Hour 2: Jets & Giants Plans

Summary

Summary of "Hour 2: Jets & Giants Plans" – Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast

Release Date: March 31, 2025
Hosts: Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Podcast: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
Episode: Hour 2: Jets & Giants Plans

Introduction

In this episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg, the hosts delve deep into the strategic plans of two of the NFL's most scrutinized franchises: the New York Jets and the New York Giants. Focusing on quarterback decisions, draft strategies, and player extensions, the discussion provides insightful analysis into what these teams might be contemplating as they navigate the complexities of the NFL landscape.

Jets' Quarterback Plans

Justin Fields vs. Tyrod Taylor:

The conversation begins with the Jets' quarterback situation. The team's General Manager, Aaron Glenn, expressed strong confidence in Justin Fields as the starting quarterback. Glenn emphasized, “We believe Justin is the starter. We believe we can win with Justin. So we're excited about Justin's potential” (01:46).

However, Aaron Glenn also highlighted the importance of competition within the team. Don LaGreca responded, “This team is going to be built on competition… Everybody has got to have a depth chart. You know, that's what this league is” (02:25). This underscores the Jets' commitment to fostering a competitive environment, ensuring that even with Fields as the starter, other quarterbacks like Tyrod Taylor remain ready to challenge for the position.

Managing Expectations:

Alan Hahn praised the Jets for managing expectations wisely compared to previous seasons. He noted, “They are keeping everything real. Whatever kind of season they have, they're going to tell you that's the season they were supposed to have” (03:27). This approach contrasts with earlier years where lofty expectations often led to disappointment.

Giants' Quarterback Strategies

Quarterback Acquisitions:

Shifting focus to the Giants, the hosts discussed the team's recent signings of veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. The Giants' General Manager, Joe Shane, conveyed flexibility in their draft strategy: “We're in a position where we can take who we think is the best player, best football player at that time… we can look at many positions and take a guy” (13:17). This indicates a willingness to prioritize positions other than quarterback if the right talent presents itself.

Draft Priorities:

The Giants appear poised to leverage their high draft picks to bolster their defense rather than focusing solely on upgrading the quarterback position. The discussion touched upon potential draft targets like Abdul Carter, a top edge rusher, and Travis Hunter, a versatile Heisman Trophy winner. Alan Hahn remarked, “Carter might be the more effective pick for them” (17:57), suggesting that strengthening the defensive line could provide a more immediate impact compared to chasing another quarterback.

Draft Strategies and Player Extensions

Jets' Player Extensions:

The Jets are also navigating the complexities of player extensions. Aaron Glenn expressed a focus on retaining drafted talent: “I'm in the business of keeping good players… we try to do that as much as possible” (04:28). This strategy aims to create a stable core of players who contribute consistently to the team's success.

Giants' Roster Management:

In managing their roster, the Giants are considering the long-term implications of their signings. Don LaGreca emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong defensive lineup to support their quarterbacks: “I know when I was a player here, we try to do that as much as possible” (04:43).

Speaker Insights and Analyses

Competitive Environment:

Don LaGreca highlighted the significance of competition within both teams’ structures, stating, “There’s going to be competition and he knows that. Tyrod knows that, and that’s across the board” (02:51). This philosophy ensures that players remain motivated and continuously strive for excellence.

Comparative Analysis:

Alan Hahn provided a comparative analysis of quarterback stability across various NFL teams, noting that the Jets and Giants are not alone in their struggles. He mentioned, “The Browns have had 40, 46 most starting quarterbacks” (10:44), illustrating a broader trend of instability at the quarterback position in the league.

Future Outlook:

Peter Rosenberg voiced optimism about the Jets’ and Giants’ strategies, suggesting that their balanced approaches could lead to sustained success. He stated, “If that’s not a bridge, then what is?” (03:27), referring to Justin Fields’ role as both a starter and a potential transitional figure.

Conclusion

The episode provided a comprehensive overview of the Jets' and Giants' current strategies, emphasizing the importance of quarterback performance, draft picks, and player retention. The hosts highlighted the delicate balance these franchises must maintain to build competitive teams while managing expectations and fostering internal competition. As the NFL season progresses, the insights shared by Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg offer valuable perspectives on the potential trajectories of these iconic New York teams.

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Notable Quotes

• Aaron Glenn on Justin Fields: “We believe Justin is the starter. We believe we can win with Justin. So we're excited about Justin's potential.” (01:46)
• Don LaGreca on Competition: “This team is going to be built on competition… Everybody has got to have a depth chart. You know, that's what this league is.” (02:25)
• Alan Hahn on Managing Expectations: “They are keeping everything real. Whatever kind of season they have, they're going to tell you that's the season they were supposed to have.” (03:27)
• Joe Shane on Draft Flexibility: “We're in a position where we can take who we think is the best player, best football player at that time… we can look at many positions and take a guy.” (13:17)
• Don LaGreca on Keeping Players: “I'm in the business of keeping good players… we try to do that as much as possible.” (04:28)
• Don LaGreca on Competition Across the Board: “There’s going to be competition and he knows that. Tyrod knows that, and that’s across the board.” (02:51)
• Alan Hahn on Quarterback Instability: “The Browns have had 40, 46 most starting quarterbacks.” (10:44)
• Peter Rosenberg on Bridging Roles: “If that’s not a bridge, then what is?” (03:27)

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Note: Timestamps correspond to the podcast transcript and are provided in MM:SS format for reference.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

All rights reserved. This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

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. All right, into the 4 o'clock hour we go with Don Lagreche, Peter Rosenberg, I'm Alan Hahn. 800-919-3776 is the number. Programming note, we're done at 6 today. Mets are a 6 31st pitch down in Miami against the Marlins. 6:00 is your pregame right here on 8 80. So stay with us through a little bit of a shortened show, but we will jam pack it for you. Oh yeah, we have your calls on the baseball stuff we certainly will get to. But we have some interesting football news today as the, the owner meetings are going on and so of course you've got some of the leaders of all the teams down there at these meetings and it's interesting to hear from both sides. But right now what I have for you is the jet side of things.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because we don't have audio of Joe Shane, which is kind of surprising. There was nothing recorded. It was all beat writers.

[Alan Hahn]

We have, we have the audience, we have the, we have quotes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We have the quotes. Right. Which, you know, I kind of like hearing things first.

[Alan Hahn]

So you want to hear some jet stuff in here?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's do the jets first and we'll move forward into what Joe Shane did with basically revealing what they're going to do in the draft. First and foremost, Aaron Glenn. While they talked about Justin Fields as somebody that you know is clearly the guy that they want to be their, their lead guy at quarterback, Darren Moji. The GM thinks there's still more to see from Fields. I do, I do believe that. And we believe Justin is the starter. We believe in Justin. We believe we can win with Justin. So we're excited about Justin's potential. So the GM said he's a starter. Aaron Glenn wants competition.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't think no one's going to say there's a competition. This team is going to be built on competition. Listen, just because you won the depth chart that's all written in pencil, this league is about competition. And the elite athletes, they thrive on that. So just because he's quarterback one doesn't mean that Tyrod's not going to be on his heels. Everybody has got to have a depth chart. You know, that's what this league is. But there's going to be competition and he knows that. Tyrod knows that, and that's across the board. Every position on this team is going to be competition.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, we were going to give credit for the jets not really saying much and trying to keep the expectations low. And that's why they really. They didn't have a press conference or a big dog and pony show for Justin Fields, because that kind of sends like, hey, we've got our quarterback. Let's celebrate the signing. They're keeping everything real. And obviously, whatever kind of season they have, they're going to tell you that's the season they were supposed to have rather than the last couple of years where it's all, they're going to win 10 games. Oh, they're going to go to the super bowl, they're going to go to the playoffs, and you don't live up to it and you get killed. Whatever they do this year is gonna be looked upon as a part of the process. But Muji did say we think we can win with him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mm.

[Alan Hahn]

So that's not nothing. Now, do I think it's a prediction or proclamation or anything? No, but they think they can win with him. So the idea that he's just a placeholder or a bridge, I mean, the contract suggests that's the case, but they feel like they can be competitive with him as a quarterback. And why not? He showed. He was 4 and 2 at Pittsburgh last year. He had moments in Chicago. So I think they're hoping this could work.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, the latest on, of course, some of the young players that they want to get signed to extensions. Aaron Glenn, actually, Darren Mugia on the extension for Garrett Wilson. Where are things there in regards to extensions in general?

[Alan Hahn]

There's been a lot of talk about that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We have several players, whether it's early extensions or just players we can extend in the last year. And those are good call problems to have. But when we're having those discussions, those are good discussions to have. But right now my focus is on the draft. Once we get through the draft, we'll talk about potential extensions for whoever that. Not making a priority just yet, but Aaron Glenn wants to prioritize the drafted players to stay with the Jets.

[Don LaGreca]

Man, I'm in the business of keeping good players, and I mean, that's our plan, and that's with anybody. Just like Sherwood and just like any other player that we draft on this team, I want to make it a trend that our guys that we draft, we try to keep them here, you know, And I don't know if that had happened before.

[Alan Hahn]

All right.

[Don LaGreca]

But I know when I was a player here, we try to do that as much as possible. And to me, that's the best form of free agency. Really, Is it signing your own guys? As much as we can do that, man, we're going to try to so something that. That we want to look at, you know, we want to keep those guys so they're good players. So I'm in the business of keeping good players.

[Alan Hahn]

No, makes sense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It does. And that means you had a good draft if you're keeping your players. But we all know that Garrett Wilson at the end of last season was not in a good place, at least mentally. So Glenn was asked about Garrett Wilson and where he is right now compared to last season.

[Don LaGreca]

Wow. One hair last year. So I don't care. I know right now. I mean, they have a lot of good conversation. That's all I care about. Yeah, he's in good place. So, I mean, I don't care what.

[Alan Hahn]

Happened last year now. Why should he?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, he shouldn't. But it's where he is now, and he's saying, we've had good conversations, which is. That's all you want to hear.

[Alan Hahn]

And it also suggests that we all know why he had problems last year, and that problem is now gone.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

It would only be an issue if Rogers was still here, I think. So it's something that has to be addressed. Now. It does tell you that who his quarterback is is going to be important, like it is to any wide receiver. But he has a work in progress.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He has a relationship with Phil.

[Alan Hahn]

Exactly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So that goes back to college. They know each other. So you would think, at least you would feel like at the beginning that he's all in on this and wants to see it work. Meanwhile, on the giant side of things, Joe Shane met with the media as well, the GM of the Giants. And look, they signed Russell Wilson. They signed Jameis Winston. In fact, she made that official right today. Don, you saw that. So they have two quarterbacks who are veterans, who are experienced in the room. They have the number three pick in the draft, and it certainly feels like quarterbacks are going to Go one and two. Now Tennessee's expected to take Cam Ward. They absolutely are in love with him. And now the Cleveland Browns are sort of the wild card, but Shador Sanders seems like the most likely pick if they're going to take a quarterback there. And what was it the owner just said about the Sean Watson contract? That it's a problem. It's clearly it was a mistake.

[Alan Hahn]

That's well said. Thank you, sir. My take from that is, is that there are some people, myself included, that felt like, well, you still have Winston under contract and it's all guaranteed so maybe that'll steer them away from a quarterback. Obviously not looks like they're ready to move on. You wouldn't bash a guy and bash a contract if you expected this guy to be a part of your future. Now, they still may not take a quarterback because they don't like Sanders, but it's not going to be because they have Watson under, under contract.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't believe Jimmy Haslam said that it was a big swing and miss and that it's on him. Took it, took it. Just pay. It's my fault. I wanted this. I made us do this and it was a huge mistake and he's got to pay it. He's got to pay it out of his pocket. But he knows that this. And if desean Watson would, by the way, what a drop off. When you think about, he was arguably a top five quarterback before all this started with him and the off the field stuff, right? And then since then it's like you can't even play him and he's not healthy either. But what an unbelievable drop off.

[Alan Hahn]

What they did the same motivation the jets did with Aaron Rodgers. You haven't had a quarterback in forever. So we've got Watson. Let's make sure we don't screw this up, boys. Let's just give him guarantee.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Remember, he was going to go to Atlanta, he was going to go to the Falcons, he's going to go home, play for the Falcons. And the Falcons were ready to deal with the, again the massage therapist stuff that was going on with him.

[Alan Hahn]

Cleveland didn't care.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Cleveland upped it to a fully guaranteed deal. And that's when Atlanta said I'm out.

[Alan Hahn]

And the massage stuff had nothing to do with it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, they were all in. They were all in. It was already an issue in Texas.

[Alan Hahn]

It was already, you know, just a mess and hasn't been able to stay healthy. And that's why the jets went after Rogers, because they failed with Wilson and they just desperately needed a quarterback because those are the two franchises right up and now that Detroit found their guy, you know that looking for a quarterback and then Detroit had Stafford and in turn Vegas too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Raiders have always been in the quarterback market. Rich Gannon was the last one.

[Alan Hahn]

You would say Rich Cannon won an MVP but that was 20 years ago.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what I mean. But it is 2002. Is that the last quarterback you remember who was a Raider? Who was like the guy.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, right. What do you mean when you say.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The guy like like where they found one? I mean even Jimmy G. That was a swinging like it didn't work out like think of some names that they have had at quarterback.

[Alan Hahn]

Jamarcus Russell.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Epic fail. I think you're being what I missed just to remind me I might have missed.

[Alan Hahn]

I think it's a little. Just a tad disrespectful to Carr. I think Carr had a nice run but he, he. They made the playoffs but I think they made the playoffs as what like at the time like a nine.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think they ever felt like they found the guy but they didn't have.

[Alan Hahn]

A super special team with Carr and he was pretty good. Is but chasing after a quarterback is a Jet Brown thing that goes back decades.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Agree.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Now there's been a few teams that haven't had a quarterback in a while. You can say the Giants are also in that category. It's been over a decade since they've had a quarterback. I mean you could argue that the team that I root for maybe has the worst run in 30 years. How many? I think numbers wise we may have had more starters than any.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No Browns, Browns, Browns and the Bears have had the most starting quarterbacks. The most quarterbacks start for their team in the last 20 plus years that I remember doing that on Get Up One Day.

[Alan Hahn]

Commanders are there though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Commanders. And I didn't say they're not there.

[Alan Hahn]

At least the Bears went to a Super bowl.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But the Bears have gone through a ton but nobody more than the Browns. Like for the Browns it's a list that just. You couldn't believe the names on this list.

[Alan Hahn]

The funniest thing about the Bears is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

They mentioned they managed to get to a Super Bowl.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And even in that year didn't have a quarterback. They had Orton and Grossman the whole year fighting for the job. They couldn't even in that year have but they managed to get to the Super Bowl. Their defense, that team was stout.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Devin Hester. Yeah, you're right. Number one. It looks like the Bears this is since this list.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's more than the Browns.

[Alan Hahn]

This is last decade.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, okay.

[Alan Hahn]

Last decade is Bears 1, Browns 2, Broncos 3.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Broncos have had a ton since Elway took over. Commanders were last.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the list I was working off of. The most quarterbacks since 1999. The Browns.

[Alan Hahn]

We got to be there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Browns have had 40, 46. Most starting quarterbacks.

[Alan Hahn]

We have to have 30. We got to be close.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Bears are second at 30.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Your commanders, 28.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So close, but not there. Dolphins, by the way, 27 more than the Jets. The jets have a 26. Now, I'm going to name the 26th quarter. Five. Five. So can you name the other NFL team tied with the jets at 26? You might not get this, but it's. When you think about it, you're like, yeah, I can see that. Not a bad team. Not a bad. Not a bad team. Not a bad franchise.

[Alan Hahn]

Not a bad team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But they've had 26, just like the jets since 1999. Since 99. Yeah. Come on. I'll give you Bengals. No, Don.

[Alan Hahn]

No, they had Dalton for all this on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Your turn, stupid. I'm gonna give you guys 20 seconds. No.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, Ravens have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

They've had their share.

[Peter Rosenberg]

10 seconds on the call.

[Alan Hahn]

Hold on, hold on, hold on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I gave you 20 seconds.

[Alan Hahn]

They're not a bad team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not a bad team. Not a bad franchise. But they've gone through some.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, they've had a lot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Cowboys have had a lot, too. They're not there either. All right, 20 seconds are up.

[Alan Hahn]

Who didn't have a franchise guy? AFC or NFC?

[Peter Rosenberg]

NFC.

[Alan Hahn]

Minnesota.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. There it is. You did it. You did it in 28 seconds.

[Alan Hahn]

Because post. Because post. Cunningham leaving. How many. And he was only there for a couple years. How many people did they have for a really extended amount of time?

[Peter Rosenberg]

They went through a lot.

[Alan Hahn]

Culpepper.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Alan Hahn]

Culpepper was a good run. Was pretty good. Handful of years before he went to Miami. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. No, they.

[Alan Hahn]

I liked Culpepper for a minute.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They have been through a lot. So that's. That's the list. Anyways. That's. How do we get there?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know, but I love it. I love it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anyway, so we do. It is true.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it goes about Winston and the. What they're going to do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Giant. Right. The Giants have their guys right now, so what are they going to do if we. Oh, that's right. We were on the Browns. So if the Browns are going to take a quarterback at 2 and it's going to be Shador Sanders. What are the Giants going to do at three? Joe Shane told reporters, we're in a position where we can take who we think is the best player, best football player at that time. And he said if it matches up, the value is right. We can look at many positions and take a guy. So that does sound without him saying it bluntly, like saying it out loud. It does sound like we're going to have our choice between Abdul Carter, who's the top edge rusher in the draft, or Travis Hunter, who is a generational two way talent Heisman Trophy winner. And we're probably going to go with one of those two rather than the third best quarterback just just by the.

[Alan Hahn]

Way they conducted themselves with these two veterans.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're not how do you feel about.

[Alan Hahn]

The quarterback if they don't like Sanders? I'd rather them do this if they.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don'T like Sanders instead of the desperate swing a young quarterback. So I could say, hey wait, we just drafted this kid. You got to give us more time.

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Alan Hahn]

And people will read into it as well. He's not going to drive Sanders because he needs to save his job. I get that. But I never believed that they believed that Sanders was the guy. I think they always thought Ward was the guy. They know Ward's not going to be there. They're not in on Sanders. That's why they went after Stafford and then they've kind of just been after a veteran ever since then they can sell Russell Wilson, a former super bowl champion, as their starting quarterback with the potential of Winston stealing it away and then going out and getting a generational talent on either side. I mean I heard on the morning show they were playing some Carter sound. This kid sounds confident. Oh yeah, he met with Cleveland earlier. He believes that he is going to be a difference maker. He's an edge pass rusher, what might be the second most important position outside of quarterback in the NFL. And then Hunter is a generational guy that you can plug in as a wide receiver.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can use him as a full time corner and part time wide receiver.

[Alan Hahn]

And I believe they'll start him at corner with the and use him potentially as a wide receiver. But they needed help in both of those positions to begin with.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right. So do you get out of the business of paying Kayvon Thibodeau who's going to be up for his rookie extension? Right. And if you're not sold on that, he's the guy. Does Carter on the other side of Burns like sort of make for your future? You know, like that, that's, that's the pair you go with. That's going to disrupt offenses for years. Or do you keep Thibodeau and now you've got three pieces that you can rotate.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's see. That's what I'm looking at because you got to pay them. I remember having a conversation with the late Jim Fossil way back when I came to the giants back in 99. And he talked about especially early in the season when you're playing sometimes in the south and even when you're playing at home in September and it's like 80 degrees, you want to be able to rotate. And if you look at the championships with the NASCAR packages, the Giants, you want to throw different bodies in there anyway, don't you? Now, from a salary cap perspective, can you pay all these guys? Can you pay Dexter Lawrence? Can you pay Dexter Thibodeau? Can you pay Burns? Can you pay what Carter is eventually going to command? But I think the more bodies you have on that defensive line, you can rotate guys in and out. So I'd love to be able to see them keep everybody.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then I think Carter.

[Alan Hahn]

Carter could be. I know Hunter's the sexy pick, but Carter might be the more effective pick for them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Almost like immediate impact.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then Peter pointed out perfectly, the Bears made it to a Super bowl and they didn't have a quarterback. They couldn't figure it out. Like, we've seen this. The Buccaneers won a Super bowl, like, with, like, you know, again, quarterback play wasn't great. No, you don't. But it's not that it can't happen. So it is. If that's. If you can't find the quarterback yet, then take the time to build up your defense to a point that when you do find the quarterback, that that quarterback doesn't have to be immediately great because your defense is taking care of all that business.

[Alan Hahn]

And which stunk last year. Their defense just did not play to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The level they were hoping the Wink marked some of the box.

[Alan Hahn]

No, that was a problem. I think it might have been a coaching problem.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was definitely, you lost Wink. That.

[Alan Hahn]

That whole defense, they messed everything up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And they didn't, you know, again, McKinney leaves. You don't have a safety. They had a lot of issues in the secondary. The guys up front had no time. Like, they just couldn't ever get or make a difference because there was no coverage. There was a lot of issues that Giants team. And we'll see if they can just take a draft and plug some more of these holes. So that's the story on the jets and the Giants. 800 now. 193776. We'll get back to calls. We have Ian coming up momentarily, but let's talk to some more people. Guys, Tristan on Long island has a question. Hey, Tristan.

[Alan Hahn]

Hello.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can I join?

[Alan Hahn]

Please.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So with all the rule changes, I'm.

[Alan Hahn]

Just confused on why this is a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thing that it's making people crazy because Ohtani became a 5050 guy last year. And.

[Alan Hahn]

And to me, that's the help from bigger bases, limited takeoff attempts doesn't take away from the feet. But if Volpe or jazz become 40, 40 guys with the help from rule changes, is it because people hate the Yankees? Like, I don't know, because. Because it came out of nowhere. Like, yes, some. Some teams and some players have used it in the past, but I don't think anybody knew about this. Everybody knew the rule change with the stolen bases, so. And that. But this kind of came out of the blue. I mean, bad job out of Hoss. I guess I never noticed that Stanton had it. So I think that's all it was. The reaction of, oh, my God, the Yankees are the only team doing this. They just hit 15 home runs, broke a record. The more information we've gotten, I think it's kind of settled down a little bit. But you can't compare it to the stolen bases. We knew a year before that they were going to make the bases bigger, they were going to change the rules for stealing bases. So it didn't come out of nowhere the way this did.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do you think it's just hypothetical because he mentioned Ohtani? What if this bat came from Japan? What if Ohtani, you know, all of a sudden this year is swinging this bat, mashing. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And a couple other Japanese players are, too. Would there be even greater outrage?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, there'd be outrage. Yankee fans saying, look at the Dodgers getting richer. Figuring out a way you think about it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, listen. You mean specifically if it went to Los Angeles?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no, no. Not even la. It's just the fact that it's from out of the country. Like, this is an MIT nerd who had some plan and tried it and some rigor. You don't think that people like, oh, like this is what they're using in Japan? I think.

[Alan Hahn]

I think only if it. I think only if it went to, like, the Dodgers where they had multiple players using it and it felt like it was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Tony brought some and handed out. Freddie Freeman had it. They were all of a sudden using this thing.

[Alan Hahn]

That would be more.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I just think there'd be a greater outrage about it.

[Alan Hahn]

The real problem with it, because it's interesting with the caller bringing up the bases, we knew it during that off season that they were going to change the bases. I remember Peter with Michael having conversations about how this is going to increase stolen bases. We saw it coming. If there was an announcement back in December that Major League Baseball was going to allow teams to use a bat like the Yankees using now. And we knew this was coming. It wouldn't be an issue.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nobody would say a word.

[Alan Hahn]

We'd be watching out of nowhere, and we all had to react in real time. So, listen, I was getting on people's case to open the show. But in defense of those people, how do you expect them to react when we didn't even know this existed five minutes ago? And all of a sudden it happens, and it's like, well, what's going on? Are they cheating? Is this legal? And then we found out that it is. That's why I think it's gonna eventually settle down. But don't compare it to a rule change when they tell you months in advance and you're prepared for it and you look out for it. This came out of nowhere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it did. And it's what. And I agree. It's good for the sport. It's interesting. It caught your attention. You're talking about it.

[Alan Hahn]

You need something, man. Sometimes. This sport. That's why I do think the most intriguing thing about this to me, is that in a week or two, everybody's gonna have access to these bats, and everybody's gonna be using them. And if we start to see home runs go through the roof, what is baseball gonna do? Are they gonna salivate and go, yeah, maybe. Or are they gonna go, oh, my God, we gotta do something about it? No, it'll be very interesting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can't touch it. You got to let it happen.

[Alan Hahn]

Griffin, that. But I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Griffin in Connecticut. Hey, Griffin.

[Alan Hahn]

Griftster.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, guys.

[Alan Hahn]

So maybe one thing is, it could be the brewers pitching, because right now, the brewers are over here, given five runs to the Kansas City Royals. They already gave them home runs. They have bases loaded in the top.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of the seventh royal, so they're going to tack on some more.

[Alan Hahn]

So I'm not saying that it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It didn't help the Yankees.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm just saying the brewers pitching isn't that good. So that's maybe one thing, but my point is, I just don't get the outrage. Maybe, maybe like Don said, because we're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Villains and we're good all the time.

[Alan Hahn]

And that's why we're the villain, and that's why they want to talk about it. But my point is, everybody is going to start using this. It's going to be big, and not everybody on the Yankees are using it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So like Aaron Boone said, we're doing.

[Alan Hahn]

Something to help us. So that's My point. Right? But anytime you're going to see something that you never saw before, a team hit nine home runs in one game, and then you find out that there's something different with the bats, people are going to be. It's going to make it curious. Let's not pretend that this would have happened anyway. That's the thing. I took exception to the beginning of the show. Alan. Sit there and go, well, the brewers pitching stinks, and the Yankees hit. Only five guys had them all. True. But you did hit nine home runs, which no team has ever done. It's Michael scorecards in the hall of Fame. And then you find out that the bats are different. People are going to be like, it's not just a coincidence. Okay? Now, was it designed to be this good? But it was designed to be better, and it was effective.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We'll see in the next series. We'll see. Against good pitching, we'll see. I just think over time, we'll know, is this just. Again, it's something that's hot and everybody wants a piece of it until they realize, this ain't all that. This doesn't change anything. It's the latest diet. We all try it until we realize, like, you know what if you're fat and you eat poorly, you're still not gonna lose weight.

[Alan Hahn]

As somebody that worked in sports radio during the PED era, you had a lot of people say PEDs don't help you. You still gotta make contact. You still have to square the ball up. You still have to have great hand eye coordination. Yeah, well, if it didn't do anything, then why is everybody injecting themselves with steroid? Because it does help.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know how it helps? It helps that I don't get fatigued. It helps that I stay in the game more. It helps that I can. I can get stronger because I recover faster. So now when I make contact, it's insane. Contact. It's like I have a lot more strength to make contact when I make contact. That's what it helps. But no, we all know this, Don. If you injected me, you, or Peter with PEDs, we're not gonna hit 40 home runs, right?

[Alan Hahn]

And if you give me this bat and I make contact, I'm not gonna hit it 400ft. But you know what? These guys are tal talented enough to make.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's why I don't have a problem with it. I hate when people. When we get. We find something new in sports and it's like, well, that's not fair. It's not fair.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's part of sports. It's fun.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, what's wrong with it? The only thing I'd like to see is the the field be even. Like even during pds. It's like, listen, if everybody was taking it, it doesn't matter. There's no advantage if everybody's taking it, right. Once everybody has these bats story over, well, they will.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then we'll see. Like I said, then we'll really see.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law.

[Alan Hahn]

Not available in all states.

[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. Well, let's give you a game time brought to you by Tullimore Dew Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, it's Tully time. Mets in Miami, they'll take on the Marlins. Coverage begins immediately following us. Keep in mind though, program programming note, six o'clock is when their pregame begins on 880 right here on ESPN radio the net. The devils host the wild at seven. Nets and the mavs are at 8:30. So that's game time brought to you by Tullah Mardu the original triple distilled, triple blended, triple cask matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullimore Dew. Honey. During today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. Let's get a little hockey update here, Don, because over the weekend, well that loss for the Rangers had that loss to Anaheim, which was like a gut punch. It was such a and a meltdown. But then they take care of business and they go in and they just smack around the San Jose Sharks. It was not the trip that everybody wanted, I guess. Three points out of the six.

[Alan Hahn]

Three out of a possible six. One. One and one. As you said, they blew two two goal leads in the third against Anaheim. Now, the Ducks are not that bad of a team. They started the day just four points back of the Rangers, but still take care of business, man. Their season's over. Yours is still very much alive. You thump the Sharks, who then went ahead and lost to the Kings 8:1 yesterday. So listen, you got to get the points where you can get them. Rangers have a very difficult schedule. They got eight games left, four at home, four in a road. They got to play Tampa twice. They got a trip to Carolina and Florida. But the thing is, nobody wants this thing. Montreal won yesterday. It was an impressive win in Florida, but otherwise they had lost their previous three. Islanders have fallen apart here. Columbus has only three wins in their last 10. So somebody's got to get this. So we'll see if it can be the Rangers. But they called up Gabe Perot, gave him a contract. We'll see if he gets a chance to play. I don't think he signed to just go to Hartford. So we'll see if they plug him in anywhere here. But this power plays, how do you explain it? If anything, it should have gotten better with J.T. miller last year was in the top three consistently all year and carried them to a President's Trophy. Now it's ranked 26th. They went 1 for 7 in that Anaheim game. They had five power plays in the third period against the Ducks, who were an awful kill. They scored on the first one, missed on the previous, the next four, and then instantaneously, after they missed on that power play, they come right down, the Ducks, nine seconds later, tie the game, and then win it in overtime. What's happened to this power play?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you see? I see not shooting enough because sometimes.

[Alan Hahn]

Passes around the perimeter, never taking any shots, you know, and it's all east, west, wait for the perfect opportunity. Just throw pucks at the net, man. And I don't know why they don't do it. And they've tried different things. They've moved La Frontiere there, they've moved Trocheck around. Kreider's been in and out. It's not for a lack of trying. It's just not. It's not happening. And we know how they've struggled. Even last year, five on five, the power plays completely disappeared. If it wasn't for Igor, they'd be out of it. I mean, whatever Points they've been able to muster here over the last couple of weeks is because of him. Quick played well yesterday or Saturday. Minnesota Devils two games this week. So all the other teams are going to use their games at hand, likely this week, so we see where they stand. Montreal still has a game in hand. Islanders still have two games in hand, but these teams aren't winning either.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, we can't talk about the Islanders at this point. I mean, it just listen, they have been so. Again, they're right there. They were a point back. They really couldn't get that second point. They would have been tied and they have just done nothing but give you like these maddening performances, which are so inconsistent. It's like, wait, you think they figure it out and then they find a way to give a point away and then they just. They make the comeback against Tampa, but it's too little, too late.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it's not about. It's not about the last two games because it's about all the points that they spoiled earlier because there's no shame in losing at Tampa and at Carol. Those are two really good teams, especially Tampa. Well, wouldn't be shocked if they won the cup again. It's about all the points that they lost earlier and. But they're still alive. But the Rangers, I think I still feel like they'll make it, but I'm not feeling any of these teams moving on beyond the first round. Honestly, how could you?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but it's hockey.

[Alan Hahn]

You never know. But not good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then that's, you know, then it's moving forward. When the Rangers do get to the off season done, there's going to be a lot of questions about what they do with the roster.

[Alan Hahn]

Right, Right. Well, that's when you have to sit down and really decide. All right, Mika, you got. You got a no movement clause. But listen, it's not working. Chris, you've been a great Ranger, but I think it's time to move on. He at least has a limited no trade, so you can move him to some places. And I really, honestly think as good as he is, he leads the team in goals. We know how good he is during the regular season. If you really want to give this team a facelift, see what you can get for Artemi Panarin.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

He is an amazing player. That would fit in nice someplace else, but he. You're trying to build a North south team and he's still your east west guy. And outside of, you know, what he contributes on the power play, not great. Five on five. He's not been a dynamic producer of points in the post season, and it was the previous regime that signed him. Remember, he was the one that escalated the rebuild. That's right, because they were going to go to a slow burn. But then he became available. They grabbed him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was when he was about to sign with the Islanders, but he made it clear he wanted to be a Ranger and they decided to be all in.

[Alan Hahn]

It's not about not liking him, it's about what you can get for him. Because really, honestly, what are you going to get at this stage of Chris Kreider's career? What are you going to get from Mika at this stage of their careers? But a real needle mover can be Panarin, and if you really want to give this team a facelift and reconstruct it, you can get a lot back for Artemi Panari. So there's a lot of heart to hearts Chris Drury. So you have to have during the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Off season some reality checks, especially when we'll see where things go, if they even get to the postseason. 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. Are you ready to build your company's dream team? Just like in sports, finding skilled players is essential for success. With Robert Half's winning combination of specialized recruiting professionals and award winning AI will help you find the MVPs and key role players who will have you hanging.

[Alan Hahn]

Banners in the rafters.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because in business it's all about having the experienced team on your side. At Robert Half, We Know Talent. Visit roberthalf. Com today.