a big season last year was because he batted behind. Because Judge batted behind him. Pete Alonso is good, but he's no iron. Judge, three years ago, maybe four years.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ago when he was on the Padres.

[Caller]

He had a season where he was very mediocre. Batted.245, 20something homers and 78 RBIs.

[Don Hahn]

Yes, he had a lot of walks.

[Caller]

But he was in a pretty good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

San Diego lineup and he was very mediocre.

[Don Hahn]

I just wanted to see what your thoughts were.

[Caller]

I'm very forward.

[Don Hahn]

No, I mean, that's fine. But he had a 7.3 war his last year in Washington before. Well, he got traded in 2022, his last full season in Washington, he had a 7.3 war, which is the best in Major League Baseball. With Ryan Zimmerman protecting him in the lineup. Let's not make him out. He's not a great player. Yes, he had a monster year last year for sure. Juan Soto was a great player. He was being compared to Ted Williams before he came to the Yankees. Okay, yes, he had a really special season. Of course, any logical person will tell you having Judge to protect you in a lineup is certainly going to help you. But let's not make it out to be that Juan Soto and got all this money based on what he did last year with the Yankees. Did you see what the Nationals offered him a few years ago?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Come on. Come back to me, people. Let's go to Dave in the car. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Dave?

[Caller]

Hey, what's up, guys? Gonna kind of piggyback off of what Don just said. Just give me the W. And I know Han's not gonna like what I have to say, but I'm gonna say it anyway. If we can't give Cat, if Cat can't give the Knicks 25 and 15 a night, or show up every night at 25 plus, why is he here when Giannis is going to be a free agent next year and you don't want him to go to Miami, you don't want to go to Magic? We don't have time, while we have Brunson for people to be inconsistent. And that's why I called yesterday. He needs to be called out a lot. Everybody but Brunson on that team needs to be called out for inconsistency. Can you. Inconsistency? Can you at least give me that? And that includes Tibbs. Tibbs has got to say, hey, we're running the offense. We're going to do what the Indiana Pacers used to do to the Knicks. That Indiana paces would get Smith off to a big start, and that's how they always would beat the Knicks. They gotta do the same with Cat. That's all I'm saying. I want him to win, but we can't have this guy stand around with his size and talent and take jump shots making 50 million a year, it's insane. Okay, I'll let you. I'll let you give me your feedback.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just so you guys know, he averaged 25 and 13 this year. He. He. The biggest complaint is that he's not taking jump shots in the playoffs where his offense has gone down because of that. And, you know, again, I. I was rude to a caller yesterday that I shouldn't have been who was bringing up, like changing the game plan on how, like what's going on with, with Cat and why isn't he getting threes. And again, I was trying to explain what the Knicks game plan was with him, which is because they're putting guards on him, put him in the post and have him post up. And the reality is that that's not his strength. He had a good game four and you thought, just do that again. But you had to know that the Celtics were going to adjust and clearly they did by bringing the big over. They have to find ways to free him up. He shot 42% from three point range in the regular season. He is a great three point shooter. That's a weapon that they are not finding ways to utilize, especially against the Celtics team that likes to put up threes. So it's something I'm watching tonight to see can they find ways to get him open on the perimeter where he is more comfortable. But to say that all he does is stand on the perimeter and shoot jumpers, that's factually incorrect. And he said he wants 25 a night and if he can't give him 25 a night, get him off the team. He averaged 24.4 points per game this year. Like, you know, like we, I know we're all anxious today. There's a lot of anxiety today for Nick fans, so we're trying to just lash out. Yeah, everything that right now is bothering us and he had a bad game five. A bad game five. But let's, let's not get crazy. And by the way, Giannis won't be a free agent next year, so I had to correct some things on that call. But I'm trying to do it in a nice way.

[Alan Hahn]

I like what you did there.

[Don Hahn]

It was very pleasant.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Doing my best.

[Don Hahn]

Let's go to Steve and Pearl River. You're on ESPN New York. Hi, Steve.

[Caller]

Good afternoon, guys. You know, I just want to weigh in on this whole thing with this reaction of Juan Soto from Yankee fans. Look, here's the bottom line. The Yankees made a trade that you make 100 times out of 100 to bring Juan Soto here. They rolled the dice. They knew he was here on a one year contract. So did everyone else. And that guy was completely transparent about how he was going to approach free agency from the get go, okay? Everyone knew. And the Yankees had a no. And the Yankees and the Yankee fans, to their credit, did everything to make that guy feel welcome. Okay? And he did what he did strictly, strictly for the money. And I hope not. I, I do not begrudge him for that at all. He did. That's his, that was his prerogative. All right, so people want to move fun. But all this crap, oh, I'm going to turn my belt. I'm not going to do. Well, you know what? At least one third of the people in a, in a stadium are going to be Met fans. So if Yankee fans don't do this, Yankee, you know, they silent. It's going to sound like the Mets are playing at city. So I mean, I just think this whole thing is ridiculous and it's like a drummed up thing.

[Don Hahn]

All right, what happened, Steve? What happened, Steve, with Yankee fan, and it happens with a lot of fans too, is you create a narrative and all of a sudden you expect it to become factual when it was never based in fact to begin with. Yankee fans felt like, oh, he's going to come to New York. He's going to fall in love with the winning, he's going to fall in love with the fans. He's not going to leave here. He's not going to go leave. He can go into a poverty franchise like the Mets. He's not going to leave. Even though he never gave you any other indication that it was going to be about the money. When they won the world, when they went to the World Series and lost game five, he was all about free agency. Look who his agent was. So you created the narrative that he's gonna fall in love with New York. That was never a reality. Now you're mad at him for not living up to your reality, which was a falsehood. It wasn't real. It was fake. Then. Now you're blaming him for not being what you, you thought he was gonna be and wasn't you. You invented it. You invented him falling in love and wanting to, to be a Yankee and that he was going to take a discount to stay. That was never the truth. It was never reality. He never gave that indication. But you convinced yourself that that was going to be the case. Don't be mad at him for something you did to yourself. I didn't like the way he handled the after Game 5 Allen. But, but, but the thing I liked about it was that he was being honest.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Garrett Cole did the same thing.

[Don Hahn]

Exactly. Because you know what? They're Boris clients. When you hire Boris, you know what you're about the money.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

Otherwise you're wasting time. You can get any other agent in the world if you want to stay with your team, if you want to get the most money you get. Scott Boris.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And if he loved it there and the Yankees approached him midseason to talk about an extension, he might have already started having those negotiations. But Boris made it clear, no, we're going open market. And he made that clear because he knew Steve Cohen was out there. And as we saw in that incredible Verducci story, Boris was working Cohen over and over because that's the guy. He targeted Cohen more than Cohen targeted Soto. Read that. That is a fascinating article that Verducci wrote for Sports Illustrated a couple of. What was that a month or two ago? Because you could see it. At one point, Cohen was out, and then another point, Cohen got frustrated, and Boris wouldn't let him. He would not let him give up. That tells you all you need to know.

[Don Hahn]

That's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And again, like the caller said, nothing wrong with that. The only thing I hate about players is when they lie. Soto never said, oh, I'm gonna be back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. No, he never lied.

[Don Hahn]

He never lied. You know, you can hate him, you know, and then. And it doesn't mean that he doesn't love the Yankees and doesn't want to win. All those things can be true at the same time. But he prioritized getting paid.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mm. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

A lot of athletes do. By the way, you only get one chance at this, Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just want to jump in on something here real quick because we have a lot of people that are in cars today. And if anyone is trying to head up to the Bronx from Long island, all lanes on the Throgs Neck Bridge closed.

[Don Hahn]

What?

[Peter Rosenberg]

It is a Friday. All lanes, Bronx bound, Throgs Neck Bridge. That is the one. The first way out on Long island to get up. You know, whether it's Westchester or certainly Connecticut and North. And there's a lot of people that do. You know, you have sports. I'm just thinking like a parent right now. Like, when you have sports and you got games and everything else. Just. Just so you know, right now, all lanes on the Throgs Neck Bridge are closed.

[Don Hahn]

You can't pivot to the Whitestone. It's a little inconvenient, but it's better.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can. But that's. Yeah, you're talking. Everybody's going there. But I just. Just in case you're on the LIU right now and you're heading up, you just keep this in mind. Brutal message. I just.

[Don Hahn]

And I, I. And I can't imagine it's easy getting in from Jersey considering the transit strike.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's the other side.

[Don Hahn]

I'm sure the George is a mess.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, it's.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, it's going to be rough.

[Don Hahn]

It was rough for our guy Allen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This was a long day.

[Alan Hahn]

I know. He was coming from the other direction.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, he made it.

[Don Hahn]

But it's because you're at the Garden now and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, again, just got an update because this is all timely. They, they reopened now, both directions, but the damage happened. But now the bill, the damage, as far as the traffic you're gonna be sitting in, yeah, that's done.

[Don Hahn]

It's wrecked.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it's, it's for, for about 25 minutes. That whole thing was shut down, dude.

[Don Hahn]

My first, you know, I worked at Sportsville and I lived in Hawthorne, New Jersey. All right. So my first gig and some of these cars that I had when I was younger are what young kids have, like cars that you're not sure you're gonna make it. So it was 208, Route 4, George Washington Bridge, the Cross Bronx. Now, I've never been to hell, but I'm assuming that the road into hell is the Cross Bronx Expressway.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Confirmed.

[Don Hahn]

I mean, 15 foot wall. I've had cops tell me that if your car stalls, don't, don't go to the shoulder, leave it in the center lane. Then they'll have to take you. All right? And then you get off the Cross Bronx, Throgs Neck, Cross island to Hempstead Turnpike. That was my trip. And that never mind the fact that it cost like 30 bucks a trip. Yeah, but that's, that's so I'm very well aware of the Throgs Neck.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, so that, but that's, that's about 28 minutes. That probably will cost some people double that time in traffic now because of.

[Don Hahn]

The build up, you know what? So now if you're listening, we're going to try to entertain you till you get wherever you got to go, whether it's to the Garden, whether it's the Yankee Stadium. And we'll take more of your phone calls. Knicks, Mets, Yankees, all on the table. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want is a great feeling. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. Kick off summer with Memorial Day savings at Lowe's. Right now get five Scott's Naturescapes 1.5 cubic foot mulch bags for just $10 plus get up to 40% off select major appliances and save an extra $50 on every $500 you spend on select major appliances. $396 or more. Lowes we help you save. Valid through 528. Mold Shopper excludes Alaska and Hawaii.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Selection varies by location while supplies last.

[Don Hahn]

See lowe's.com for more details.

[Caller]

The new McCrispy strip is here.

[Alan Hahn]

Dip approved by Ketchup Tangy barbecue, Honey.

[Don Hahn]

Mustard, honey mustard, Sprite, McFlurry, Big Mac.

[Alan Hahn]

Sauce, Double dipped in buffalo and Ranch.

[Don Hahn]

More ranch and creamy chili.

[Alan Hahn]

McCrispy strip dip now at McDonald's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Did you or someone you know participate in fraudulent fan behavior?

[Don Hahn]

I'm a fraud with a capital F.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is your friend a fraud?

[Alan Hahn]

I have been a complete and utter fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Are you a fraud?

[Alan Hahn]

What is fraud?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's ask Dom McGregor.

[Alan Hahn]

Screw.

[Don Hahn]

Go scratch yourself.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, ladies and gentlemen, we do it every Friday at this time. Fraud Alert Friday. There have been a lot of things we've been discovering here on Don Hahn and Rosenberg over this. As Alan pointed out earlier. First five months already that we've been doing this crazy.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

And I really feel that over the last few weeks things have started to hit a new stride. I'm enjoying it. I would potentially argue of all the great things we've been doing on this program, it's possible nothing's better than Fraud Alert Friday.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

That's how I'm feeling. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm on that. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think I can cosign. I can co sign that.

[Alan Hahn]

Right? There's something really right about it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. It's very. It's cathartic at times too. Right?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. I think it's an experience everybody needs every once in a while. And you can send your. Your emails to DHR on espn. Is that right? Did I say that right, Anthony?

[Don Hahn]

I did. Right? Sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Dhrespn they were Dhre espn gmail.com Dhre s [e-mail] and you send it through. This one came a week ago.

[Don Hahn]

Oh no.

[Alan Hahn]

But I still think the question is. Is worth asking. Comes from Carter. Don Carter says I'm a lifelong Knicks fan. Don. I live in Denver and my wife is a Nuggets fan. We got tickets to Game 7 against the Clippers. My Wife forbids me from wearing Knicks gear to Ball arena if the Knicks aren't playing, which I think is understandable.

[Don Hahn]

Sure.

[Alan Hahn]

While I would never wear merchandise from any other team other than the Knicks, I wore a yellow hoodie and blue jeans as a subtle show of support for the Nuggets. Am I a fraud?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don will think about it, curious about.

[Alan Hahn]

He'll gather his thoughts, and he'll grab his gavel. What are you saying?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm. Aren't you? Like, I'm kind of this. I'm leaning forward. If we're watching, you know, like, we're watching the live broadcast of the hearings. I'm leaning forward right now, wondering, how is the judge going to come to a verdict on this? Because this is a very interesting one. Very interesting.

[Don Hahn]

I'm gonna go fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

Why does he feel like he had to have a subtle nod? He said he doesn't like to wear anything supporting the team. So why. Why not just go the full put a nugget jersey on? Like, why did you feel like you had to wear those colors? Was it a happy wife, happy life situation? Did she pressure you?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is it fitting?

[Don Hahn]

You made a statement you would never wear the other colors of a team, you know, so why did you feel like you had to show some support now? Is it a massive fraud? No, but it's. It's fraudulent behavior. So I got to rule one or the other.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I go fraud, it's a fraud of Jace. Or is it like, first degree fraud?

[Alan Hahn]

He ruled. How many. How many Wahlburgers would this be on a scale of five Wahlbergers?

[Peter Rosenberg]

This feels a three.

[Alan Hahn]

I think less even. Maybe two.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I was. I was going to say one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

One.

[Alan Hahn]

Just one Wahlberger.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, if you think about it, it's probably like a peer pressure thing. Like, I want to fit in, but you're right. The choice of the yellow, like, blue jeans are blue jeans. Right. But the choice of the yellow hoodie, you could have gone black hoodie, you could have gone gray hoodie. Like, you could have done that and just lay out. Nobody would have said a word.

[Don Hahn]

Listen, I'm going to the game, but I'm not going to show any kind of support.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, right.

[Don Hahn]

For. For them. So, yeah, it's. It's fraudulent.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Very, very. That was a big one. That's one of the most impressive verdicts we've had so far.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay. Because we have a lot more to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pretty obvious.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, well, we have more here. Tyler says, happy Friday, guys. Love the show. Here's a story. One of My best friends Kroc and I grew up as big Knicks fans. Started around 2016 and moving forward, the Knicks really struggled and the warriors really good. He began to root for the warriors much more actively than he rooted for the Knicks. I even remember him rooting for the warriors against the Knicks in a regular season game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, don't even finish.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, don't even, don't waste your breath, Peter. Fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a 10. That feels like a 10.

[Don Hahn]

It's actually the definition of a fraud. Yes, all the Knicks are not good. I don't want to root for a bad team. So I'm going to pick up another team, which I can understand that maybe you start to like your, your begin. Your mind begins to wander a little bit because the Knicks are out of it. But to actually root for the warriors over the Knicks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, being a fan is hard. And for you to make it too easy on yourself, that's a, that's a full on fraud.

[Don Hahn]

Because you're hunting. Yeah, hunting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, you're fan. That's exactly what that is. When it's convenient for you is not how it is. As a fan, you're supposed to go through the pain. That's what makes the good times feel that much better. So no, that's, that's 10 Wahlbergers for sure. 10. Well, and also, you're banned for life. Not allowed.

[Don Hahn]

That I was going to say. Remember when Eli Manning threw that ball left handed in the end zone against Tennessee and got picked off like that? Had a better chance of being completed than that email being anything other than.

[Alan Hahn]

The second it starts with for no reason. The person is a fan of the Golden State Warriors. You basically know where this thing's going.

[Don Hahn]

It's heading there for sure.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you over the age of eight? Yeah. Then you don't get to just become a Warriors fan. Okay. All right. Dear Donna Rosenberg, am I a fraud? This has been troubling me for some time. But first, cue the sentimental music. I started listening to the quote old show when a great guy who I consider a friend joined the guys one hour into the show in the third chair. And I've been listening ever since. Of course, we're talking about none other than the next king of all media, Peter Rosenberg. At first I only listened to enn, but I quickly grew to love the chemistry between Michael, Don and Peter. And now the new show with Alan. I've even become a bit of a Knicks fan through the show. Don Hahn and Rosenberg is off to a great start. Looking forward to the summer when we can get into some more BCC baseball stories and dad talk. So proud of Peter for his continued success and sentimental music. Back to the Fraud Alert Friday and Don's ruling. I spent my early childhood in the East Bay and grew up a die hard Oakland A's fan. By the way, I I could already ring it and say not a fraud if it's anything. Yeah, yeah, I. You might be able to already this is the reverse of the warriors exactly.

[Don Hahn]

Relationship right off the bat.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, so I grew up a die hard Oakland A's and San Francisco 49ers fan during peak Bash Brothers Montana Rice era. I moved to D.C. in 1989 and maintained my Bay Area teams. I was locked into the A's for decades, suffering through all the heartbreaking playoff runs of the Moneyball era. The Jeter flip is always a nice kick to the Cube. Why didn't he just slide? RIP Jason Giambi over the years I became less interested in baseball as A's ownership became less interested in winning in Oakland. Maryland basketball and 49ers supplanted the A's in the top spot of my fandom. The fiasco with the A's leaving Oakland was the last straw. Am I a fraud? For officially renouncing the cityless A's and choosing a new local team such as the Nats so I can rediscover my love of baseball with my 7 year old son.

[Don Hahn]

I am going to say no fraud. Now there's fraudulent on the surface, right? Because you gave up on your team. Because you didn't. You know, you're not living in Oakland anymore. So the fact that they moved out of Oakland shouldn't bother you. Sacramento, Vegas, you're still in D.C. but there's it's more than just the moving. It's. They're not sinking any money. It's an embarrassment. You hung on as long as you could, as long as you could, but it's an abusive relationship. You're tapping out. I guess that the honorable thing to do would be I'm just not going to root for baseball anymore. But why do that to yourself? You're in dc. It's not like you're jumping on the Nationals bandwagon that they're any good. You know, they're not a great team right now. They haven't won in a few years. So I'm going to say no fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can I add a caveat?

[Don Hahn]

Yes, go ahead.

[Peter Rosenberg]

In the ruling though, you have to have a stipulation.

[Don Hahn]

I know what you're going to say.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You may not go back. If the A's suddenly get, you know, figure they go to Vegas and it's like. It becomes like the Golden Knights as well, where it's just they. They capture whatever they were hoping to capture in Vegas and they're hot again. You can't go back because you're right, that is, you left the same market they're leaving so that the market thing doesn't matter, but it's fair.

[Alan Hahn]

I will push back on. No, no, not on that part. That part I agree with. But the. The market moving thing. Just because you moved the left the market because in other words, if he still has an attachment to the Bay Area because that's where he lived until he was 10 years old, them dumping the entire market, that still can't affect you even if you don't live there.

[Don Hahn]

I can understand, you know, if the.

[Alan Hahn]

Commanders left D.C. i'd still be repulsed by it and I wouldn't be. Well, I don't live there.

[Don Hahn]

But you know, I'll have an addendum to the caveat, if you will, is that if. If he decided I am just I'm out on baseball. I'm not going to pick up another team. Then it with new ownership. If the A started to play well again and he decided, you know what, I'll give you great point. His new ownership. I never picked up another team. I'm going to get back in. I would allow it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

But now that he's chosen the Nationals, then I'm with you that no. Then you can't give it up. I will allow the national follow, but you can't now tap out of the Nationals and go back to the A.

[Alan Hahn]

What if. What if you and I have to imagine you'll rule this as classic fraud, hedging your bets. What if you choose to bring your kid to the Orioles or Nats, whatever your preference is and let them get into it and you go to the games and you enjoy yourself and you sort of hover. Can you then get back in if.

[Don Hahn]

Things get better with the hover is not planning a flag. Hovering is classic. You know, weighing your options.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what a hover is, a classic fraud behavior. That to me, that's the good fraud move right there. Start taking your kid to Nats games, hang out and see what happens.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We should almost have like, like, like a. We should definitely have sort of a. A commandments of fraudulism, like what you may not do right. A ten commandments sort of thing. And we should write them up and post them so everybody understands these are the ten commandments.

[Don Hahn]

But then that would take the fun out of what we're doing right now. Then it would just go to the commandments. Right?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I mean, it's a good point. The whole bit would just be, see.

[Don Hahn]

Our commandments saying this is the best segment of the week and what are.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You doing trying to add to it. Now you have a basis of your, of your. Of the law that you're basing your decisions on.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, almost like starting a nation, if you will. A constitution. Here we go, guys. Last email for the week. Dhrespnmail.com I know I'm a fraud. I'm looking to have my fraud tag removed.

[Don Hahn]

Interesting.

[Alan Hahn]

From 2001 to 2008, I was a die hard Yankee fan. I would argue. I would of course argue there's. You didn't have to be die hard. From 2001 to 2008.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Actually.

[Alan Hahn]

I suppose after 0401, I suppose actually.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not a great time.

[Don Hahn]

True.

[Alan Hahn]

But they were just coming off being so hot anyways. True. From 2001, 2008, I was a diehard Yankee fan in the prime years of my sports fandom life, ages 13 to 19. The hypocrisy of the Yankee fans talking about tradition and rings and then forgetting what people did for them in the past by booing the likes of Jeter and Rivera. The organization demolishing. Demolishing the house that Ruth built for luxury seats and money. The organization firing Tory, giving up, making. Giving a minor league invite to Bernie Williams, etc. I switched to the Mets.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, my God. Who seemed to be go.

[Alan Hahn]

Who seemed to come on gavel seemed to be so up tight throw. No, no, no. Don't be influenced by Alan and his Yankee fanboyness. Let's hear this out.

[Don Hahn]

All right.

[Alan Hahn]

I switched to the Mets, who seemed to know it's not off to a great start. I switched to the Mets, who seemed to be not so uptight and businesslike. I'm asking for my fraud card to be removed as literally the next year, the Yankees in 2009. It was like watching an ex wife winning the lotto. After leaving, I have stuck with the Mets since dealing with the horrible seasons sprinkled in with little success. Can my fraud card be removed?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. That's what you get.

[Don Hahn]

That's what you get. That 09 championship is what. Alan, Alan, Alan.

[Alan Hahn]

You don't have the gavel. Respectfully, shut up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm in contempt. I'm in contempt.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Jesus.

[Alan Hahn]

Respect the court, for Christ's sake.

[Don Hahn]

Now But Allen's right. Fraud for life now. Oh, can you be? I, I, I respect the fact that he, he was, he was tempted in 09, but he stayed with the Mets and then during a lot of that time has not been great Met baseball. So I give him credit for his fraud behavior leading to him at least maybe sticking to his guns now with the Mets. But, you know, you're still a forever fraud. You're still going to have to tell the story about how you used to be a Yankee fan and now became a Met fan. You can't get up from that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Don Hahn]

You know, can you murder someone but then go to prison, come out, and then, you know, become a priest and, and learn from your ways and become a better person and maybe eventually go to heaven? Yeah, but you still killed somebody. You know, it's still there. It's still on the ledger. I mean, you know, forever a felon, forever a fraud, but at least you showed that some redemption. You were able to get up from it and be able to conduct a halfway decent life after your fraudulent behavior. But in that case, forever fraud. That's why I said it's rare. Like, how do you take away the fraud card?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

That story still exists, right? At some point, you're gonna tell your kids, you know, once upon a time, I was a Yankee fan. What, dad? Tell me more.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was pleading, he was pleading to the grace of the, of the court here by talking about all these other things, you know, how the franchise upset me with how they treated. Stop it.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I gotta be honest with you. I understand some of those things. The Bernie Williams, the Tory getting fired, you know, the new stadium.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, and the fans. And they tore down the.

[Don Hahn]

That was a guy building. Hear me out. That's a guy. Because Peter made a good point. Or you brought a good point that like 01 to 08, there's no championships there. They were a good team. They were a playoff team. It sounds to me like he was itching to get out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

He was looking for an exit strategy. So he kind of came up with these excuses because he wanted out because he figured, I'll become a Yankee fan. Look at all the winning they've done. They just won the World Series last year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was 13.

[Don Hahn]

And then by 08, it's like, where are the rings? I don't know what's going on. If he lasted one more year, they would have won the ring in 09. And he'd be good. He'd still be a Yankee fan. But he was ring hunting. Didn't get one. And he's like, you know what? I'm gonna come up with a bunch of lame excuses. Yeah, they had a new, they needed a new stadium, man. That's the way of the world.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, what 19 year old's going, oh, I can't believe they tore down that wonderful cathedral of baseball. And I don't like the way they treated Bernie. Yeah, 19, you're not paying attention to any of that stuff.

[Don Hahn]

Sorry, half a Tory's time with the Yankees, you didn't even know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, now, now, we all, we all know that there's a fraud to call out today. Yes, we could all collectively call out this fraud.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah, of course.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We, we saw it on our group chat before the show.

[Alan Hahn]

You talk about the mayor.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Mayor Adams did have a Tweet out at 2 o' clock. Subway series starts tonight. And I'll be rooting for the home team, Yankees, because the Yankees are the home team. He's wearing a hat in the photo and the hat has the Yankee logo on one side, the met logo on the other with the little X in between. And it's by the way, there's security detail behind him. Both of the guys, if you look at their facial expressions, both of them are like, they should be wearing T shirts saying, I'm with stupid. Like, honestly, they both have that look on their face like, oh my God, this guy, the minute he put that hat on, I wanted to slap him. So this, that again, the mayor putting that hat on, putting that tweet out, that is fraudulent behavior, yes or no doubt.

[Don Hahn]

Oh my God. Definition fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not getting convicted of fraud.

[Don Hahn]

But I'm not going to get into that. I'm just saying from what I'm. But I'm, I'm not judging that I'm being judged. I'm not judging all of his other stuff. I'm judging.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, this fraud is, that, that's, that's.

[Don Hahn]

Fraudulent behavior for sure. This episode is brought to you by Chevy Silverado. When it's time for you to ditch the blacktop and head off road, do it in a truck that says no to nothing. The Chevy Silverado trail boss. Get the rugged capability of its Z71 suspension and 2 inch factory lift, plus impressive torque and towing capacity thanks to an available Duramax 3 liter turbo diesel engine where other trucks call it quits. You'll just be getting started. Visit chevy.com to learn more. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So do like I did and have.

[Don Hahn]

One of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for three.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

Hey there travelers. Kaley Cuoco here.

[Alan Hahn]

Sorry to interrupt your music. Great artist BT dubs, but wouldn't you.

[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Don Hahn]

Don on Rosenberg on a Friday here on ESPN New York. Take you up until Mets Yankees coverage at 6:30 and then on 10:50 at 7:00 clock, Pat O' Keefe will get you ready for game six between the Celtics and the Knicks as the Knicks have a chance to advance to the conference final for the first time since 2000. Ready for more calls boys?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's go.

[Don Hahn]

All right, let's go to Anthony in the Bronx. You're on ESPN New York.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How you doing?

[Don Hahn]

Good.

[Caller]

Listen, as a lifelong Yankee fan and please, please, please believe me, when Juan Soto left, I wasn't that. You know, I didn't lose no sleep and I'm gonna tell you why. I've seen seven world championships. I've seen guys that come in there that help us win the chip, not take us to the World Series. I've seen guys like Reggie Jackson, o' Neill, Tino Martinez, Catfish Hunter. These guys came into New York and help us win a chip. So with Soto, I'm not knocking them. But here is the man. Don, you mentioned him in the breath as the great Ted Williams. Juan Soto. This is not the knock em, this is just facts. He's a 283 average hitter. He's an average, 26 home runs and 79 RBIs for his career. So for me, we did a good job of getting other pieces that's helped us as far as contact hitters. And even we're still hitting home runs. So for me, as a Yankee fan, in the championship that I've seen, you know, so I wasn't mad, and I'm not mad at Juan Suttle because he got the money. That's just me. That's just me as a Yankee fan.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I mean, but. But thank you for the phone call. You're in denial. You wanted him back. The Yankees wanted him back. You could talk all you want about, well, this was better and maybe it will be better. Maybe they're better off not bringing him back and doing what they did. Allen's talked about how maybe they don't get Freed. Freed might win the Cy Young this year. You know, Goldschmidt's been good. Bellinger could be better. But we'll see. Maybe at the end of the year, the Yankees will be better. Guys, they offered him a massive contract. If he had accepted it, were you. Will you be mad or would you have said great? We kept Juan Soto. He batted.327 in the playoffs last year for the Yankees.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I might argue that he would have been under considerably more pressure if he had signed with the Yankees and the Yankees lost Garrett Cole and they weren't able to do anything more with the starting pitching and. Right. Think about it like there would have been at this point right now, where would the Yankees be? Would they have still signed Freed? I don't know, because I thought. I thought once Soto told them no, they pivoted quick and paid over $200 million for free that no one thought he was going to get. So, you know, like, I wonder. I wonder the pressure he'd be under right now.

[Don Hahn]

Now they'd be under amazing amount of pressure, but please don't paint again. That's another one of the callers that are like, oh, well, look at his stats. He's averaged this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's.

[Don Hahn]

He's a great player. Player. Guys, stop it. Is he Aaron Judge? No, he's not Aaron Judge. He's one of the top five players in baseball. He's going to waltz into ERA that you never wanted in the first place. Stop it. You want them, the Yankees want them. What did Brian Cashman say? We lost Juan Soto. Didn't say we didn't want Juan Soto. They pivoted. You pivot when the original plan doesn't work. They offered him actually a year longer than the Mets offered him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Don Hahn]

So don't paint. Yes. Ted Williams. That's the name. That's the name that gets brought up, not by me, not by Michael K. But by all the baseball experts. The cop is Ted Williams.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. The historians tell you. The numbers tell you.

[Don Hahn]

And I know Ted Williams didn't win the chip, but Ted Williams is one of the greatest ballplayers who ever lived. You wanted to keep him. Now you didn't, and you pivoted. Maybe you pivoted.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

The weird thing about Soto's numbers are he only has, like, one season that you go, oh, my God. Otherwise, every year, he's just really, really good. And he's really, really young. But I understand why people don't get it if they're just looking at stats. But what? Watch the guy play? I mean, didn't people watch him play last year?

[Don Hahn]

No, Peter is only. It's only because of Judge that he had a great year.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah, I forgot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, he had his best year. It was a bummer.

[Don Hahn]

No, but it was definitely his best year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

What? I don't think it was his best year. It was his best year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Statistically, it was his best year. Yes.

[Don Hahn]

In some of the numbers that everybody looks into.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, now. Now they are. Okay. The current stats. It was his best year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, bip. And.

[Don Hahn]

There is that little stat.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's the big one, the bing bong stat.

[Alan Hahn]

Because the year. The year he batted. I don't know. He's had a few good years, guys.

[Don Hahn]

No, he's. They were comparing him to Ted Williams before last year. So that caller just sounded like that the gorgeous girlfriend left, and you're like, oh, yeah, I didn't want you anyway. I was gonna break up with you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

But you know what? But again, you. So you just went out with another hottie? Because I do think that the Yankees pivoted. Well, we'll see. We'll see how Goldschmidt and Bellinger do. But right now, Max Freed looks like he's gonna win the Cy Young Award. I don't think anybody is gonna be complaining about that. Now, would they have still signed Freed? Because they still would have needed a pitcher with Cole being out, but that freed up a lot of money for them to be able to go out and get three guys. Maybe they get two of them, maybe just one. But we don't know which one, and we don't know how it all would have looked if Soto had stayed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, but 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.