Hour 2: Same Yankees Offense

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Same Yankees Offense

Podcast Information

• Title: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
• Hosts: Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
• Episode: Hour 2: Same Yankees Offense
• Release Date: April 3, 2025
• Description: The podcast features Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg discussing New York sports, particularly focusing on the New York Yankees' strategies and performance.

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Introduction

In this episode of the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg podcast, the hosts delve deep into the New York Yankees' offensive strategy, expressing both critique and analysis of the team's reliance on home runs and high strikeout rates. The discussion highlights frustration with the Yankees' "all or nothing" approach to offense, emphasizing the team's consistent yet polarizing performance.

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Yankees Offense Analysis

Reliance on Home Runs

The Yankees' offensive strategy continues to center around power hitting, often at the expense of consistency. Alan Hahn expresses his frustration with the team's approach:

Alan Hahn: "It’s literally what they do. It continues to be what they do." ([02:05])

Peter Rosenberg echoes this sentiment, linking it to the use of the torpedo bat:

Peter Rosenberg: "All we care about is the barrel of the bat hitting the ball as far as we can." ([02:15])

This focus on home runs leads to notable highs and lows in game outcomes, often making games unpredictable and, at times, monotonous for fans.

High Strikeout Rates

The team's strategy also results in high strikeout rates, which further exacerbates the frustration among fans and analysts:

Alan Hahn: "They set a record for home runs and then setting a record for strikeouts to start a season." ([01:50])

Peter Rosenberg discusses how this approach aligns with modern analytics but questions its overall effectiveness:

Peter Rosenberg: "It's the epitome of analytics baseball. It's walk, strikeout, home run." ([02:15])

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Player-Specific Discussions

Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge's performance is a focal point, with discussions about his consistent high numbers juxtaposed against his mechanical weaknesses:

Alan Hahn: "He’s been a two-time MVP and I know that at the end of the year he's still going to have epic numbers. But... he's been striking out a lot." ([08:20])

Judge's propensity to fall for specific pitches consistently leads to high strikeout counts, contributing to the overall "all or nothing" offensive narrative.

Anthony Volpe

Volpe's performance is highlighted as both a positive and a symptom of the Yankees' offensive strategy:

Peter Rosenberg: "Volpe's got six hits. All home runs." ([02:30])

While his home runs can change the momentum of the game, reliance on such hits makes the offense less versatile.

Jason Dominguez

The discussion shifts to Jason Dominguez, focusing on his hitting discipline and potential:

Peter Rosenberg: "Jason Dominguez has been frustrating me with his at-bats. He doesn’t even check a swing at this point." ([15:52])

Listeners express frustration over Dominguez's lack of contact, questioning the Yankees' handling of his contract and potential as a trade asset.

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Team Strategy and Philosophy

All or Nothing Offense

The Yankees' offensive philosophy is characterized by taking significant swings with the expectation of high rewards:

Alan Hahn: "It's all or nothing. And I guess for me, that's what I'm not gonna say. It's not disappointing, it's not depressing..." ([06:32])

This approach aligns with the team's historical preference for power hitters but sacrifices consistency and versatility.

Analytical Approach

The team's strategy is heavily influenced by modern baseball analytics, focusing on maximizing home runs while accepting higher strikeout rates:

Peter Rosenberg: "It's all analytics, man. It has nothing to do with driving interest." ([20:11])

This method prioritizes immediate runs over building innings through contact hitting, reflecting a broader trend in contemporary baseball strategy.

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Fan Perspective and Frustration

Alan Hahn openly shares his frustrations as a fan, struggling with the unpredictability and limitations of the Yankees' offensive strategy:

Alan Hahn: "It's really tough to live through the ebbs and flows." ([10:24])

Don LaGreca reinforces this sentiment, acknowledging the emotional rollercoaster that comes with the Yankees' inconsistent performance:

Don LaGreca: "This is how the team is built, that on the right day, you score 20 runs... but then three days later, there's literally not an ounce of entertainment." ([12:16])

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Comparisons to Other Teams

The hosts draw comparisons between the Yankees and other sports teams, highlighting the unique position the Yankees hold in consistently maintaining a competitive stance:

Peter Rosenberg: "We haven't had one losing season since, what, ’91. How's it working out for us?" ([14:07])

They contrast the Yankees' persistent competitiveness with teams like the Mets, Jets, and Giants, emphasizing the Yankees' sustained relevance and success.

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Conclusion

The Don, Hahn & Rosenberg podcast episode titled "Hour 2: Same Yankees Offense" presents a critical yet analytical view of the New York Yankees' offensive strategies. While the team's reliance on home runs and high strikeout rates aligns with modern baseball analytics, it also leads to fan frustration and questions about the long-term effectiveness of such an approach. The hosts acknowledge the Yankees' consistent presence in the playoffs and World Series but remain skeptical about the sustainability and entertainment value of their offensive philosophy.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Alan Hahn: "The Yankees right now, to me, first impression, continue to be the all or nothing offense." ([01:50])

• Peter Rosenberg: "It's the epitome of analytics baseball. It's walk, strikeout, home run." ([02:15])

• Alan Hahn: "You just know what to expect because it's the same script every year." ([08:20])

• Peter Rosenberg: "This is how you win and every other one." ([10:48])

• Don LaGreca: "This is how the team is built, that on the right day, you score 20 runs... but then three days later, there's literally not an ounce of entertainment." ([12:16])

• Peter Rosenberg: "It's all analytics, man. It has nothing to do with driving interest." ([20:11])

• Alan Hahn: "It's really tough to live through the ebbs and flows." ([10:24])

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the main discussions, insights, and conclusions presented in the podcast episode, providing a clear understanding for those who haven't listened to it.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter 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.

[Alan Hahn]

Hi. At the 4 o'clock hour we go with Don Lagreca and Peter Rosenberg. I'm Alan Hahn. 800-919-3776 is the number we got calls. We will get to you in the conversations here, but we've talked enough. Mets. All right, that's enough. Can we get to now what's happening with the Yankees? Don? Peter, I gotta admit that I feel. The only thing I feel good about is that I was right when it comes to this stupid torpedo bat thing. And the fact that what they did over the weekend against the brewers turned into a fake conspiracy, a fake controversy and instead now what we're seeing is after now, well, we'll see tonight they can even win a series against these, the Diamondbacks. But it feels like as much as things they try to change, they stay the same. The Yankees right now, to me, first impression, continue to be the all or nothing offense. Yeah, it is unreal the amount of swing and miss that happened with them and how they just keep. And I see it again with Judge, I'm sorry, he's seeing it and you're seeing it and you're seeing it. He had a whole off season he's had all these years. That loan away gets him every time. It's an incredible weakness. That is maddening. And so I now am getting frustrated because every time we're being told the Yankees gonna be different, they'll be more athletic, they're gonna be more on the base paths, they're gonna do less of the only hit home runs thing. No, it's literally what they do. It's all they do. It continues to be what they do. And that's why series like this get frustrating for me because it's hard to watch. And then of course you get the late three run home run from Volpe and it just keep pulls you back in. But man, setting a record for home runs and then setting a record for strikeouts to start a season, well, that's quite the contrast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the reason I'll bring the torpedo bat into the conversation is because just that alone tells you, hey, all we care about is is the barrel of the bat hitting the ball as far as we can.

[Alan Hahn]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's great. Home runs are awesome when, when they're happening and they're happening in the regularity. But when you just need a base hit or a sacrifice fly or Something that could work too. In games. They've got nine players with home runs. Volpe's got four hits. All home runs. Right. Jazz Chisholm has six hits. Half of them are, are home runs. Ben Rice has five hits, two home runs. So it's basically, you're right, home runs are nothing. Strikeouts. Judge has seven, Volpe's got six. He's got more strikeouts than hits. Same thing with Jazz. He's got nine strikeouts to his six hits. So it is the epitome of analytics baseball. It's walk, strikeout, home run. And if you get a good pitching staff, if, like the Diamondbacks, they can pitch, they got a really good bullpen, they got good starting pitchers. So they're going to miss the barrel of the bat. They're going to make you work. And if the home run's not there and Volpe got the home run, I can't say it was garbage time because it did make it a one run game. But shut out for eight innings and then you get a, you know, a one out home run in the ninth inning, that made it interesting. But at the end of the day, when there were plenty of other opportunities to get something done, you didn't. And listen, they're three and two. So again, it's not so much about the wins and the losses because we know it's early enough to recover from that, but it's just a reminder of this is how this team is built. So if you're going to ask throughout the summer, like you did on the case over 20 years, why aren't they bunning, why aren't they stealing bases, why aren't they hitting on the right side, where the runner at second and moving them over, it's just not, that's not what they do. They've taken Volpe, who looks to me like a player that is a contact guy, get hits, hit the gap into, you know, they're trying to make him into another match, you know, Miguel Tejada, kind of like a shortstop that can, that can hit home runs because they want you to hit home runs. Done. Am I wrong?

[Alan Hahn]

No, you're not. And that's the part that, as much as last weekend was tons of fun, I'm always suckered into it because we love the home runs. You love seeing the run scored. You love seeing the home runs. I'm always a sucker for it. So I'm, I'm being a complete hypocrite complaining about this, but it's because when you see a Corbin Burns and you see a Zach Allen. And you realize that these guys are real pitchers and they know exactly what to not give you. They're not gonna do. They're not gonna do the BP fastball like Nestor Cortez was giving you. Right? They're going to actually paint corners, make you work, paint your weaknesses. And that's the part that's frustrating because it becomes really, really hard to watch. And then, you know, Carlos Rodan was, he had, you know, he had some issues early, but then he gets on a roll where he's just, I think he got like eight in a row out or something like that. And it looked like, okay, he's finally gotten himself on track. And it's early in the season, but it's four nothing already at that point. And again, four nothing in games like that where you're striking out 13 times with his tons of swing and miss for four nothing feels like 10 nothing. And so that's, I think, the hardest part as a fan to watch this team and to think year after year, okay, let's see if they make the adjustment, let's see if they've improved. Let's see if they've learned to not be the all or nothing team, that they can find ways to manufacture runs. And then everything you just said, including the Volpe, stuff like that, you start to see, and you're right. I don't want to hear a single Yankee fan complain about the Yankee offense as we go through this season. Don't complain about the fact that there was a runner on second and all they had to do was bunt them over and then a fly ball gets them in and there's the run we needed, you know, to get a rally going. Don't bring it up ever, ever on this show because it's a waste of your breath and it's a waste of our valuable Showtime. I'm saying it now because I'm getting it out of my system, because I am never gonna complain again about it, because I am just resigned to the fact that this is who the Yankees are and this is defiantly who they want to be. That's it, whether we like it or not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See, that's the point that has to be accentuated. The last part, you said it's what they want. It's what they want. It's how they built their team. It's the players that they want. They're trying to turn Volpe into that. It's what attracted them to a Goldschmidt and a Bellinger. It's. That's who they want. They Want a guy that is going to hit home runs and that's how they want to score runs. They believe that's the way to victory. And hey, they went to the World Series. They're a perennial playoff team. For the most part, it works. But what ends up happening, Allen, in the postseason, for the most part during this whole run has been the inability to get the big hit. Because why post season pitchers, starting pitchers and bullpens are better because they're post season teams. They are going to destroy bad bullpens, they're going to destroy bad pitching.

[Alan Hahn]

That's why they'll win 90 games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And listen, there's a lot of bad pitching out there. And they're also very good at what they do. So they will hit home runs against real good pitching too. But it becomes a little bit more difficult when that's the way you're looking for that three run home run. And if it doesn't come, guess what, you get to the ninth inning and it's four nothing. The three run home run finally comes, but it's too little too late, you know, so it's just, it's got you with the door. It's the, it's the three pointer in the NBA, right? It would be like complaining about a team that's like all they do is shoot threes. Well, this is what the Yankees do. They hit home runs and the torpedo bat. To me, forget about all the garbage that we talked about for the first couple of days of the season, it's just telling you this is how they want it to be. Because what you think you're getting a torpedo bat so you can bunt easier, so that you can get more sacrifice flies so you can hit oppo ground ball so you can get the runner to third? No, you're doing it so you can hit the get 113 exit velo and knock it over the fence.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what they're hoping for and that's really what you get. Again, it is all or nothing. And I guess for me, that's what I'm not gonna say. It's not disappointing, it's not depressing, but it's just sort of like it just takes a little bit of enthusiasm out of you because you just know what to expect. I know how this is going to go because it's the same script every year. And every year at the end of the year, we always talk about how they just need to do this. They just, if they would just adjust. And even the judge thing. Don, I'm sorry. I know Every hitter has a hole in their swing somewhere that a good pitcher will find. But he's been a two time mvp and I know that at the end of the year he's still going to have epic numbers. But it does drive you crazy. The fact that there's one pitch that he falls for 90% of the time. Hit three strikeouts again yesterday, right? One for four. He still had obviously a hit, but the strikeouts and how they pile up with him sometimes makes you crazy because it's the same pitch in the same location and yet every time he falls for it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He might be exaggerating and he probably is, but I do understand his point. Gary Sheffield one time said that if I didn't care, he said at the time getting a hit, I would never miss the baseball. It would never be able to strike me out if all I cared about was making contact. But if I'm trying to get a base hit, trying to hit a home run, I'm going to make an adjustment and there are going to be times I'm going to miss the ball. When you're going to the plate and you're trying to hit a home run, you're going to miss those pitches. Are there times where you just say, listen, I don't need to hit a home run here, I just need to make contact. And if I make contact, we got a chance to create an inning, we got a chance to get a run. But if all you're doing is trying to hit home runs, but the Yankees will tell you it's working because they usually go to the playoffs every year they just came off going to the World Series, right? AARON BOONE CALLS st. Well, there's home runs in the postseason. It was just a crapshoot. It just hasn't happened for they are, this is their intent.

[Alan Hahn]

But that's why I feel like an idiot as a fan because it's every year it's the same thing. Which means every year I have to know that you're going to have stretches where they are just the whole team is swing and miss. And then the next game, like today, who know today they can smack five more home runs, but. And then it's fun again. But it's really tough to live through the ebbs and flows.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not debating the problem, it's debating whether it's considered a problem. They don't consider it a problem.

[Alan Hahn]

No, they don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is, this is how you win and every other one. Now they're wrong because the mission statement is championship. But they've been the Most consistent baseball team. Even the one year where they were off a couple of years ago in 2013, they still finished above.500. I mean, it's kind of working for them in the sense that every year they're up there in the standing. Just came off going to the World Series, and they'll tell you, I didn't have those on a lack of home runs. We just couldn't field the ball in the fifth inning, you know, so. And every Yankee walked away from that Series. And we still think we're the better team, which I think. I think the Dodgers were better. They beat you in five games. I know. If Cortez doesn't give up the home run. Well, he kind of gave up the home run and then he continued to do it the next year on opening day, so it kind of happened. But that's the philosophy, right? We're right, you're wrong, we're going to figure it out. And if it doesn't work out, it's a crapshoot, man. Don't blame us, that is. We're going to do it again.

[Alan Hahn]

Am I wrong, though, to say that it's tough to watch?

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Stupid as that sounds, when it's fun. When you get nine home runs in a day.

[Don LaGreca]

No, but you have the days that it's unwatchable in the games.

[Alan Hahn]

Last night was maddening.

[Don LaGreca]

It's just not. There's nothing to watch. Yeah. This is how the team is built, that on the right day, you score 20 runs and you have the best day you've ever dreamed of at the ballpark. But then three days later, you sit down to watch the game and there's literally not an ounce of entertainment. And to Don's point, in the end, they're kind of always right. They have set up the argument perfectly where there's never room to Always a.

[Alan Hahn]

Top five offense, right? Always a top five offense, always a winning team. So what are you complaining about?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, so what? We don't win. Sorry. So what? What can we do? We've had it all figured out.

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[Peter Rosenberg]

It's the same conversation over and over again. Yankee fans thinking they're a failure. And the Yankees are in a boardroom some ways saying, this is working out great. We win. We haven't had one. Look at all the teams that lose 90 games, 100 games. That doesn't happen to us every year. We're good. All right. Yeah, we got a bunch of injuries a couple of years ago and finished 82 and 80, but take a look. We haven't had one losing season since, what, 91. How's it working out for us?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, the building is full.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're relevant every single year. Take a look at the Mets, how many times they've been. The conversation's over in June. Look at the jets and the Giants, how many years they've been awful, can't make the playoffs, an embarrassment, made fun of. How many nick teams had 16 wins in going into April. Doesn't happen to us. How many? How many? How many? Rangers. Look at the Rangers. They might not make the playoffs this year. Look at us. Every year, every year, every single. How's it working out for us?

[Alan Hahn]

And then, like I said, it is working out. That's why I said I feel like an idiot talking about it, but I feel like I want to talk about it and see if anybody else feels the same way. If anybody else feels that. Where I know this is, this is. What am I complaining about? But on. There are nights like this where it's. This is just maddening to watch two nights in a row where the offense is stifled and it's just because you can see everybody just jumping out of their shoes to hit the ball up in the air, out of the park. And on a cold night, it doesn't do that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but, but. Or when you strike out 13, well.

[Alan Hahn]

Then there's missing the ball entirely, which is. But, no, but, but the out. Some of the outs they have were loud high fly ball outs. And a lot of times it was, it was the frustration of some of these at best.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't hear a lot of complaining when they broke the record for home runs. No, people, people like the long ball because, listen, they like winning. I don't think anybody would have complained last night if they won the game. Right. And didn't, didn't hit any home runs. But it's not happening.

[Alan Hahn]

Volpe. Volpe hits the three run. Now it's a one run game. You feel like, okay, is there bullpen a little rattled can. And then I think it was Dominguez who just like I think was he up next? And it was, he just smashed it into the ground like nothing happened in the meantime. Oh, speaking of which, Subi in midtown on Dominguez. Subi.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, Subi.

[Caller]

Yeah, I was at the game last night and Jason Dominguez has been frustrating me with his at bats. He doesn't even check a swing at this point. He just swings away. But not only that, he reminds me of Gary Sanchez as play discipline Gary Sanchez. So one thing I want to point out is these young players have been getting these large contracts and Michael K. Says that they love Jason Dominguez. Well, if they love him so much, why don't you give him that 70 or 80 million or 100 million deal and lock him up like the Red Sox did and the Padres do? Why don't you just lock them up? If he's that great and you trust him so much, why don't you just.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You'D like to see him stay healthy. I can understand them being a little apprehensive. They know he's the Martian. They know how good a player he can be. But can he stay healthy? I'm not, I'm not going to kill them for not giving him a big time contract. And he hasn't been able to complete a season yet.

[Caller]

If he's that good, he should be hitting at least contact doubles, triples right now. Three.

Three.

15 at bat, three hits, one home off. That's, that's the situation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So here's the situation, all right? If Dominguez is on the Royals, you lock them up because you don't want the money to get too out of hand where you can't pay them. The Yankees aren't in that situation, okay? The Yankees, if they want to pay a guy, they'll be able to pay a guy for the most Part, you know, so they don't have to worry about. Let's lock up Dominguez because pretty soon his money's going to get to a point where we're not going to be able to afford them. That's not the Yankees problem. Why would the Yankees get in the business of paying somebody they don't have to pay yet than a New York Yankees? So let's see how it turns out. Let's see if he ends up being that good. Let's see if he could stay healthy because you'll be the first person to call if they give him a big time contract and he gets hurt again or doesn't live up to expectations and you're gonna be killing the Yankees for giving them money where they didn't have to leave that to the smaller market teams to do. The Yankees don't have to do that.

[Caller]

I wish he was a good trade piece. So we should, we can get a big return on him.

That's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, maybe the day will come, that'll happen. But you know, as far as Dominguez and the frustration with him, Alan, I brought this up many times. Somerset Patriots are right down the street from my house and I'll bring the kids. It's a great night out. They do a terrific job. And I took a picture of it and I sent it out to the group chat back in the day. They showed the starting lineup and like every player on the Somerset Patriots who were in contention for the championship, they were all batting under.200.195 because the batting average doesn't matter because this is. They're grooming these players for hitting home runs. Right, that's working count like the old days of work count. Yeah, you like to walk. They don't mind the walks. They'll get on base, they'll hit home runs, they'll walk. But otherwise they're all going to have a ton of strikeouts. Batting average isn't going to matter right now. They do have a few players that are hitting. You know, Judge still has, it's still hitting over.300. Volpe's hitting over.300. So they, they're getting batting averages now. But the way things are looking, remember they even hit the road yet. Those averages are going to start to come down if it continues to be home runs or nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

The game has just changed so much. But for the Yankees, it feels like they're more over the top about it than anybody else. Dave and Westchester. What's up? Dave?

[Caller]

Hey, I just wanted to say something about all the sports. The Baseball is just geared for the home run because who wants to bring a 10 year old kid to watch Andy Pettic grind out a 21 win? You can't hit the quarterback anymore. You can't bang the wide receiver after he runs five yards, the three point line. You can't go near Steph Curry. You got to let him shoot open jump shots. When back in the day you got guys hanging on Bird and hanging on Kobe Bryant. Everything's about money and offense and it's, you know, bring the little kids to the game so they can enjoy it. Isn't your 10 year old son going to want to watch 9 8? Is they have more fun or is he going to have more fun watching?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't, I don't think it necessarily has to do with what's more entertaining. I think the analytics are telling you this is the best way to win. If I hit a home run, it's a, it's an instant rbi. If you're telling me make contact, get on base, it takes three hits to get a run. Wouldn't you rather just have one hit to get a run? I could work and get a two point play, but why not chuck up a bunch of threes and get three points for every shot I make? It's all analytics, man. It has nothing to do with driving interest.

[Alan Hahn]

The three point shot, 33% is equal to 50% from two.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. So that's the math of it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, now I do think like football, they'll change rules because I do think people want offense. But these analytic people, these general, they don't care about how many people are in a ballpark. They're paid to develop a way to.

[Alan Hahn]

Win games and winning is what will draw people in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, exactly.

[Alan Hahn]

But there is still an entertainment value to watching the sport and that is I think part of it. But I don't think it's anything's created. Although football I think is the one sport that is created to look and be more entertaining for fans and for viewers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I see Peter, baseball, I don't know but Peter, I think what we're looking for is flow. Right.

[Don LaGreca]

If there's. Aren't we all. But, but particularly I hear at a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Certain age, like I guess a hockey fan, I don't need the game to be 6 5, but give me, give me the puck moving up and down the ice, continuous scoring, a bunch of saves.

[Don LaGreca]

That's why I want to discuss that. That's why we're discussed by New York football like particularly the jets, but both teams now there's no flow when they play the game. That's why you always say Dom when you watch. Like this year, and for example, I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, but this year you'd watch a commander's game and you go, oh my God. Like that looks like football. They go up and down the field. The other it's flow. And you're right, the Yankees are a weird team in terms of that. And then you have to watch everything the Yankees are doing. And then you just. If you wake up in the morning, the first thing you see on ESPN.com and I'll, I'll get into it more in ENN is Shohei Ohtani doing Shohei Ohtani things. And the Dodgers are off to the best post World Series championship start. Since when, Don, do you know?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know.

[Don LaGreca]

1933, the New York Yankees.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was a long time ago.

[Don LaGreca]

80 off the World Series Dodgers are.

[Alan Hahn]

Officially now the team that is just so easy to like. You're just so sick of them. Easy to hate them.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, and the fact that they, the fact they were dancing, you know, doing karaoke to New York, New York on your field should probably leave a bad taste.

[Alan Hahn]

That definitely started it. Well, the Yankees are now just going to try to win a game in this series as tonight they take on the Diamondbacks in the Bronx to see if they can win one game against the Diamondbacks, which, you know, that'd be really nice. It'd be great to win again. Merrill Kelly is on the mound for the Diamondbacks, but we'll give you a Yankee starting lineup right here. You guys ready for it? Brought to you by Certapro Painters. Leading off, Ben Rice. Oh, oh, yeah. We'll get to the bottom of that in a moment. Ben Rice will lead off and play first. Cody Bellinger will hit second. He's in right field. Aaron Judge tonight in the three hole is the dh. Jazz Chisholm is the cleanup battery. He is at second. Jason Dominguez in left field will bat fifth. Anthony Volpe batting sixth at short. Trent Grisham is your center fielder. JC Escara, he's the catcher. Is that his first start, Escara?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I believe so.

[Alan Hahn]

It might be. It's. What a great story he is. Oswaldo Cabrera will finish it up and he will bat ninth in and play third base. Carlos Carrasco, by the way, on the mound for the Yankees, Cookie. So Aaron Boone and we love Meredith and she was right to ask this question. So remember the Austin Wells thing to Start the season was such a cool story about how my gut. That didn't last.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Apparently it was just his turn.

[Alan Hahn]

So now Rice will lead off. And Meredith Merokovitz asked Aaron Boone why.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Obviously you want to get the lefties in there, as you mentioned. But what made Rice the right guy for that lead up spot?

[Don Hahn]

Raikes?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Rakes.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he's been so.

[Don LaGreca]

No, no, he just. Rakes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I know.

[Don LaGreca]

That's all he does. Didn't you know, Farmer? I mean, I love. I love Aaron, but come back to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Me, it's all about the fall for the Yankees, right? I mean, the rake Fall Classic. What are you doing? The fall. You rake.

[Don LaGreca]

What do you. You know what I used to do after practice?

[Alan Hahn]

Rake. That's why you were on the team.

[Don LaGreca]

That was. That was the absolute worst. By the way, did you always have to rake after practice?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Never.

[Don LaGreca]

You guys didn't rake your own field?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, not the stars. Never did that. Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

Shut up.

[Don LaGreca]

No, but in all serious, you got.

[Alan Hahn]

On the court and you dragged the.

[Don LaGreca]

You guys didn't have to. How'd you do it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't think we raked back then. It was just. We played. Oh.

[Don LaGreca]

No one cared, you mean?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I don't even think there was a race.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, got it. Our arc, our coach was such a nerd for field care. And our school didn't have any sort of machine.

[Alan Hahn]

So like every day, legit rake in your hand rake.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not the ymca, the infield. Wow.

[Don LaGreca]

You had to rate the infield every day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But did they have, like the soft. That was beautiful.

[Don LaGreca]

It was great to play after.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did you actually have a rake or did they have that apparatus dragon on the cart?

[Don LaGreca]

No, no, no, no, no. Every player would run and grab a metal rake and you took a spot and you raked. We didn't have an apparatus. I know.

[Alan Hahn]

You're picturing, like the sun going down picture in the spring.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, my God, it's freezing, by the way. It's probably 40 degrees.

[Alan Hahn]

You know how it gets, right? Remember that?

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, it was a nightmare.

[Alan Hahn]

3:00 out of school. Oh, my God, it's 75. Gorgeous. Within a half hour. It's freezing degrees and you're freezing.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, the best would be at the start of our baseball season. Often it would be so bad outside, we would have to do like four days of tryouts in the gym.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

And you haven't played baseball in like two months. Right. Cause fall ball had ended. And now you're trying to see. And I sucked, by the way. And you're trying to see through the lights in the gym as you're playing four corners gunning baseballs across the gym.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We had our gym basketball court was a rubber court and our coach O'Brien we would practice like ground balls and he hit as hard as he can and we're diving out of the way because they're going like 120 miles per hour.

[Don LaGreca]

It's insane.

[Alan Hahn]

Those floors on your basketball team. I bet you all those guys now all have major like arthritis.

[Don LaGreca]

It was the rubber was it's worse.

[Alan Hahn]

Brutal for your knees because I would.

[Don LaGreca]

Think the hardwood's not great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I guess it must have been cheaper.

[Alan Hahn]

Cheaper and easier to keep man. Yeah. Anyways that was the Yankees starting lineup brought to you by Certapro Painters. When choosing a painting professional for your home or business, the choice is simple. Choose appy. Choose Certipro Painters.

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[Don LaGreca]

Mobile.Com Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month. Required intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra fee full [e-mail] thanks.

[Don Hahn]

For listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

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 podcasts.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I don't know the song at all.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Interesting.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't know any social D.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, you got. That's all you got.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, he doesn't know. Am I supposed to call him stupid?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I didn't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I'm not going to be that guy. Run the same circle.

[Alan Hahn]

I was asking for a little background. Maybe you had a good story. I don't think that's a good. That's a good story.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All I said is I like the song. I. I Never saw them live. I don't own an album. I just like this song.

[Alan Hahn]

Time now for update. Brought to you by App Amazon. Pickup.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Final four out of my hole, man.

[Alan Hahn]

Excuse me.

[Don LaGreca]

What the hell?

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not in your hole.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How did we just get there?

[Alan Hahn]

In case you're wondering, the final four.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don'T look at a radio. You got nothing for me. You're talking me up that I should be on tv. You got everything. You got nothing for me? What am I gonna dance for you? Well, he is. Entertain yourself.

[Alan Hahn]

You have great stories about everything you do usually. This was the one time you had nothing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All I said, I didn't even say great band. No, that's why you for not knowing him.

[Don LaGreca]

It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I like this song. And I'll be honest with you. I always knew the song. But you know what? I really fell in love with it. Trying to master Guitar Heroes, one of the songs on Guitar Hero back in the day.

[Don LaGreca]

Freaked me out when you started that sentence.

[Alan Hahn]

Guitar Hero was great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What was the sentence? What I had.

[Don LaGreca]

I started trying to master.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, well, listen, I had that under control early. I was like a prodigy.

[Alan Hahn]

Peter, you remember when. When Don tried to suggest that ton going to be a big night with the final four and all. Because it is Thursday. Yeah, but it's not.

[Don LaGreca]

It's Saturday.

[Alan Hahn]

It's Saturday and it does start Saturday. Florida Auburn is 6:09 is your tip off. Followed by Houston and Duke. A game that Peter will probably not be watching. No, you probably won't be watching either one of these, will you?

[Don LaGreca]

Wait. Saturday night.

[Alan Hahn]

Florida Auburn's a good one. Seven at 6:09.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, I gotta go to Orlando tomorrow. Saturday night I'll be home. My wife's best friend is coming to town, so they'll be hanging. There's a chance. Saturday night. Actually, I'll be chilling.

[Alan Hahn]

Why not? Right, Maya? Right on the chest.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, well, actually her best friend is coming with her little baby. So they may be all girled and babied out. I might be. I might be like at. I might be a blondies eating wings watching the final four guys night. It's a possibility.

[Alan Hahn]

Final Four, Little Florida, Auburn and then Houston and Duke. Well, that was your tournament update brought to you by Amazon Pickup. Amazon Pickup is a convenient and secure way to collect your Amazon packages from locations near you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How about that?

[Alan Hahn]

How about that?

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.

[Don Hahn]

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.