Hour 2: Trade Deadline & Thursday Rewrite

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Trade Deadline & Thursday Rewrite

Introduction In the July 10, 2025 episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg, hosts Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg delve deep into the intricacies of the MLB trade deadline and explore alternate historical scenarios in their signature engaging style. Skipping over the initial banter about WhatsApp privacy, the trio quickly ramps up to the core sports discussions.

Yankees Trade Deadline Analysis The episode opens with a focused analysis of the New York Yankees' performance and potential trade moves. Don LaGreca and Peter Rosenberg discuss recent games, highlighting improvements in the Yankees' pitching after a struggling bullpen phase.

Don LaGreca [01:08]: "Slidler was great last night hitting .100."

Peter Rosenberg [01:10]: "The pitching was God awful."

Rosenberg emphasizes the emergence of young pitchers like Rafael Flores, noting his impressive fastball and cutter, which could be pivotal for the Yankees' future.

Peter Rosenberg [01:13]: "He really looked confident. They might have something in this kid."

Bullpen and Pitching Performance The conversation shifts to the Yankees’ bullpen and starting rotations. Don expresses cautious optimism about the bullpen's recent performance, while Buster Olney provides insights into the Yankees' strategic moves.

Don LaGreca [02:07]: "The Yankees are making it work. They’re an offense-driven team with the Bombers getting the job done."

Olney discusses the Yankees' flexibility and willingness to spend, suggesting that General Manager Brian Cashman, with backing from owner Hal Steinbrenner, is open to aggressive trade moves if they align with championship aspirations.

Buster Olney [04:28]: "If Brian is willing to do some stuff in a really mediocre American League and he feels like there's a path to get to the World Series, then I would be shocked if Hal doesn't okay the move."

Listener Insights and Opinions The podcast features interactive segments with listener call-ins, where fans share their perspectives on the Yankees' strategies and upcoming games. Bobby from Belmore, for instance, expresses strong confidence in the Yankees' dominance this season.

Bobby [06:16]: "Yankees are still the clear-cut favorite. I don't see any team stopping them from getting to the World Series."

Griff, another listener, humorously critiques the hosts' pronunciation of player names, adding a lighthearted touch to the intense discussions.

Thursday Rewrite: LeBron James' Decision A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the "Thursday Rewrite" segment, where Don and Peter engage in a speculative discussion about LeBron James' career decisions. They dissect the pivotal moment on July 7, 2010, when LeBron announced his move from Cleveland to Miami, examining alternative scenarios had he chosen to stay in Cleveland or join other teams like the New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets.

Peter Rosenberg [28:04]: "LeBron James makes a decision and there's a child in that crowd who will one day become Cleveland Cavaliers all-star, like Donovan Mitchell."

The hosts explore the potential impacts on Cleveland if LeBron had remained, considering the financial constraints and team dynamics. They speculate that staying might have led to eventual trade scenarios due to roster limitations.

Don LaGreca [35:18]: "He stayed in Cleveland, but he ends up in a more difficult situation, forcing a trade because he realizes he can't win here."

Conversely, the discussion about LeBron joining the Knicks underlines the challenges and opportunities of integrating a superstar into an already struggling team, potentially revitalizing the franchise but facing hurdles like player injuries and roster depth.

Peter Rosenberg [36:18]: "They wanted to lose. They wanted to be right."

The segment also touches on the Brooklyn Nets scenario, pondering whether LeBron's presence could have transformed the franchise similarly to how the Miami Heat was reshaped by its Big Three.

Don LaGreca [47:39]: "Those LeBron Nets would be like the Islanders getting Gretzky."

Conclusion The episode concludes with reflections on the long-term effects of major sports decisions and the evolving landscape of team dynamics and player empowerment. The hosts highlight how pivotal moments, like LeBron's decision, not only shape individual careers but also influence entire franchises and fan bases.

Notable Quotes:

• Don LaGreca [03:05]: "Buster only was on the Michael K Show today and he was asked what the Mets are going to do."
• Buster Olney [04:28]: "If Brian is willing to do some stuff... I would be shocked if Hal doesn't okay the move."
• Peter Rosenberg [28:02]: "Do you know one of the children sitting around him? Donovan Mitchell?"
• Peter Rosenberg [35:11]: "So my scenario, the rewrite is he stays because it's the easy thing to do and the right thing to do."

Final Thoughts Don, Hahn & Rosenberg masterfully balance technical sports analysis with engaging storytelling, making complex topics accessible and entertaining. Whether dissecting the Yankees' strategic moves or reimagining historic sports decisions, the hosts provide valuable insights for both avid fans and casual listeners.

Transcript

[Don LaGreca]

On WhatsApp, no one can see or hear your personal messages. Whether it's a voice call message or sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So whether you're sharing the streaming password.

[Don LaGreca]

In the family chat or trading those late night voice messages that could basically become a podcast, your personal messages stay between you, your friends and your family. No one else, not even us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

WhatsApp message privately with everyone. This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

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 402.

[Don LaGreca]

In the big city. Don Hahn and Rosenberg with you till 7 o' clock on the ESPN app. If you're consuming us on 880 at 5 o' clock, we're to go over to the Mets. Game two in Baltimore versus the O's. Yankees had a win over the Mariners. You know, bullpen, not great, but listen, they're hitting, they're starting to hit now. Well, when the Yankees were losing to the Mets, they were hitting and they just weren't getting any pitching. But the pitching's been better.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pitching is, the pitching was God awful.

[Don LaGreca]

And Slidler was great last night hitting.100.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you know the kid we talked to yesterday, Rafael Flores, that he caught him, he knows him and he told us he's right, he throw, he's got a hard fastball, upper 90s high in the zone. And then he said he's been working on a cutter that is also nasty. And you saw that on display. I mean, he really looked confident. He looked good. They might have something in this kid. Now, again, you know how it always goes. You come in, nobody really knows who you are. You have a good outing and then they, once they have tape on you.

[Don LaGreca]

Usually is the history.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But he had a presence about him.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, like five and a third. I mean, I thought because his last outing in Triple A wasn't good, but the Yankees had no choice. They got no arms.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

So they're making it work. And you know the Mariners, after sweeping the Pirates and not allowing a run, they had not allowed to run at 33 innings. But you know the Yankees, that's a different animal when it comes to offense and the Bombers getting the job done.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's good to see that though that they offensively also their swagger is coming back.

[Don LaGreca]

But they had it with the Mets. They scored runs, just they didn't get any pitching.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, but I'm talking about a swagger. There's, there's. Yeah, like there's something. And I know obviously they got to still mess around with the lineups for rest, so we won't exclusively see Jazz at third at second. But something seemed right when Jazz was a second and Volpe, like, it just everything seemed right.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I said, this is the get right time. Don't watch the scoreboard. I don't care what the Blue Jays are doing. All that stuff is out the window. You got to get yourself right first. Then you can worry about climbing back over and into first place again. And it's just something feels like they're getting right right now. And then obviously they can improve the bullpen and figure something out at third base. You know, they still have a chance to be the best team in the American League.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, before we get back to your phone calls, you were talking to me about what would I want to see David Stearns do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

At the deadline. Well, Buster only was on the Michael K Show today and he was asked what the Mets are going to do.

[Buster Olney]

I am going to be really curious to see, you know, what David Stearns winds up shaking out of the marketplace. Especially when you have teams like the, the Twins with Yoan Duran, their, their hard throwing clothes are Griffin Jacks. Those guys make sense to me. Emmanuel Class A, who last year had one of the most dominant relief seasons we've ever seen. He's taken a step back this year, but it's pretty clear from Talking with other GMs, they think that the, the Guardians will try to take advantage of his value. He's under contract through 20, 26. Club options 27, 28. They think he's going to be flipped before this year's trade deadline. You know, those deals all make sense.

[Don LaGreca]

So there are some names all out of the bullpen. Clearly that's where Buster's head is at as far as, you know, making sure that this bullpen is taken care of. Well, Buster, what are the Yankees going to do when it comes to the trade market?

[Buster Olney]

The Yankees are having a better year with their farm system this year than last. I think there are more options based on what I'm hearing from folks with other teams in terms of making trades. Do they match up specifically with the Diamondbacks in terms of what Arizona is going to want? I don't know. But I, I do think that, you know, the Yankees are in a better position to make trades. And certainly from a money perspective, the Yankees would be in a position if Hal rubber stamps what Brian wants to do to make deals.

[Don LaGreca]

So before we go any further, is Hal okay? With spending more money.

[Buster Olney]

Since Brian, you know, and Hal have been working together, my perception is that if Brian, you know, makes a case to spend. I have not heard of a situation where Hal stomped on that. It's been more to the opposite where Brian talks about being conservative and then Hal said no, know, we'll go the extra year and Aaron Judge will, will make Juan Soto, you know, a bigger offer. So I think if Brian is willing to do some stuff in a really mediocre American League and he feels like there's a path to get to the World Series, then I would be shocked if Hal doesn't okay the move.

[Don LaGreca]

So it sounds like both teams will probably be active come July 31st.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You heard what Brian Cashman said. I found that to be revealing that. But Cash did say that Steinbrenner has told him, don't assume I'm gonna say no just because of the cost. Always come to me and let me say no. That is, that's a strong statement. So that is also something to keep in mind. And if I'm. How like if you're Hal, wouldn't you also want that? Like, listen, I don't want you to be the guy that decide yes or no on a cost. Let me. I'm the guy who writes a check, right? I wouldn't want. Because I don't want you to assume that I'm always gonna say no to a point where we might have a, a deal out there that I would say no. I'm willing to do that. Right? You got bring everything to me and let me say no.

[Don LaGreca]

It's so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that tells you that Hal doesn't want Brian Cashman to be the final say on anything.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. But also tells you that it's folly to say that Hal doesn't want to win or that Hal's being cheap. It doesn't usually work that way. Usually the general manager's like, boss, gimme some money to play with here. And it seems like it's the opposite where Hal's willing to spend and Cashman's the one that seems to wants to dial it back for whatever reason. Let's go to Bobby in Belmore. You're on espn New York. What's up, Bobby?

[Buster Olney]

Hi. Good afternoon, guys.

[Don LaGreca]

What's up?

[Buster Olney]

Yankees are still the clear cut favorite. I mean, Toronto chokes every year. The Ash was got swept in a playoffs last year. School can't pitch every school. School can't pitch every day. And he got bombed in the playoffs last year. I know Freed got bombed in the playoffs last Year and Rodan inconsistent but you know, I just don't see any team stopping him getting to the World Series. I mean, I think the office is going to be too much for teams and I don't see any, any, any team other than the Dodgers and maybe the Mets or the Phillies beating them, you know, this year.

[Don LaGreca]

It feels right. It just, and, and, and nothing's moved Vegas wise as far as them being the clear cut favorite. I know Detroit's had a better record, a better year, but they're coming out of the Central and they haven't been able to prove they can make any kind of like serious run the way the Yankees do. They're going to have to get this pitching settled, Bobby. They're going to have to get heel back. They're going to have to make a trade. I think for another starting pitcher you just can't be free.

[Buster Olney]

But we'll see the way that guy pitched last night, you know, they might not. We'll see what happens.

[Don LaGreca]

But yeah, you're right, he looked terrific. But, but a great point by Alan earlier. I think hitters are at a disadvantage seeing a guy for the first time rather than a pitcher being a disadvantage. He was pitching with some adrenaline. He was hitting over 100 at times. We'll see, let's see, let's see. Let's get a book on him first before we start thinking he's any kind of a savior.

[Buster Olney]

Right? Well, I'm not saying he's going to be a savior. He could be a good third, fourth starter. You know, Gill, you don't know about this guy's injury prone. So you get. So. Yeah, and the Yankees do have questions on that starting staff. So that's going to be their downfall, you know, if they get back to the Series. You know, Freed has not pitched well in a playoff since that 2021 World Series game where he pitched. So he's been awful in the playoffs. He got bombed last year and we, everyone knows you can't trust Rodan and you know, so they're starting pitching is kind of a, you know, I think still a big question mark for them to win the whole thing.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I would be, I would be a little careful of the Astros because I know the players have changed but you know, they've been great this year. So they'd be interesting to see if the Yankees matched up with the Astros. I don't want to disrespect the Tigers. Let's see what they end up doing. They've had a great regular season, but we kind of seen that before. Right. Just ask the Cavaliers with their great regular season, what happened in the postseason. But when they lost Cole, the Vegas odds didn't move.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

The general perception is the American League stinks. And with all the Yankees problems, they're probably going to find a way to get out of there. But to Alan's point, there have been more problems than we thought there'd be when the season started. And nobody thought the Tigers would get off to this kind of a start.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. And they got blown away.

[Don LaGreca]

The American League west right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you never trust them. I mean, look, ask any Yankee fan, would you sign up for a Yankees Astros division round? Would you sign up to even see that, like, the Tigers have pitching. You worry about that. The Astros are just the Astros. You don't want to see them. So you could say on paper it should be their. Their league to win. But any Yankee fan knows deep down they'll never want to admit it in public, but privately, you know it's going on in your head. All of you listening right now, the last thing you want to do is see the Astros in a playoff series. You just know. You know how that stuff goes. Would you love to get that get back? Would you love to finally beat them and slay the dragon and that? Yeah, of course you would. If it happens, you're going to go in there with your chest out. But you know your team and you know, they just seem to have your number. So, Don, from your perspective, you could see the landscape the way it is in the American League. But from my perspective, a team with pitching always gives them trouble. That's the Tigers and a team like the Astros who always find a way to give you trouble. Those are two teams I don't want to see.

[Don LaGreca]

And no matter how great the Yankee offense is in the regular season, postseason, it does that ends up falling on the pitchers trying to win two one games because the offense just isn't there. Griffin in Connecticut. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Griff?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hello, Griff.

[Buster Olney]

Hey, guys. You know when that guy always calls on you guys, it drives me crazy when he keeps saying Rodan. There is no Rodan. It's Rodan. We don't have a Rodan. Of course you can't trust Rodan because we don't know who Rodan is.

[Don LaGreca]

Come on, man. You've. You. You've mispronounced names before. Don't be so harsh on people, Griff.

[Buster Olney]

Come on.

[Don LaGreca]

He also said Gil, too. I heard. I. I heard a gill in that Conversation too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was some Gil.

[Don LaGreca]

Did you hear some Gil.

[Buster Olney]

That'S hard to pronounce. Pronounce.

[Don LaGreca]

I know. Well, I like the fact you're putting people in their place. But you, you know, you're no perfectionist either, man. So we do have, we do have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We do have some evidence.

[Buster Olney]

I don't even know what it's called.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what I mean? Do you recognize that voice?

[Buster Olney]

Yeah. Do we have a Richard when he said what, what did Richard say with who knows? What was the player that he said?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh yeah, John. Oh, what was there, was there a.

[Don LaGreca]

Name that he view of them?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is it John Frenchie? Oh my God.

[Don LaGreca]

No, there was one that he just butchered a name and it's always fun to hear Spike say Giannis's last name.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, right.

[Buster Olney]

Oh yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Listen, we all have our demons.

[Buster Olney]

Riches. Is that his name? Utoko.

[Don LaGreca]

There you go. See.

[Buster Olney]

What I want to talk about is.

[Don LaGreca]

Go ahead, Don.

[Buster Olney]

I, I did, Don. I think you're right. I just didn't get why they were so quick to go to Ryan Stanick, who by the way struggled versus the Yankees. They had to put Diaz that was warming up when he was struggling in a 12 to 6 game.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, he couldn't find the strike that.

[Buster Olney]

It was going to get closer. Yeah, I, I, it's like they were so quick to go to him. And what I just don't get is in, in college baseball, we don't baby pitchers in college, if they go 110 pitches, we're not afraid. But apparently in the majors will baby when they're in college, they don't get babies.

[Don LaGreca]

Who was the kid that threw the no hitter?

[Buster Olney]

We were watching that guy for Arkansas. He did the unstoppable.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, he threw a lot of pitches in that game, didn't he was like 115, 120 or something like that.

[Buster Olney]

Baby them in college. But in the mlb, we.

[Don LaGreca]

All you got is a scholarship in college baseball. But in, in the big leagues, when a guy's making $35 million a year, $20 million a year, was the pitcher. Yeah, there's, there's a, there's a financial aspect to it sometimes that I think that comes into play here. You invest so much money in these guys and you want to be able to protect them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And he was fired up today, wasn't he?

[Don LaGreca]

He was Griffith. He's had his issues too. Although probably his defense would be that he doesn't respect Roku, but he does respect Rodan and wants the name to be said correctly. But Roku I love when our little whack pack goes at each other. That's always fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah. Attack each other.

[Don LaGreca]

Let's go to David and Elizabeth. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Dave?

[Buster Olney]

What's up, Don? What up, Hollywood Hunt?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's up?

[Buster Olney]

What's up, fellas? Let's get straight into it. So, look, I'm in lockstep with both of the things that you gentlemen said. I'm blaming this one on Mendoza. He messed up and you know what? He's not taking responsibility. I'm. I feel like. Don, I'm angry because we had that game in the bag. Peterson gave us good innings and one. Stanick was coming out there. I'm like, I don't like this. And then next thing you know, here comes Gunner Henderson with a dinger. It really, like, it kind of sabotaged my afternoon. So I'm hoping five o', clock, you know, some, you know, we play a better game. I'm happy that Winkers back again. I'm in lockstep with you gentlemen. Steering, please go get starting pitching. Please go get us some kind of relief so we could come up with a strategy to, you know, continue to win games. I appreciate it, gentlemen.

[Don LaGreca]

Thank you. I think more so than the starting pitching, they're going to need to get some relief pitching two now as you need to. As far as Winker is concerned, he said he's glad Winker's back. Winker left the game with apparently a back issue. He's not in the lineup for game two, so I don't know if we have him back, but it was nice to have him back while they had him. Beantos is going to be the dh. And who's playing. Beatty's playing third, so in Acuna, who they called up. Yeah, he's playing second. So he's. He's in the lineup tonight, too. And, and. But looks like everything else is pretty standard from there with Singer behind the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Plate and they're going with an opener.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, he has started before Waddell has started. Okay, but I don't think he's going to give you much length. I mean, just taking a look at what he's given you so far this year as far as innings are concerned. DDD DDD starting perspective. He has started 20, 25 in his career. He has started like 19 games, so he started a bit, but I'm just trying to see how many innings he's pitched. He's pitched 20 and a third innings so far this year, so I don't know how many innings he's going to be able to give you. I'm just trying to see what he's done over the last few games. His game log here, because I think he had a start earlier in the season. Yeah, he's giving you very. Yes. Hasn't started yet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

So he's technically an opener. He has started games before, Allen. Okay, but he's not somebody that he's. He's. He pitched five innings against the White Sox on May 8th, and he had five innings, five and a third in June. So. Yeah, not much. Not much. Five innings, four and a third. Four. His one start, one. One appearance in April. So it's, it's. He's, he's kind of a, you know, mop up, you know, give you innings out of the bullpen. Guys, who's going for the orange opener? You're asking all these questions, Alan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, you got it right in.

[Don LaGreca]

Front of you, don't you? But so do you. Sagano.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

Not that familiar with his work.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but we could, you know, like, the offense can get untracked early.

[Don LaGreca]

It's not Jim Palmer.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not Jim Palmer. That's good.

[Don LaGreca]

Six and five of the 4.4 earn runner. No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Don LaGreca]

Trying to think of all the great or real pitchers of the past just to be able to throw out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Palmer's pretty good. That's a good one.

[Buster Olney]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can't do better than that, right?

[Don LaGreca]

That's. You can. That's. That's the drop the mic moment when you're talking about the Baltimore Orioles. 1-800-919-3776. Jimmy's in Connecticut. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Jimmy? Jim A.

[Buster Olney]

So I know sometimes you do these Thursday rewrites, and I actually just stumbled upon one of my own. If I could share it with you.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, it's a perfect time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Nicely done.

[Buster Olney]

All right, Good. Okay. So there was the baseball lockout in 1994, and one of the things that the owners were pushing for during that lockout was a hard salary cap.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Buster Olney]

Didn't pan out. So there was no capital met. There's still no cap implemented, although there's talk there might be one in 2027. So let's say it does pan out. There is a salary cap. From that point on, you fast forward seven years. Does Moneyball ever happen? With the Oakland A's and our analytics such a big part of the game, the way they are today, what do you guys think?

[Don LaGreca]

I think they'd still be Jimmy I.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don'T think you were ever going to avoid it becoming a thing in sports, especially baseball. But it's a good question to ask though.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Because analytics have creeped into every sport. Not to the extent of baseball, but are they taking more threes in the NBA? Does that have anything to do with money? Yeah, probably.

[Buster Olney]

But you got to remember the. But the A's built that team, implemented the analytics into the game because they were a small market team that couldn't build their teams the way the Red.

[Don LaGreca]

Sox, we know the history of it. But it probably would have still crept in and because remember Bill James was the one that kind of came up with it and then Billy Beane used it, as you said, out of necessity. But I think eventually used it because.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was their only way to survive.

[Don LaGreca]

The only way to survive. But now that's not being used for survival. It's being used because it's the way they think the game is. It probably would have crept in and gotten here because analytics are all a part of sports now. It's information. We have the technology to gather this information. Davy Johnson in 86 used a computer and everybody thought it was crazy. He's putting stats into a computer. So everybody was working with it in some way, shape or form. Billy Bean used it to the extreme. But I would think 20 years later it would have still crept in the same way it's crept into football now, where you're seeing teams go for it more on fourth down, why they're going for the two point conversion as opposed to. That's all analytics.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But baseball always had analytics. It did it not to the extent. Now obviously where you're taking, you're taking so much out of the hands of the manager like you used to. But I think I always, I think it's always been part of the sport and I think for basketball, analytics came in not with the three point shot. The three point shot, I have to understand the three point shot became the thing because Mike d' Antoni made it a thing with seven seconds or less. And he started preaching the idea that 33% from 3 is equal to 50% from 2 when it comes to points, total points scored. So his, his thought was I could shoot worse from three and still outscore you. And so that just became a thing and it became entertaining. That's much different than mid range shots are useless. And all the other stuff that now comes in defensive metrics and rebounding metrics that you never used to think about before. So that's a totally different world. But Baseball. What? From what I understand. And again, I mean, you know, Moneyball tells the story, but I don't know if it tells it entirely because there is so much more now from there. Like it's been built up so much more from there. There are stats now that I've never even. I don't understand and, and there's stats that used to matter in baseball that are almost like laughed at because.

[Don LaGreca]

But, but a lot of do with technology. Oh yeah, like batting average, batting average, home runs, RBIs become like, like again. Batting average is the one that I think has suffered the most, isn't it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The idea that the stolen base is not a value.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, now it is again because the rule change. But before then it was like why are you doing it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, exactly.

[Don LaGreca]

Sacrifice too though. Sacrifice, sacrifice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No reason to bond. Like all the stuff that, you know, the idea that they had to change the defense because analytics told you that the majority of where this guy hits the ball, we're going to put all our fielders there. And the rare, rare time that he hits it somewhere else. Well, we'll live with that. Because they knew you couldn't see a whole wide open right side of the field as a righty batter and say, oh, I'm just going to go opposite. No, I can't. You know, what was Te Sharer's thing about it? Why not against the shift? Hit it over the shift.

[Don LaGreca]

I'll hit it over the shift. Yeah. But a lot of it's just getting numbers in real time because we didn't have the technology back in the day to be able to turn around these numbers. I remember I used to have Baseball Digest. Remember Baseball Digest?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course I do.

[Don LaGreca]

There was an ad in Baseball Digest to do stats from home. There was a company that I guess Major League Baseball employed to get stats. But the only way they were able to get it is to get pay people to watch games and then keep the tally and tally. Not just the box score. Cause that was, was that Statcast before It might have been Statcast. They sent me the PAC and what they would do, they it would all the sheets of paper in the baseball field.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I remember this.

[Don LaGreca]

And then they would have like envelopes self addressed. So I would do. Because I figured I'll make some extra bucks because I got Mets, I got Yankees, I got Braves, I got Cubs on wgn, I got the Red Sox on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We had a part timer that did this and he was making money on the side.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, it was like five bucks a game or something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But when you found out, like, you have to literally watch every single.

[Don LaGreca]

Because you had to track every pitch and where they went, where they'd have. They'd have a box for where the pitch was and then where the ball was hit. And then you'd send it in and they would send you, like, five bucks. I don't think I ever sent one in because, like, am I going to watch a. Like, because I couldn't miss. Because once, once I missed the pitch, I might just throw it out. I couldn't do anything.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Because there was no dvr.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think guys, like, I missed that way. Do you think? I think it was over here. I think it's like, it's. There has to be a little bit of a margin of error that they have to allow.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, but, but. And they probably have, like, that game done by, like, 15 different people and make sure and analyze all the same. Yeah, but now they can. They could turn things around the next inning as far as, like, exit velo and all the things that, you know, they've never even dreamed of even 20 years ago.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's crazy.

[Don LaGreca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

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.

[Don LaGreca]

The time continuum has been disrupted, creating an alternate 1985.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is hey Doc, are you telling.

[Buster Olney]

Me you built a time machine?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Thursday Rewrite all right, so we were discussing several different ways we could go today because, you know, like this time of year, a lot of times it's less about live action and more about headlines and things that happen that, you know, might have shook the league, any league, when I say the league shook sports. And as we know this week, as we talked about yesterday, there was something that really shook sports, but especially the NBA 15 years ago, July 7, 2010.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So let's go back. That is the evening where the whole world sports world at least had their eyes focused on Greenwich, Connecticut, Don LaGrange.

[Don LaGreca]

That's right. A Boys and Girls club.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Connecticut. Now, why would the sports world have their eyes glued to the Boys and Girls Club, Greenwich, Connecticut?

[Don LaGreca]

Because there was somebody of significance that was making a decision that day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Don LaGreca]

And one talent to south beach joined.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Miami Heat, and that is LeBron James, of course. And the decision capital table, capital D. That was the beginning of the player empowerment era. Right then and there, right in that moment, right now. You know what's an interesting little side note? At the Boys and Girls Club, you heard some claps, right? Of course you're going to get claps because that's his. Most of his supporters were there, but around him were children, kids from the Boys and Girls Girls Club of Greenwich, Connecticut. Do you know one of the children sitting around him? Donovan Mitchell?

[Don LaGreca]

Really? Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, that makes sense because that's where he was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's his. I think his mother was a teacher at the school there That's. Was it Granite Country Day School?

[Don LaGreca]

Because how many kids were there? You think?

[Peter Rosenberg]

30, maybe.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, so what are the odds of one of the 30?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He played basketball. And they probably wanted some basketball kids around also.

[Don LaGreca]

Even you find 30 kids to play basketball at the local boys club making it to the NBA.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But to think that LeBron James makes a decision and there's a child in that crowd who will one day become Cleveland Cavaliers all star, Right? Like, think about that moment.

[Don LaGreca]

That is pretty cool.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know how we joke about like, oh, they just traded a first round pick. Yeah. But they just traded a kid who's in second grade right now. Then you laugh and you go, you know, they could have been second grade. He just became a generational player.

[Don LaGreca]

Like you don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So anyways, so that's a little side note. Meantime though, this was a huge decision. I covered it extensively. I was there as a, as a writer with Newsday. I followed LeBron pretty much from the start of the playoffs all the way through to that night and that decision. So I think what we want to do here is, because that has been such a debated moment, because LeBron made that decision and was heavily criticized for a. The decision he made, which is ring chasing and also how he did it, which is a nationally televised show about me, right? Where I tell you where I'm choosing to go to free agency, where no one has ever done anything like it, but it was a spectacle. So our rewrite Don and I want you to play along. I want Jake to play along, I want Anthony to play along. I want all of you to play along as well. Listening 800-919-3776 because I think we can definitively say among his options. And I'll tell you who the final four were. It was the Cavs, it was the Miami Heat, it was the New York Knicks, and it was the Brooklyn Nets. There was also the Chicago Bulls, who was. They were trying to be involved, but I can tell you at full confidence they weren't. And Jake's telling me Clippers, and I can tell you with full confidence they weren't either. All right, I was covered. Those were the four teams that he was seriously considering New York for, both New York teams. Remember, Jay Z was heavily involved in the Nets at that time. Yes, he pulled about. I was in Cleveland when he did this. So Mikhail Prokrov was the owner of the Nets. When LeBron was meeting with the Nets, it was at a hotel in Cleveland, somewhere downtown. We were all staked out, hanging out, stretch Limo pulls up and of course Jay Z comes out of the stretch limo and Prokrov comes out. I mean, you talk about an entrance. Jay Z made an entrance to this whole thing, strolls in and there was like that one little moment where a whole bunch of us, like they were staked out and we saw it. Oh, man, he's going to the Nets. Like we were like, Jay Z's walking in. Yeah, he's going to the net. But then Pat Riley and the whole through his rings on the table thing, like that's a true story. Right? But anyways, I'll tell you at the very end of this, whether or not I believe LeBron now that we know, was correctly criticized for his decision and whether or not it was the right decision. But let's just rewrite the headline so we each should pick one. I'm going to pick. He stays in Cleveland. Okay, so we rewrite the headline that he stays in Cleveland. Now, Chris Paul, who was the president of the players association at the time, was trying to convince him to stay in Cleveland. Here's why. A, the Cavaliers had the ability to offer him $138 million over six years. This is before they were limiting contracts. That's the most anybody could have offered him. He had $138 million. That doesn't sound like a lot these days, of course. No, but think about it. That's 15 years ago. That was a hell of a lot of money. And he had already been on really good Cavs teams. They went to a final with him. They won 66 games with him in two in 2010. They had a disappointing loss, I believe in the second round to the Boston Celtics.

[Don LaGreca]

Was it, I think the Bulls, or.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Famously famously took his jersey off and walked out. Walked out. He tore his jersey off and walked through the tunnel.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes, you're right, because they beat the Bulls and then lost to the Celtics. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

So the Celtics were sort of his kryptonite at that point. And they had started the new Big three era. They had, they. They traded for kg, they brought in Ray Allen, they had Paul Pierce, they, they became a juggernaut. They won the championship in 2008. So if he stays in Cleveland, that's that sign that the biggest free agent is making sure he gets every penny that he's owed. Right? Get the big bucks. But he didn't. Instead he went to Miami. He took a four year deal for what was reported to be 60 something million dollars. 64 million. He ended up, yeah, he ended up on a base just getting about 52. But that was the four years he put.

[Don LaGreca]

Guys are making that in one year now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what I mean. But. But still, he left a ton of money on the table to get a championship, to go to Miami and join with Wade and Bosh. And obviously it worked out in the four years, they won two and they went to finals all years. Now he tried to get Bosh to join him in Cleveland, and Bosh said no. And that is what triggered the decision, because he. That's what made Cleveland out of the picture. He tried to get guys to join him there, and no one wanted to come there with him. And Wade and Bosh had the same agent. And so for Bosh, who was in Toronto at the time, playing in Miami with Wade sounded a lot better than going to Cleveland. And so he was going to Miami and he let LeBron know that. But let's just say Bosh said, yeah, I'll play with the best player in the league. Absolutely. I'm going to Cleveland. And so LeBron's like, All right, I got a guy who's an all Star. We can go. We got this. And he stays in Cleveland. Does he win a championship? I'm going to say no, because Boston is still Boston.

[Don LaGreca]

And I was looking at the roster.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't think he gets a championship. And then, so to me, I don't think LeBron has that ability. Like, he would still be chasing a ring at some point, and I don't know how much longer he'd be like, man, that's a six year deal. Does he have to force his way out of Cleveland if for the first two years they're still not good enough, can't get over the hump. And then finally he gets to a point where I got to get out of here and I have to force a trade, which that's not something. Everything he did was usually in free agency. So my scenario, the rewrite is he stays because it's the easy thing to do and the right thing to do. And he does, and it ends up with him being in a more. In a more difficult situation, which is forcing a trade because he realizes I can't win here. Remember, there's no now Kyrie Irving. They got Kyrie because he left and they won the lottery.

[Don LaGreca]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

He goes back to Cleveland, wins the championship. Only because they had to reset. And when they did, they were a better team.

[Don LaGreca]

They were a better team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So that all that's out. You can't tell me. Well, he won a championship. 20. No, that's gone now. Because he never leaves and they stay competitive. So that's my rewrite. What do you got?

[Don LaGreca]

Well, the problem with your rewrite is that's why he didn't stay in Cleveland.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

For all the reasons that you said. So now you want to pivot to what if he chose someplace else besides Miami? Okay, so the fun one is, what if he chose to go to the Knicks?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, I'll let me quickly add to you, because I was around it. The Knicks were, from what I was told all throughout the process, right there.

[Don LaGreca]

At the top, Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The idea of playing at the Garden, Mike d' Antoni's offense, the amount of money they had under the cap. He was extremely intrigued with the idea of being the King of New York. That he thought would have been incredible for him financially, for his brand and all the things they wanted to do. But the fear was, how can I get anybody to play there? The roster is empty. There was nobody there.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. Because this is pre Carmelo and pre Amari.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Carmelo and Amari Stoudemire, too, because let's.

[Don LaGreca]

Take a look at that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Amari signed just like, days before LeBron made this decision. But I can tell you the decision was already made.

[Don LaGreca]

So the 2011 Knicks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, the 09.10. Oh, you mean.

[Don LaGreca]

So because what was the Nick was. What was Carmelo's first. Carmelo.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Carmelo later that season was acquired February of 2011.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, so that doesn't happen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So Melo doesn't happen. Mello probably stays in Denver or goes to Brooklyn.

[Don LaGreca]

So you're pro. So you're right. You're going to have to then go look at that 09, 2010 Nick team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And they were not good.

[Don LaGreca]

And they were. They. Obviously they weren't very good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They gutted that roster to make to create the cap space to get LeBron and a second max play.

[Don LaGreca]

It's so crazy. They finished in third place, but still were 29 and 53.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was not a very good team. They wanted to lose. They wanted to be right.

[Don LaGreca]

So it's. It's hard to judge because, you know, they wanted to lose.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, all right, so they get LeBron James. What would they have then done? They. Because that roster still wouldn't have been good enough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, again, they. They had enough for two maxes, and Amari Stoudemire was the other piece because they did get him.

[Don LaGreca]

So what does it look like with LeBron James and Stoudemire?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, what did it look like with Melo and Stoudemire?

[Don LaGreca]

It looked good, but the problem with Stoudemire is the injuries.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He got hurt, but the Melo Stoudemire dynamic didn't really work great because Mello was a scorer. LeBron is a playmaker with those two in a pick and roll like Nash and Stoudemire, and that's what d' Antoni want. Would that have worked? Would that have kind of like, got. You see the way the Garden reacts now? That could have gone crazy to the point where other people would have said, I want to go play.

[Don LaGreca]

Maybe. But also, how frustrating might it be that Stoudemire is not healthy? Yeah, you know, the knees are bad. So, like, are we looking at. Well, here's LeBron now regretting he signed with the Knicks because the other max players always banged up. So now they got to pivot to something else.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's something else. Could have been mellow.

[Don LaGreca]

Could have been mellow. How would that have worked out?

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the other one, Chris Paul.

[Don LaGreca]

And how would that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So here's a great story. So the reason. Do you know why he did the decision in Greenwich?

[Don LaGreca]

I always thought it was the troll that X.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. Carmelo Anthony's wedding was a couple of days later.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They were all going. And so it was nearby, and it was a boys and girls club. He was, you know, they were like, oh, let's do something, like, for kids. And, like, make sure that it gets some kind of. Because they wanted to put some kind of positive light on it. Because right now a decision looks incredibly narcissistic. Right? Let's do a show about me.

[Don LaGreca]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

So they had to put some type of element that looked like he was being charitable to children. And that's why that made. Made a lot of sense. So at Mello's wedding, I was told this by somebody that attended Chris Paul. Obviously, they had. All those guys are good friends. And now LeBron had made his decision. He's joining a big three with Wade and Bosh. And Amari had already signed with the Knicks, and Amari's at this wedding as well. And Chris Paul, I was told, gave a toast in front of LeBron with Melo there and Amari there and everybody. And he said, here's a toast to the new Big Three in New York when I come with Melo to join stat, meaning Amari. And everybody just started laughing. And they. They thought, like, he. Was he half serious? Is he joking? But that's, you know, who's to say that if LeBron chose New York and Stoudemire signed that Chris Paul, who, remember, was still in New Orleans, who was trying to get out of there, a year later, finds his way in New York. You don't know. You don't know. But that's way more interesting than staying in Cleveland.

[Don LaGreca]

We never. We never do this. But I want to continue this on the other side because there's a very interesting twist that I want to throw into.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I like it.

[Don LaGreca]

Of a place he could have gone that really could have changed everything.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don LaGreca]

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[Don LaGreca]

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[Buster Olney]

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[Don LaGreca]

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[Buster Olney]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don LaGreca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

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.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, we're kind of continuing the Thursday rewrite. What Allen brought up is what if LeBron James stayed in Cleveland? And then I brought up what if LeBron James decided to sign with the Knicks? And I don't know if there's a championship on either of those decisions because of the fact that Stoudemire's knees weren't good and Cleveland obviously did not have the roster. That's why he wanted to leave there in the first place. Another team that you brought up early in the segment was Brooklyn.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Groveroff and Jay Z show up in the limo and you're like, oh, he's going to sign with Brooklyn. Yeah. What if he signed with Brooklyn? How does that change that franchise that they've got? LeBron James, remember we did those shows, which seems laughable now, but when you'd fill in for K back in the day and to plant your flag.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Don LaGreca]

It just never worked out because the Nets had that blip with the Big three and all that, but. Well, they tried.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Remember, they traded for Pierce and Garnett. They were over the hill and that. That failed miserably. And then of course, the, The KD Kyrie thing was the second takeover attempt.

[Don LaGreca]

And it didn't work. Just in the sense of not only did they not win a championship, but obviously injuries, different things kind of fell apart. The second one never really got off the ground. Right. There was the foot on the line that could have advanced.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was the moment. I still say they might have won that.

[Don LaGreca]

Like, there was a lot of fun things that worked against the Nets.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But that first one, though, when they did the billboard and the blueprint, right, the takeover, the city thing, that the Jay Z really pushed a lot of that stuff, that was the one time it did really feel like that could turn. Like when they moved, there was. And the Knicks weren't good. So there was this sense of you could lose. And I kept saying, I would say this on the air. You could lose a whole generation of fans, a whole. And that's how. How did the jets and Mets take hold? The Giants and Yankees had to be bad to a point where the sons and daughters of the, the. The. The Yankee and Giant fans were like, you know what? I'm not rooting for that team. I'm rooting for this new fun team in Queens. You know, whether it's the jets or the Met, I'm rooting for them because they're fun. They got Joe Namath or they got Tom Seaver. I'm rooting for what?

[Buster Olney]

Help.

[Don LaGreca]

You know what. Not to. Not to change the subject, but just to divert for a second. What really helped the jets was, and I've talked to a lot of people about this, that they were Giant fans that couldn't get into Giant games and figure, I want to go see a football game. Because this was back in the day where home games were blacked out, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Guys were driving up to Connecticut.

[Don LaGreca]

My dad used to drive to Connecticut. They get a motel room, they get a pizza and a six pack and. Or More than probably six pack, probably a case of beer. And they would sit there and watch the Giant game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And he had Ubered home, right?

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah. Uber was big then. I think they pronounced it, ooh, Bray back then. So, but. So I remember saying I was a Giant fan, but I couldn't watch the games when they were home. I couldn't get in. So I decided I'll go watch the Jets. And that's how they helped. But the Mets were able to in 1969 when they won the World Series. The Yankees weren't good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, so can you imagine the Knicks coming off a 29 win season? The Nets get LeBron James. Even if they don't win, they've got LeBron James. I mean, listen, no offense to Kyrie. Kyrie, but this is LeBron James and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We'Re talking about Prime LeBron James. Yeah, like, we're not talking about, you know, like, this is. Yeah, though. This is, this is like a guy that was, it was, it was him and Kobe. That's the league. Him and Kobe.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So, yeah, that's. And I told people this. It was the early years for me being on the air. But that was a, that was a real thing about. You could lose a whole generation of fans because if they get hot and that's a new merchandise now and that's a new building, there's a, you know, you could quickly fall out and see what happened when the jets and Mets took hold. And you know, even the Islanders.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, they had Islanders.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Same thing. Did the same thing to the Rangers. Like they kind of. They stole a lot of fans from 75 to 83, 84, because they were just very, very competitive and different and, you know, suburban and all that stuff. And they were winning. So it was there for them to take it. They didn't. The KD thing was more of. I think at that point, Knick fans were almost annoyed. So you weren't seeing them jump ship because they were more annoyed at that point. And I don't know if the Nets ever really are going to get another shot at it.

[Don LaGreca]

God, this was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But that was the time right there.

[Don LaGreca]

Not a good roster.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, the Nets that year. And they drove up the price.

[Don LaGreca]

Prokrav was something not to put you in this. In a tough spot. Who was the Brooklyn Nets leading scorer in 09, 2010?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow, that's a good question.

[Don LaGreca]

18.8 points per game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

God, I couldn't even think of, like, there's somebody.

[Don LaGreca]

You know him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Darren Williams wasn't even on the team. Yet.

[Don LaGreca]

No, they had a Terrence Williams, Sean Williams, Richard Jefferson. No, not Richard Jefferson. It was Brooke Lopez.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, wow. Okay. Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

18.8. Yeah, he was Devin Harris.

[Peter Rosenberg]

16.9. Obviously couldn't think of his name. I said Darren Williams. Devin Harris was the other name to.

[Don LaGreca]

Think of, but Courtney Lee averaged 12.5.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Another former Nick, but.

[Don LaGreca]

So can you imagine Brooklyn gets LeBron James in his prime and they win.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, you just mentioned the Islanders won four straight Stanley Cups with Hall of Famers coming out there. You know what? Still couldn't win over New York. So I'm not saying they'd win over. But you're talking about completely different now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let me tell you something.

[Don LaGreca]

Those LeBron jets that's getting this would be like the Islanders getting Gretzky.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, he went there. I do think it could have been possible that you could have flipped the city. You could have.

[Don LaGreca]

At least for that guy like that. At least for that period of time. Oh, yeah. Like there would be a blip where the net. The Knicks wouldn't matter. The Nets would be all there was. And then if LeBron ever left, then it would kind of go. I think it would have a chance to go back to normal. But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But he'd have to win.

[Don LaGreca]

Just imagine all that. You have to win again. He didn't choose them because he probably knew he couldn't win with that roster.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But think about it, too. So think about what came out of that decision as we just put a bow on the. The Thursday rewrite, player empowerment, big three era, where everybody was trying to put them together. Like Carlos Boozer went to the Bulls. He and Derrick Rose. They were trying to build something there. They had Luol Dang. Like they were trying to build a 3. The Knicks tried to do it. They had Chauncey Billups and Mello and Amare. Then they brought in Tyson Chandler. They were trying to find a way to get their big three. Everybody was trying to do big threes. Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, that was the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now look at today. And guys leaving money on the table, like LeBron leaving money on the table. He, Wade and Bosch all taking less to play together so they could fit. Then they grab Ray Allen and they put him on that team. Like, there's a lot of things that happen there that are never going to happen again. Don, never. Look at Oklahoma City. They have three guys just signed all of them to max deals. They're going nowhere. You're never going to see this happen again. 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.