Don LaGreca (3:16)

Yeah, see, that's what concerns me, Jeff, is that I know he can pitch, and he had a big World series back in 2021, so I know he can handle the pressure. But everybody outside of Cole didn't have to worry about giving you a ton of innings. That's what made Cole special. Right. That's pitching now. Give me five, six quality innings, and then the best bullpen in baseball is going to be able to take over. We're cool. And now he's got to come in and be the de facto ace and give maybe more innings. He was expecting to. How big of an adjustment is that going to be for him that it's not going to be the world that he necessarily thought it was going to be?

Jeff Nelson (3:48)

Well, I think it's up to the Yankees and Aaron Boone and Matt Blake as far as letting him giving him a little bit of a leash. Right. I mean, you can't sit there and say, okay, 90, 95 pitches, and, well, that's going to be what the case for the first couple starts anyway, because they don't leave spring like they used to with 100 pitches, 110 pitches. So you're going to have to give Max Freed a little bit of a leash. You know, with Rodin, he's a guy that throws 95 pitches in five innings because he gets into deep counts. So you really would love to see him eliminate some hitters, get hitters out within four or five pitches instead of six or seven and eight. But Max has. Freed has to, you know, just try to give at least six innings. You're going to need that because you really don't have that in that rotation. But I think it's up to the coaching staff to let him do that. I think he's capable.

Alan Hahn (4:40)

Jeff. I want to get into the Juan Soto of it all, but not necessarily, you know, why he made his decision. Because, look, money's money. You make your decision, all that stuff. But first and foremost, I'll ask you ahead of time, did you happen to see the, the Sports Illustrated article that was out yesterday on him and the whole background of his decision and anything off the comments that he made?

Jeff Nelson (5:00)

I didn't, but you know, you hear rumors, you hear things earlier and when he signed with, with the Mets, you know, I don't know what he said yesterday, but whatever he said, if it has anything to do with the Yankees, you know, it probably is a lot of disrespect and, you know, he had a great year there. You know, you can tell me a little bit about what he said. I can only imagine.

Alan Hahn (5:20)

Yeah, well, especially because again, you're a guy with four rings in pinstripe. So he said. One of the comments that really struck me was when thinking about the Yankees, he said five years, I know is good. And I'm guessing he means because of judge. He said it's after that, you know, you don't know, you, you don't know what they're going to be. And so he felt like long term there was the better play was to go to the Mets. I found that to be the most curious comment of all of them when you consider that since I'm 21 years old, the Yankees have never had a losing season. I'm in my 50s, right. So I couldn't understand that kind of thinking. So, like, what are we to make of that?

Jeff Nelson (6:04)

I mean, how old is Lindor? Lindor is what, 30? I mean, he's gotta be pretty close to what judges of maybe a couple years younger. So what is he talking about? The Mets? I mean, they have a couple of good young players. Well, so do the Yankees as well. He didn't want to be a Yankee, you know, Aaron Judd said it. Well, he didn't want to be a Yankee, you know, and I'm kind of glad they didn't spend the money on him. I think the Yankees have a chance to go to, to the playoffs in the, in the World Series, hopefully. You know, I'm just speaking as a former Yankee talking against the Mets. I think the Mets have a very good team, but I like what the Yankees went and did. You know, signing Bellinger and Goldschmidt and getting Williams and going signing Max Freed, you get four for one player. You got to the World Series with Soto, but you didn't win. So you had to figure out how to go and get back to the World Series and win. Unfortunately, some injuries might have cost him a little bit this year, but, you know, let him speak whatever he wants to. As far as him being a Met. Good for him. He got paid tons of money. I think offensively the Mets are going to be great, but pitching is going to be their downfall. Their starters, they really didn't go out and get an ace and a couple of their starters are already starting on the il and so, you know, they're going to have their own issues over there without him saying what he needs to say about the Yankees and why he didn't sign back.

Don LaGreca (7:20)

All right, let's talk about that Yankee offense. Bellinger, not that far removed from an mvp, but still, it was a little while ago and he's maybe not the player that he was, but still expectations are high. And Goldschmidt, I was always a huge fan of Goldschmidt, but he'll be 38 come September. So what are your expectations from those two players who are expected to try to make up for what Juan Soto was able to give you?

Jeff Nelson (7:44)

Well, you look at Goldschmidt, for instance last year he had a tough first half, second half hit 270, so a lot better. He's looking to have a bounce back season I thought was a good sign. He's a really good teammate. He's an excellent first baseman. You're looking the way they match their lineup. If you looked in spring, they can go left, right, left, right, left, right, all the way down. And it really is tough for an opposing team to match up. I know you have the three batter minimum and all that one coming out of the bullpen. But it does be, it does become an issue when you're, when you're not seeing two righties in a row or two lefties in a row. Gets little bit tough to match up with them. With Bellinger, he had a great spring. Yes, spring numbers can fool you. It doesn't mean anything. But I think the confidence of him going and hitting what, over 400. The power numbers will be there. You look at what Soto gave you in the power numbers, 41 home runs, I think it was. You look at Austin Wells at the top of the lineup. I think he's a guy that can hit you 20, 25. I think Bellinger can hit you 20 to 25, hopefully a little bit more. You look a full year. Jazz Chisholm, he could hit 20, 25 and then steal you about 40 bases. So I think offensively, if things go right, yes, it has to happen. You know, that's with every team. It has to happen. You can talk about it, but it still has to happen. I think potentially this, this lineup can be a lot better than last year because of the. Some of the guys you're going to get a full year of and the two new additions in Goldschmidt and also Bellinger.

Don LaGreca (9:09)

Would you have invested in Arnado?

Alan Hahn (9:11)

Hmm.

Jeff Nelson (9:13)

That would have been an interesting move. I mean, he would have had to agree with to the trade. That was the only problem. I think he is an excellent third baseman. Another guy that's getting up there in age. As far as offensively, I probably would have, because you really, you're going to start Cabrera, you're going to, you're going to platoon him with Peraza. You possibly could have. But again, you know, you got to have a guy agree to the trade. So if he's not going to agree to come to New York, then it's a mute. It's a mute point.

Alan Hahn (9:46)

Talking with Jeff Nelson, getting ready for the new baseball season. I gotta ask this. I would ask every former Yankee I could of this question. When the Dodgers won the World Series, not only did they sing New York, New York in a, you know, in their derisive way, not only at the parade did they mock the Yankees and mistakes that were made in the World Series. Not only did they auction off for charity the baseball and call it the one that Aaron Judge dropped. How would you receive if you were on the team right now? All that stuff that you had to hear from LA after they beat you in the World Series?

Jeff Nelson (10:21)

Well, I think if you look at the way the Yankees played, you know, fundamentally, they just weren't a sound team last year. And, you know, the Dodgers were that much better. They were better. They won the World Series. The best team won the World Series. The Yankees made too many mistakes. If you're a Yankee and you're on this team and you hear what the Dodgers say, I think you come to spring training with an Edge. I think you go into the season with an edge. You should think about that as you go out on the field. You know, we. In 2000, when we made to. When we made the playoffs in 2000, we had the A's, the Oakland A's. Talk a lot of trash about all this is an old team. It's time for a new. A new team to go to the World Series in advance. Well, we beat the ace and the, you know, the Mets did the same thing with Agbayani and Turk. Wendell, we're going to beat him in five. You know, go ahead. You know, you have to do all your talking on the field. And hopefully the Yankees came to spring training and did a lot and did some things to make themselves better, fundamentally baserunning and also fielding. And then you go and you do your talk on the field. But as far as thinking about that, they absolutely should think about what the Dodgers had to say about them.

Don LaGreca (11:28)

You just wonder, Jeff, because we're around it a lot. Like you, is that. Does that team have what you guys had back in the day? Do they have that chip on their shoulder? Do they have that swagger that the Yankees had when you brought Darryl Strawberry in? And nobody's gonna. Nobody. We're not gonna take any thing from anybody. I don't, I don't sense that this team has that.

Jeff Nelson (11:51)

Do you know, maybe not. You could be right. You know, you go back in the years that we played, you are an old Yankee Stadium at 57,000 fans had expected a 100% out of you. You had Mr. Steinbrenner that was still around that that was the best owner in baseball and it was a fan at the same time. So you had the pressures of that. Not that, you know, Hal doesn't bring that same. The same, same intensity, but his dad really brought the intensity. Media that covered you, that I think was a lot. I mean, the paper still existed. You know, there was a lot of pressure from the media, a lot of pressure from the fans. The expectation level, even though it still should be great now, it was probably even greater then you were expected. I mean, Derek Jeter saying if you don't win the World Series, a disappointing season wasn't just a comment. I mean, it was actually true and everybody felt that way. So you could be right. I mean, maybe they just don't have the edge that you used to. You know, I don't know if any team maybe has the edge that. That you want to get back to the World Series. I mean, but you hope so. Like the Dodgers Making the comments. You hope that bothers them and we'll hope to hopefully see that. Some of the injuries, I think back them down a little bit in the American League east, you know, Boston, Baltimore and even Toronto. Toronto, I just don't understand why they're not better than what they've done. But it's going to be a tough division.

Alan Hahn (13:15)

What do you think of the robo umps and the idea of having, you know, basically technology call balls and strikes. As a former pitcher, you for that or against it?

Jeff Nelson (13:26)

Well, I think the ABS system where they put, when they implement or let it go a little bit in spring training some of the places it was just a toy for these guys. I mean I don't think it's going to go into, into play until 2027. So for a pitcher, we think everything's a strike. So if they are going to implement this and they give two challenges, they better, you know, hopefully teams will say, hey, you know, we're taking out the pitcher and the hitter and the catcher can do it. It was quick. You know, it was once they, once they challenged it was like 15. They try to keep it at 15 seconds. I still like the human element. So the challenge system, if they're going to do anything, I think that would be the best way. I don't want to, I don't want a full automated umpire. I think that I still like the, some of the mistakes and even the human element that the umpires bring.

Don LaGreca (14:12)

And you, you had brought up the Mets and their lack of an ace. I wonder. I've just speculated. I'm just reading the tea leaves based on what they've done over the last couple of years because of the way these guys get hurt so hard so often? Jeff, are the Mets doing it in a way where I'm not going to give out long term contracts, I'm not going to give out big money to pitchers just to have them break down. I'm going to catch lightning in a bottle like I did with Severino last year, like I did with Quintana last year. Get guys on one year deals motivated and just have a transient rotation rather than investing big money only to see these guys go down and get hurt. Is that a winning philosophy to you or do you still like paying the big money to the pitchers?

Jeff Nelson (14:53)

Well, the winning philosophy philosophy ought to be how why are these getting these guys getting hurt? What are they doing differently that is causing these injuries and how do we, how do we rectify that and make that better so they don't get Hurt. You know, I think there's two injuries pitchers should never have, and that's a strained lat and a pulled oblique. I didn't even know what an oblique was when I played. You know, I didn't even know I had one. You know, it's. But if you look, if you take, you know, I think there was an article in 2000, a couple years ago that there was more Tommy John's in 2023 than all of the 90s. So yes, analytics. So yes, that's been a big, huge part, a huge change. But also analytics is not going to cause an injury. So they really need to figure out why not just pitchers. I mean, look at the obliques. Obliques that hitters are coming in, you know, coming up with the lat strains and the obliques and the back injuries. What is being done differently? I mean, what can be to keep these guys on the field? Hey, give them as much money as they want, I mean, if they're worth it. But at the same time, you want these guys to be healthy. I mean, you're paying guys $100 million for, you know, three or four years. You want to get three or four quality years that these guys are out there every day and you're just not getting it. So I would think that these teams and organizations would say, hey, what are we doing and what can we do to keep these guys on the field? Because it's just not, it's just, it's just odd to me that the injuries are just coming at record pace.

Alan Hahn (16:23)

What about what the Mets are doing with Senga, which is all right, instead of a five man rotation, we go six and you get that extra. The extra what? Two days rest between starts? Is there a rhythm to it or, or is this maybe the way to go to just to, to give a little more rest and lessen the workload on your starters to see if you can get more out of them? We don't see guys go third time through the order ever. I mean, you rarely see that. Now. I saw Stagnalli, I think there's about six or seven guys who have career over six inning pitched per game. Like that's their average. And they're all like in their like late, like mid to late 30s. Like nobody younger than 30 does this anymore. Is that the only other thing you can think of is maybe just add an extra starter to the rotation and lengthen it.

Jeff Nelson (17:10)

You know, it's funny, we were, I was doing a Yankee game yesterday on radio with the Marlins and we were just talking about how many. How many pitchers actually go 200 innings anymore? And it was only four last year. Four pitchers through 200 or maybe just a little bit over. And I think There was only eight that threw 190 or 185 innings last year in the big leagues. I think even Verlander came out spring training. That's that the pitch, the starting pitcher and the win is being more devalued now as it ever has been. You know, they just think, okay, hey, five innings. And like you mentioned, two times around the lineup, once that third time, hey, we're getting these guys out of there. Because analysts say, hey, the. The stuff goes down and the numbers start flying up offensively. Well, you know, you never used to have that either. You know, you either condition or have a mental, mental attitude is that you can go deep in the game. You know, starters are satisfied with go four or five now, you know that that's just the way they've been built. You'd like to see that change. As far as Singa, he's used to going every six day in Japan, so maybe they're trying to keep him on the field and make it more like where he where before in the Japanese league. So, you know, anything, because he's a quality guy and they're going to need him, you know, whether it's every five days or every six days. So they feel like that's the best that they can keep him on the mound and hopefully that. Hopefully that happens.

Don LaGreca (18:38)

Worried more about Boston or Baltimore in the East?

Jeff Nelson (18:42)

Ooh, that's a good question. You know, both of them, you know, Baltimore has some pitching issues. Their starters are a little iffy. They're bullpen. They got Batista back, so that's a big, huge addition for them in the back end. That ninth inning. He was one of the best closers in the game a couple years ago before Tommy John. Their offense is really good. They're really young. They're a good, athletic team. Boston, they've added with Bregman endeavors, and their pitching staff's a little bit better now. Even the back end of their bullpen, I don't know, I think it's a toss up between both of them. I think it's a really hard division. And even though the Rays, you seem to think that they stink, those, they somehow climb in there and spoil some things. But the American League east might be one of the toughest divisions in baseball. And with the Yankees and their injuries, I would have said the Yankees are favored. I still think they probably win. The east but they've been knocked down just a little bit just because of some of their injuries with the pitching staff.

Alan Hahn (19:35)

I'm going to take Max Freed out of the equation. Give me a newcomer with the Yankees, could be a veteran, could be a young guy, like somebody that you're keeping your eye on this season.

Jeff Nelson (19:46)

I mean, you kind of hope everyone, you know, Will Warren really had a tough time last year in, in the big leagues in his little few starts that he had, I think five. He has a really good arm. He's been working on a change up. I, I like him, I like his stuff and I hope he gets off to a good start. But he's a guy that I think can be someone you could count on or I hope that you can count on.

Alan Hahn (20:10)

So I would say Will Warren, that's a good one. A lot of, A lot of talk about him and obviously last year and you especially right now, what do you need one of them to emerge and give you something. And Warren would certainly be in that.

Jeff Nelson (20:23)

Yeah, he probably would have started in AAA if it wasn't for the injuries.

Alan Hahn (20:26)

Right, right. And, you know, if you can get out of him what you got out of, like, I mean, obviously you'd love this, but Luis Hill was sort of the same thing. Right. You didn't know what you were getting out of him. And all of a sudden by May, you're going, this is a revelation, this guy.

Jeff Nelson (20:39)

So. Yeah, exactly.

Alan Hahn (20:41)

Remains to be seen. You always get excited this time of year, no matter what. Even though it's been a while since you've pitched. Do you still get that same feeling? I always ask athletes. There's a time of year that you get that tingle and you don't know why, because, you know, I don't have to report anywhere. But your, like, your body clock is just so accustomed to it. Do you still get that?

Jeff Nelson (20:59)

Not, not as much as I did when I played, but I still absolutely love opening day and just, you know, see some of the teams that, that are picked to go to the top and pick to go to the World Series. No, I love baseball. I love all sports, but I love baseball and, and just feeling the warm weather. And then now you're going, they're going to go back to their own cities where it's going to be a little chilly. But yeah, I still, I still get pretty excited about opening day.

Don LaGreca (21:24)

And one last one for me, Austin Wells looks like he's going to lead off. In all your days in baseball, can you remember a catcher leading off on your team?

Jeff Nelson (21:33)

You know, I don't know. Not on my team ever. You know, they always hit seventh or eighth. Even as good as Jorge Posada was, I think he was still at the bottom of the lineup, but they like him. You know, I think he's an on base guy. He, you know, very few guys can. Can lead off. And if you think about the way the Yankees constructed their lineup, you know, with, with judges, Soto, you pretty much shut the running game down with anybody that had any speed leading off. And maybe they're thinking the same thing. Even though Soto's not there, you still have Judge Bellinger and Goldschmidt. I still, I still would love to see Jazz or even a Volpe at the top. Volpe just had a hard time because I don't want speed at the top. But they went on base and they love the way that Wells goes about is at bats and he takes a lot of pitches. I think he's going to have a really good year. You're going to see this guy catch 130 games, maybe DH a few more, and it's going to be exciting to watch him.

Alan Hahn (22:26)

It's always exciting just to watch and just to see where this is going. And the Yankee Met rivalry just takes another step a little higher, especially with the Soto stuff and both teams trying to see who can have supremacy here in the city. Nelly, I'm so glad we had you on. I hope we can have you on some more throughout the season. It's awesome to talk to you. Thanks so much. We'll. We'll catch up soon.

Don LaGreca (22:46)

Good luck, man.

Jeff Nelson (22:46)

Hey, my pleasure. I'm glad, I'm glad to get to talk to you guys. Have a great day.

Alan Hahn (22:50)

Awesome. He was, he brought, I'm telling you, I think he's fantastic. You hear him on the call. He usually does go. Does games with Ruko, with Ryan Ruko.

Don LaGreca (22:58)

Right.

Alan Hahn (22:58)

And I, I love their call. They're really good together.

Don LaGreca (23:00)

I just opinionated. And he wears his, you know, Yankee heart on his sleeve. Obviously, the way he answered that question about Soto, he didn't want to be a Yankee. Like, we move on like that. That's good stuff. But. But no, he knows the game. I had a chance to host some shows with him back in the day, and he's always prepared, and I'm really happy that he's getting a chance to work. Yes. And he was a fun guy to watch, too.

Alan Hahn (23:21)

That's great stuff.

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Alan Hahn (24:52)

The Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

Howie Rose (24:54)

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

Alan Hahn (24:56)

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

Commercial Speaker (25:03)

Just made the list, buddy.

Alan Hahn (25:06)

This is the list with Don Han and Rosenberg. I think this one's going to be controversial, Don.

Don LaGreca (25:16)

All right.

Alan Hahn (25:17)

I think this, this one. And I'm not, I'm not intending it to be. I, I just, I am putting together a list that we want to honor the start of the baseball season. And there's a lot of things that you could say, well, this tells me it's baseball season. There's weather, there's baseball movies, there's ballpark food. We could do all kinds of things. But for me growing up, it was always about the uniform. There was something special about the baseball jersey. There were certain ones that you saw over time and you're like, man, that was the best version of that, right? So I'm gonna give you my top five all time baseball jerseys. Not hats, not the pants, not the stirrups, not the. Just the jersey. A jersey that if I was a jersey buying person, which I'm not, I would buy These jerseys, if I wanted to make a collection. Ready?

Don LaGreca (26:06)

Okay, go.

Alan Hahn (26:07)

I'll give you two honorable mentions and these two will tell you already. Controversy. Honorable mentions. Number one is the 70s. Well, more like the 60s St. Louis Cardinals. Because you had the bat, the bird on the bat, like it's script Cardinal. That's really cool. The buttons down when they went to the V neck T shirt out. I'm done. Don't give me that. Keith Hernandez was a great player. He didn't look good in that jersey. Okay, but the. But the button up one from the earlier times. That's the one. I love the Mets pinstripe jersey. Daryl Strawberry. Nothing was more baseball than Daryl Strawberry in the Mets pinstripe jersey. Gorgeous. But it's honorable mention because as we know, it's a copycat jersey. So we couldn't put that on the list. But it's gorgeous jersey. I loved it. Number five.

Don LaGreca (26:53)

Okay.

Alan Hahn (26:55)

In the 1980s, the Chicago White Sox, who might have had more jersey changes in jersey before there was such a thing as third jerseys in city Connect. The White Sox seemed to have new, new uniforms every year. Am I right?

Don LaGreca (27:08)

Well, all big time.

Alan Hahn (27:10)

They felt like it constantly changing their jerseys, which is fine. But the 80s White Sox jersey that had socks written across the front, that was. There was some. It was just something about that for me is nostalgic because that was my ERA as a kid, watching baseball, scoring games and all that stuff. There was just something about it. I think it was at 80. Was it 83? The All Star Game was at Comiskey, I believe.

Don LaGreca (27:36)

Oh, yeah, you're right.

Alan Hahn (27:37)

I was. I was all in on baseball back then. And so I loved that jersey. I loved the hat that it said socks. And it had the whole. The animation of the guy with the bat that like. So I love that jersey. That's fine. Number four. Let's go to the seventies. We are family. Willie Stargill and company. And them boys. As Stephen A. Would say, the seventies Pirates black and yellow jersey was phenomenal, especially when it was yellow. And I'll throw in the hat because the square hat with the stripes, the three stripes around the cap. Oh, that whole look itself. That's why they won a World Series jerseys. Never mind all the talent they had, you know, that, that they, they might. They might have won because of the talent they had. Maybe because of that song that they all rallied around. To me, it was the jerseys number.

Howie Rose (28:22)

Tell me, tell me this one question on that. Alan, though.

Alan Hahn (28:24)

Yeah.

Howie Rose (28:25)

Do you love it in earnest or do you think it's like, slightly repug. Or like you, if you actually wore a jersey, would wear that jersey.

Alan Hahn (28:32)

I love that. No, no, I love that. First of all, my high school is black and yellow, black and gold. Like, I. I love those colors together. And there was something. I thought they looked tough, like those were badass jerseys.

Howie Rose (28:43)

And. And by the way, Pittsburgh can never get enough credit for the fact that they own every team. Matching. It's the most underrated thing, you know that. Every team.

Alan Hahn (28:53)

That's really, really good observation, by the way. The only city where all their teams make sure they all wear the same colors.

Howie Rose (28:58)

So dope.

Alan Hahn (28:59)

I do like that. All right, so I'm into number three now on my list of the best jerseys of all time in baseball history. Too bad this franchise doesn't exist anymore. But we all know that there was a wonderful time with LeGrand Orange, and everybody else up in Monreal. The powder blue Expos jersey with the M with a little E script added to the M. I mean, that was Trey McNafee. I love that jersey. And then at number two, the Dodgers, of course, classic white jersey, but not the Brooklyn Dodgers, mind you. I know they're similar, but they're not the same. This is, to me, the Steve Garvey, Tommy Lasorda, Rick Monday, right? Ron say, Ron say. The stripe on the sleeves, Fernando Valenzuela. The stripes on the sleeve, the script. Dodgers in that beautiful Dodger blue. And then, of course, the letter in the front being. The numbers being red. Something just so classic about that, so crisp about it. So la. Those were. Those were gorgeous jerseys. Number one, of course, is obvious. Yankee pinstripes, Nothing greater. The greatest jersey in the history of all sports. Classic, clean, just tradition, no name on the back. Often imitated, never duplicated. The Yankees.

Howie Rose (30:17)

Don, let me ask you a question. Let me ask you. Let me ask a question, Don.

Don LaGreca (30:20)

I'm looking forward to answering.

Howie Rose (30:21)

Yeah, I know you are. Is it. Is that really the answer or is it. Is it. And I'm not even calling, like, Allen fanboy, because not just Allen, or is that just the thing that's. You're obligated to say because they're the most legendary, winningest team in history. Is it really. I know you're a fan of it, but is it really the one?

Alan Hahn (30:40)

Oh, yeah, it's the. I mean, again, when it comes to wearing pinstripes, when it comes to wearing jerseys, that's the jersey. That's the one.

Don LaGreca (30:48)

Because they win. I mean, there's nothing. Let's be honest.

Alan Hahn (30:53)

And why.

Don LaGreca (30:53)

I mean, there's There's a history of winning that obviously I get. All right? So that's what makes it special. But it's not really all that special. I mean, it's. It's the dark navy blue that almost comes across as like black. So it's very basic and it's simple and it's elegant. I get that. But, you know, it's classic. But because they win, because I, Because.

Howie Rose (31:19)

I just honestly, if you're not a Yankee fan, you're just an objective sports fan fan. While it's classic, I really look at that and go, it's the best looking jersey.

Alan Hahn (31:28)

I love it.

Howie Rose (31:29)

I don. I don't know if I'd have it. Top 10.

Alan Hahn (31:32)

Top 10.

Howie Rose (31:33)

Because I don't know if I.

Alan Hahn (31:34)

What are you gonna put in there? What are you putting. The Diamondbacks. What are you giving over that?

Don LaGreca (31:39)

Come on, give him more credit than that.

Howie Rose (31:40)

Yeah. Why did you just go to two expansion teams?

Alan Hahn (31:44)

They tried to do some fancy stuff and it didn't work. Everybody's throwing teal into things and wild colors.

Don LaGreca (31:49)

I don't know.

Howie Rose (31:50)

Don. A white Royals jersey is a beautiful jersey.

Alan Hahn (31:55)

The royal.

Howie Rose (31:57)

But they're the Royals.

Alan Hahn (31:58)

It's the reverse. Dodgers. What are we talking about? It's script and the reverse. It's just reversed.

Commercial Speaker (32:02)

It.

Howie Rose (32:02)

It's still a lovely looking jersey.

Alan Hahn (32:04)

It's, it's, it's a copycat.

Howie Rose (32:06)

Cardinals. A nice jersey.

Don LaGreca (32:08)

Yeah. I would add the Cardinal for sure.

Alan Hahn (32:10)

Honorable mention.

Howie Rose (32:12)

I mean, listen, I know you guys probably won't agree. I like the Orioles jersey. I think it's a beautiful. No, I love it.

Alan Hahn (32:20)

Orange, brown, beautiful.

Howie Rose (32:22)

White with the curse of Orioles across it in orange. I think it's a luxurious. John, what about a Brave? Braves have a beautiful jersey.

Alan Hahn (32:29)

Don't love it.

Howie Rose (32:30)

The white Athletics jersey I think is sneaky good. I don't know, it's just. Don, all I'm saying is I get it. You're the greatest organization in the history of pro sports. I give it up. But that doesn't mean it's actually the best jersey. I'm sorry.

Alan Hahn (32:44)

800-919-3776. Anybody wants to argue more? But. But this is what we have. Go ahead.

Don LaGreca (32:48)

Yeah, I never, I was never a fan of the Cub jersey. The Cub jersey almost came across as like pajamas to me. I don't know, it just didn't. You know, the logo is very basic. It's like. It's not. It's not centered. It's. It's. I never love the Cubs. Just a simple C. But The Cardinals because of the colors. I love red. I love the. The two Cardinals on the bat. Really nice, really sharp.

Alan Hahn (33:12)

It's cool.

Don LaGreca (33:13)

But the rest of the list is good. I don't.

Alan Hahn (33:16)

I'm not in love with those white.

Don LaGreca (33:17)

Sock jerseys you're talking about.

Alan Hahn (33:18)

You didn't. Oh, come on. There's something. There's. There was something retro about that. It's just all it said was socks. S, O X. Yeah. When you're a kid of about 11 years old, I think I was at the time, you know. Yeah. Your mind is like going like, can you imagine if you just saying one letter on that jersey? Like, I mean, you know, all kinds of silly stuff that you do when you're a kid. But that's something that was just so baseball about it.

Don LaGreca (33:40)

And you're right about the pirate. For some reason, because my teams were bad when I was growing up. I connected with that. We are family. Willie Stargell 79 team. They came back from three, one down against Baltimore. The hat, which. My dad ran the little league team we were on. I was trying to get him to get those hats. And then the stars that they put on kind of like the. The. The Buckeye for Ohio State when you starred, you had a bunch of them on the hat. They. That was really. I love that and I love. You're right. The. The Pittsburgh all going black and yellow and. Who was the. What was that song, Peter? The hip hop song.

Howie Rose (34:17)

Which one?

Don LaGreca (34:19)

The Black and Yellow. Black and Yellow.

Howie Rose (34:22)

Yeah, sure.

Don LaGreca (34:23)

Because I remember that was a big deal when the. The. Because I went to Pittsburgh for the. When. When the Steelers the Hines Field hosted. I think it was. Might have been the second or third winter classic. They made a big deal. They playing that song and.

Alan Hahn (34:39)

Yeah.

Don LaGreca (34:39)

Just so cool. The Penguins were the last one to do it and they went from the light blue, the powder blue to finally doing black and yellow to have all three of the major teams and even the Pitt Panthers, where. I think it's really cool in New.

Alan Hahn (34:54)

York if somehow, you know, there was an executive order that said all professional sports teams have to have one uniform color of the New York teams. What would it be? Now we have two. We have three blue and orange teams. We have one green.

Howie Rose (35:12)

Well, that's the thing. It's close.

Alan Hahn (35:13)

We have two red, white and blues.

Howie Rose (35:15)

Half the city has it. Like the blue and orange thing is a thing.

Don LaGreca (35:18)

Well, because that's too many colors. That's in the New York flag.

Alan Hahn (35:22)

The state.

Don LaGreca (35:23)

The state.

Alan Hahn (35:24)

Right. But.

Don LaGreca (35:25)

But for some reason, because you got the Rangers with the. The red, white. Giants. Red, white and blue. Hmm. But you're right.

Alan Hahn (35:34)

Yankees are. Technically. There's red in their logo, right? The Yankee logo. Correct.

Don LaGreca (35:41)

Yes.

Howie Rose (35:42)

Yeah. Yeah.

Don LaGreca (35:43)

I don't think it's. It's not part of their uniform, though. Although that. That.

Alan Hahn (35:48)

That's kind of.

Don LaGreca (35:49)

You didn't mention it, I don't think, when you were talking about the Dodger uniform, like, how unique that the. The number in the front's red just out of nowhere.

Alan Hahn (35:57)

Oh, the. The Dodgers. Yeah.

Howie Rose (35:59)

I love that.

Don LaGreca (36:00)

That is.

Alan Hahn (36:01)

Started that in Brooklyn. That was late. There's got to be a story behind it, because, remember, the original Brooklyn Dodgers was all like. It was the. The old. What even material was that?

Don LaGreca (36:12)

Probably flannel.

Alan Hahn (36:14)

No, they had a satin jersey one year, but it was all blue. And then late 50s, I think, before they moved, there was the. The number was suddenly red. And then they just took over to LA. But then the 70s LA one was perfection.

Don LaGreca (36:29)

But, you know, it's so funny, like, they never put any thought into anything. Back in the day, we've had this conversation about sports.

Howie Rose (36:35)

Goalpost right in front of the end.

Don LaGreca (36:36)

Zone, right where it was probably like, hey, Skipper, we're out of. We're out of the blue material. All we got left is red. All right, well, just throw the red on. Nobody's gonna notice. Nobody cares. We gotta get the number out there. Skipper, we're out of Blue 23.

Alan Hahn (36:51)

The game's in black and white anyway. They won't be able to tell.

Don LaGreca (36:54)

There's seven people on the stands. We're playing a game. It's 90 degrees. It's 1:00. Everybody's at school or work. What are we doing? There's no television. And the people that have television, those rich people, those snobs up on the hill, it's black and white. They're not gonna tell.

Howie Rose (37:07)

I. To the. To the point of. They just don't think I have the Mitchell and Ness Sandy Koufax jersey.

Don LaGreca (37:15)

It's.

Howie Rose (37:16)

It's as well wear it in the dead of winter. I mean, it's a thick wool. The idea that you would wear.

Alan Hahn (37:20)

That's what it is. It was wool. You'd sooner wear that in la.

Don LaGreca (37:25)

They were trying to kill the players.

Alan Hahn (37:27)

It's not breathable. Do you know the reason why they went to satin jerseys was because of night baseball? Because of the light reflecting off the. Off the satin.

Don LaGreca (37:39)

Wow. We were just.

Alan Hahn (37:40)

I mean, this is what we're talking about.

Don LaGreca (37:41)

We're just flat. Honestly, there was. There was periods of time on our country's history that we were just flat out dumb or just didn't try. I. I'm. I'm leaning towards the fact that, listen, it's sports. Let's put the dumbest people on it because we've got. We've got wars going on. We've got. We got to try to cure polio. Let's put the smart people on the stuff that's important. Everybody, it's sports. It's dumb. So let's just put the dumb people on it. I'm serious. That make. Now it makes sense. Why the goal post?

Howie Rose (38:12)

Don, have you done this top five? Have you done the top five dumbest things that ever existed?

Don LaGreca (38:18)

Yes.

Alan Hahn (38:18)

Yes. We need to do that back in the day.

Howie Rose (38:20)

You did, because you revisit was number one.

Don LaGreca (38:23)

The goal post in front definitely in the top five. I don't go back.

Alan Hahn (38:27)

It might be numbered. Peach basket's got to be top.

Don LaGreca (38:29)

But. But I guess the logic was, well, that's the goal. Like, so why. Why make them kick an extra 10 yards? That's where the touchdown is. Because then they figure, listen, these players. So they die on the field. We'll just get another player.

Howie Rose (38:41)

Yeah, it doesn't matter.

Don LaGreca (38:42)

I mean, that was during that era. Like have 15 kids, maybe five survive.

Alan Hahn (38:46)

Yep.

Don LaGreca (38:46)

Right.

Alan Hahn (38:47)

So that's all you're hoping for. Maybe one successful. Right. But one gets a job. Wouldn't that be exciting?

Don LaGreca (38:53)

I got 10 kids. Seven of them went to World War II. If I get four back, it's a win. Like I'm telling you, back in the day, it's. There's a. There's an old cemetery near my house that we. Sometimes we go for a walk and we'd look and it's. It's back like the 1700s. Because the town I'm from goes back to like 1780 and it. Like that. They'll have like 15 people on the headstone and like 10 of them didn't make it past 10 takes. It's. It's. So that's why they didn't put any thought, like, also a player died. It's. We'll just get another player. That's why we. That's why we have more than the 11 we need in football. Just in case somebody. Oh, yeah, they hurt, though. Yeah, they play when they're hurt. When they're dead, they can't play. So we got to.

Howie Rose (39:38)

No helmet. No helmet in hockey is right up there, though.

Don LaGreca (39:41)

That's.

Howie Rose (39:41)

That's right up there.

Alan Hahn (39:42)

You think that's a mask For a goaltender, no mask.

Don LaGreca (39:47)

I understood that they weren't. They weren't putting. They weren't shooting the puck 120 miles an hour. I understand that. But it would still come fast. And it was still made of rubber.

Alan Hahn (39:58)

Yeah, yeah. Who. So Jacques Plant was the first one to put a mask on.

Jeff Nelson (40:03)

Yeah.

Don LaGreca (40:03)

And they basically almost ran him out of the league for being a win.

Alan Hahn (40:06)

Mocked him.

Don LaGreca (40:07)

Mocked him.

Alan Hahn (40:09)

The photos of like the, the this. The 50s Stanley Cup Finals pictures. Like, you'll see Red Wings, you know, Maple Leafs. And there's the goal. There's like, you know, skates up in the air. There's players falling down. And there's the goalie. He. First of all, he looks 50 years old. They all look like they're old.

Don LaGreca (40:27)

Gump Wolseley looked like he was 70 when he broke into the league.

Alan Hahn (40:30)

His name was Gump. Who's a young guy named Gump?

Don LaGreca (40:34)

Gump.

Alan Hahn (40:34)

But it's so jarring to see. It's like, where's his mask? He's gonna cut his face.

Don LaGreca (40:40)

How far we've come, Alan, that if a goalie right now loses his mask, they immediately blow the whistle dead because they're afraid they're gonna hurt. Meanwhile, the league was founded on people. That's not even we masks or helmet at all.

Alan Hahn (40:54)

This will be a great list. 800-919-3776. I do want to ask Don a uniform question, a jersey question. That's coming up. We got the Yankees and reactions to what Jeff Nelson said about Juan Soto, which I thought was really interesting. And more Howie Rose on the Mets side of things. He's going to join us at 5, so stay with us. But first, Don, a message, please.

Don LaGreca (41:16)

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You wake up dreaming of McDonald's hash browns.

Don LaGreca (41:58)

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Don LaGreca (42:13)

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Don LaGreca (42:27)

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Alan Hahn (43:04)

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

Howie Rose (43:08)

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

Alan Hahn (43:09)

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

Don LaGreca (43:17)

Sweet.

Alan Hahn (43:18)

What? What is that?

Don LaGreca (43:20)

Ballroom Blitz by Sweet Love Ballroom Blitz.

Alan Hahn (43:24)

Was this in. This was in Wayne's World.

Howie Rose (43:27)

Yes, that's right.

Alan Hahn (43:28)

It was covered in Wayne's World. That's covered. Yeah, it's a cover, not a. Not a. Don't go too. Yeah, I don't really go that far back when it comes to this song. It's good.

Howie Rose (43:39)

I only go Wayne's World.

Alan Hahn (43:41)

Yeah, that's about it. What was her name?

Howie Rose (43:45)

Tia Carrera.

Alan Hahn (43:46)

Tia Carrera.

Howie Rose (43:48)

Yep.

Alan Hahn (43:48)

Yeah, that was a good movie.

Don LaGreca (43:50)

One of the. One of the great. The great one that put together plans of all time in a movie to get the satellites together so Mr. Big can see her performance. Love that movie.

Alan Hahn (44:03)

I thought. Was it. Rob Lowe was in that, right?

Don LaGreca (44:06)

Oh, yeah.

Alan Hahn (44:07)

Rob Lowe was like the.

Howie Rose (44:08)

Yeah, Rob Lowe.

Alan Hahn (44:09)

He was great.

Howie Rose (44:10)

One of the great 90s heels. Rob Lowe.

Alan Hahn (44:13)

I thought he was tremendous in that movie. He just perfectly played exactly what he needed to be in that.

Howie Rose (44:19)

And in Tommy Boy. Basically the same character. That's a good pull in both.

Alan Hahn (44:22)

Yeah. And then he ended up being another Mike Myers vehicle. Right. Didn't he play the younger version of number of number two?

Don LaGreca (44:32)

Yeah.

Alan Hahn (44:32)

Or number two.

Howie Rose (44:33)

Oh, that's right. Yeah.

Alan Hahn (44:35)

Right. When he went back in time. And then he was Young Blood also done. Which will never.

Don LaGreca (44:41)

That was on the other day. I. That. That was it. So underrated.

Alan Hahn (44:44)

It's. I think it's excellent. Excellent movie. And very, very close to reality, too, by the way. Not that far off on a lot of things.

Don LaGreca (44:53)

It's just kind of a serious version of slap shot.

Alan Hahn (44:57)

Yeah.

Don LaGreca (44:58)

Minor league hockey. Patrick Swayze. Rob Lowe. A lot of eye candy for the ladies, no doubt. Semi naked Rob Lowe.

Alan Hahn (45:09)

Tremendous story though. Tremendous story. I think we really are reaching a point, Don, where a Dumb things in sports. Is that what it is? Right? Dumb ideas in sports? Yes.

Don LaGreca (45:23)

Rules, whatever.

Alan Hahn (45:24)

Yeah, whatever it is. The group chat is blowing up on this, so it's definitely. We probably should get it ready for next week already. That's how good this is going to be. Game time, everybody. Brought to you by Tullamardu Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, it's telly time. Knicks are back in action tonight here at the Garden against the Clippers. We have coverage immediately following us as always, right here on 880 at 7pm The Nets are hosting the Raptors at 7:30. Islanders welcome in the Canucks at 7:30. Big two points on the line there. And the Devils visit the Blackhawks also at 7:30. So a lot of 7:30s tonight. Tullamore do the original triple distilled, triple blended, triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Do Honey during tonight's action. Glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. Don, out of all the versions of the Met jersey, which one's your favorite?

Howie Rose (46:17)

The black.

Don LaGreca (46:18)

He loves it. Despise the black. Listen, 86 was great, but I just didn't care for the stripes down the side. So just the traditional, you know, pinstripes at home road grays. I didn't like them going to the scripted Mets on the road grays in the mid-80s either. I just like the block New York and then having the Mets for the home jerseys. Those were beautiful. And I love that blue. I think that blue really pops. And I've always been a fan of orange too, so I just like that combination. I really do.

Alan Hahn (46:49)

So you don't like the T shirt V neck look that everybody was going to back then, right?

Don LaGreca (46:54)

No, I always wanted a Met Jersey in the 80s and I wanted authentic. I had this thing, I just hated wearing replica jerseys. I wanted to save up and get the authentic jerseys, but the only thing available authentic was the pullover jersey they didn't have. I wanted to wait for the button down and they finally went to the button down. You know, probably in, in the mid-90s. But during those 80, yeah, it was all the pullover. A lot of the teams did it, that the Cardinals did it. I just wanted to wait for the button down. That's why I never had a Met jersey when I was younger, because I didn't want the pullover.

Alan Hahn (47:27)

Right. Peter, do you have a one favorite jersey yourself? Like, is there one? You're like, that's. That's. This is the best. God, yes. I'm biased about the Yankee pinstripe. So that's why I'm giving you the opportunity to. I appreciate me on your favorite.

Howie Rose (47:43)

I appreciate this because I was the ultimate jersey guy. I mean, I had. I had such a collection of authentic jerseys back in the day. I still have a decent collection. I love the classic fat penguin Mario Lemieux jersey. Yeah. But I'm trying to think of, like, what I think is the quintessential number one.

Alan Hahn (48:08)

I guess I like Penguins jersey from the. From the Lemieux era was badass.

Howie Rose (48:12)

The black and you not when they changed it. When they got to the modern. They tried that modern one. It just wasn't. It wasn't dope. I guess I'd probably go with that. I mean, but I'm not going to lie. When it comes to just classic. The way you feel about the Yankees, the white or green Celtics jersey to me is gorgeous. I mean, like, you want to talk about plain and really nice. To me, I think that's a fantastic jersey. When they. When the Celtics wear an alt jersey, it's how Don feels about the black metal jersey makes me sick to my stomach. I'm disgusted by it. Some you just don't need to mess with at all.

Alan Hahn (48:45)

Yeah. The Celtics should be like the Yankees and they only should. The whole league could have city connect and now we're all set. We're good. We don't need anything else.

Howie Rose (48:54)

If you want to do a throwback. If you want to do a throwback where the font is slightly different, like the old Russell jerseys, fine, sure. But like the fact that they do the alt green, they do black a lot. It's just. It's just dumb. Oh, you know the one that says Bos. Like just. Just Celtics, Celtics across the front.

Jeff Nelson (49:15)

Simple.

Howie Rose (49:16)

Gorgeous.

Alan Hahn (49:16)

Yeah, yeah. See, I'm with you. See, you love tradition. That's exactly what it's about. Certain organizations and you said it's about winning. Certain organizations shouldn't touch it, but they do for the money.

Don LaGreca (49:29)

Whether it's about the winning or just the. You didn't touch it for that long. Like the Diamondbacks, they've got a million different units. Uniforms. Fine. That's always the way they've done it. I hate the Mets with their orange jerseys, even though it looks sharp. I just. I don't want to mess with the tradition. If you've, if you've been a team that never was married to any kind of one jersey, changed it all the time. You know, have at it. Do what you want to do. Yankees, Celtics, Canadians, those are teams that shouldn't mess. As much as I hate the Dallas Cowboys, I used to always hate, why were they, why are they going to those white with the star on the side and white helmet? Come on, those. That's a tradition you're messing with. I don't get that. And I know it was a throwback at the time because when they first came into the league in 1960, that's what they wore. But when they came America's team, it was, it was the blue and silver with the helmet, with the, with the star in the helmet. Pittsburgh, don't mess with the Steelers.

Alan Hahn (50:18)

Yeah, the Emmett Smith version, right? That's the one that you love. All right, coming up, Howie Rose and the Mets get ready for a season you've been waiting for. Stay with us. Don Han Rosenberg880 ESPN Pet Guys, FanDuel.

Howie Rose (50:34)

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Alan Hahn (51:28)

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.

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