Hour 2: More Yankees Reaction

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
Episode: Hour 2: More Yankees Reaction
Date: October 9, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Main Theme:
A pointed and highly interactive discussion on the New York Yankees' recent elimination from the playoffs, focusing on recurring front office and managerial issues, repetitive playoff failures, fans’ frustrations, and wider New York sports talk. The episode also touches on notable sports “that guy” moments, especially LeBron James’ latest media stunt.

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1. Main Theme & Episode Purpose

This hour centers on dissecting the Yankees’ latest postseason collapse, addressing why the same problems persist, and how other teams (like the Blue Jays and Red Sox) have managed to rebuild more effectively. The hosts field numerous passionate calls from longtime fans, analyze the team and management's philosophy, and discuss accountability versus excuse-making. The show also explores broader New York sports chatter and delivers rich, relatable banter from three deeply invested city sports voices.

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2. Key Discussion Points & Insights

“That Guy Thursday”: LeBron’s Commercial Stunt

[01:08–04:59]

• The hosts start with a segment on “That Guy Thursday,” focusing this week on LeBron James’ cryptic “Decision 2.0” social media teaser, which turned out to be a commercial for Hennessy, not a retirement announcement.
• Don Hahn recaps how fans and media speculated on a major basketball decision, with some Lakers fans even buying overpriced tickets to what they thought might be LeBron’s last home game.
• Rosenberg and Don Hahn lampoon LeBron for playing with fans' emotions just for marketing:
  • “He’s doing something to get eyeballs on it. And it worked because this is what he does.” (Don Hahn, 01:54)
  • “There’s a guy, actually a guy in LA is suing him for the $850 he paid for two tickets for the last regular season game. Feels he needs his money back.” (Don Hahn, 03:26)
• Comparison to Snoop Dogg’s “quitting smoking” (which was also a commercial) but less innocent since LeBron’s stunt directly affected fans’ wallets and hopes.

The Yankees: The Emotional Post-Elimination Breakdown

Callers Share Decades of Frustration

[05:39–06:53] Caller: John in Bethlehem

• John, a 55-year Yankees fan, reflects how other teams (Blue Jays, Red Sox) have turned things around after poor seasons, and the Yankees seem stuck: “There’s something those teams are doing and figuring out that the Yankees front office has not yet figured out…”
• Don and Rosenberg agree: Yankees’ approach is too predictable, with no second gear or adaptability in the playoffs.

Predictability and Out-Coaching

[07:29–08:51]

• The Yankees’ reliance on rigid matchups (lefty/righty etc.) has become so expected that teams like the Blue Jays easily counter-strategize.
• Critical of the Yankees’ lack of flexibility and the “playbook approach” that fails under playoff scrutiny.

Accountability and Excuse-Making

[10:31–11:34]

• Hahn preempts the expected lines from Yankees management about injuries and “what-ifs,” expressing frustration:
  • “Everybody’s got injuries.” (Don Hahn, 11:05)
  • “Can we get some accountability? Can we get somebody to just say, you know what, we're not doing it right.” (Don Hahn, 11:26)
• Both hosts demand ownership of failure rather than defaulting to excuses about missing players, especially when other teams (like the Dodgers) overcome significant injuries.

The “One Man Can’t Do It” Theme

[12:19]

• It’s emphasized that even when Judge or Stanton are hot, one player alone can’t carry the Yankees through the playoffs: “One player isn't going to be able to get it all done.” (Rosenberg, 12:19)

Lighthearted Banter: Switching Allegiances and Media Life

[12:35–14:37]

• Long-running jokes about Don’s supposed allegiance shifts between Mets and Yankees, and Rosenberg explaining that while it helps the show if the Yankees win, he’s not a fan.
• “I'm a journalist. We're talking about the game. I'm not going to be, you know, Joe, fan, wave...” (Rosenberg, 14:01)

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Sports TV Habits, Programming, and Personal Life

[14:49–18:32]

• The hosts riff on juggling work assignments (sideline coverage, TV games), parenting, and having too few working TVs at home.
• Casual discussions about sports media life, behind-the-scenes broadcast details, and playful ribbing about colleagues’ work/life “vacations.”

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3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On LeBron’s Decision 2.0:
  • “He’s doing something to get eyeballs on it. And it worked because this is what he does.” — Don Hahn, 01:54
  • “You’re toying with people’s emotions and that’s not right. But whatever.” — Rosenberg, 04:52
• On Yankees’ Predictable Strategy:
  • “The Yankees, what they do is predictable. And when you get to October, teams that are good enough find ways…the Yankees don’t have a second gear.” — Don Hahn, 06:53
• On Excuses Versus Accountability:
  • “Can we get some accountability? Can we get some ownership of it? Can we get somebody to just say, you know what, we're not doing it right.” — Don Hahn, 11:26
  • “If you’re gonna say unacceptable like then I don’t want to hear an excuse.” — Rosenberg, 11:34
• On Expecting One Player to Save Yankees:
  • “One player isn’t going to be able to get it all done.” — Rosenberg, 12:19
• Caller on ‘Death by Launch Angle’:
  • “I'm going to call it death by launch angle. Because when I remember this series, I'm going to remember one at bat. ...All the Yankees do is close your eyes and swing as hard as you can.” — Danny, 25:23
  • “Nothing good happens on a strikeout. Put the ball in play.” — Danny, 26:10

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4. Important Segments & Timestamps

• That Guy Thursday / LeBron James Commercial: [01:08–04:59]
• First Major Caller – Yankees’ Stagnant Strategies: [05:39–08:51]
• Team Excuses and Lack of Accountability: [10:31–12:19]
• Hosts Spar on Fandom and Media Role: [12:35–14:37]
• Broadcasters’ Sports-Watching Woes and Lifestyle: [14:49–18:32]
• Bullpen Management Critique / Callers on Postseason Decisions: [20:34–24:47]
• ‘Death by Launch Angle’ Caller – Small Ball vs. Home Run Reliance: [25:15–27:59]

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5. Summary & Flow

This episode offers an honest, sometimes comedic take on the Yankees’ postseason disappointment, with no sugar coating for management, coaching, or the players. Callers add authenticity and generational frustration. The hosts alternate between incisive sports analysis, relatable fan pain, and classic New York radio banter. The discussion expands to broader sports media life, revealing the personal chaos of juggling sports, work, and family.

With wide-ranging but sharply focused commentary, this episode delivers both catharsis and a rallying cry for real change in Yankees leadership, packed with the energy and humor that defines NYC sports talk.

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For Yankees fans or any sports follower, this episode captures the unique pain of repeated playoff heartbreak—and the city’s irrepressible drive to talk about it anyway.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

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[Caller]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers. We all have that one friend.

[Rosenberg]

I'm talking about the Yo Yos who set themselves on fire and bathe in.

[Don Hahn]

Pork and beans or know that one person.

[Rosenberg]

I'm here with my family who cares.

[Don Hahn]

Help but be. He's not cool.

[Rosenberg]

His voice is weird. He's kind of a dork. His brother's a tool. His girlfriend's annoying.

[Don Hahn]

That guy.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't know it was banner night. We won't be out for that.

[Don Hahn]

It's time for that Guy Thursday. Hey, guys, anyone want to play some ball with Don Han and Rosenberg?

[Rosenberg]

He's just being that guy.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that Guy Thursday is one that we don't want to spend too much time on because this is such a heavy Yankees day and we have a lot of calls to get to again. 800 now with 93776. So he won't. And we could probably point to different people on the Yankee front on that guy. But there was something that happened this week that was such a that Guy moment that I felt like, Don, this is the only thing we should discuss when it comes to that Guy Thursday. And that of course, LeBron James was that guy. So there was a post that was put out where he said that there's a new decision 2.0.

[Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

And that's all he said that was coming up and tell everybody to look forward. And it made everyone think, oh, he's going to announce this is his final season. And so people are even going to buy up the last home game up for the Lakers. Buying tickets up. The tickets skyrocketed for that game, all based off of him hinting that. And then right away, the minute I saw it, I thought to myself, there's a commercial. Anybody? All the NBA people were like, this is a commercial. We all knew, like, this is. He's. He's doing something to get eyeballs on it. And it worked because this is what he does. And we were right because what followed about two days later with him. Also sharing it with a wink emoji and the, you know, blinking eye, tongue out emoji. Hennessy, the decision has been made. Cheers to year 23 at King James. And that was basically it. And this was his decision.

[Rosenberg]

Well, everyone's on pins and needles across the country. You ready to go, LeBron?

[Don Hahn]

Where's the powder? Left it at home.

[Rosenberg]

LeBron fans want to know where you're taking your talents this year.

[Don Hahn]

What's your decision in this fall? Man, this is tough.

[Rosenberg]

In this fall, I'm going to be.

[Don Hahn]

Taking my talents to Hennessy. Vsop. Vsop.

[Rosenberg]

And this was the conclusion you woke up with this morning?

[Don Hahn]

That was the conclusion I woke up with this morning.

[Rosenberg]

Why?

[Don Hahn]

I feel like it's gonna give me the best opportunity to win more at hosting. We're good there. Yeah. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

How much money?

[Don Hahn]

Now? That was verbatim. Him and Jim Gray from back in 2010. So it was following the same script. He just did it as a way to promote Hennessy. And again for Hennessy, it's a huge win. But for LeBron, it's almost like you doing this, like, first you're being that guy because you know it's gonna get everybody hysterical. There's a guy, actually a guy in LA is suing him for the $850 he paid for two tickets for the last regular season game. Feels he needs his money back. And so good luck with that. Right? But I mean, when he ever. He does decide to retire, is anybody gonna believe him?

[Rosenberg]

Probably not. So. But this is.

[Don Hahn]

How much that. Is this not a that guy? This is such a. No, it's totally. I hate when LeBron is that guy.

[Rosenberg]

Totally that guy.

[Don Hahn]

But he was that guy.

[Rosenberg]

Listen, how much. Make as much money as you want. I'm a capitalist like anybody else, of course, but at the expense of the. Of your fans. Even for a moment, and even if it seems stupid to fall for. Was cute. So it didn't matter as much. But it was similar to what Snoop Dogg did. Was like last year, quit smoking. Quinn smoking ended up being for like. Like a.

[Don Hahn]

For the. The halo, a vaporless stove.

[Rosenberg]

Something like.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, yeah. The smokeless.

[Rosenberg]

Like, listen, that. I don't think people are crying if he decided to quit weed. And that was. That was a lot easier to believe. Was just a stunt.

[Don Hahn]

It was actually really funny.

[Rosenberg]

But this. You're toying with people's emotions and. And that's not right. But whatever.

[Don Hahn]

So he was that guy. There you go.

[Rosenberg]

I love it.

[Don Hahn]

That guy.

[Rosenberg]

Thursday, 1, 800-9193776. Again coming up at 5:30 we're going to have Damian Woody, our weekly spot with him.

[Don Hahn]

Talk a little football Giants tonight.

[Rosenberg]

That's right, talk a little Rangers hockey with Kenny Albert as he makes his, not his television debut. He's been on TV forever but he is now the television voice of the Rangers and their first game was taken by us here at ESPN and that lost to the Penguins. So he'll get the call. His first game with Dave Maloney on television coming up. And a game can be heard right here at 6 on 6:30 on 880 ESPN. So looking forward to that. But let's get back to the busy calls. Let's go to John in Bethlehem. You're on ESPN New York. What's up John? Hey guys.

[Caller]

How are you today?

[Rosenberg]

Good.

[Caller]

Great show.

[Don Hahn]

Could be better.

[Caller]

Great. Yeah, me, I understand I'm a 62 year old Yankee fan. Been following them for, I don't know, 55 years. So I've seen good and bad. It's interesting though, I wanted to bring up that these, you know, we talk about how the Yankees need to adjust, that it's, it's good to be in the hunt every year but, you know, and to never win, not so good. The Blue Jays came in last, last year in the east they had 20 less wins last year. They, they figured out what to do to improve and look where they are now. I only bring it up because other teams have done that too. We understand the Red Sox have come in last and won the World Series. The next year or two years later, there's something that those teams are doing and figuring out that the Yankees front office has not yet figured out. They're improving in ways that are advancing the team in, in ways that, that the Yankees haven't done. I, there's got to be, there's got to be logic to that they're doing something right.

[Don Hahn]

That's, that. Yes, I completely agree. And a lot of it I think is not necessarily that other teams are doing something better. I think the Yankees, what they do is predictable. And when you get to October, teams that are good enough find ways the loopholes, the, the, the weaknesses and they exploit them. And the Yankees don't have a second gear. They don't have another way to go. Right. They don't, they don't, they can't just switch to southpaw like they don't have another choice. It's just, well, this is what we do and teams know it.

[Rosenberg]

Well. A perfect example of that is last night they did the classic lefty, righty, lefty, righty, lefty, righty. So they're a matchup. Hell, for the Blue Jays. Well, you know what? The Blue Jays knew that. Guess what? We're going to have everybody coming out of the bullpen so in every big spot. A lefty face to lefty, a righty face to righty. And oh, when. When it did come time. Well, walk Judge with nobody on.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that was the one.

[Rosenberg]

We don't care.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

You know, because we'll just make sure that every lefty Bellinger is going to face a lefty and Volpe is going to face a righty and we're going to make sure we. So it ended where he was to McMahon. If everybody does it the same way, well, somebody's got to win and somebody's got to lose. Right? So it's either players execution, which I think is a big part of it, or it's just that, hey, you do it. You do it the same way I do it. But I got a little wrinkle. There's. There's a way that I work around it. Maybe I go a little bit more with my gut or maybe I stray from it and I just have the lefty face the lefty and hope that he's going to win the battle because clearly it just, it doesn't work. Like I said, it worked last year. But again, Yankee fans get upset with this. But you know, the matchups worked in the American League is. American League still is not great. Like so. And then they got to look at the road. They had what I was saying. Right.

[Don Hahn]

And the Guardians weren't.

[Rosenberg]

And the Royals. So they weren't. That was. They took advantage of that. But they did go to the World Series and great. It was the first time they had gone to the world series since 2009.

[Don Hahn]

Can't deny it.

[Rosenberg]

But you can't follow up going to the World Series. Hey, if we hammered the Mets for. You can't go to game six of the league championship series and the next year miss the playoffs. Well, you know, you can't go to the World Series and then not even make it to the league championship series.

[Don Hahn]

You get overwhelmed in the ds. Overwhelmed.

[Rosenberg]

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[Caller]

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[Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Rosenberg]

Of $45 for 3 month plan. $15 per month equivalent required. New customer offer first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See mint mobile.com and I got to tell you the one thing I do not want to hear because they'll, they'll be, you know, Hal will speak and Brian will speak, they'll have baggy day, I guess tomorrow and they'll go over everything. What I do not want to hear is, well, we didn't have Cole all year and we missed heel for the first half of the season. He clearly wasn't the same player. And Judge went on the il. Maybe if Judge doesn't go on the il, we win a couple of games, we win the division. I don't want to hear that, man. Everybody's got injuries.

[Don Hahn]

Listen, don't blame the one of the.

[Rosenberg]

Best Greg me from one of the best Blue Jay players that wasn't even playing the series, right?

[Don Hahn]

Oh, Boba Shet. Boba Shet.

[Rosenberg]

So everybody goes through injuries. The Dodgers lost half of their starting rotation last year, still won a championship. But you're going to hear it.

[Don Hahn]

Can we get the one thing I'll.

[Rosenberg]

Say about the Yankees, they do like a good excuse.

[Don Hahn]

That's what I was going to say. Can we get some accountability? Can we get some ownership of it? Can we get somebody to just say, you know what, we're not doing it right.

[Rosenberg]

Because if you're going to say unacceptable like then I don't want to hear an excuse. You said it was unacceptable.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

So if it's unacceptable, I don't want to hear it was unacceptable. But let's not forget Cole, one of.

[Don Hahn]

The best pitchers in baseball and you really were relying on him. We thought we had four good starters and we had to use other starters. And you start blaming players. That's what I don't like when you start put. Because what you're doing is you're pointing to areas of the season where things didn't go right for you. As if every year the season just is a. Nobody's got a sale through the season. No, everybody goes through the lulls. So you got to talk about October and October only and talk about the October's of the past. And while they all have the same connection, it all looks the same when it's over. Why is that? Why does it always look the same at the end?

[Rosenberg]

And it shows you too that one guy can't do it because this year it was judged at Rake didn't wasn't enough then last year was Stanton that raked. It wasn't enough because one player isn't going to be able to get it all done. Let's go to Javier and Queen. John, ESPN New York. What's up, Javi?

[Caller]

What's going on fellas? Thanks for taking the call.

[Rosenberg]

Always.

[Caller]

Listen, Don, I don't know if you remember, I think we spoke on Friday and I said that your new Yankee fandom was creating movement over on my side of town and ever since you, you know, you changed sides.

[Rosenberg]

I never.

[Don Hahn]

Once done.

[Rosenberg]

I never.

[Don Hahn]

They suddenly fell apart.

[Rosenberg]

First of all, first of all, I never did that. Okay. All I said was that sometimes you get into a little struggle of the team that I hated growing up and now how good it is for the Yankees to be in it. But I never said I was rooting for them. That was words that Alan and Peter put in my mouth. And. And also you know you had. They won, right? I said it on Friday going into the series. They did win a game. Yeah, but go ahead, Avi. It never happened, but you got it. I'm sure you got other points. Man.

[Don Hahn]

You know what, Don?

[Caller]

You can go back to the Mets now.

[Rosenberg]

That's fine. I'm going to say goodbye to you because you're not listening because this is. This is.

[Don Hahn]

This is.

[Rosenberg]

These are lies that are being told. All I said on Friday was in. It is kind of weird because the Yankees doing well helps me, helps the station. So it is a bit of a. What did I grapple was grappling with it. But I never said I'm rooting for the Yankees. I never pivoted.

[Don Hahn]

You never Said you weren't rooting for the Yankees.

[Rosenberg]

I never said I was. I said I was grappling.

[Don Hahn]

If you didn't say you weren't either. You were. You were fighting it.

[Rosenberg]

Because I'm not going to be that jerk. I'm a journalist. We're talking about the game. I'm not going to be, you know, Joe, fan, wave. First of all, I can't even wave a flag. Oh, the Mets, the Mets. Shut up. I gotta shut up. Mets, they made the playoffs. I gotta shut up. But I don't have. But the one thing about being a good talk show host, and I like to think that I am. You're one of the best, is that you can't just shut up.

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Rosenberg]

Otherwise. Then forget it.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Rosenberg]

You don't have a job.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, the whole idea of the job.

[Rosenberg]

I'm rooting for the Yankees. I didn't become a Yankee fan.

[Don Hahn]

Not yet.

[Rosenberg]

I don't see it happening. I don't. All I just said is there's benefits to the Yankees winning.

[Don Hahn]

Absolutely.

[Rosenberg]

Because what are we pivoting to? Football?

[Don Hahn]

No.

[Rosenberg]

I mean, these are pillow fights. The jets and Giants are playing the.

[Don Hahn]

Rest of the game. Don, I'm telling you, it's our time now. Basketball and hockey, what we've been dreaming about is finally.

[Rosenberg]

Well, I'm ready.

[Don Hahn]

Me, too.

[Rosenberg]

I don't have a game tonight. Yeah, you're.

[Don Hahn]

You're watching the game tonight. I've got a. I've got something that's even worse than that. It's a preseason game that I'm working it like I'm. I'm doing sidelines.

[Rosenberg]

Your game. And while the Giants. But I got. I got to. I gotta be on the Devil game because. Because the Devils are on espn, so. John Butcher Grass is calling. That's why I'm not in Carolina. Oh, they're on together.

[Don Hahn]

They're on the Deuce there.

[Rosenberg]

No, they're on ESPN plus, so that's on the app.

[Don Hahn]

So it's only a digital.

[Rosenberg]

Right. It's a digital vehicle, but I'll be on it.

[Don Hahn]

Which means you're not going to watch me.

[Rosenberg]

No, there's no shot of that. What am I going to do? I got the Giants playing. Anthony, look at me. Look at me. I'm not even looking at him. What chance. What am I doing?

[Don Hahn]

What do you think I'm doing?

[Rosenberg]

So, okay, what are you doing Saturday? What do you do?

[Don Hahn]

Get it? I get it.

[Rosenberg]

If the Knicks were playing, where. Where would the Devils be in the pecking order? I got a Giant Eagle Game. Oh, all right.

[Don Hahn]

That's a big game. Big Giants.

[Rosenberg]

But I'm a Giant fan. All right. And then I am the voice of the New Jersey Devils on television. I'm going to be preparing. Plus I want to keep an eye on the Islander game and the Ranger.

[Don Hahn]

You know, I know, will be watching me at least checking in, making sure like, you know, things are going well. Rick, I heard Peter's gonna watch on NBA TV in Perth. That I don't believe.

[Rosenberg]

So, rick. How many TVs does Rick have?

[Don Hahn]

I think it's like five.

[Rosenberg]

Cause I gotta tell you something. You know how many TVs I have in my house right now working?

[Don Hahn]

Two working.

[Rosenberg]

One in my man cave and one.

[Don Hahn]

In the living room working. Is it the one on top of.

[Rosenberg]

The one that's broken? No, no, they're all. Nothing's on top of anything else. Just. And we lost the one in the bedroom because I'm trying to jimmy switch my direct TVs because they keep dying on me and I don't have. So I keep like taking the system and moving it to different. So I'm down to just the living room television and then the one down in the basement.

[Don Hahn]

I think it's time to move on from direct probably.

[Rosenberg]

And. And now. Yeah, and now I've got the computer where I watch a lot of stuff, but I don't have like these Dave Rotherberg, Rick D. Pietro. Like I'm at Sportsphone and I've got like 15 TV buffalo wild wings, you know, and I'm watching like. What was that? Remember Taxi when he got all the TVs and they're watching to see whether they're going to call him Delawareans or Delaware Cities. I don't have that. All right, so there's. There's like none shot. And I'm putting the Nick game on because I got too much going on. I love you. All right, I know you're good. You do the job. But don't throw back at me. If you're calling the game on msg, I'm on.

[Don Hahn]

You know who else be watching? Bart.

[Rosenberg]

Because Bart doesn't know that there are hockey games on. Not to mention Phillies, Dodgers. Bart took vacation. Bart's on vacation.

[Don Hahn]

Vacation. Strong. No, he's going to London. He's going to London to do jets stuff.

[Rosenberg]

Well, the jets are. Jacob has given me.

[Don Hahn]

He's on assignment.

[Rosenberg]

Wait a minute. Sny sent him to London or is he on his own dime?

[Don Hahn]

I think the jets took him to London.

[Rosenberg]

I think the jets, yeah, Just took Him.

[Don Hahn]

He might be like, you know, he's doing stuff on behalf of Jets. Yeah, he might be one of the alumni mascot types. But if you. If you just look at his story, you couldn't tell he's at London. If he was even doing anything with the jets, honestly. Are you saying this on the air?

[Rosenberg]

Can YouTube see the eye roll? Can you. Can you see your eye rolling?

[Don Hahn]

Listen good on part.

[Rosenberg]

Did he work today?

[Don Hahn]

No, no, Dan. They flew today. Right. He was off yesterday too, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, well, he's got stuff to do, but he's going to be watching me tonight. But Don can't Change the channel. 3am Don can't change the channel though.

[Rosenberg]

No, that's not where I was gonna go.

[Don Hahn]

Sorry. Don't worry about it.

[Rosenberg]

I don't want the day after the Yankees get eliminated.

[Don Hahn]

I watched you in the preseason. Just saying. It's all right.

[Rosenberg]

It's the first time I was doing it, Alan. Well, I'm just telling you, I got a lot. First of all, all if Marco and Jaylen didn't finish their homework, I'm not watching anything. All right? I got to get up at 6 o' clock tomorrow morning. I'm lucky I watch anything. Okay, But I'll be on it because I got a show to do.

[Don Hahn]

Have you watched High Potential? Because I'm behind.

[Rosenberg]

I did. I watched it yesterday after. Still behind High Potentials with ABC show. It's really good.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I'm sure that'll be really good.

[Rosenberg]

But that's on dvr. You can't watch sports on dvr. But Jacob's a little troublemaker. He's on vacation. But you know what? Jacob, look at me. I. He is. Yes. Because he ain't doing one inch of work.

[Don Hahn]

Well, he's.

[Rosenberg]

And then. Yeah, and then the Yankees get eliminated and he takes the day off.

[Don Hahn]

He might be doing more than an inch of work.

[Rosenberg]

Oh, dear. I mean, he's inching. God.

[Don Hahn]

I think we should break.

[Rosenberg]

You know what? That's a bad guy. Talk about stepping up. It's time to level up your game. Introducing the all new ESPN app. All of ESPN all in one place. Your home for the most live sports and the best championship moments.

[Don Hahn]

The electricity is palpable.

[Rosenberg]

Step up your game. With no annual contract required. It's the ultimate fan experience. Level up. For more on the ESPN app or extreme espn.com, sign up now.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcast. All right, let's get Back to the calls. 800 now, 93776. We got a lot of people that want to talk Yankees with us. We'll get into football, Eagles and the Giants in the five o' clock hour. But like I said, let's get back to the people. Bobby and Belmore, you're up next.

[Rosenberg]

What's up, Bobby?

[Caller]

All right, two quick things. Number one, it's only saying that Jazz and Boone said the Yankees are the best team in baseball and they would have two goals to the series. I mean, we know about Jazz, but boom, boom blew two bullpen moves. I have, I have another thing to say about that. But you know, the Weaver move extended the lead from 2 to 1 to 4 1. Just like Chaz's era when he put in Weaver and like you said, taking out Schuster and the leader standing from two to one to four to one again after 88 pitches. Now, you know, I want to go back to this. I have counted seven times that the bullpen has blown leads or I've been terrible with terrible moves under the Cashmen. Boom. Decision making or boom. By himself, whoever the hell is making analytics. 2022, they blew three postseason games. One against Cleveland, two against Houston. They didn't put in Holmes. Any of those games are put in Schmidt or Trevino. I took out Cole with 86 pitches. And then you fast forward to last year with the, with the fiasco in the World Series. They couldn't screw up the two previous series before that because the team sucked so bad. And then fast forward to this year. Two games with Weaver, you know, the free game, taking him out, playing a guy with a 90 RA in September. And then they put in Weaver again in Toronto, which I just said, which extended the league from two to one to four to one. And taking out Schlitzer because seven times I've counted that. This, the decision making on this bullpen, which is the most important decision a matcher has to make or the general manager or the analytics, whoever hell is doing it. And they're never going to win the World Series if the discontinues.

[Rosenberg]

Well, it's the lanes. He says it. Those lanes are developed before the game starts. And I don't know why it was just 88 pitches.

[Don Hahn]

They put it all on the players too, though. That's what they do. Well, it was the right move. He just didn't execute. Yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Which is an easy thing because it, because it ends up being true. Right. Because they obviously a lot of those same pitchers executed in game three, right? Got the job done. They won the game. Once it got to six. Six, that was the fourth inning. Blue Jays didn't score another run. Rodon was already out of the game. The blue, the bullpen did it. So that's why I can't get crazy about, you know, Boone this boon that with the bullpen because he pulled all of the right levers in game three and then he does it in game four and it blows up in his face.

[Don Hahn]

And bullpens have been an issue that's an epidemic in the baseball. Like everybody has that same feeling of this could be a grenade for all I know. But I'm making this move here and.

[Rosenberg]

I'm hoping it works out because in the same thing happened with the Blue Jays, right? All of the moves blew up in their face in game three. And then it all came up spades in game four.

[Don Hahn]

Unbelievable.

[Rosenberg]

It's. It's crazy. Eventually just the players have to go out there and execute. But would it have killed anybody if Schlitler is just, hey, go out there pitch, and then you could rest during the offseason. But it's all that he threw. What was it, 100. And how many pitches he throw in the Red Sox game? 107. So, so was it well pitched? 107. And he's just a kid. So if we go 100 again, back to back starts, that could affect them for next year.

[Don Hahn]

The next year.

[Rosenberg]

But. But that's what they do, right? Well, this kid's got a great future. We don't want to burn him out here. I get you don't want to damage guys, but it's a chance to advance to the league championship series and maybe win a World Series because I still will stand by the fact that if the Yankees had won this series, they're going to the World Series. Now, I don't know if they beat the Brewers, I don't know if they beat the Dodgers, but I think they would have beaten the winner of Tigers and Mariners, okay, and gone to the World Series. But that's again the thinking of, well, listen, we got to be careful with this kid. He's got a really bright future and if we, we throw him 20 more pitches than he's supposed to, then he's going to get hurt. And mark my words, they all end up getting hurt. Right? You try going back to the job of rules. Like we don't want to get to get hurt. Well, all the guy did was, all.

[Don Hahn]

He did was get hurt. It is funny too I was thinking, as I was saying before, I can't really looking forward to 26 because the pitching steps can be nasty. And then the next thought I had was, but of course, Schlitler probably be the next one. You know, like, it's just. It's inevitable with a lot of these pitchers in baseball. You find somebody that's really good and then there's some point he ends up having to go onto the knife.

[Rosenberg]

Right. And crazy. Also, Alan, you know, these guys don't automatically get back to where they left off when they have John surgery. How long will it take Cole to become Garrett Cole again? Half the season. All season. He'll pitch next year. There's no question. But how long will it take? He always. He almost half the season. He was never the heel from the year before, ever. And that wasn't even Tommy John. Let's go to Danny on Long Island. You're on ESPN New York. Hi, Danny.

[Caller]

Good afternoon, guys. Before we get to baseball, let me just say that I'm proud to announce I am still alive in the ESPN Survivor pool as we head into week six.

[Rosenberg]

All right, so who do you got? Week six?

[Caller]

Well, either Steelers or Packers. Haven't decided. But for the two people who last week took the jets, can you please call in? We need to know what your logical thinking was on that. And I hope you're not parenting and raising children because your judgment is highly questionable at this point. Now, you know, it seems like just a couple weeks ago we had the Mets on the slab. We can conduct any autopsy. And I announced it death by no pitching. And now the Yankees. I'm going to call it death by launch angle. Because when I remember this series, I'm going to remember one at bat. And that was straw in the seventh degree race inning. Looked like he was pitching out of the sand at Bethpage. He said he went up there with. With a thought that I'm going to take it. You got this change up, pitcher up. And I'm going to wait, and I'm.

[Rosenberg]

Going to wait, wait.

[Caller]

And then I'm just going to poke it into right field for a single. And if he had a pitching wedge, he couldn't have done any better. He was practically laughing going up the first baseline because that's a guy who had a sword. He had the weapon in his hand and he did it. And all the Yankees do is close your eyes and swing as hard as you can. You know, every once in a while you hit 1, 400ft. You know, judges don't have to have a Launch angle because he's so strong. But the rest of you, how about putting the ball in play? Because you know what happens when you put the ball in play. Maybe the second baseman boosts the ball and has an error or maybe it drops in or maybe, you know, the umpire. Things happen. From the time in the Little League, I would tell my team, nothing good happens on a strikeout. Put the ball in play. The two key hits of the game, two out, single, score two. And that RBI single by score. I think if it combined it. They both went in the air about 225ft. They both barely made it to the outfield because you put the ball in play and that's what good things happen. And the Yankees don't do that. And you get away with it when you're playing bad teams. Yeah, because they're bad. Now you're playing the good teams. It just. The whole philosophy has to change.

[Rosenberg]

And Danny, we gave them credit for going 7 and 5 during the quote unquote gauntlet towards the end of the season. But what was the problem all year long? Couldn't beat the Red Sox. Couldn't beat the Blue Jays, couldn't beat.

[Don Hahn]

The Tigers record against division record against winning teams, because those are the teams.

[Rosenberg]

That know how to do it. And that's why they made the playoffs. All right. Yeah. They beat Seattle. All right. They're going to do. Because they're a good team. So. But you know, the judge talked about how hot they got at the end of the season, and you even brought it up about how they really felt. Great. They also got a steady diet of the White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles. And you know, that that might have helped, too. That's not what you're facing in the postseason. Okay. You're gonna be facing. You're not facing a team way better.

[Don Hahn]

And the White Sox and Orioles aren't like ultra prepared.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, right. Especially at that time of year. They're just like, let's just, let's just get to the golf course. Or I guess the new thing is Cancun.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the.

[Don Hahn]

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.