Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 2: Jeff Passan & That Guy Thursday

ESPN New York | September 25, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Featured Guest: Jeff Passan (ESPN Senior Baseball Writer)

Overview

This episode dives deep into the late-season drama and intrigue of Major League Baseball as the playoff races come down to the wire. The conversation, with special guest Jeff Passan, explores Mets and Yankees playoff hopes, the AL MVP debate (Judge vs. Cal Raleigh), the value of team context in individual awards, and broader observations about the American League. The second half transitions into their segment "That Guy Thursday," calling out questionable sports and life behavior, and concludes with a lively discussion about streaming’s impact on sports broadcasts, local vs. national game viewing, and some classic show banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of New York Baseball (Mets & Yankees)

• Mets Playoff Hopes & Fan Despair

  • Don, as a lifelong Mets fan, uses a Shawshank Redemption analogy to describe his wavering hope:
    • “Am I Red or Andy Dufresne? Do I believe or not believe?” (02:23)
  • He expresses skepticism: “If they make the playoffs, it’s only because the Reds and Diamondbacks aren’t good enough.” (02:31)
  • Jeff Passan responds with cautious optimism:
    • “A team that looks like it has been dead for four months, which personifies the New York Mets right now, can suddenly come alive at any given time. And that's the frustration of the Mets.” (03:34)

• Yankees and the State of the AL

  • Jets’ football disappointment in NY leaves fans clinging to baseball. The panel transitions discussion to the Yankees’ division race and Judge’s MVP bid.
  • Jeff, on the Yankees’ chances:
    • “If the Yankees made it back to the World Series, guys, it would not surprise me one bit. We've seen how hot this team can get.” (14:11)
    • He highlights Max Fried’s impact filling in for the injured Cole: “Max Fried... my MVP of the New York Yankees...” (14:19)

2. AL MVP Debate: Aaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh

• Should Team Success Matter?

  • Alan asks if Judge winning the division should tip the scale for MVP over Raleigh. Passan says no, explaining why he no longer votes for MVP due to its impact on player’s earnings:

    • “Mainly it’s because I don’t think that I should have any sort of effect on the people I’m covering’s financial well-being.” (05:12)

  • Passan’s philosophy:

    • “I never took team into mind... I didn’t want to penalize great players for being surrounded by bums.” (05:50)
    • He invokes Mike Trout as the classic example: “Mike Trout was the best player in baseball for a decade... I get why people tie the team in. I just never thought it was fair.” (06:10)

• Is “Best” Different From “Most Valuable”?

  • Don argues that Raleigh is more valuable this year due to Seattle’s surprise success and the historic nature of a catcher hitting 60 HR, while Judge doing “what's expected” for a loaded team is less valuable.
  • Passan pushes back:
    • “What is a sign of value other than production? What's the difference between being the best and being the most valuable?” (08:11)
    • He further dissects: “Just because a guy exceeds what our expectations were doesn’t mean that makes him better than somebody else...” (10:16)

• The WAR Debate

  • Alan suggests WAR should decide MVP. Jeff disagrees:
    • “I do not look at WAR that way... single season defensive metrics are just wholly unreliable to me... I’m never gonna be the guy who just votes a straight WAR ticket.” (11:39)
  • They note that, in this case, Judge and Raleigh are both at the top of AL WAR (12:36).

3. AL Power Rankings & Playoff Landscape

• AL vs. NL Strength
  • “The American League kind of stinks, to be honest... best teams, whether it is Philadelphia, Los Angeles, even Milwaukee, I think reside in the National League this year.” – Jeff Passan (13:25)
  • He does rate Seattle highly for their pitching and home run ability. Yankees are also “in a good position right now to succeed.” (14:43)

4. Mets Long-term Outlook and Farm System Realities

• David Stearns’ Philosophy & Prospect Hope
  • Don asks if Stearns must adjust his anti-ace-spending stance.
    • Passan:
      • “The best executives have philosophies that are malleable.” (15:41)
      • Passan notes Cohen’s spending gives NYM more options than Stearns had in Milwaukee.
      • On the farm: “What they've got at AA right now... Jett Williams, Carson Benge, AJ Ewing... going to put the Mets really, really high up in farm rankings.” (16:54)
  • Alan voices fans’ depression: “When you head into a season expecting results, it's still depressing when the upside is farm system next year.” (17:52)
  • Passan acknowledges fandom’s pain:
    • “Objectively, yes... but sports fandom is not an objective thing. It's an emotional thing... as good as the future looks, we've seen great futures in the past. I don't blame Mets fans... My present is depressing, has been so for months, and I just want it to end.” (18:47)

5. WWE/Wrestle Palooza and Cheap Heat Conversation

• Alan pivots, asking Jeff about ESPN’s first WWE PLE:
  • Passan: “I enjoyed the spectacle. There were a couple of good matches... I wish there were more than five matches on PLEs.” (19:32)
  • On John Cena’s squash by Brock Lesnar:
    • “I don't like watching Cena get squashed. I understand you gotta build up Brock Lesnar, the character, but I thought there were other ways that could have been handled. But Stephanie Vacair is a gangster. I'm going to enjoy watching a long title reign there.” (19:53)
  • Alan: “Maybe I don't love John Cena booking the end here... that's not what I want to see.”
  • Passan: “I wanted to see heel Cena the whole time. I thought it was tremendous... for me, in entertainment, diverting expectations, if not everything, is one of the main things you’re trying to do.” (20:41)

6. That Guy Thursday – Airing Grievances and Eye-rolls

• Springer’s “Conspiracy” Quote

  • Focus: Blue Jays’ George Springer caught on camera post-missed call, saying, “If they want New York to win, just tell me and give it to them already.” (26:24)
  • Don:
    • “So lame... you have this colossal inferiority complex.” (28:19)
    • Ties to longstanding Canadian sports culture inferiority (“the Leafs go through the same thing too... It's the same garbage we hear all the time.”) (28:19)
  • Peter: Compares to Yankee/AL conspiracy theories over Judge pitching:
    • “Fans hang on to this stuff, but that’s ... you don’t want to say, my team’s not good enough... It's the losers’ lament.” (29:34, 30:40)

• Adopting a Dog and Over-careful Rescue Rules

  • Alan's LA experience at a dog rescue, turned away by endless questions before even seeing the dogs.
    • “Can I just at least see the dogs?... Before they would even let me, guys, look at a dog, what's your favorite color, how much did you weigh... the amount of questions they were asking me.” (32:15 — Alan, exaggerating tongue-in-cheek)
  • Alan defends thoroughness but wishes for common sense:
    • “At least let me walk through the dogs... you might not even know that dogs exist in this place!” (34:01)
  • Peter, empathetic but dry: “Feels like nature was telling you not time.” (33:29)

7. Other “That Guy” and Sports Tidbits

• Update on David Frye’s Baseball Injury
  • Alan: “Is David Fry OK?” (36:07)
  • Peter: “Facial fractures, out six to eight weeks. But that was it. I mean, all things considered...” (36:42)
• Major League Baseball on Streaming: Netflix Gets Yankees Opener
  • Don: “Netflix... going to air Giants-Yankees opening day as an exclusive.” (37:05)
    • Some fans will gripe about missing YES crew, but “Netflix is an app that everybody has.” (38:32)
    • Rosenberg: “Netflix and Prime feel a little bit more like it’s become part of what people do” but worries about fans frustrated by “where’s this game... on what app?” (38:34)
  • Don and Peter debate local-vs-national game-watching habits, referencing MSG, ESPN, NBA, NHL, and the unique culture in New York (42:09–47:53).

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Mets Hope:

  • Don: “Am I Red or Andy Dufresne? Do I believe or not believe?” (02:23)
  • Jeff Passan: “A team that looks like it has been dead for four months... can suddenly come alive at any given time.” (03:34)

• On MVP Voting Philosophy:

  • Jeff Passan: "I never took team into mind... I didn't want to penalize great players for being surrounded by bums." (05:50)
  • Don: "What's the difference between being the best and being the most valuable?" (08:11)

• On American League Strength:

  • Jeff Passan: "The American League kind of stinks, to be honest... the best teams... reside in the National League this year." (13:25)

• On Baseball Prospect Hype:

  • Jeff Passan: "Objectively, yes, but sports fandom is not objective... as good as the future looks, we've seen great futures in the past... my present is depressing, has been so for months, and I just want it to end." (18:47)

• On Springer’s Outburst:

  • Alan: "He appears to say: 'If they want New York to win, just tell me and give it to them already.'" (26:24)
  • Don: “You have this colossal inferiority complex... instead of blaming yourself or looking in the mirror, it’s oh, the fix is in. So lame.” (28:19)

• On Streaming & Local vs. National Broadcasts:

  • Don: "Netflix is an app that everybody has... Yankee fans are going to get apoplectic... but Netflix is more manageable." (38:32)
  • Peter: "There's a curiosity... to hear what they're saying on inside at halftime before, I mean, you're curious... to hear what the national voices say about your local team." (47:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Jeff Passan Joins, Mets & Hope | 01:05–04:14 | | AL MVP Debate (Judge vs. Raleigh) | 05:08–12:00 | | AL vs. NL Strength, Yankees Playoff Outlook | 12:50–14:49 | | Mets’ Future & Farm System Discussion | 15:06–18:47 | | WWE Wrestle Palooza Reactions | 19:19–21:12 | | That Guy Thursday - "Springer Conspiracy" | 25:06–30:48 | | That Guy Thursday - Dog Adoption Story | 31:54–34:38 | | MLB on Netflix, Broadcast Debates | 37:05–47:53 |

Tone & Style

The hosts maintain their signature blend of sharp sports analysis, wit, and candid New York sensibility. Banter is brisk, with frequent interjections and a conversational, occasionally self-deprecating tone. Jeff Passan brings a thoughtful, almost philosophical voice to award debates, while Alan and Don play both passionate fans and measured journalists.

Conclusion

This spirited, content-rich hour delivers substantial insight into late-season baseball drama, the nuances of awards voting, the realities of fandom, and the ongoing media evolution of sports. From Mets malaise to MVP math, and Springer paranoia to the perils of dog adoption, listeners get authentic, informed talk — with plenty of character, debate, and classic NY sports talk radio energy.