Hour 3: Glove Of a Fit

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 3: Glove Of a Fit

Episode Details:

• Title: Hour 3: Glove Of a Fit
• Hosts: Don Hahn, Jordan Rosenberg
• Release Date: July 25, 2025
• Description: Hosts Don Hahn, a New York and New Jersey ESPN legend, and Jordan Rosenberg, a seasoned sportswriter and broadcaster, delve into the latest in New York sports, offering insights, analyses, and spirited discussions on current events.

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1. Yankees Trade for Ryan McMahon

The episode kicks off with an in-depth analysis of the New York Yankees' recent acquisition of Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies. Jordan Rosenberg introduces the topic by highlighting the trade's specifics:

Jordan Rosenberg [02:35]: "They're trying to find a spot for this guy... he may be their third baseman for a while here."

Don Hahn responds by evaluating McMahon's performance and fit within the Yankees' strategy:

Don Hahn [02:45]: "You don't lose anything defensively and you add a little bit more pop because he can hit some home runs... he's on contract through 2027."

Key Points:

• Performance Metrics: McMahon boasts a .217 batting average with 16 home runs, 11 of which were hit while with Colorado. Since May 1st, his stats have improved to a .246 average, .332 on-base percentage, and an .804 OPS.
• Defensive Addition: As a left-handed third baseman with defensive prowess, McMahon enhances the Yankees' infield without compromising their existing defense.
• Future Prospects: McMahon's contract secures his presence on the team until 2027, providing stability at third base.

2. Spencer Jones: A Promising Prospect or a Conundrum?

A significant portion of the discussion centers around Spencer Jones, a 24-year-old outfielder in the Yankees' system who has been performing exceptionally in Triple-A but faces a lack of opportunities in the major leagues.

Jordan Rosenberg [05:45]: "He's got 11 homers in July alone."

Don Hahn [07:49]: "You could have made the case the Mets were a better baseball team by the end of last year than the Yankees."

Challenges Addressed:

• Performance vs. Opportunity: Despite Jones hitting .314 with a .411 on-base percentage and 29 home runs in Triple-A, the Yankees struggle to find a suitable position for him amidst their current roster.
• Positional Constraints: With established players like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton occupying key outfield and first base positions, integrating Jones into the team poses logistical challenges.
• Future with the Team: Hahn speculates that Jones may become a full-time player next year, depending on the return of other players like Bellinger and the overall team strategy.

3. Mets vs. Yankees: Comparing Playoff Prospects

The hosts transition to comparing the New York Mets and Yankees, debating which team stands a better chance in the upcoming postseason.

Jordan Rosenberg [10:24]: "I feel way better about where the New York Mets are and I know they play in a harder division."

Don Hahn [10:56]: "I'd have to say the Mets are a better baseball team."

Insights:

• Division Strength: The Mets face a tougher division in the National League East, which Rosenberg believes enhances their competitive edge.
• Team Performance: Despite both teams making recent trades, Hahn acknowledges that the Mets currently exhibit stronger overall performance compared to the Yankees.
• Playoff Scenarios: With the Yankees trailing the Blue Jays and facing stiff competition from teams like the Mariners, Red Sox, and Rays, Hahn emphasizes the uncertain path to the playoffs for both teams.

4. Listener Insights and Opinions

Throughout the episode, listeners contribute their perspectives on the discussed topics, providing a broader view of fan sentiments.

• Listener Johnny [17:03]: Expresses frustration over the Yankees' inability to find a spot for Spencer Jones despite his impressive Triple-A performance.

• Listener Will [24:49]: Congratulates the Yankees on acquiring Ryan McMahon but criticizes the Mets' potential trade considerations, questioning the value of Spencer Jones.

• Listener Ruben [34:57]: Commends the Yankees for not giving up high-value prospects in recent trades and stresses the importance of keeping Spencer Jones within the organization.

Notable Listener Quotes:

Johnny [17:03]: "I want Jones up here as soon as possible... What are you gonna do with him?"

Will [24:49]: "Spencer Jones is not a guy that you give up right now... He's a gazelle in the outfield."

Ruben [34:57]: "Spencer Jones... he's plus everywhere except batting average. He's a gazelle in the outfield."

5. Strategic Implications and Future Moves

Don Hahn and Jordan Rosenberg explore potential future moves for both teams, considering the strengths and weaknesses highlighted throughout their discussions.

Don Hahn [30:58]: "You want to find out about that before the 31st... address it, because I'm with you."

Jordan Rosenberg [45:20]: "They're holding on to the prospects. They're not giving up Jones, not giving up Lamar Jr."

Considerations:

• Bullpen Depth: Both teams need to bolster their bullpens to prepare for the postseason, with the Mets focusing on adding left-handed arms and the Yankees contemplating additional starting pitchers.
• Prospect Utilization: The Yankees face a dilemma in integrating promising prospects like Spencer Jones without disrupting their current roster balance.
• Trade Decisions: The possibility of trading existing players like Trent Grisham for starting pitchers remains a topic of speculation, though both hosts express skepticism about the feasibility and value of such trades.

6. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, the hosts emphasize the complexity of team management in the final stretch of the season. Balancing current performance with future potential remains a tightrope walk for both the Yankees and Mets.

Don Hahn [37:50]: "You can't keep them all because there's got to be some place for them to play."

Jordan Rosenberg [38:10]: "If you're going to hit a home run every other day in Triple A, you got it. You're going to have to find the space to at least see what this guy's got, at the major league level."

Closing Remarks:

• Team Dynamics: Effective roster management is crucial for maximizing both immediate performance and long-term potential.
• Fan Expectations: Fans are eagerly watching how their teams navigate trades, player development, and positional assignments as the postseason approaches.
• Looking Ahead: Both teams must make strategic decisions before the July 31st deadline to bolster their chances of making a significant playoff run.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Don Hahn [02:45]: "You don't lose anything defensively and you add a little bit more pop because he can hit some home runs..."
• Jordan Rosenberg [05:45]: "He's got 11 homers in July alone."
• Jordan Rosenberg [10:24]: "I feel way better about where the New York Mets are and I know they play in a harder division."
• Don Hahn [37:50]: "You can't keep them all because there's got to be some place for them to play."
• Jordan Rosenberg [38:10]: "If you're going to hit a home run every other day in Triple A, you got it. You're going to have to find the space to at least see what this guy's got, at the major league level."

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This episode provides a comprehensive look into the strategic maneuvers of the Yankees and Mets as they vie for playoff positions. Through expert analysis and passionate listener interactions, Don Hahn and Jordan Rosenberg offer valuable insights into the evolving landscape of New York baseball.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

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[Jordan Rosenberg]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New.

[Don Hahn]

York app and your smart speakers. Game time is brought to you by Tullibore Dew Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, it's Tully time. The Yankees host the Phillies for the start of their three game series at 7:05 and the Mets are in San Francisco to take on the Giants. You can hear that following paddle keep right here on 880 at 9:30 Tullamore due the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish Whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Dew Honey during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. And if you're getting out of work, stuck in traffic trying to enjoy the weekend, maybe you missed that the Mets and the Yankees both made deals today as Ryan McMahon is now a member of the New York Yankees as they traded their 8th and 21st top prospects to Colorado to bring in a glove at third. And he's a.217 hitter so far this year does have 16 home runs. Eleven of the 16 though have come in Colorado, but he's a lefty better offensively than Peraza by far about a, you know, 100 points higher as far as batting average is concerned. And somebody had sent me over Jordan that it just shows you just how bad the numbers have been. But still better that since May 1st his batting average is.246 with a.332 on base percentage.472 slug and.804 OPS. So he's been hitting better, you know, for at least May 1st and you hope he's rejuvenated being on a team that really has gone nowhere his entire career. He's 30 years old, spent his whole career in Colorado and the Yankees third.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Baseman since July 6th are hitting.128 with zero homers and one RBI. So basically they're not they could just sit on the bench and they're almost producing the same as actually going up to the.

[Don Hahn]

Exactly. So you, you do, you don't lose anything defensively and you add a little bit more pop because he can hit some home runs and being lefty with a short porch, I think they're banking on he's going to be able to produce kind of the way they've built their offense on, you know, hitting home runs. He does strike out a lot. Leads the American League in strikeouts with 127. But he kind of fits into what the Yankees are trying to do. And the Mets, they pick up Gregory Soto, a lefty Also, I believe, 30 years old, walk the strikeout ratio of about 2 to 1. So he does walk a few, but he's got some postseason experience. Six appearances, five with the Phillies early in the playoffs. And they just needed some help out of the bullpen, Jordan. They just had to. So this, they're not nearly done. The Yankees are done at third. They'll make other moves, but they now have their third baseman moving forward. And by the way, McMahon's under contract through 2027, so he may be their third baseman for a while here.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

$16 million each of the next two years is what I read.

[Don Hahn]

So Lombard Jr. Is only 19, so you know, the idea that they're going to rush him up even though he had a great spring, you know, this, this kind of, kind of calms the waters as far as rushing him up is concerned. Maybe, maybe he can be an alternative at short instead of third depending on how McMahon plays here. And the Mets still have a lot of work to do with their bullpen. One lefty arm is not going to make everybody feel better about their bullpen, especially with their starters not giving you more than you, you know, five plus innings. But I think throw them into the.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Mix though, put them into the. Add as many relievers as possible. In the Mets, let's be honest, they've done a great job with their pitching lab of getting the most out of pitchers. Maybe they could, you know, maximize what Soto could bring to the table. So, I mean, I don't dislike it. I mean, they didn't give up a ton. We don't know exactly who they are, but they're not supposed to be higher end prospects like two lower level prospects. And you know, they now have a little more depth in their bullpen guys that at least have proven that they could pitch in the major leagues because right now they're, they're throwing guys out, you know, aside from their, like top two or three guys. You have no trust in whatsoever.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And it doesn't sound like the Mets are going to make a monster splash. I don't think they're going to address center field, especially if Alvarez, since he's been called up at the catcher position, has been been hitting the ball. They probably figure they have enough there yet. You'd like to improve at center, but I don't know if Stearns really has an appetite to give up too much to get a center fielder. But they're still going to have to address the arms and they do get Sanga Mania and Montas back from their injuries, but none of them have really given you any length outside of Peterson. So will it be a starting pitcher and move homes to the bullpen, which you're going to have to do anyway come playoff time, or will they continue to add to that bullpen.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Still? Add at least another arm to bullpen.

[Don Hahn]

Now Rayleigh came back from his injury, so they probably feel like that's an additional to the bullpen. So we'll see how active these two teams are going to be between now, which is July 25, and the 31st, when the deadline is up.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

I have a question for you.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

From a Yankee perspective, we're talking about all these additions that they're, you know, that could make the. Potentially make. What do they do with Spencer Jones right now? He's absolutely tearing it up at aaa, right? Is he just kind of stuck in Triple A? Because they don't. They have nowhere to put him right now.

[Don Hahn]

Where are you going to, like. I know, I understand that at some point. What does he have, like 12 home runs and 19 games in triple. It's like ridiculous.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

He's got 11 homers in July alone.

[Don Hahn]

No, he's been. But where's he playing?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Aaa?

[Don Hahn]

No, I'm saying where is he going?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

If you called me in the field.

[Don Hahn]

Where would you play him?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

I get it. It's. You want to play Dominguez, right?

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Aaron Judge is playing every day. You're stuck with Stanton at the age. So you can't. Bellinger and you. Yeah, you got Bellinger.

[Don Hahn]

I don't know.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

But it becomes a point where you're like, at what point do they have to try to find a spot for this guy? And I don't know if it's available this year, but.

[Don Hahn]

Well, they'll call him up when the minor league season is over.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

And you'll get. You'll get a chance to see him, I guess, get some at bats, you know, down the stretch just to see how he deals with it. He's. The thing about Spencer Jones is it's got to happen soon, right? He's 24 years old, right? So I think at some point he's going to have to play here. And the logic is he'll probably get called up full time next year because A, is Bellinger going to come back and B, if Bellinger comes back, is he your first baseman or is he your center fielder? So I would think they'd like a world where you got Dominguez in center, Spencer Jones can play left field and you've got Judge and right. And then now let's go. I just don't see where it fits this year because I don't want to bring him up and just sit and let him, let him continue to rake in Triple A, let him gain some more confidence and then call him up when the, when the minor league season ends late in September, they don't expand the rosters like they used to. Jordan. But there'll be room for him to get some, some licks at the end of the season.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Maybe he can help as a pitch hitter. At least in September he could. There is a world where he could help there off the bench in September. I mean, there's no. It's almost like to the point, like, what is he gaining by being in the minors anymore? That he's hitting.314 with a.411 on base percentage, a 1:1 OPS, 29 homers, 57 RBIs and 16 seals. There's not much else you could do at this point.

[Don Hahn]

There's not. But at the same time, it just got to be the right fit. The thing that Michael brought up on his show last week, and I've said it a couple of times here, he still strikes out a lot. He strikes out 40% of the time. And you figure once he gets up to the bigs, that might grow to as high as like 50%. So there are a lot of outs in the at bat. They could probably pitch to him.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

You can't strike out 50% of the time, but.

[Don Hahn]

But his time is going to have to come at some point. But I just don't know if it's now. Injuries could happen and then maybe it sounds like he would probably be the first guy to get called up if they did lose somebody in the outfield. But the day is going to come you're not trading him, so I would think next year you're going to have a place for him.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

And I just wonder if there's any world where the Yankees would Consider move having Dominguez shift over to center.

[Don Hahn]

I guess you could.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Is there, is there any world. He's just so good. You just.

[Don Hahn]

So what?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Dominguez is in center right. Okay. Spencer Jones is in left, judges in right and Embellinger's at first base. Especially if Goldsmith's not here.

[Don Hahn]

I would think that's the plan. Now Spencer Jones can play all three outfield positions, but it doesn't feel like Dominguez can play left the way he can play center. So that's when we talk about the roster being kind of ill conceived sometimes because it does feel like you're forcing guys out of position because you don't want to lose their bat and then that, that's why you have the defense being as poor as it is. So I'd like to see that get corrected in some way, shape or form. But he is, he is doing a great job and Scranton did a great job in Somerset and his day is certainly going to come. And we'll see what these, what these two teams do. Metzar half came out of first place in the America the National League east. The American League East. The Yankees now four and a half back, which essentially is five and a half back because the Blue Jays have.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

The tiebreaker and they don't lose anymore.

[Don Hahn]

And they beat up on the Tigers last night. So it is still amazing though that the, the odds are still that the Yankees are going to come out of the American League before the Blue Jays. And the Blue Jays have a four and a half game lead.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Okay. The odds are just based off public sentiment. I feel way better about where the New York Mets are and I know they play in a harder division, a harder league. The National League is significantly harder when we're talking about the top high end teams. But with the where the Mets are basically just adding Alvarez Mania and Sanga. Right. And now they added Soto, so they're starting to add bullpen depth. There's probably more coming in that way as well. I feel you have to feel better about where the Mets are right now than the Yankees and their chances to make a serious run.

[Don Hahn]

You're right. I mean again, the pitfalls are a lot tougher in the National League than the American League. But you're right. I mean right now I'd have to say the Mets are a better baseball team. You could have made the case the Mets were a better baseball team by the end of last year than the Yankees. Even though the Yankees went farther because the Mets had to get had to face the Dodgers earlier than the Yankees had to face.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

But they both just lost at the same team anyway. Right.

[Don Hahn]

So I know technically one went farther, but listen, if the, if the Yankees were in the National League, I don't. Do they even go to the League Championship series? You don't know?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Well, not if they played the Dodgers, obviously.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, right.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

The Dodgers standing point. The answer is no.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but again, I don't want to take away from who they played going into the World Series last year, but again, that Central Division and that Central Division is starting to look like it's, it's, it's, it's a cakewalk. Again, the Detroit Tigers, they got off to an amazing start and they were the best team in baseball, yada, yada, yada. And now they just, they had what, a six game losing streak. I think they've only won one since then.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

I think they've won once in like 11 games.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, they've been, they have been brutal. Now they built up then they're going to win that division, so that doesn't matter. But there was a time where you can have a conversation, say, ah, you know, Don, you know that the Tiger team is a lot better than we thought. But you know, right now they've lost four in a row. They've won one, they're one and nine in their last 10. But they still have an eight game lead on the Guardians, who are playing better. But eight games and they're still, the Guardians are only.500. There's still a 61 team, the Tigers.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

But right now, Bobby, you have to also understand it. We're going to see all these teams look to make moves. Like the Detroit Tigers probably aren't just going to sit tight and stick with that roster that they have now. They're probably going to add a bat, you know, to bolster that lineup. They might be, who knows, they could be the team that gets you Haney or Suarez.

[Don Hahn]

Well, Suarez is going somewhere, right? I mean, you're already seeing Naylor gets traded. They're out of it, right? There was a moment where you're like, well, let's see what the Diamondbacks do. The, they're still like mathematically alive. And then you look at the Diamondbacks and they've lost three in a row. They're three games under.500. They're only five out of a playoff spot, but they got to climb over the Cardinals, Reds, Giants, Padres just to get to the third wild card. So they're not going anywhere. So Suarez is going to get dealt and it's not going to be the Yankees now. So who gets them?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

It's not going to be in the Mets either. I don't see them. Viento, Zerbani, like, but it could be. They need one of those guys. They need one of those guys to perform. Like, what are you going to do with those guys? Then he's going to be done with them, basically.

[Don Hahn]

It doesn't. But, but here's the thing.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

It doesn't both of them. I don't want the H's, but I.

[Don Hahn]

Don'T think, I don't think Suarez is coming here. Don't get me wrong. But, but hear me out. Stearns likely isn't going to give up the equity to get him, right? But he, but he walks at the end of the year. He adds the population, right? I mean, Viento still has a place on this team, but he hasn't, he hasn't shown his best this year. He's already been hurt, right. Anybody else that you put a third base, it's been catchers, catch can, right? Mauricio's sometimes frustrating. He'll hit a five, you know, 450 foot home run, then strike out on three pitches and he's like a foot away from making contact. He's very frustrating. Right. Acuna Jr. All these guys. But if you want to try to make a run and he's a free agent, he's walking. I mean, I. You can't rule out the possibility.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

But wouldn't it make a lot more sense for the Mets to add a center fielder if that were the case and then, you know, bank on one of the young guys playing well or coming through late in the year a little bit.

[Don Hahn]

You're right.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

You don't want to give up on those young. I don't think they want to give up nothing that indicates they want to. Really. No, I want to give them every shot to be their guy there for between, you know, Mauricio.

[Don Hahn]

But you're not giving. You're not trading them for Suarez, but.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

You'Re also not giving them the opportunity.

[Don Hahn]

To play then, but you're giving them the opportunity now. And it's not like they're putting that the best foot forward here to say that we've got third base locked down, right? All three of them are flawed players. Now, Vientos, I get what you're saying because he did a great job in the postseason last year. So that's a guy that maybe you want to see if he can find that groove again and be great in the second half of the season here and get him there. But at the same time, if I'm not giving up on any of those guys, Suarez would walk at the end of the year anyway. It's not going to happen. But it's not impossible to think.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Not the bat they're looking for. It seems unlikely for me. It does, it does. But they already added Alvarez. I think, you know, that's how they're going to look at it. We just added Alvarez. Hopefully he can, he can give a boost and if anything, you can add maybe, you know, some bat to center field and that would then bolster a spot where you don't have anything there and you're not trying to build something. And guys that we know that they want to build around or try to.

[Don Hahn]

I love having all these young kids, the Acuna, you know, none of them.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Have proven to be anything Beatty and.

[Don Hahn]

Mauricio and like, like Vientos is intriguing because he was in the postseason last year and it's a big hits and home runs and all that. So. But the other ones are just like, ah, you got, you got a lot of guys, but they can't all play third, right? So at some point they're going to be playing someplace else, right? I mean, you get, you know, Cunha can play second base, so there's other places these guys can play, but, you know, you can't. They're all not going to be a part of this team at some point.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

But you need one of them to come through. I mean, that's, that's the Mets road to successes. One of these guys finishes the season strong and is a big part of what you're doing moving forward this year, the rest of this year and into the playoffs, right? You maybe get something, you hopefully get something from Alvarez, who looks like he's, you know, fixed his swing or regained his confidence, whatever it may be. And then you hope that one of these other guys at least plays well down the stretch and is able to give you something and contribute something. And then look then, then you have something. And that's why to me, it would make a lot more sense to fill center field. And then, then you look at the, the lineup and it's a little deeper than, hey, we need our top four to do everything and everyone else is just barely contributing.

[Don Hahn]

1-800-919-3776. Johnny's in Brooklyn. You're on ESPN, New York. What's up, Johnny?

[C]

What's up, guys? Hey, what's up, guys? So it's so frustrating, right, that the Yankees have this, this stud in AAA who looks like, he's ready to come up and there's just nowhere to put him right now. And it's. And that's what confuses me about this year's team is it's so confusing because they could play, like, all together. They mesh well one day, and then the next day it looks like they have no idea what they're doing. And, you know, it's just frustrating because Ryan McMahon, for example, I don't think he's a needle mover. He's much better than what we have. But at the same time, I'm not confident that this team is ready to take the next step yet. I don't know what you guys think. I want Jones up here as soon as possible, but I create a scenario.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Where you could bring him up, though. What are you going to do with them? It's really hard to come up with a scenario that makes sense right now.

[C]

They trade an outfield, where Trent Grisham, for example, is trade bait or gets traded for a starting pitcher. At this point in which I don't see that happening because they love Grisham, so I have no idea.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it's. It's. I know we like to beat up on the Yankees for a lot of the decisions they made, but it's an embarrassment of riches in some ways, but it's a problem in others because he's got to play someplace. But you. But from a contract standpoint, like, guys could be gone, and it opens the door for next year. But, God, if any of those guys struggle in the postseason and you know that, maybe Jones could have done something, but I don't want to develop a player and win a championship at the same time. I'm already doing that in several different places. Right. You're bringing up kids, you're trying to make them work, and, oh, by the way, trying to win a championship at the same time, it's hard to do, and it's another kid to bring. It's a lot.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Plus, let's be honest, it's duplicitous in a way. We're bringing up another guy who's a big power guy who strikes out a lot. Right? I mean, he does run well, at least, but the Yankees will somehow take that asset and turn it into nothing, because that's what they do with speed. You don't run when you're on the Yankees. You're basically stuck base to base, and they devalue their own guys like that. But he is just another. You know, we talked about the mismatching pieces, like, he Might just, you know, kind of fit in that category. Like, Trent Grisham is a different kind of piece for them. Right lefty, good fielder. Right. A little more of a veteran. Like, he brings a different skill set to the table. Like, that's why I don't really understand trading Trent Grisham. I don't understand what people said that. That doesn't make a ton of sense to me.

[Don Hahn]

Josh in Connecticut. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Josh?

[C]

Yeah. How's it going, guys? I was listening to you guys. I was saying, you guys like the Yankees, you know, prospect down there's 24.

[Don Hahn]

Years old, 25 in May.

[C]

Yeah. So now let's say. Let's say next year, like, is a maybe, maybe not. Right. And then he's going to be 26. Like, how much time does he really have? That's what I'm wondering.

[Don Hahn]

Like, Josh, he's. He's. He's on a major league roster next year. There's no question he's on a major league roster next year.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

You can't do what you did this year and not be on the major league.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. It's just a matter. They're kind of stuck here because they had to replace Soto. So that's why, you know, they bring up Bellinger and that kind of landlocks another outfielder because they had to sign Goldschmidt, who's at first. So it just was circumstances for Jones. And remember, he was in double A, Josh. They just brought him the Triple A. So they're really cooking this kid. They really want to make sure that when he gets called up that he's going to be ready. And it also tells you that he is a fraud. Flawed player. Right. I mean, all those strikeouts, Fraud already. No. Flawed player. No. But you know what I mean? Like, he's great, but he was in. He was. He was in Double A earlier. Now he's finally in triple and he's raking. But, Josh, the fact that he's going to be 25 next year tells you that the Yankees maybe aren't 100% sold that he's ready. So we'll have to wait and see on that. But they do have a lot of.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Outfielders, you know, who they weren't 100% sold on when he came up at age 24 and had his breakout season at age 25. And he barely was supposed to be the starter that year. Aaron Judge.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Yeah. Kind of worked out in that for him.

[Don Hahn]

It did. In that 2016 season, if you remember, when they sold off pieces and got better because Sanchez raked and Judge raked and they almost found their way back into the playoffs. And then you saw everything come together in 2017 when they made that run. But they're holding on to him. But at the same time, they're not calling him up. And he was not an option at the start of the year when they lost Soto. Despite his age, he was still a double A player. So I think they want to make this work. But by next year, Jordan, it's, you're going to have to, you're going to have to play.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

You can't have, you're going to have.

[Don Hahn]

To get called up.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Can't have a prospect that big who's breaking at Triple A and then not.

[Don Hahn]

Have him up next because then you're going to have to make the decision, make room for him or we're going to have to trade him away because he's not helping us. Playing In Scranton, hitting 12 home runs in 19 games, that's great for the people in Scranton, but we need that to either help our club or move him someplace to be able to fill other needs. 1-800-919-3776. We're going to take up until 7 o' clock and then it's Pat O' Keefe right here on ESPN New York. This is an ad by BetterHelp. Workplace stress is now one of the top causes of declining mental health, with 61% of the global workforce experiencing higher than normal levels of stress. To battle stress, most of us can't wave goodbye to work, but we can start small with a focus on wellness. With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. And it works with an App store rating of 4.9 out of 5 based on over 1.7 million client reviews. It's convenient, too. You can join a session with a therapist and at the click of a button, helping you fit therapy into your busy life. Plus switch therapists at any time. As largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of expertise. Unwind from work. With BetterHelp, our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com timeout. That's betterhelp.com timeout. You've done it again. Finance teams. You closed the books and it went fine. Sure, some expenses were missing receipts, but that's fine. Stayed late to process invoices by hand. It's all fine. But don't you deserve better than fine with ramp. Expenses are submitted with a text, invoices are coded automatically, and everything is connected to your accounting system so you can close the books without all the busy work. Switch your business to ramp.com and love finance again.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Avoiding your unfinished home projects.

[Don Hahn]

Because you're not sure where to start.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Thumbtack knows homes, so you don't have.

[Don Hahn]

To don't know the difference between matte.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Paint, finish and satin or what that.

[Don Hahn]

Clunking sound from your dryer is. With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the Thumbtack app. Download today. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch the show on demand whenever you want.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don Hahn]

1-800-919-3776. Get to the baseball of it all here. Let's jump in on Will, who's down in North Carolina. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Will you?

[C]

What's up guys? I was talking to you guys who answered the phone and he was a little surprised because I said that I would trade Spencer Jones. Trade him. Try to find a younger picture, maybe like an Edward Cabrera from Girls. Cut it out from the Marlins, you know, because let's take a look back at real quick at the Yankees recent prospects in center field. Let's Devon Floral. He was a can't miss. He great guy. Where is he now? I think he's playing in Mexico. You know, you guys already mentioned Gary Sanchez and a few other guys. I think that I'm starting to realize that the Yankee prospects are so overhyped that you're talking about a guy who's 24 and he just came up to AAA and has a strikeout percentage of over 35%. What are you gonna do with that? It's redundancy. Not to mention that he's a lefty hitter. We've got plenty of those. So I want to know what you guys thought about that.

[Don Hahn]

It's not crazy because even Michael has talked about Spencer Jones not being a slam dunk. I know he's raking in AAA, but usually by the time you're 24 years old, you've already played in Triple A or already get called up to the minor leagues. Now, is it because he's landlocked or are there some flaws like you said, with the strikeouts that make him not a camp miss. Now, Sandy Alcantara is available for Miami. He's under contract through 2027. Is that somebody you want to bring in here? But you've got Freed, you've got Rodon, who you're paying big money to. They're expecting Heel back before the month is over. So as much as you like to see them bring in a stud pitcher, are you ready to give up on this kid? I don't know. I don't know how they feel about him. I see the numbers. I've heard the kid because I went to Somerset Patriot Games and he was a star there and everybody was talking about him. Everybody was buzzing about him the same they were buzzing about Volpe a couple of years ago.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Are Alcantara and like Edward Cabrera are these stud pitchers though? Like, like you, like you said, you have Freed, he's going to be the guy, right, Barring his finger being messed up. You have Rodin, you invested a lot of money in. You have Luis Heel, who's your number three. You have Cole, obviously, who's coming back next year. So that's going to be your fourth guy. And then you, you have some younger guys that you hope you can get something from. Schlitler looks like he has potential, right, to be a good major league pitcher. Will Warren, I mean, he's not a. He's not a bad pitcher. I mean, I'm fine with him at the bottom of the rotation. Like, is. Is that really the Yankees need. Everyone always gets infatuated with starting pitching with the Yankees. Don, tell me, like, am I missing something? The last 10 years, how often has it been the Giant, the Yankees starting. Did I say Giants? The Yankees starting pitching? I can't help myself. How often has it been the Yankees starting pitching? That has been their problem and has led to their exit in the playoffs? Almost never. Why do every year we get infatuated? Yankees need a starter. Yankees need a starter. Why do we just ignore that? The problem is going to be the lineup again when they strike out and they can't do play situationally in the playoffs. I know, over and over.

[Don Hahn]

But, but what's interesting now though is, you know, usually this time of year we're talking about what's going to help them in the postseason. Now they might be a little bit more concerned about getting somebody that's going to help them get to the postseason. Like, I think they're going to make it all right. May not win the division, but they should be a wild card team.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

But more confident than I am. Actually, but.

[Don Hahn]

Right. And I am. I'll admit that. But I also have to say that the numbers don't lie. They're the first wild card team. And right at this moment, the Mariners are right on their back. The Red Sox are not that far behind you. Three back in the loss column.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

And the Rays are always scary.

[Don Hahn]

And the Rays are only three back in the lost column, so. Or four back in the loss column. So if the Yankees don't write their ship here, like, say, they get swept this weekend, they might fall to the second or third wild card if they're not careful in the. In the upcoming week or so. And you're going to get to the deadline, you're not thinking about what's going to help us win a championship. You're going to be thinking about what's going to solidify a playoff spot.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

And they got Will Warren going tonight and Stroman and then Rodon here in this series.

[Don Hahn]

So you're going to be playing some big games down the stretch, and you're fine with the top of your rotation, but the body rotation, you're like, are these guys ready for these wars we're going to get into once we get to September just to solidify a playoff spot? And you brought up something yesterday and earlier today, too. Are we 100% sure that Max Freed's fingers. Okay, what if he ends up having to miss a couple of starts or, God forbid, go on the il, Then, then, then where are you going to be?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Yeah, the team's done. If that's the case.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but they don't want to be done.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

They're in big, big trouble.

[Don Hahn]

But here's the thing. You want to find out about that before the 31st, because that might make you think, I might want to bring in another arm here if I. If my ace has got a bad finger and he's struggling with it, something.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

He'S had problems with in the past, too, by the way.

[Don Hahn]

Exactly. So you want to make sure that comes to a head before we get to the 31st so you can address it, because I'm with you. If they lose Freed, forget it. They're not going to make any kind of a run and they're not going to win this division. And now you're settling for a wild card or maybe worse.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Yeah, no, they need Max Freed to be an ace. They can not even like a mediocre pitcher. But the thing is, the guys, he brought up, a contra and Cabrera, like, these are guys. Alcantara's been terrible this year for the most part, yeah. But really bad.

[Don Hahn]

I know but just like what we were talking about with, with the, with the McMahon who they just traded for. He's on. He's not, you know, not, not a terror.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Not the Rockies but they're big man is going to a position where they had a human dummy standing there. But like now you're replacing young pitchers like Schlitler and Will Warren who you wanted. You want to be part of your future and you. You hope can contribute this year.

[Don Hahn]

But it's a difference to me. But you might get all contra. Like you said, he's. He's having an awful year. He's 7 and 12. Is earning a lot of risk though his earn run. Excuse me, He's. He's. He's 5 and 9 with an earn run average of almost 7.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

That's what I'm saying. But there's a lot of risk there.

[Don Hahn]

He's even good but you know, and he missed all of 2024. But if you go back to 2022, he led the league in war. He led the league in innings pitched. You know last year he was 7 and 12 with a 4.14. But he still, you know, threw a ton of innings. Like they're going to look deeper than just what his numbers are this year.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

But there's a danger that it's damaged goods right there. I mean same for the Mets. But for the Mets it might be, you know, that might be worth the risk that they're taking. Hey, we could try to hit on high upside with our pitching lab but take the risk. But we hear them than the Yankees.

[Don Hahn]

Here's what we don't know. How do they really feel about Spencer Jones? I know what the stats say. I know we hear him and Lombard Jr. Are untouchable. But what does Brian Cashman really think about his Future when on May 1st he's going to be 25 years old and he's finally in triple a like like 12 games. Like he is. His star is rising. Been rising but like slow rising. Rising.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

That's the word where the kids use, you know, rising is.

[Don Hahn]

I have no idea.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

I can't even imagine. Yeah, you don't want to know when you have Riz. You know, I'm sure the guys behind the glass could talk about it.

[Don Hahn]

It's all about.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Than me. It's all about you got some game, you know Don, you got risks.

[Don Hahn]

Oh well, I appreciate that Don has a ton of risk. Thank you. But do they think that he is going to be an outfielder in the Future? Is he a trade? I don't know. But it's usually we're like, well, talk about Lombard JR. He's 19, you know, Jones is 24. Usually by 24, I remember having a conversation when the Somerset Patriots were an independent league team and Sparky Lyle was their manager. He would say, I don't want anybody on my team that's north of 26 years old because they're not a prospect anymore. You know, like we're landlocking kids who really need the opportunity because if you're still in the Minor leagues at 26, then you don't have a future. And now it's different. They're part of the Yankees. So it really depends on what the Yankees feel about them. But once you start getting to your mid 20, like what are we doing? You got to get up. You got to be up here at some point.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

That shows you how hit or miss the prospects are. Because Aaron Judge was that guy. And remember Trent was, it was Trent Frazier was. That's the guy, right? Oh, Clint. Clint Frazier.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

I don't want to think of Trent. Clint Frazier was the guy. He was supposed to be the guy, but he was supposed to be the guy that was supposed to be the right fielder.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

And the big, the big star, the big player. And it turns out Aaron Judge ends up being the best player in baseball. So yeah, look, prospects are just hit or miss. And the Yankees used to be really good at trading prospects and then not turning out. Right, right. Who's the catcher that went to Seattle or that was, you know, I'm talking about. Is it the Mets guy?

[Don Hahn]

The catcher.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

They had a huge, it was a huge prospect. The catcher went to Seattle. Left handed hitting catcher.

[Don Hahn]

I don't remember. No, I don't remember. I'm sorry. Now you made me look bad.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

No, it might not be a catcher. I'm drawing up like Jared Kelnick.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, the one the Mets traded?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Yeah, the Mets trade.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. In the Diaz. And he was supposed to be a.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Huge, can't miss prospect. Is he even in baseball?

[Don Hahn]

Barely. That's that, that, that you don't, you don't know. But Judge went to college. That's why he came up so much later, like, so that's why he was a little bit older than all these guys that were coming up at 18, 19, 20 years old. But if you're a prospect and Spencer Jones has been in the Yankee system for a while now. I remember, I remember going to see him a couple of years ago in Somerset, like So is there something that they're not telling us that they don't like? Is it the strikeouts? Is there something about him that they're like, yeah, the numbers are gaudy, but you know how baseball teams are. They dig deeper in that, you know, So I don't. Not knowing exactly how they feel about him, it's hard to say what they would use and what they wouldn't use. I would think the numbers would show that he is playing some outfield position outside of right field next year for the New York Yankees. He's a center fielder, a left fielder for this team.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

If you're going to hit a home run every, every other day in Triple A, you got it. You're going to have to find the space to at least see what this guy's got, the major league level.

[Don Hahn]

No, absolutely. You would have to be able to do that. Let's go to Ruben in New Haven. You're on espn, New York, Ruben.

[C]

Gentlemen. Happy Friday.

[Don Hahn]

You too, man.

[C]

Excuse me. I like the deal because they didn't give anything up. I think they got to keep the prospects. We got to keep guarantee, guaranteed. There's no guarantees, right? And I'm okay with giving up tomorrow for today, but the Yankees, for a long time now, 10 years, have been given up tomorrow for nothing because they're not winning. They're not winning. And I agree with Don 100%. Don, they're struggling. They're looking for reinforcements to make the playoffs, not to win the World Series. And if that's the case, trade away Bellinger, blow this. Don't blow up. But you know what I mean. Punt on the season, keep the prospects, get rid of some of these contracts, and let's look forward to next year. Because if you're just trying to make the playoffs, then you're more concerned with keeping the playoff streak alive than you are winning World Series, which is supposed to be the mantra. I hate the mantra, but that's what it's supposed to be. I like the move. They didn't give up a lot. You're not getting a lot back either. He made one All Star Game. Every team gets an All Star player. And he was that player last year for Colorado. It is what it is. But we. We, they got to keep. I hate saying we, but they got to keep. They got to keep some of these prospects. Spencer Jones, I've gotten to watch him a lot. He's plus everywhere except batting average. He's a gazelle in the outfield. He's just an incredible player. I don't want to. I don't want to oversell him, but he is an incredible player. We just can't give him away for just somebody that's going to help us get to the second round of the playoffs.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

And not for you, any Suarez.

[Don Hahn]

You know, it's got to be for a star if you're going to do it.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

A guy that you know is going to be an all star player for you for multiple years.

[Don Hahn]

But Ruben hung up. I just want to know what, what prospects have they given away that has hurt them? All right. I know they haven't won and they've made deals. You go back to when they made the deal for Rizzo and Gallo and the trades that they have made recently to bring it. But what prospect has come back to haunt them?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

No, actually it's the opposite. They've been too. People think they're too conservative with their prospects. Yeah, traded enough.

[Don Hahn]

That's where I disagree with Ruben. I don't think they really haven't. Like you say, hold on.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

They held on to Esteban Florio. They held on to Parazi. They held on to Volpe.

[Don Hahn]

Exactly.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

They held on to Sanchez. All these guys. And what do they. What did they really amount to?

[Don Hahn]

I remember you bring in Bellinger right. Now Bellinger is a free agent at the end of next year. So they brought in Bellinger. Now maybe the plan is next year he's your first baseman because I don't think Goldschmidt's coming back. He only had a one year deal. But you brought in an outfielder.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's definitely a weird situation.

[Don Hahn]

But so I'm saying, but knowing Spencer Jones is in the system, right. And knowing that Dominguez is really a center fielder. So I. So the answer is Spencer Jones is not an answer for them or that they think is they thinking is that Bellinger is eventually going to be their first baseman.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

That's the beauty of Bellinger, though. Bellinger has has that positional versatility, that benefit for him.

[Don Hahn]

Where does Rice play? Rice is a prospect. Rice has 16 home runs. Is he your catcher? If Bellinger is your first baseman next year in Goldschmidt this year. And oh, by the way, at some point, not right away, but at some point, Judge is going to be your first baseman, Don.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

This is why the whole thing is a mess though. All this stuff you're mentioning is all because they don't have DH position and Giancarlo Stan is stuck at the DH position and then it clogs up any, you know, versatility that you have on your team, any interchangeable part. You can't have two guys that have played ultimately a first baseman because you have an automatic DH who can't play anywhere.

[Don Hahn]

That's where we talked about the roster being flawed. But you know, you talk about hold on to these prospects, where are they going to play? Where are these prospects going to play? You know, so you have prospects. Why? Because you want them to eventually be in the big club or use them as trade pieces to help you win a championship. You can't keep them all because there's got to be some place for them to play. There's, there's only 10 positions on the field, and if you're talking about everyday players, there's only nine with the Dharma. So as much as they love resting guys and platooning, these guys have to have someplace to play. So you're holding onto these prospects for what? And as the Elk Call said, some of them never pan out anyway. We're still not sure if Opie pans out yet. 1-800-919-377-6. Enn's coming up at 6:00'. Clock. Take up until 7, then it's Pat O' Keefe right here on ESPN New York. Gatorade is the number one proven electrolyte blend designed to hydrate better than water.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

So you can lose more sweat and raise your game. Gatorade is it in you?

[C]

Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Unlimited premium wireless for $15 a month is back.

[Don Hahn]

So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for a 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first 3 months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com this episode is brought to you by State Farm. Sports are all about teamwork and so is insurance. Whether you need an in person or digital assist, State Farm is there to help you choose the right coverage for for your home, car and more. Get a game plan that helps fit your life and talk to State Farm today.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

State Farm with the assist.

[Don Hahn]

Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability and eligibility vary by state. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch the show on demand whenever you want.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Just subscribe to us, wherever you get.

[Don Hahn]

Your podcast back next week. So looking forward to seeing Alan back in the fray as we get deeper and deeper into the summer. It's pretty bad outside, a lot of storms, so hopefully everybody's okay as we get ready for the weekend. 1-800-919-3776. The number to call. Let's go to Stamatis in Astoria. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, buddy?

[C]

Yeah, what's up, my guys? How's everything?

[Don Hahn]

Good, man.

[C]

All right. Good stuff. So I got a couple of things. First, I want some Met fans. So it's an unbiased opinion. We're congratul Yankee fans for the Ryan McMahon trade. I think they made a great deal. They gave up nothing. They got club control to 27. This kid plays a great third base. So that you immediately you're better because you got a third, a real third baseman that covers a lot of ground. Probably going to make Volpe better on that end as well. Just my opinion. And the kid could hit. I mean, it's, you know, steady Eddie. 250, 25 homers. So, you know, good on that. The other thing I wanted to say was I'm baffled at Yankee fans calling so willing to trade away Spencer Jones for an Alcantara or whoever. I mean, like a middle at the moment, he's a mid level pitcher to me. Like, I mean, what he did in 2022 is irrelevant to me right now. And I don't know if you agree with me, but Spencer Jones is not a guy. Yeah, it's not a guy that you give up right now. I mean, he could either be a lefty Aaron Judge or Joey Gallo. You know, I mean, it's one or the other. You know, maybe there's a middle ground. I don't know. But do you really want to find out the hard way? You know, I'm a Met fan. I'm sitting here looking at Pete Cromson. I'll put up MVP numbers. And I think if you ask any methane, when that trade happened, when they traded for bias, we all knew it was a mistake. You know, we couldn't believe they give up that level of a guy for bias at the time. Remember, specifically, like, you know, in the circles, everyone's saying it. So, you know, that's my opinion on those, on those matters. And I could already tell you that if they do straight Spencer Jones fans out, you're going to get a lot of Costanza calls of, you know, how could you trade Jay Buhner?

[Don Hahn]

You know, I Don't. I don't think the majority of Yankee fans want to see him get dealt. They've, they've heard about him for so long and I think they're anxious to see and what he's doing in Triple A right now is just mind boggling. But I do understand some Yankee fans saying, yeah, but look at the bill of goods we were sold on Volpe and Sanchez and Florio, all these untouchable guys that ended up not becoming anything. So I could understand them being a little gun shy and 24 and he's still down in the minor league.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

So I think people will be a little more willing or open to it if you told him it was a high end pitcher like Luis Castillo several years ago. You know what I mean? That's something along those lines. We're talking about guys that are crapshoots right now. And also there's that that level of guy just doesn't seem to exist on the open market.

[Don Hahn]

And listen, you never have too much pitching, Jordan. But it's not like it's a need. Like nobody's sitting there going, boy, the Yankees are a good starting pitcher away from winning the World Series. They're thinking about, well, we need a good third baseman, we got to play better defense. Like you're always going to need help out of the bullpen for sure. And yeah, an extra starter who pitches well. It'll be great. Especially since considering what they've lost this season with injuries with Heel and Schmidt and all that. But still, you've got two high end pitchers at the top of your rotation in Freed and Rodan. You have Heel coming back.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Do you trust Rodan in a big spot?

[Don Hahn]

Well, do you? Probably not. But any of the guys I can trade for, can I trust them in a big spot?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

They're already invested in Rodon. He is what it is like they have.

[Don Hahn]

He's going to get that opportunity no matter what.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Yeah, we can't change that. Like we could sit here and be leery about whether Rodon could come through in a big spot for them, but he's going to get the opportunity. I mean he's going to pitch probably the second game that they're in the playoffs.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And once they get Heel back and if heels good, those are probably your three starting pitchers moving forward. Right. And unless Slitler comes up and he continues to pitch the way he's pitching and it kind of moves up the rotation, you know, so a lot of these guys, we move in the bullpen anyway. I don't look and say I'm going to give up a Spencer Jones for a high end pitcher which I'm not even sure exists right now. And I'm not even sure that it's that big of a need. They're not going to get anybody. I don't think that is going to change your game one and game two starters. Right. Game one's going to be Freed. Game two is going to be Rodon.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

So anybody you're going to bring in is probably a game three starter. Why am I giving up one of the biggest prospects in baseball for that?

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Right. Especially for a team that most people don't really even believe it. Like if you told me last year, you know, we had to trade your Yankee fan and you said we have to trade the big whoever our biggest prospect is at the time, you know, whether it be Lombard or Spencer Jones, whatever, whoever it was. And so we had to do it last year. I can buy that they were on a, Juan Soto was there on a contract year like that was a year that they were going all in. This isn't the same. This isn't the same team. You don't feel the same way about this group. I think everyone realizes that it's a.

[Don Hahn]

Flawed overall team but still because of the way the game is structured, as flawed as they are, they're still very, very much in it. And you know they're always going to see that through. So I don't think anybody in the organization, Even if they 100% agreed with you that they're flawed, that's that might not change what they end up doing, but they're going to hold on to the prospects. They're not giving up Jones, not giving up Lamar Jr. Don't worry about it. But they, they still need to get more done. ENN is coming up next with Jacob Perry. Take it up until 7 o' clock. It's Don Han and Rosenberg hanging out with the Intel. Pat o' Keefe with Jordan ran on hanging out as well on ESPN New York defense wins championships everybody. And defense is important for your business too. Truth is, 1/3 of businesses will unwittingly turn over their sensitive company data to thieves this year in an instant. Your customer files, bank accounts, everything is compromised and you won't know until the million dollar ransom hits your email. Preventing is why your business needs Thrive, the leading managed security services provider in the US it all starts with a comprehensive Thrive cyber risk assessment. Thrive security analysts identify security gaps and deliver proactive solutions to help keep your network healthy and protected. It's not a matter of if it's when are you ready? Get your no obligations, security recommendations and consultation. Your business relies on it. Visit ThriveNextGen.com ESPN that's ThriveNextGen.com ESPN 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.

[Jordan Rosenberg]

Hear more of Don, Alan and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app.

[Don Hahn]

And your smart speakers.