← Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
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- [00:01]
A
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This is the Dark Han Han at Rosenberg Podcast.
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A
That sounds like heaven to me.
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Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.
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Game time is brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, guys tell the name I like.
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B
When he holds it.
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A
Red Sox, Yankees, game three can be heard right here on 8:80 at 8:00 foul Ty Butler. The other two wild card games can be heard on 10:50, including the Indians. The Indians, Guardians and Tigers. Bottom of the third, Detroit up one nothing in this winner take all game three. And then of course later on tonight we've got or later on this afternoon we'll have the Cubs and the Padres, winner take all game three there. So baseball, it's got to feel pretty good. Of the four series, three of them have a game three. There's also some preseason hockey. Tonight the Devils will be at the Garden to take on the Rangers at 7 and the Islanders visit the Flyers at 7.
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B
When is the regular season?
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A
Well, Tuesday. Rangers play the Penguins on that.
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B
So we're right there. Then we're on the doorstep.
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That'll start Thursday in Carolina. I don't know when the Islanders begin. Maybe they can look that up for me. The original triple distilled, triple London and triple cast matured Irish Whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore do or try the new Tullamore do, honey. During today's action, glasses up to enjoying teleporter responsibly. So as last we left you. Yes, Rob Lowe. Not the Rob Lowe, a Rob Lowe. Rob Lowe tweeted the show and said.
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B
The following he had he started with.
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A
I'll take him each one one or two.
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B
Okay, the first one at the early part of the show, we all respect Jeff Passon and he said the Yankees wouldn't make the playoffs to start the season, but if they lose, tonight is a failure. Question mark.
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A
All right, so you're not allowed to adjust your expectations. So yes, Jeff Passon, who we do respect, said they wouldn't make the playoffs, but there weren't too many Yankee fans believing that they went to the World Series the year before, I heard nothing but Yankee fans saying the pivot, the Goldschmidt to Bellinger to Freed was better than re signing Juan Soto. And you finished with the most wins of the American League tie with the Toronto Blue Jays. So you didn't adjust your expectations as the season went on. Listen, you adjusted them the other way, too. There was a time where it looked like, hey, this Yankee team doesn't look like they're going to make the playoffs. But then when you win eight straight games to close out where the best team in baseball in the month of September, you adjusted those expectations. So he's wrong about that. Go ahead.
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B
There was no point of this season. It looked like the Yankees weren't making the playoffs. There was no point. But there was.
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A
You were legitimate worried about.
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B
You were worried like, what are they going to be? But there was no point. It felt threatening. Anyway, his next one then came a few minutes later. We also saw real development of three young players, two of which are starting pitchers. Yet you say failure.
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A
Okay. It was the Mets season of failure.
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B
Yes.
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A
Wait a minute, wait a minute. According to Rob, the Mets found three really good young pitchers that I could get excited about that at least two of those three in Spro to McLean might plug right into this rotation in 2026. So if the Met season's a failure, why can't I say, no, no, no, it's not a failure because we found three legitimate starting pitchers that can help us down the road. I don't feel that way. No Met fan feels that way. So wrong again. Rob, go ahead.
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B
Okay. And last one from Rob. At least the last I saw, Judge actually had a better season than last year. And you say failure.
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A
Well, certainly not a failure for Judge, but Pete Alonso was better than he was last year. What is that worth? Right? What would that great Judge season do for. You know, don't all Yankee fans say that it's all about the postseason and winning champ. He doesn't have any rings. Whenever I suggested the Judge is a better player than Jeter, all the Yankee fans jump me and say, oh, wait a minute, got no rings. All right, continue.
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B
Last one was just a few minutes ago, so he must be still listening.
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A
Rob, he's called man, we can have at it.
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B
Lastly, the team tells me playoffs are a crapshoot. So how can I say championship or bust anymore? George, not around. These are Hal's Yankees.
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A
All right, so.
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B
All right, wait, wait, I'll. Can I do this one?
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A
Yeah, sure.
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B
The captain of the team says championship or bust. The general Manager. Yeah, says championship or boss. I'm sorry, Hal Steinbrenner, if I'm not mistaken, has said before, we didn't win a championship, so it's a failure. I believe that's a quote, a direct quote, if I'm not mistaken. You know, I know the Yankees are only my second team, so I'm not really that well versed in the Yankees, but I do remember that quote. So they still are setting that standard. Whether you believe it or not is a different story. Them saying crapshoot is because it's not like it used to be in the past. There's more rounds, there are more teams, there are more hurdles. It is harder. You would agree with me. It is harder to get to the World Series than it used to be.
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A
Way harder.
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B
Because you have more rounds to get through. Am I right?
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A
Of course.
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B
So I believe that you're misconstruing that statement. You're also not paying attention to what the owner did say. I believe two years ago, when it's if we don't win a World Series, it is a failure.
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A
Right, But. But I do think that mission statement has changed a bit. But have that conversation. If you lose in the World Series or maybe the League Championship Series. No, no, you can to lose to the Red Sox in the first round after going to the World Series the year before it would be considered. Now listen, Rob could do whatever he wants. He can. He can march up and down 6th Avenue and have a little private parade. If the Yankees lose and say, we had a successful season and you do whatever you want, have at it.
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B
Have fun.
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A
But there's no way that any logical Yankee fan or the majority Yankee fans would accept this defeat. Yeah, there's some positives to take if I'm sure. That's the great thing about the Yankees. They'll dust themselves off and try to be the best team in baseball because.
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B
They know they can be back. Right.
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A
But that still doesn't mean that this would be a huge failure.
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We have the lineup finally for tonight's.
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A
Game of the 8 o' clock start. A little delayed.
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B
Yeah. Grisham starts off. Judge, of course, in the two hole as always. Cody Bellinger, Stanton cleanup Ben Rice. He'll be playing first base. Well deserved. Right. Rosario playing third again.
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Okay.
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B
Just the weaker bat. He's a. What's his name? Is a terrific third baseman. Yeah, the bat's just not the McMahon.
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A
Right.
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Chisholm at second, Volpe it short. Then Wells in the nine hole is catching Schlitler on the mound.
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So There you go.
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B
So Goldschmidt has a bat in his hand waiting for his opportunity.
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That's waiting, waiting for that chance. And it probably will come.
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B
By the way, Dominguez, talk about Pushana non grata.
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I know.
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B
He just fell off the face of the earth. He truly a Martian.
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A
That's what's so crazy about, like, you got all these prospects right.
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B
You thought he was just going to be. Right.
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And sometimes.
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B
But Rice has been a revelation. He really has been. Kid's a great hitter.
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A
Yeah.
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B
So not only he, he had the home run, but the next ball he hit, he smoked it. He just got caught.
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A
Yeah, there was a couple, really. Both teams had some nice exit velos and that ended up in the leather instead of the seats. 1-800-919-3776 Rob, please. We retorted to all of your tweets, but we'd love to be able to have a nice back and forth. We have some lines open for you. 1-800-919-3776, please. I'd love to be able to have the back and forth dialogue with you because you know what? I'm done reading your tweets. We've read a bunch of them. We've retorted, we believe we've won. But if you disagree now, the next avenue is to call.
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B
I'm just curious if there's any other fans that agree with him.
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A
And the lines are open for you as well.
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B
There's no chance you are going to tonight's game or preparing to watch tonight's game. And in the back of your mind, as much as you want your team to win, you have this sense of, well, if they lose, you know, it was still a great season.
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A
Well, if that's the case, then why would you even be nervous? Just go enjoy a baseball game and if we lose and we lost, we'll see you in March.
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B
It's amazing.
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A
That's not how the fans are gonna react if they lose tonight.
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B
The amount of anxiety, I'm telling you, it's. There's something. You know, it's so funny. We've said this because you go through the winter sports where hockey's just slamming and basketball's fast paced up and down. Then April comes and it's baseball and you're like, ah, so slow. Right. Like it takes you a while. The season goes on forever. But when you get, it's incredible how you just flip the calendar October and suddenly what used to be this leisurely, I'm going to take a nap between the third and seventh innings, suddenly Becomes, like, every pitch. I know. It's loaded with anxiety.
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A
I got to tell you, it's crazy. More than any other sport, football's probably close because there are a lot of stoppages. It makes it torture to watch. When you have a dog in the fight with baseball, there's just so much downtime to get in your own head. It makes it so difficult to watch. Like, basketball and hockey has a flow, so what happens. Five, six minutes can go away. It's, like, so quick. So you're so into the game, the. You don't. You're not thinking as much as. You kind of just join the action. And then when there's a break, you're like, okay, here's what we got to do. Here's the situation.
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B
There's no time to take a breath.
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A
Every pitch, it's. It's like. It just feels like torture.
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B
You.
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A
Honestly, I've always. I've always. I've always said this. It's so weird about sports. It's not a good time, man. It's only a good time after the fact when you win and you can celebrate. But in that moment, you. It's really like the last night was, like, three hours and five minutes of torture for Yankee fans and Red Sox fans or anybody that had a dog in the fight. It's hard, man, because it's. You have so much time in your own head to kind of analyze it, talk about it, think about it. There's no flow that way. Even in football, you know, it's only a couple of seconds, and then there's the next play. And. But football does have that, too, where, like, every player thinking and analyzing, because there's a lot of guys.
- [10:38]
B
But you see what I mean how, though in September, I'm watching Yankees, Red Sox, and it's just sort of all right, you know, all right, whatever. You know, if it's. If it's a close game in the seventh or eighth inning, maybe you start to pique your interest or get to the edge of your seat because you want to see the win, but you're not sitting in the third inning with two out, and it's a 3, 2 pitch, and you're like, can he get on base? Can he get on base? You know what I mean? Oh, they got to get this guy out. You can't put this guy on base because, you know, whoever it is coming up, like it's a third inning, but yet you feel like once you flip the count in October, one run could be everything.
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A
Well, that's. That's that's the beauty. That's, that's the problem with basketball, especially the NBA. I mean, the Knicks prove you'd be down by 20 in the third quarter. You can come back.
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B
They come back all the time.
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A
But like every, that might be the only run. Like that's what the Yankees were hoping in game one. That, that, that, that almost held up by Volpe was going to be. It almost happened in the first inning and they were hoping that that would be the winning run in the first inning. It didn't turn out to be that way. But it wasn't. It was close, right? It was pretty close.
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B
It's wild though. That's wild.
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A
Let's go to Larry in West Orange. He doesn't think it'd be a failure. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Larry?
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C
Yeah, listen, I'm a, I'm 66 years old, right. So I followed the Yankees my whole life. I went through the down periods. I look at these seasons now. Basically it is difficult to win the whole thing. So I don't think you can go into the season thinking you're going to.
- [11:59]
A
Win the whole thing.
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C
What you want to see is good baseball. And except for July and a part of August, we basically had good baseball. We have an opportunity to make it to the defense of the playoffs. You know, we've gotten a lot of guys who have developed and I understand the argument you made about the Mets and the Mets are a failure. To me, this Yankee season is not a success, but won't be a failure because we lost Juan Soto to the Mets and we still made the playoffs and they didn't.
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B
I get it, Larry.
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C
That's the way I kind of look at it.
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B
You and I aren't that far in age. So I, I again, growing through the 80s, it was very difficult. It was frustrating and all those things, especially late 80s because of the Mets and early 90s. It was brutal. We, we know this, right? I mean, I still talk about Andy Hawkins. I still can't believe that really happened.
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A
Yeah, right, right.
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B
It's just, but it just, again, it just shows you how far they should.
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C
Have watched Horace Clark.
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B
You should have watched Horrors Club, then.
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C
You can complain about Andy.
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B
And I love horrors. I completely understand. Right. I understand. And Michael always talks about how Bobby Mercer was like the only thing to watch at one point. But I think what I.
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A
And Roy White.
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B
Yeah, yeah, but, but what I'm saying is, is that to it like you're giving a reasonable take.
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A
You're being very rational.
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B
Yeah. You're being very rational about it. And when you say failure, I know it's a very, it's a very drastic word, but it's more the sense of like it's been so long and you just want to see when are they going to win another one. Right. And that's what I'm saying.
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C
Definitely get that. But Alan, really, what will hurt worse tonight is losing to the Red Sox.
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A
Yeah, but that, that, that's part of.
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B
The equation that anybody else. That's it.
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A
That.
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B
All right, I'll give you that.
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A
Yeah, but it sounds to be like Larry's trying to soften the blow in case they do lose.
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B
Well, he's rational, first of all. He's older, so he's got a perspective of a grow.
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A
It's a failure. But they could totally get up from the failure. It's not crippling.
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B
Well, it's a, it's a.
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A
What is it?
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B
It's short term failure.
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A
Yeah, well, yeah, it's not a devastating.
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B
Like, it's not devastating.
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A
Let's take what he said about, well, listen, we lost Juan Soto. He didn't make the playoffs. We did. You could argue they win with Juan Soto. They went to game five of the World Series without him. If they lose tonight, they didn't get out of the first round. So Juan can look at it and go, boy, you really miss me, don't you? But I wasn't able to help the mats. But boy, if you had me, maybe things would have been different.
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B
But Don, I mean, again, roster to roster, which team is better?
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A
This is a better team than last year. Yes.
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B
Now injury, I totally understand the cold injury changes.
- [14:37]
A
Bellinger is a terrific player. He's not Soto.
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B
And by the way, they had better resign him. We'll say you can't let him.
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A
And I think that, listen, I'm your first base. The Mets let Alonzo go. It could be Soto revisited with Bellinger. Could be.
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B
Oh, God, no.
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A
Right.
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B
Can't do it. Can't let him. He's a professional hitter. He's really good. Ben Rice is your first baseman. Like you know that. And Bellinger, if you needed to play, he can do. He could play first. But he's, he's so, he's so good defensively. Subtly, really good defensively, but also professional hitter. A guy who adjusts as the count. You don't normally see that today, but there's a lot of guys because the Yankees teach this are swinging home run on everything. No matter what the count is, he adjusts with the count. And his whole thing is now I just got to get something to hit and get on base and keep it moving. And I love that. And Judge kind of has had that attitude in this series so far. He's had a different approach and I like it.
- [15:32]
A
And the other thing too is, listen, Judge isn't going anywhere. Seven years left on his contract. But every year you don't win is another missed opportunity for Judge. He's not going to be here forever and he's also not going to be in his prime forever.
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B
Well, this is. This is it.
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A
So there's only maybe what, like two or three years of like absolute prime Judge, and then you're going to start to see the decline.
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B
Good point.
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A
And so how long do you think you're going to have a judge hitting 50 home runs for you? So. And if you want to get him that ring, you got to strike. Every year that goes by without it is one less opportunity. So you can look at it a failure that way too.
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B
It's a really good point. Yeah.
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A
Let's go to Joey and Montclair. You're on ESPN New York.
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C
Hey, guys. Amazing show as always. I just, I'm really, I don't know, I'm starting to get annoyed with these Yankee fans just getting ready to admit defeat tonight. It's. The reality is it's not about the expectations from spring training or from the World Series. Last year, you look at it from the end of the season, we finished tied for the best record in the American League. We were one of those bad, bad losses in Miami away from having a first round by number one seed or a Toronto loss. If we lose tonight with the best record in the wild card round to our arrivals. I don't care about what the expectations were in spring training. This season is a failure. We are one of the best teams in baseball. I understand we didn't meet our original expectations, but we have one of the best records in the league to bow out after three games. It is a failure. So Yankee fans, get up, get excited, back your team and realize this is a must win game tonight.
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A
I think literally, Joey, you nailed it, Joey. And I think anybody else that has the different opinion, like Larry, like, you know, Rob on X is, you're trying to soften the blow. But you shouldn't be thinking that today. You should be thinking about advancing and taking on the Toronto Blue Jays. You should be feeling good about this. These conversations are first tomorrow if they lose.
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B
Yeah, I don't want to have that conversation today. I didn't want to do that where it's like, if they don't win.
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A
But you heard it this morning, that's why.
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B
Yeah. It's only reason why I brought it up is because I couldn't believe the pushback. But my attitude is this is how they're going to win. Like, I want to look at it more like them taking advantage of it. Winning last night was so critical because you knew Cora was going for it last night. He was all in last night and it might have cost him game three. We'll find out if it did.
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A
Roger in the Bronx. You're on ESPN New York.
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C
Hey, what's up, Don? What's up?
- [18:06]
B
What's up?
- [18:07]
C
Hey, I'm a big fan, by the way. Listen, guys, I got two things I want to say. I agree with the last caller. Losing to arrest socks again. Come on. Major failure. Enough is enough. They've been owning us in ZO4. All right. Second sleeve. Yesterday was my first ever playoff game. Thank God it was a Yankees vs Red Sox playoff game.
- [18:29]
B
Wow.
- [18:30]
C
It was intense. When I tell you the energy is different. I've been to a lot of Yankees, Red Sox game in the regular season in the past. The feeling was just different. You held your breath for, you know, every pitch, every at bat. It was just. I can't even describe it. It was amazing. Let's go, Yankees. I got facing this rookie cam. Is that dude. Let's get it done. I'm losing to this team.
- [19:00]
B
I got to ask you a question about last night's experience because it sounded to me like when certain moments happen. I don't know if you heard this on the broadcast, Don, but it sounded like white noise because the crowd was so loud that the field mics couldn't handle.
- [19:16]
A
Right.
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B
The. What do they call that? The. When it does parabolics, something happens to the microphone when it's like you. You always say it to me when I'm home.
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A
Like it over modulate.
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B
Yeah, over modulate. That's it. And so I'm wondering if when Rice hit that home run, did you like. Was it deafening? Was it so loud that you couldn't even hear anything?
- [19:35]
C
Oh, I saw the place shaking.
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B
Well, you feel it. See, that's the old stadium. That's the old stadium. When it shakes is the new stadium doesn't shake. But if you felt that, that's special.
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C
I felt it nice. And we. I felt it even more when jazz was running all the way home.
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B
I wonder if he. You wonder if he even felt his legs when he turned around when he rounded Third, and everybody knew he's going and that ball was coming and that ball was on. It was a hell of a throw.
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A
It was a great throw.
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B
When you, when he turns, when he turns around third. He could not have possibly felt his legs at that point. That place was screaming loud.
- [20:11]
A
No, it's great. This is what. That's why you wonder about tonight, because for somebody who's never experienced it, even when they're cheering for you, it makes.
- [20:25]
B
Hard to control the nerves.
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A
I mean, it's great about New York. You know, you've been in the Garden for big games with the Knicks. I've been there for the Rangers. And, you know, the Coliseum used to be tremendous with the sound. When the Islanders even. Even when I went back in the early 2000s in the first round of the playoffs. I mean, that old barn really held the noise. It's really cool just to be there. Have you ever had that feeling in your stomach? I can't imagine what it's like to be on the ice, in the field and the court when that stuff is going on.
- [20:52]
B
Have you ever had this happen? Because a lot of times when you're in the arenas for stuff, I know you've got the headset on. So you don't experience it because of the headset. Like, one thing Mike Breen showed me was that there are times during a broadcast take the headset off because you want to hear it.
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A
Yeah.
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B
And the headset takes away a little bit of the buzz. And he'll. He'll do that. He'll take the headset away for a second because he wants. Like when the place is just pulsing, he wants to hear it. I love that. But I've been in a lot of the. I've been in some of the arenas where there's that initial cheer that's so loud, you do get like white noise, like nothing for like a split second. Have you ever experienced that before?
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A
I. The two places that I experienced it, okay, in 06, I was at game six, Oilers, Hurricane final at Rexall Place, which was. If you ever. You, you were there.
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B
Right.
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A
It was probably the closest to the Coliseum. Like, low ceiling was one of those older 70s building.
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B
That was Northlands back in the day.
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A
Right. The Northlands Coliseum. It just like, you almost kind of got dizzy. It was just so deafening. And the. The championship game at Hines Field. Jets, Steelers. Oh, my God, that was really, really loud. And of course, like, the Garden gets really loud for sure, but there's just. You do unfortunately, get the corporate people and listen. Corporate people can get loud too. But there's just something about when you go to a place like Edmonton and Pittsburgh.
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B
Yeah.
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A
You're not getting a lot of suits, you know, you're getting, I gotta tell you, getting die hard fans.
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B
But those Garden games, Nick, Celtics. Yeah. That wasn't a corporate crowd, man.
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A
No, like that.
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B
Like, remember I'm sidelined. Like I'm sitting right there. Like that.
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A
Not a building again.
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B
Once they knew, like, it's like once you knew, you know, like, remember they were up 27 at the half.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Late second quarter. There was one dunk. I, I just remember that's when I had that, like zip it. Just suddenly your ears just go out for just a split second. I'll look at people like, did that happen to you? Did you just feel that? And the. And then that's also fifth floor. Phil Jackson's talked about this when he was coaching the Bulls. The floor moves, bounces. It's the sickest thing to ever experience. And at old Yankee Stadium, the upper deck did the same thing.
- [23:09]
A
And unfortunately, MetLife Stadium is too big. Yeah, but Giant Stadium would get rocking. But like when you start to get into who's Ladder, Giant games, Jet games, or especially when you cross over sports like the Garden, Yankee Stadium, you know, it's a lot of the same people, New Yorkers get loud, all right? They get into it.
- [23:27]
B
All right?
- [23:28]
A
So if they're getting crazy at a Yankee game tonight, those same people are going to be at the Garden for Nixon Ranger games. Those same people are going to be a MetLife for a jet or Giant game. The thing is, just make sure the team's good enough to have a reason to scream your head.
- [23:38]
B
But that's what this is, the fun time of year. Whenever we get to it to a playoff round of any of these sports.
- [23:43]
A
Here's the thing. Yankee fans, I don't know what's going to happen tonight. I, I feel like they're going to win. Yeah, I do.
- [23:47]
B
I do too.
- [23:49]
A
But failure or whatever is that. At least be proud that your team's there. Okay? My team's not there. The football teams aren't going anywhere. Rangers missed the playoffs last year. Islanders missed the playoffs last year we had more teams in New York missed the playoffs than made the playoffs. Okay? So at least you can feel good about that.
- [24:11]
B
Talk about stepping up.
- [24:15]
A
It's time to level up your game. Introducing the all new ESPN app. All of ESPN all in one place, your home for the most live sports and the best championship moments.
- [24:25]
B
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- [24:31]
A
It's the ultimate fan experience.
- [24:33]
C
Level up.
- [24:34]
A
For More on the ESPN app or at stream.espn.com Sign up now.
- [24:43]
B
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [24:46]
A
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [24:47]
B
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. We all have that one friend.
- [25:02]
A
I'm talking about the Yo Yos who set themselves on fire and bathe in pork and beans.
- [25:06]
B
Or know that one person I'm here with, my family who can't help but be. He's not cool.
- [25:12]
A
His voice is weird. He's kind of a dork. His brother's a tool. His girlfriend's annoying. That guy. I didn't know it was banner night. We won't be out for that.
- [25:21]
B
It's time for that Guy Thursday. Hey, guys. Anyone want to play some ball with Don Han and Rosenberg?
- [25:27]
A
He's just being that guy. So just two today because Peter's off.
- [25:34]
B
But when did you say the thing about light pork and beans?
- [25:38]
A
I don't even remember saying that.
- [25:39]
B
What was that line? Tmks, Bills fans.
- [25:44]
A
But I don't remember if it was.
- [25:45]
B
A while you said, like, I don't hate Bills fans. Yeah, I hate. Or I don't like, the Yo Yos set themselves on fire. And bathing. Yes. It's just very funny. And bathe in pork and beans. That's a really good one. So today, like, you know, we can go in different. Different places, but if you don't mind, if you would indulge me, if you don't mind, there is one that I saw. This is somebody I love.
- [26:10]
A
Okay.
- [26:10]
B
Okay. But he. He said something today that was. He was being that guy. And it also allows me to talk a little nicks right now.
- [26:20]
A
Why not?
- [26:21]
B
Because the preseason started today. I worked on msg. It was Clyde. Was there Tyler Murray. And the game was in Abu Dhabi. The Knicks beat the Sixers 99, 84.
- [26:32]
A
Never saw anybody get back from an arena quicker than you from Abu Dhabi. Yeah, that's. I don't know how you did it.
- [26:36]
B
Took the Concord.
- [26:38]
A
They got to bring that back. No, the Concorde.
- [26:40]
B
I'm really surprised that it went away and never came back.
- [26:43]
A
Well, you get to London, like two hours or something.
- [26:45]
B
It was ridiculous. It was insane. But what happened? Why did they just kill it?
- [26:48]
A
There was something.
- [26:49]
B
People getting sick?
- [26:51]
A
No, I just think it became too expensive, maybe. Come on. We have the technology.
- [26:56]
B
We're building rockets to go to Mars. We can't Just, I don't want to go to Mars.
- [26:59]
A
I want to go to Seattle.
- [27:00]
B
Yeah. Or I'd like to go to Europe.
- [27:02]
A
Yeah, yeah. In a timely fashion.
- [27:05]
B
In a rocket.
- [27:05]
A
Yes.
- [27:06]
B
Anyway, so the starters played the first half. That's it. And then the second half was, you know, again, your bench guys, and you're. You're really depth guys trying to make the team. But the first half was. Had some moments once they got loose, because at the beginning, it's preseason basketball, it's terrible. You're not going to miss a lot of shots. But once things started loosening up, the offense looked really good. Like, it looked like Mike Brown wants him to play fast, all that stuff. So, you know, Nick fans are Knick fans. They love their team. There's a lot of anticipation for the season, and it was a game that tipped off at noon Eastern. So during the day, people are tweeting about it. Right. So Bomani Jones, who is, again, it's one of my favorite people, he tweeted, I spy optimism from Knicks fans that'll make whatever results way more fun. Now he's being that guy because you know what he's trying to say? He's trying to say, like, oh, look at them. They're getting excited. And, you know, it's going to happen. It's all going to come crashing down, because that's what happens to Knick fans, because they have made fun of Knick fans for the last couple of years for just being excited about their team and, you know, closing down 7th Avenue for one playoff win and then closing down 7th Avenue because you won one playoff round, closing down 7th Avenue because you got to the Eastern Conference finals. Act like you've been there before. And I've always said most of them haven't. Most of the people you see celebrating is a whole generation of fans that have never been here before.
- [28:38]
A
No.
- [28:38]
B
They don't know what to do. So I don't like when Mega media picks on Nick fans. It's the one thing I don't. I don't tolerate. So Bo is doing this out of fun, but he's also being that guy.
- [28:57]
A
Oh, yeah. Would you agree that guy doesn't necessarily mean bad guy?
- [29:02]
B
No, no, no.
- [29:02]
A
Just you're being that guy.
- [29:03]
B
And he knows it. He knows it. But all I'm saying is leave these people alone. They've been through a lot. And for the first time in 25 years, in fact, in the first time in 30 years, I looked it up. The Knicks odds to win a championship, second highest odds in the Entire league. The only team with higher odds than them. The Thunder.
- [29:25]
A
Yeah. And that's it. Defending champs.
- [29:26]
B
The last time they had the second highest odds to win a championship. 1994, 95. Coming out of, going out of going to the finals. The year before that they had the number one. They were. They were actually.
- [29:36]
A
And that was that they. They lost on the. That was the finger roll against the Pacers.
- [29:40]
B
That was the correct. So. And that was Pat Riley's last game.
- [29:43]
A
Yeah.
- [29:44]
B
So they, they have never had. They had the shortest odds to win it all in 93, 94. And then they had the second shortest. 94, 95. They've never been that high before until going into this season. They have the second shortest odds tied with the Cavs. Like there is a lot of anticipation. There's a lot of excitement and all I keep, all I keep seeing are the. It's like, what was it, Anthony? The Verified Nick haters. Is that what you said that Gordon used to say? Gordon Damer. Verified Nick Verified Nicks haters. They can't wait to see the crash. And I just feel like, why? What have they done to deserve this? They have a functioning high level championship caliber franchise for the first time in a quarter century. Why can't they in one preseason game just be excited about what they're seeing?
- [30:33]
A
Leave him alone.
- [30:34]
B
Where's he from? Leave them alone.
- [30:36]
A
Verified mix hater Bomani. Where's he from?
- [30:39]
B
I don't know where he's from exactly, but he was an ESPN guy for a long time.
- [30:44]
A
Very entertaining podcast. And you record it. We used to be on West End when I would talk to him and he was a really nice guy and obviously he's being performed.
- [30:53]
B
He's an Atlanta guy. Oh, that says enough.
- [30:55]
A
But I can understand like not liking Celtic fans or not liking spurs fans or spoiled friend.
- [31:02]
B
Yeah. Again, you hate it.
- [31:04]
A
Thank you. Or you know, whatever.
- [31:05]
B
Yankee fans I totally understand.
- [31:07]
A
But like what are the. The Knick fans. Yeah, I guess it's kind of annoying how excited they get over everything. But when you understand when you haven't won since 1973. They went to the conference final last year for the first time in a quarter century. Why would you relish in that kind of. This is a fan base that went through that. A fan base that has gone through that much.
- [31:30]
B
You. This is what you're doing. It's very similar to a man has been stranded in the desert for years and someone hand. He comes out of it. You hand him a cup of water and he takes one sip and Goes, this is the greatest thing I've ever tasted. And you laugh at him. It's water. What's wrong with you? It's just water. What are you acting up? What are you carrying on for? For him, any water. That's life. So playoff win is life. Wait. We're not the embarrassing franchise anymore. People. Like, we actually have a functioning team. And now fans are looking at the season going, wait a minute. There's expectations we can actually win the whole thing. We're. We're good enough to do that, to even be in the conversation. What do you think? Let them enjoy this. That's all I'm saying.
- [32:18]
A
And the ones that are real, really being the clowns are the ones that aren't really the Nick fans. They just run and see a bunch of people going nuts and figure, oh, it's my chance to get my 15th. Social media.
- [32:27]
B
Yeah, yeah, there's. There's a streets.
- [32:30]
A
And then the other half are just people that, oh, something's going on here. Let's have fun with it.
- [32:33]
B
Yeah, they're the party crashers. But, but, but I just. Like I said, Bo, love him. He's being that guy. But he's also setting it up to remind everybody. Here they come. Here come all those excited Nick fans. Look at them coming out of the desert, drinking that little sip of water. Look at them and get excited about a sip of water. Look at them. How adorable. And it's setting up so that when, if, when, if there is a failure, we can all just laugh and say, see, that's what you get for getting excited about your team. How dare you let him be excited. Don't be that guy.
- [33:05]
A
Oh, and he certainly was being that guy. Good job. I enjoyed that one. That was a good one.
- [33:12]
B
But I got.
- [33:13]
A
Love it. 1-800-919-3776. Let's get back to the busy phone. Steven's out in California. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Steve?
- [33:22]
C
Hey, guys. I am so glad to get to talk to you. I haven't spoken to you in over five years.
- [33:28]
A
Wow. Where you been? Everything all right?
- [33:31]
C
I went through a bunch of things. I had to get out of New York City. I'm in Northern California and loving it. Like, California. Been very, very good. So a lot of the things that you. First of all, you guys have intelligent conversation. Not all sports fans do. They just get caught up in fanaticism. And so much of what you're talking about now had to do with why I wanted to call in about the MVP issue. And why I believe that it should be the catcher and not Aaron Judge. Because, yes, Aaron Judge may lead in a number of offensive series statistics, but nobody puts in more work than a catcher behind the plate, day in, day out. Every single pitch has to process more information and is under more stress than a catcher at a major league level. Aaron Judge gets to stand out in right field. And I'm saying he's still thinking, but not at the level that catcher is. And what that catcher is putting his body through every single pitch. There's nobody out there on that field doing what he's doing. And so to me, to have a guy go through a season, hit as many home runs as he did, and just lead his team, that, to me, is the most valuable player. As opposed to what you were talking about earlier about Judges having a better year this year. It's still a team game, but the award is for the most valuable player. Nobody gives more day in and day out than a catcher.
- [35:14]
A
Well, and I think the reason I. And again, I probably Can I also.
- [35:18]
B
Just point one thing out. He played 120 of his. How many total games did he play here? 159. Okay, 120 of them. So a vast majority. He was. He was the catcher. He did have 38 games at Dharma. Now, 11 home runs.
- [35:41]
A
He hit 11 of the 60.
- [35:43]
B
Yeah. So his. His 49 as a catcher. I believe that's still the record for a catcher, right? Oh, yeah. Previous record was like 48.
- [35:52]
A
He crushed that.
- [35:53]
B
Yeah. So. So he, you know, he still broke the record. But I mean, 11 home runs was. As a guy, they didn't have to play the field. You know what I mean? Like, he didn't have to.
- [36:01]
A
But I think to the caller's point.
- [36:03]
B
I get his point. He's right.
- [36:04]
A
But the fact that he played 159 games. A lot of catchers take the day off.
- [36:08]
B
Yeah.
- [36:09]
A
Day games after night games, he still DH because they needed him in the lineup. They needed his bat because they were trying to win the division. Which also explains why he should get MVP consideration. Now, he did things that catchers aren't supposed to do. He did things that no switch hitter has ever done before. So I just think he belongs in the conversation for that. Giving it. Judge, no problem. The better player is Aaron Judge. There is no question about that.
- [36:35]
B
That I agree.
- [36:35]
A
But in a year where you break the record for home runs by a catch or you break the record for home runs by a switch hitter, you take a Seattle team that wins the division and he contributed to that sweep against the Astros. But I think what really helped Judge is he was big down the stretch when the Yankees almost caught the Blue Jays and he had some big games. Hey, it's a fun conversation. All I ever said was that I don't think Yankee fans should get upset if Raleigh gets it. It wouldn't be a robbery the way it was with Altuve. Especially after finding out that Altuve was on a team that got signs.
- [37:10]
B
Yes.
- [37:11]
A
But I get. They get upset with me. Don't tell me how I feel. So I'm not going to tell you how you feel. It would be that I still think Judge is going to win it, but I wouldn't be surprised if Raleigh wanted. I don't think he should be that upset because doing it as a catcher does add a wrinkle to this. It does.
- [37:28]
B
Will you, will you be curious to see what he does next season because he only played six more games than last year and he almost doubled his home run total. Aren't you curious to see does he stay in the high 40s, you know, maybe flirt with 50 or whatever? As long as he stays healthy, of course. Or if he drops back down to like just 30. Yeah. Would you, would you, would you kind of side eye that?
- [37:58]
A
Yeah, I probably wouldn't. Just that it was, you know, a fluky type of year. Everything kind of came together. You go 30 home runs to 60, back to 30, it's going to stand. And when you look at his, the back of his baseball card that, you know that that bold 60 is going to stand out like a sore thumb.
- [38:12]
B
Absolutely.
- [38:12]
A
Among a bunch of 20s and 30s.
- [38:14]
B
Like his slugging percentage is just, it's insane. Like it just that that's the stuff that's like why I said again, MMVP is a year to year award, but it's like that's his standard.
- [38:26]
A
But you also know how important Judge is in right field because now that he doesn't have the arm strength, you see how different things can go in the game. They wouldn't test his arm if he was healthy.
- [38:36]
B
Watch that tonight.
- [38:37]
A
You know, and that might have cost him game one. Right. That he wasn't 100%, you could argue a dignity. So. So when you talk about, remember Judge is no slouch out there in right field. He might be the best right fielder in baseball. Certainly has the best arm before he got it injured. So that's why I think it's compelling.
- [38:52]
B
I want to, I just want a.
- [38:54]
A
Better conversation for when the season is over before instead of before, you know, the biggest game of the season.
- [39:00]
B
Well, I think he just wanted to have that.
- [39:02]
A
No, it was good. It was nice. That kind of a. I would rather have a conversation. I had to get out of New York so hopefully the fact that he said he was calling from California doesn't blow up his spot.
- [39:11]
B
Was he, by the way, Judge Dh 56 times, so a lot more and.
- [39:16]
A
Missed a little time when he was.
- [39:17]
B
On the IL20 of his home runs.
- [39:18]
A
Were so how many total games did.
- [39:19]
B
He end up having he appeared in? It's scrolling like crazy. 152 yeah, crazy.
- [39:29]
A
That's, you know. So he only missed what he so he was seven.
- [39:32]
B
Seven fewer games.
- [39:33]
A
Yeah. And all that was when he was on the ill.
- [39:39]
B
When did making plans get this complicated? It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans, send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom 60th and never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone. Learn more@WhatsApp.com this episode is brought to you by State Farm.
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A
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- [41:10]
A
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [41:11]
B
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
- [41:19]
A
Saturday, October 4th at Sports Illustrated Stadium, the New York Red Bulls take on FC Cincinnati with Kickoff Center 7:30pm Start your match day early on the Boulevard at 4:30pm Enjoy pregame activations, giveaways and live performances. Then at 5:45, catch the Red Bulls on the red carpet. Gates open at 6pm where the first 10,000 fans get a reversible Red Bulls bucket hat for your chance to win a family four pack. Enter now through the ESPN New York app. Just click the contest tile and submit your entry. Bring the crew and secure your seats at New York Red Bulls.com Plan ahead and travel smart because the Harrison Path station is closed on Saturday, October 4th. Free shuttles will run from Journal Square to the stadium. So you got got MLS going. Hockey's going to begin next week. Basketball's already in their preseason. Football for whatever it is is is going. We got a game tonight. You feeling it? You feeling tonight?
- [42:18]
B
No, I'm definitely not tonight.
- [42:19]
A
I'm feeling the variable. But again, I have my gotta be a three point play and I don't feel comfortable throwing three at the Rams. But I guess we could check in with Peter to see what he can do. He's not allowed to answer the phone, but he's still tweeting 1-800-919-3776. Rob Lowe is here. We asked him to call boy Rob and he called. And we appreciate, we appreciate the. The interaction. What do you got, man? How you doing?
- [42:44]
C
All right. First I want to start off with first time, long time. But check it like that Keith Sweat song, y' all got me twisted. Disappointed, yes. If they lose to the Red Sox who celebrated on our field a few years ago, you know what I mean? I would want to win, of course. But like y' all say the word, I'm going to use one of y' all words. The aerial view on the season as a whole failure. No way. We started off by losing our second or third best player. Whatever y' all want to consider Juan Soto with Cole and all that.
- [43:21]
B
Okay.
- [43:22]
C
To our crosstown rivals. Boom. Then we find out we losing cold for the year. So Max Reed was signed to take Radon spot because even they telling you we don't trust him. We wanted cold free, then Radon. So again disappointed if they lose. Come on. That's a given. Of course. But the season of failure, Allen, that's.
- [43:46]
B
Come on from a Yankees standard the whole season. After getting to the World Series last year with the belief that you should get back there again with a. With a win total that matched the best in the American League with the best player in the sport.
- [44:03]
C
When they said that when he started.
- [44:04]
B
What's that?
- [44:06]
C
It was with Cole. Those getting back to the World series was McColl was in the plans. Right.
- [44:13]
B
With Cole. You want to say that you lost Cole and that that hurts you, but it did. It hurt you enough to not have the best record in the American League.
- [44:21]
C
Which I always say the American League is the jv.
- [44:25]
B
All right, so them having the best.
- [44:26]
C
Record, I mean, they should have the best record with that roster.
- [44:29]
A
And you're losing to a team that's. That's supposed to be not as good. I'm not going to tell you.
- [44:34]
C
Disappointment, yes, But I can't call it a season a failure.
- [44:37]
A
You could do whatever you want to do. I mean, if you don't look at it as a failure, again, I think you're looking at failure too strong. That the objective was that when you're winning eight straight games to close out.
- [44:48]
C
The season against Baltimore and Chicago.
- [44:51]
A
All right, fine. But you won straight games. You went seven and five with that goal. When you had to play the Tigers, the Red Sox, with the Astros, we.
- [44:58]
C
Found out on who we thought they was.
- [45:01]
B
44, I believe. The 34, I believe. And 14 to finish the season. That's. That's plus 20. That's 20 games over. 500. So that wasn't just against the dregs of the league.
- [45:12]
C
Yeah, but again, we talk about the season. You can't take out what happened in July. Remember, you was here in June.
- [45:19]
B
I know, I know.
- [45:22]
A
Here's what I want. You.
- [45:23]
C
The whole season's a failure.
- [45:25]
A
Then you talk to your Yankee fan friends who won't let Judge get up when he hits 203 in the postseason, and they don't care about what he does in the regular season and that he doesn't have any rings and still thinks that Jeter is a better player than Aaron Judge because Jeter won and Judge hasn't. So the postseason does matter to this organization. Rob, this is not. Other teams like the Reds, who are just happy to be there, and even to a certain extent, the Mets, who only twice in their history that goes back to 1962 ever made the playoffs back to back years, just twice. The Yankees, as much as it's sometimes criminal that their fans ignore tremendous success in the regular season, they put a lot of onus on what happens in the postseason. And if you can't make it out of the wild card round with Bellinger and Judge and Freed and the. And a 30 for 30 guy in jazz and Rodin going out there and winning 18 games. Sorry, there's gonna be a lot of people that file that away as a failure. Rob doesn't. Good for him, man. He's an optimistic person, but he's definitely in the minority. Agreed.
- [46:33]
B
Yes, of course. I would hope so, but I. Look, if you call and make salient points. I can't argue with you because like you said, that's your opinion. And that's all we're asking for, is if you're going to. If you're coming back at us, come back at me with some facts and some points. Fair points. I just.
- [46:53]
A
But here's the thing.
- [46:54]
B
Look at it.
- [46:54]
A
It's like opinion, right? What if I were to tell you, you know what, Allen? I don't look at the Met season as a disappointment. I was engaged all year. They entertained me. Alonzo had a great year. Soto had a great year. I got to see three young kids get called up from the minor leagues and contribute to the team.
- [47:10]
B
You could sugarcoat anything. Oh, my ace got hurt. What am I supposed to do when I lose my ace? Senko was hurt all year.
- [47:15]
A
What do you expect, you know? But the reality is that the second highest payroll in baseball and a team that was 21 games above.500 on June 12th missed the playoffs. That is a huge failure. Now, can they get up from the failure? Absolutely. Can the Yankees get up from the failure? Sure. I feel dirty having the conversation considering they haven't even failed yet.
- [47:41]
B
Thanks for listening to Madon Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers. They got Willa. They got my daughter.
- [48:00]
C
I need to find her.
- [48:02]
B
From acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson.
- [48:05]
A
You can save that girl.
- [48:07]
B
Today, experience what is being called the best movie of the year. This is the end of the line. Not for you. Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Pan, Benicio Del Toro, Tiana Taylor Chase. Infinity.
- [48:18]
A
Let's go.
- [48:19]
B
Here I am, one battle after another. Now playing only in theaters.
- [48:23]
A
Experience it in IMAX.
- [48:24]
B
Rated R. Under 17, unemitted without parrot.