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This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
Peter Rosenberg
That sounds like heaven to me.
Podcast Announcer
Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.
Don Hahn
I promised you the explanation by Cody of how they hedged their bet. So if you missed It Back in 2017, this gentleman, Cody and his friend, they were two college kids. Him and his buddy followed the Golden Knight expansion draft. By the way, it's over. Spain has beaten Belgium 2 1.
Andy Pusick
Fantastic.
Don Hahn
Sorry, Anthony. And cover the over. They decided they felt so strongly about the chances of the Golden Knights at the beginning of the season, they put $2,000. They split it. $2,000 on the Golden Knights to win the Stanley cup, and the payout would have been a million dollars.
Caller/Listener
Wow.
Don Hahn
He explained to us that even though the Caps won the Stanley cup, they still hedged their bets and each got 100,000. And we said, how did you do that? Here's the answer. We could have taken a $250,000 payout before the conference final and been done. Instead, we took an eight. We took $83,000 out and put it against Vegas to make sure we would either walk away with 660,000 in play if they won, or we'd make 166,000 if they lost. They won the conference final. So now, since they got that bet wrong, and essentially, what I'm understanding here is the casino here, because they were on the hook to make so much money, allowed them to take out money and bet it, right? So they're not putting up this cash, right? So they then had a $660,000 ticket and play for the finals. We left enough of the bet in play to win 400,000. If Vegas had won, we then cashed out the other 260 for $130,000 up front, which we put against Vegas. Washington eventually wins, it hits for roughly $260,000, and we walked away with six figures after taxes. So not only. Not only these got. These kids were. Not only were they smart about sports, they were just smart, period.
Andy Pusick
You're not doing it on nap, is what you're saying.
Don Hahn
This sounds beyond app.
Peter Rosenberg
No, that.
Caller/Listener
That.
Peter Rosenberg
That's smart. And also they had zero regret because the Caps won in five. So it wasn't like they really had to sweat that they could have let it ride and win the million dollars. It was never really on the table during that series. Like, let's say they lost it overtime in game seven, you were like, wow,
Don Hahn
we let it ride.
Peter Rosenberg
We could have maybe won a million. And then one, nothing. They did the right thing from the get go. Terrific, terrific work. And that's why I would have no problem with them being his second favorite team. And as much as I'd call him a fraud, I completely understand if he was his favorite.
Rich Eisen
Right.
Don Hahn
It was an amazing. You missed a hell of a fraud Friday.
Peter Rosenberg
It was really. I mean, we didn't do too many of them, but the ones that we did were really interesting.
Don Hahn
All right. Phone lines about everything. Go ahead, Don.
Peter Rosenberg
I wanted to just get into. We talked about it a little bit yesterday about Judge and what Brian Cashman had to say about Judge. The news isn't great. And, you know, for a guy that basically is as great a fielder as he is, he's Aaron Judge because of his swing and the home runs that he can hit. He's 34 years old. At the beginning of next year, April 26th, he's gonna be 35. Like, how scary is it if you're a Yankee fan that, like, the window is closing not just this year, like, when's he going to come back? Is he going to be the same when he comes back? But, like, how many more kicks at the can, realistically, will Judge have to win that elusive championship as Aaron Judge? Because already you're starting to see, not that he's on the decline, don't get me wrong. But, like, this injury is scary because it's affecting his swing, trying to be asymptomatic. Brian Cashman didn't sound like bullish on, like, when he's going to be able to come back. And you know, there's a very good chance that he might be compromised to the point where he won't be Aaron Judge at all the rest of this season. And then in the next year, now you're going to be 35. Like, and can we expect Aaron Judge to be competing for an MVP deep into his 30s? Like, is this a guy that's going to be able, as healthy as he's been, Peter, over the last few years, can you expect him at 35, 36, 37, playing at an MVP elite 50 plus home run level? Like, realistically, how many more Aaron Judge seasons do you think we got with him.
Don Hahn
Well, let's hear the update from Cashman and then I'll answer for you.
Peter Rosenberg
Okay.
Brian Cashman
Yeah, we're going to reimage him during the All Star break, so that'll give us a real idea of where that currently sits. I don't think we want to put him at risk of coming back while still injured, which would imply, again, he should be asymptomatic before we turn him loose. So I think if he's asymptomatic and not feeling anything and they're showing healing, then it's probably appropriate to get him going again. But we don't want to because the schedule is what it is. Put him in a position where he's putting him in jeopardy, where somehow it gets worse.
Peter Rosenberg
So I think he can come back, Peter, but he might come back in September and having not played in months, can you expect him to be at 100% going into the playoffs? And then if they don't win, which is on the table because obviously they're struggling now, they might not win the division. As weak as the American League is, Tampa right now seems to be better. And then you go into next year. Now he's 35 again, still, very good still. But it's not like we're looking at, you know, when, when, when the Met, you look at Juan Soto or you look at Harper when he first came, it's like, oh, we've got, you know, 15 years of this guy with a chance. But because he went to college and because he hasn't won in the first decade that he's been here, Peter, I ask you, how many realistic seasons of a prime Aaron Judge do we have?
Caller/Listener
3.
Don Hahn
That would be good. I mean, that prime before, it's, that's. It was so interesting, Don. I hadn't really thought about it. This whole thing started so late for him, you know, you forget about that. You know, with him going to school, the age at which he started, he was a full grown man by 2017. And so you look up and you go, wow, he's new. It's still, it's just Judge. But no, you're right. In fact, Don, it wouldn't be. It would not be abnormal if all of a sudden next year you started to see the decline and he wasn't quite the prime judge. So it's not great.
Peter Rosenberg
So what I was thinking of, and I think Yankee fans would take it, like, I always look at John Elway, like, John Elway couldn't win the big one. And I think the reason for that was because it's just teams weren't good enough. AFC was weaker. Those Denver teams weren't stacked. So when Elway was in his prime, he was the victim of just getting blown out in every super bowl that he played in. And then when he was completely on the decline, they finally got players around him and he went back to back Super Bowls. But that wasn't prime Elway. Now Yankee fans are take it. But are we looking at the possibility that when Judge finally wins, it may not be as prime Judge? I mean this injury is scary, man. When you miss that much time and it's a rib but it's affecting his swing and you just hear asymptomatic. You know, we'll take another look during the All Star. It just, it doesn't sound great
Caller/Listener
of
Peter Rosenberg
just like how much longer is he going to be able to do this pose post steroids. Peter, when you, when you're over 35, you're on the decline. What's so funny?
Don Hahn
No, I'll tell you off the air.
Peter Rosenberg
I can see you.
Don Hahn
Well, if you look at the,
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if
Don Hahn
you look at the call screener, you could maybe figure it out if you looked at the call screener. No, it is a very, it's a very interesting point.
Peter Rosenberg
We know because a lot of us grew up with guys playing like Barry Bonds playing deep into his 30s. There's compromise there because of the PDS. But clean players after 35, they go on their decline. Are we now witnessing the decline of Aaron Judge just from a, this kind of an injury, the bounce back ability, if you will, of coming back from that injury? Now you're going to be 35. I, I'm not done watching him and I don't think he's done per se, but the window be closing, man.
Don Hahn
Windows be closing, women be shopping. Yeah, no, it's, it's a, it's a tough moment right now. If you are a Yankee fan, it does feel a little bit different than the average mid summer Yankee slump. This feels a bit different.
Peter Rosenberg
And I think if this guy doesn't win a ring and the fans that we hear from who don't appreciate Judge because he hasn't won would be one of the like the biggest sports crimes in history. If this, if this guy plays at the level that he played, Waltz is into the hall of Fame and all he'll be known for is the great Yankee that didn't win. That would be a crime.
Don Hahn
I know it really. And by the way, it would happen now, Don, if you were to win some, even not in his Prime. It would be fine. Wouldn't matter.
Peter Rosenberg
No, it might. Didn't matter to la. Not only did he get one, he got two. And now he goes from can't win the big one to now he's in that elite class of quarterbacks. They got more than one. Breeze only got one. Rogers only got one. Favre only got one. So he got those two. But he was not. But as somebody that watched Prime Elway and you. You meet. You were young, Peter.
Don Hahn
Oh, no, but I watch Prime Elway. But not only that, I beat Prime Elway. Super bowl, don't ever forget. Bad, but real bad. Real,
Brian Cashman
real.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, not 49ers bad.
Don Hahn
Close. Well, was that 5,000, 517, right?
Peter Rosenberg
That was the. Yeah, that was bad.
Don Hahn
Well, we were 42, 10. We were right there.
Peter Rosenberg
But. I know, but it was one of the greatest second quarters in the history of anything.
Don Hahn
That's right. You know, a third doesn't do it justice, by the way. It really. When. When the second quarter started, I was in tears. Famously, in my house, I was crying. They were down 10 nothing. It's so funny that at 10 nothing, because I was 8, I thought that meant you lost. I'm like, they're down 10 nothing. It's over. And then I blink and it's 35, 10. I'll never have that again.
Peter Rosenberg
But. And, but that wasn't always fault. He just. The teams weren't. Weren't good enough.
Don Hahn
But I blame Carl Mecklenburg.
Peter Rosenberg
He was. He wasn't El. He wasn't Manning winning the Super Bowl.
Don Hahn
No, no, he wasn't there or done.
Peter Rosenberg
But he was compared to his prime. But, yeah, but you're right. If maybe Judge gets. Isn't that funny, Peter? All will be forgiven if like an aging judge, you know, like pulls a. Pull Kirk Gibson and gets like one at bat in the World Series and it's a home run and now it's all forgiven.
Don Hahn
And think about with Judge, too. I mean, with respect to Kirk Gibson, he. He's such an icon in so many ways, and we just live in an era where it only matters if you win it.
Caller/Listener
He.
Don Hahn
Otherwise you're, you know, he'll go, wow, I got you. Tell me, Don, either tell me brilliant or just move on.
Peter Rosenberg
Okay, that's. That's an interesting game. Ready, Brilliant or move on.
Don Hahn
He either goes from sitting with Mantle and Yogi and Maris to moving over to the other table and sitting with Mattingly. That's how big the gap is, I think, in terms of a couple of championships.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, but. But the thing With Mattingly, is he still beloved? Because they blame Steinbrenner. They blame. The Yankees weren't very good. They blame the back as why he didn't win. Mattingly doesn't get beat up for not winning.
Don Hahn
True, but you never know in terms of history. Yeah, they will say that. Well, it also depends how it plays out.
Andy Pusick
How did he back then?
Don Hahn
Yeah, they never blamed.
Andy Pusick
Well, they also. The teams weren't very good.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, that's what I'm saying in retrospect.
Don Hahn
But they were pretty good. That's the funny part.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, they. Well, but no wild card until his last year. I think that's what it is, Anthony, is that winning was different. It wasn't a baseball thing. The winning. Because it was so hard to win. Only four teams went to the playoffs. If you didn't win your division, you go in 100 games. If you finished in second, you didn't go. You know, so I don't think it would. Winning wasn't a thing back in the 80s, even for the Yankees, because the Yankees were. It was. They weren't. They were good, but they weren't that good. There was always a team that was better than them. You felt bad for Donnie. I think Yankee fans felt bad that this great player was just playing in the wrong era. But now things have changed. With the wild card, it's easier to make the playoffs. The Yankees won four championships in five years. Jeter this, you know, the core four made winning seem like a fait accompli. And now judges getting beat up for it. Mattingly never got beat up for it. And all the really great players that he's compared to in Yankee lore, all one. And no offense to Donnie. Baseball, he's not. He's not judge. My judge is special. Judge deserves to be compared to the greatest ever played for the Yankees. But is it really fair to compare to all the championships that Mantle won, where all they need to do is win their league and then they were in the World Series. Didn't have to win three rounds just to get to the damn World Series.
Don Hahn
Yeah, it's a totally different.
Peter Rosenberg
It's not fair, but it just. How many times, Peter, have we seen somebody this good not win in any sport?
Don Hahn
That's a list. You've done the list.
Peter Rosenberg
Now, Bonds didn't win, but, you know, Bonds compromised with the pds. Right. But to be. To be that good and not win, you know, Harper's one, so. You know, Soto's one. He was a kid, but he won.
Don Hahn
Yeah, he already has it. Harper.
Peter Rosenberg
You said Harper Yeah. Harper. Yeah.
Don Hahn
Have you done the list?
Peter Rosenberg
And Ohtani? Yeah, I definitely.
Don Hahn
What do you mean, Ohtani?
Peter Rosenberg
He won.
Don Hahn
Oh, he won already?
Rich Eisen
Yeah.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. Oh, the list of the greatest athletes never to win. Yeah, it's pretty extensive one, but have
Don Hahn
you done the list?
Peter Rosenberg
Yes. I go back and check it out.
Andy Pusick
It's gonna be in the book that
Don Hahn
you write the forward.
Rich Eisen
That's right.
Peter Rosenberg
I'm writing. Yeah, you're gonna write.
Don Hahn
I'm ready to write.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, let me ask you. Do you want the forward, or do you want to be the guy that kind of pops in with, like, little quips about.
Don Hahn
I kind of like the quip piece. It fits it. It makes it more like our show. And I will have been there when so many of these happened on the air that I can offer commentary to the. Like. I can offer. Like. I remember Don saying that blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You know what I mean? That could be an angle.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. Because I think the logical thing for the book, Peter, is to have Michael do the forward.
Don Hahn
There we go.
Peter Rosenberg
And then as I'm giving the top fives and writing about the top fives, you pop in with comments about how much Michael hated the list. Because you'll probably have some memories of where Michael would, like how many times we do the list. And he'd be like, I'm out. Oh, how did you not put him in I'm out?
Don Hahn
His favorite. His absolute favorite.
Peter Rosenberg
And you'll. You'll remember those things, so that could be fun. And that way, everybody. Everybody gets a chance to contribute.
Don Hahn
Renee is in the Poconos. Hey, Renee.
Caller/Listener
How's it.
Peter Rosenberg
How is. How are the Poconos today?
Caller/Listener
We're managing the tornado. The storm that we got was very bad. Listen, I wanted to call about this some days ago, and, you know, I also have to say. Oh, before I say this, Peter, excuse me. Love hearing your story about your daughter, Anne of Bear. Keep it up.
Thanks.
Love Bear stories. With that being said, a couple of days ago, I wanted. I called about trying to get through. About wanting, you know, feeling that the Drop Madness should continue doing the drops and stuff like that. And the look on your face when I. When I. When the phone was ringing and you just heard about the trade with Boston, I was like, forget it. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna get through. He is fixed. Excuse the French. I'm sorry. But anyway, I love Drop Madness. It's a part of this team. I mean, you just can't let it go. Listen, I vote pretty much, but I love it, period. In General, I know Andy Pusick is not a big fan. He works hard at it. The tone in his voice. When I mentioned it, I felt bad for him.
Don Hahn
That's his regular sound.
Peter Rosenberg
Don't feel too bad. That's his general demeanor.
Caller/Listener
But the crew does a great job with that. I love it. It's a. It's the essence of this group. With all these drops that you do, I say keep it going, and thanks, guys. Love you all.
Bye.
Don Hahn
Thanks, man.
Andy Pusick
Horrible characterization of me, by the way. No, I never say, I don't want to do something, I'll do it. But you guys said you didn't want to do it. We're four months gone now. Four months of work I could have gotten done is now gone.
Don Hahn
Andy, please. You know what I'm saying? We need you to just be you. Just got to be you, Andy. That's all we expect of you. You can just be you.
Andy Pusick
I mean, I'm missing. I'm missing what's happening here.
Don Hahn
He called you Andy Pusick.
Andy Pusick
Oh, he did?
Don Hahn
Yes.
Andy Pusick
Oh, okay.
Don Hahn
Well, you didn't hear me say, do you guys drop. You heard?
Andy Pusick
I was like, what did he say?
Don Hahn
He 100% said, Andy Pusick does a great job. But, no, Don, you didn't hear that.
Andy Pusick
I'm fine. I've done, by the way. It's not like this was thrust on me. For the first time ever, I've done this on my own. Since Andrew's been gone for, I think, three or four years, I've done it.
Don Hahn
Speaking of drop madness, do you guys realize that they're in the world thanks to our friend Michael and the way that he talked? I'm just. I just stumbled upon this again right now. There's an awful announcing article that exists, Don, from just earlier this year, and the headline is, michael K. Is done with Peter Rosenberg, colon, you're dead to me. Is that nice?
Peter Rosenberg
It's not nice. It just might add something to do
Andy Pusick
with some videos that were put out.
Don Hahn
My God. Oh, yeah, exactly. That's probably Andy's fault. Someone make this make sense. Who can make this make sense? I don't understand what just happened.
Andy Pusick
That was the. Jalen Brown. Was you reacting? Jalen Brown?
Don Hahn
I need someone to help me. Someone help me now.
Peter Rosenberg
You were. You were genuinely affected by it, and it's nice to know that there are people out there that feel your pain.
Don Hahn
It was a tough. It was a tough moment, but that.
Peter Rosenberg
That was the reminder that your. The Celtic fire is still burning somewhere in there. As much as you enjoyed The Knicks run. And I was all fun that the Celtic thing is still there. I wonder if there's something that can happen to the Penguins that would affect you in that manner. And I would say no. Something what the Penguins did.
Don Hahn
Oh, no, no. I think. I think. I think at this point, like, no,
Andy Pusick
you were pretty upset with the rumors of Crosby.
Don Hahn
Not like, I got.
Andy Pusick
Not this year, but like, two years ago. Yeah.
Don Hahn
You know, I would say if I. If I, like, hadn't heard anything, and out of nowhere, it was just, Crosby's going to the Flyers for. For a. For a couple of.
Rich Eisen
Which.
Peter Rosenberg
Which. Which is a great comp.
Don Hahn
It's not a bad comp at all.
Peter Rosenberg
Although Crosby's better than Brown. But still.
Don Hahn
But not at this point. Not at this exact moment, but historically. It would be disgusting. I mean, at this. At this point.
Andy Pusick
Is Crosby better than Jalen Brown right now?
Don Hahn
At this moment? No. He's not a top 10 player, is he? He's still close.
Peter Rosenberg
It's.
Andy Pusick
It's pretty close.
Peter Rosenberg
He is.
Don Hahn
He's that close.
Peter Rosenberg
You know what we were just talking about, like, overrated, Underrated. In a lot of ways, he's still underrated. Underrated because you just take it for granted, dude, he got drafted to sit. Well, OVI and him came in the league at the same time. Now he's younger than Ovi, but not that my. Oh, he's 39. Ovi's gonna be 41. Ovi, at times has looked cooked.
Don Hahn
Yeah, for a moment. At least for a moment.
Peter Rosenberg
When Sidney's healthy, he's never looked cooked. But you just take it for granted he's going to get his 70 points. And you kind of just listen. He's not the same player, don't get me wrong. But he's still unreal.
Don Hahn
I didn't realize he was that close to top 10 potentially, because I consider Brown to be like, you know, 10, 11, 12, 13th best player in the league.
Andy Pusick
I don't think you'll have too many arguments if somebody tells you Sidney Crosby is a top 15 player in the National Hockey League. He only played 68 games last year, but he had 74 points.
Don Hahn
68. 68 games. That's too much Robinson point a game
Peter Rosenberg
player at 39 years old. And you know what? And no offense, his team's not that good.
Andy Pusick
No, no, it is not.
Don Hahn
Well, and they're all very. I mean, they've kept that core together.
Peter Rosenberg
The Celtics are better than the Penguins.
Don Hahn
Oh, for sure. And they will be. And they probably will be next year, too. I have adjusted There are two separate feelings, anger and disgust of what they did. And separately, everyone calm down. I bet the Celtics are still a top three or four team next year. And by the way, would I be done? Would you be completely floored if the Celtics ended up being one or two next year? I would not be floored by that. If Tate, if Tatum has an incredible year, Mitch stays healthy. They do a couple of the things here in the off season. They end up winning 62 games. I wouldn't be shocked because here.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, I guess I need to know where LeBron goes. If LeBron goes to Cleveland.
Don Hahn
You think they're a lock for one?
Peter Rosenberg
I can't say lock as Cleveland's.
Andy Pusick
Always send them a voice memo.
Peter Rosenberg
I can't.
Caller/Listener
No.
Peter Rosenberg
Florida's strong, but. But a lot of it just has to do with the fact that like, all right, who's clearly better? Detroit, Cleveland. Because these are the teams we're talking about, right? Miami's not going to all of a sudden jump into the conversation just because of Giannis, right?
Don Hahn
I don't know. I think they will.
Peter Rosenberg
It's a combination of there's still a good team and the east is still wonky.
Andy Pusick
I'll amend it, by the way. Brown is better than Crosby at this point, but it's closer than Peter initially said. Peter initially thinks. But he is better. But how old is Brown at this moment?
Don Hahn
Right now, Brown's still in his 20s, right.
Andy Pusick
I don't think he'll ever reach what Sidney Crosby did in the NHL.
Caller/Listener
No.
Andy Pusick
I could be wrong on that.
Don Hahn
I don't think so.
Andy Pusick
But it's closer than definitive. But Brown is still better.
Don Hahn
Sid is what Don Sid is a top five to eight player of all time.
Peter Rosenberg
Of all time. Yes.
Caller/Listener
Right.
And you could.
Don Hahn
You could argue top five. And the lowest anyone would argue is top ten, I'm guessing, correct?
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, absolutely. I know people don't like to give modern day players that kind of love, but give me a break, man. And he's. And he's overcome concussion issues. He's won. He's well.
Don Hahn
And in the end, and in the era of winning, he's won in every way you possibly can.
Peter Rosenberg
And he's smarter than everybody else too, which I get. He doesn't get nearly enough credit for.
Caller/Listener
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Peter Rosenberg
Kevin reminds me bad job out of me.
Don Hahn
Oh no, Harper did not win because
Peter Rosenberg
remember, he was gone. Well, no, Washington won.
Don Hahn
That's why I. That's why I didn't know. No, that's why I got confused on because I said Harper and then you said Ohtani and I was like, wait, I thought we were saying people who didn't win.
Peter Rosenberg
Oh yeah, because he. Because again, he was already gone in Philadelphia. He went to a World Series in Philadelphia, but he has it correct.
Don Hahn
He missed it in Washington, went to a World Series. Philly still doesn't have right?
Peter Rosenberg
So which is so odd, right, that they, they lose a player of that ilk and end up winning. And Philadelphia hasn't won yet. Although I could, I could see this Philly team winning.
Don Hahn
Yeah, they have a feeling. They got a feeling this year.
Peter Rosenberg
If you're, if the Yankees play the Phillies in the World Series and the Phillies beat the Yankees, would a Yankee fan have a, at least a warm feeling in his heart that Donnie Baseball got a ring?
Don Hahn
I think, I think, I guess of
Peter Rosenberg
a certain age or maybe Anthony probably would be like no, because he didn't.
Andy Pusick
You know, I think people would be happy that he got a ring. I don't know if Yankee fans would care all that much that it was like as a manager with the Phillies. I think they feel happy that he got a ring that they felt he deserved. But I don't know other than that, I don't know if it's going to be like complete joy.
Don Hahn
Yeah, complete joy. Soundstrung.
Andy Pusick
Like great. Donnie got a ring. He deserves it.
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah. And I guess again Harper's not going to get beat up for not winning because again, it's not really a baseball thing, it's a Yankee thing. There are plenty of great players that haven't won in baseball. Ted Williams never won. Ernie Banks didn't win. Tony Gwynn didn't win. You know, so it's only a Yankee thing because outside of Donnie Baseball, how many great Yankees didn't win? The answer is none. They all won, Bill. One, numerous times. But
Don Hahn
let's talk to some of the people. Don, please. Steve in Middle Village. Hey Steve.
Peter Rosenberg
Hey Steve.
Caller/Listener
Thanks for taking a call guys. I appreciate it.
A lot of stuff about judge and also the whole issue of, you know, that they, that without Judge they can't win. I keep on thinking back when I was 10 years old. So excuse me for going back to the time machine. Mickey Mantle broke his, his foot in Baltimore. He was out for two months. He came back, he hit a pinch hit home run, he played part time, you know, all that other kind of stuff. They actually won, won the pennant. They got swept in the World Series, but they won the pennant. They had enough people on the team to win. I think the only, the only two, the only two. This is the Yankee fan talking.
The only two hall of Famers they
had were Whitey Ford in his prime and also Yogi Berra as a part time player. And the, you know, Nelson Howard won the mvp. The way the teams are constructed now and cut me off when you want, they don't have role players. It's like the big star, and you have a lot of other people who. Who kind of know the game or they keep on picking up people from other teams. It's not well constructed. Obviously. I'm not a Cashman fan.
Peter Rosenberg
Well, I mean, is it not well constructed, or you have guys that just aren't playing to their abilities? I'm a little surprised that Bellinger is not getting beat up more for a fan base that, like, you know, remember when Gallo, like, why is he on this team? And I know Bellinger is a nice guy, and his dad played here, and. And for the most part, he's been a really good Yankee. He's killing them. I mean, during this. During this run, he is killing them. He's doing nothing offensively. Goldschmidt's over his last. What is it, Anthony? 32, 34, something ridiculous like that.
Andy Pusick
Yeah. You know, there's so many better punching bags, though.
Peter Rosenberg
There are so many players that just. They're not living up to what they're supposed to be doing. As good as Rice has been this year, he had. He had an awful slump. Jazz should be playing better than he is. I mean, it's just they've had their share of injuries and all that, too. But you know, Peter, there's a lot of guys that are supposed to be doing better than they are and are not playing to any level that we're used to seeing them, and that's got to be costing them. And yet, still, all that said, so going to the playoffs, you know, and I still think that. And they're still the second best team in the American League. So as bad as it's been relying on Judge and how poorly they played as of recent, with all that said, they're still the second best team, albeit a weak American League. But there's still going to be a playoff team.
Don Hahn
Yeah. It's just hard. I mean, like, it kind of goes back, though, to your point the other day. Don't. But if you can't really worry right now or be, like, freaking out, then why have we even watching?
Peter Rosenberg
Well, that's what I keep throwing out.
Don Hahn
Let's just wait till September. I mean, if you watch every day, this should be the time that you're angry.
Peter Rosenberg
Exactly. I said it to Michael during the beach bash because he had me on the first hour. I was like, I'm tired of hearing about. It's early. It's early. It's. What you're telling me is don't. Don't watch baseball. And for the most part, I think in New York, that was the case because you had the Knicks making their run. So it wasn't like it was a daily thing for a lot of people because the Knicks were such a, such a popular thing to watch and be a part of so many months into the baseball season. But if all you're going to tell me is, oh, look at the Nationals and look at what the Braves they came back from, look at the Mets and they're saying, then you're telling me don't even bother watching until after the 4th of July, but that we don't have the benefit to do that. Peter, we have a talk show to do. And the Yankees, the Mets are very popular. And if all the answer is going to be as well it's early, well then, then let's talk about something else. Then I should be able to react to things in real time.
Don Hahn
Yeah. Otherwise I just don't know why we do it then. That just doesn't make sense to me.
Peter Rosenberg
So let's go back to the COVID 60 game schedule and just do it
Rich Eisen
that way
Don Hahn
because also, even if you base it on, it should be, and I do feel this way, you don't want to go crazy after two games. But this is a big, this is a big chunk of time we're talking about now. This isn't a one week thing, Don.
Peter Rosenberg
Multiple weeks now and also multiple years. It seems like every year they're around this time the Yankees go into toilet mode. A funk. And they always seem to get out of it. But the funk cost them the division last year. It might cost them the division this year.
Don Hahn
They've won. I'll put it this way. What day is today? Done?
Peter Rosenberg
The 10th. July 10th.
Don Hahn
They've won five games since June 20th. That that's when it really started.
Peter Rosenberg
That's horrendous. Even with Judge out of the lineup, Grisham was out to no Stanton. But again, you don't get credit for Stan. He's always hurt. If you build a team relying on Stanton, that's on you.
Don Hahn
And these aren't world beaters. Twins, Red Sox.
Peter Rosenberg
Oh, that was part of it, Peter.
Don Hahn
Blue Jays.
Andy Pusick
Yes. Has put up a graphic now it seems like every other month, right. The Yankees have gone through stretches. Of course, they started the season hot, had like a 27 stretch, then got hot again, then had that bad stretch, kind of late May, early June, then early June wasn't bad. And then as we know, the disaster that was the end of June into early July. And it's a graphic that I've seen three or four times in the last three or four years. Hot stretch of 18 games. Have a really bad 10 game stretch, then a hot 24 game stretch, then have a bad 15 game stretch. And that's how we get to June, swoon, July disaster. And we find ourselves in this situation of, are they good enough? Can they win? Are they going to win the division? Is it too far gone? And even Cashman said yesterday he can't explain why it happens because they've changed the personnel and it's not always injury and they don't know why. It happens in June all the time.
Don Hahn
Let's talk to Bean. Bean, you're in Melbourne?
Caller/Listener
Yeah, Bean in Melbourne.
Peter Rosenberg
How y' all doing? Hey, what's going on?
Caller/Listener
Not much.
I was going to talk about how soft soccer is, but I can't get away. By the way, y' all talk about Aaron Judge, he's not the God of New York.
Don Hahn
Not anymore.
Caller/Listener
No, he won't be. Ever. If he wins two championships in a row, he will not surpass Jalen Brunson. He doesn't mean more to his team than Jalen Brunson means to his team. He doesn't mean more to his team than Pete Alonzo.
Men to the Mets.
Peter Rosenberg
All right, all right, now you lost me. I mean, I was going to have a conversation about the basketball because, of course, you can control basketball. You can play every minute, you can take every shot. But no, you lost me. I guess your reception's bad in Australia. You're not watching this?
Don Hahn
I think he made that up. I think it was the same yo yo who called earlier.
Peter Rosenberg
Listen, sometimes people put stuff in the weed. I'm good with the weed. Sure you can handle the weed?
Don Hahn
Yeah, man.
Peter Rosenberg
We're the show of weed. Yeah, but we love, like. He got different weed, man. I think the little angel dust in there or something. I think they put. They put a little something in the weed and then. We can't have that Peter show of weed. We're not in the show.
Don Hahn
We didn't know you like to get wet.
Andy Pusick
You know what?
Don Hahn
I didn't know you like to get wet. You got to relax, buddy.
Peter Rosenberg
I'm not even sure he was from Melbourne. Whatever.
Don Hahn
I think he made that up.
Andy Pusick
No one was comparing it to Brunson either, though.
Don Hahn
We're giving a lot of time to someone who was a bonafide. Yo yo, now I'm enjoying it.
Peter Rosenberg
I'm giving the benefit of the doubt that he. That it was drugs. He just might be dumb. I don't know. I would like to think that something that ignorant was done under the influence.
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Podcast Announcer
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
Don Hahn
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
Podcast Announcer
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Don Hahn
Oh, Jonathan in LA is here. Hi, guys.
Caller/Listener
Hi.
Andy Pusick
Hi, guys.
Caller/Listener
Guys.
The Wolf Pack, actually, that's right. Yes. Wolfpack. Great show. Great show, fellas. Peter. Oh, man, I wish I could go to that Jay Z concert tonight. I'm trying my best. I'm trying to maneuver some things to try to fly in tomorrow night or Sunday morning and go to the Sunday show. But honestly, man, there's some things you can't really. When you can't go, you can't go. It's not looking good. Worst case scenario, probably go to Jay Z in la. But Matt, Jay Z and Yankee Stadium, it is not the same. That is. Oh my goodness, man. I'm gonna be all over your stories, Peter. So hopefully you post a lot of things.
Podcast Announcer
You know what?
Don Hahn
It's a good idea. I will go hard with the stories tonight. Might as well, right?
Caller/Listener
Yes. Go for it, man. I'll be on it. Right there, man. And guys, the Drop Madness. Anthony or Andy? I mean, Anthony, Andy, Anthony. I know it's a lot of work, man. It's a lot of work. I know, man, but trust me, us listeners, we love it. Trust me, I drive for a living. I'm stuck in traffic. And you should see every time through that march, man.
Every time you guys drops, put drops
on, I'm laughing like a maniac by myself inside my truck, man. Please, guys, get rid of Drop Madness.
Don Hahn
Are there any drops that come to mind right now in particular that you go? It would just be a shame.
Caller/Listener
Oh, man, there's a lot. There's some of Allen's that, you know,
it's.
It's a lot, man. And trust me, Drop Madness and march, it's. It's gold, man. It's gold. Now one more thing, okay, Peter, and you're my guy, bro. But Don, I don't know if you guys ever brought it to life. Peter was wearing that Knicks championship hat and him being so called Boston fan. What's going on here?
I think, Peter, you should drop your fandom, man.
Come on in the Western Conference. But I'm gonna bring it up to light.
And also, what's up with the clown show?
When is this? Or the clown suit? When is this happening? I'm sorry, Peter. Peter, I'll be in your stories.
Don Hahn
It's a tough call now. Now he's going right back now. Now he's. Clown show, clown show.
Andy Pusick
Defend Peter.
Don Hahn
Thank you.
Andy Pusick
The hat. Yeah, that's just business.
Commercial Narrator
That's business.
Andy Pusick
Thank you. And when we say business, of course, mean the industry, the clown. Look, I. I'll tell you guys, until you're blue in the face, the. The bets, the payoffs don't happen. It's not Peter's fault. It's not. Peter always pays off his bets. We're just not. And Don is right in some regard, too. We're not good at making bets for the picks.
Don Hahn
But we're going to
Commercial Narrator
clown.
Don Hahn
Yeah, we're going to do the clown suit the day the NFL season starts.
Andy Pusick
You might have passed out if you wore the clown suit.
Don Hahn
Oh, I'm going to tell you right now, I would have quit.
Andy Pusick
You would have quit?
Don Hahn
I don't know if you guys could read my mood that day. I was already, like, for someone who generally enjoys the beach Bash, I was at my wit's end. I was just. Now, I wasn't as bad as Dave. When we were playing. I don't know if you caught this, Don. When we played Family Feud, did you see the look on Dave's face? The pun?
Caller/Listener
Him.
Don Hahn
I mean, he looked so annoyed. I was like, you got to clean it up. We're on stage, man.
Peter Rosenberg
You know, I wasn't prepared to say it now. I was gonna say it another time. I'm kind of done with Dave.
Don Hahn
Let the boy watch. Why?
Peter Rosenberg
What.
Don Hahn
What did Dave do?
Peter Rosenberg
Well, that's the thing.
Caller/Listener
He just.
Peter Rosenberg
He just seemed put off by the whole thing. I enjoy the beach. Listen, it was hot. There wasn't ideal circumstances, but you have to realize we don't get together all that often.
Don Hahn
No.
Peter Rosenberg
And the beach bash is the rare occasion where we're all together, and for him to just. Everything seemed to be a chore just to.
Don Hahn
He looked Just a conversation.
Peter Rosenberg
He looked so disinterested. It's like. You know what? It's hard to not take it personal when you're friends with somebody and you hardly ever see him. He didn't seem like he wanted to be there. I'm. I'm good.
Don Hahn
You think you're all set here?
Peter Rosenberg
Yeah, I think I'm all set.
Don Hahn
Well, and then how about this? God forbid you bring up our watch along with him in November.
Peter Rosenberg
All right, Everything is.
Andy Pusick
But that's. That's more. That's just Dave.
Don Hahn
But. But the thing is. Let's be realistic for a second. Reverse makes sense. I mean, you should be more upset about the beach bash if you're Dave. If Dave were saying. Don, hear me out. If Dave were saying, you have the right to be disgusted with the beach bash. You do mornings, so your show's not even on the air during it. Even though they take off the day and you're driving from, you know, pretty far from where he lives up north to the shore, it's a few hours. That to me is more reasonable. And it's 1,000 degrees and you're there for hours and hours. That to me is way more reason again, if he were sane, to be annoyed than to sit in an air conditioned studio where we order pizza and watch a football game together. But he just can't be with other people. But like we were trying to play the game. I'm not gonna lie, guys, it took me out because he's on the other team we're trying to play. And I, by the way, I thought, honestly, for a beach bash, I don't know if it's because the injury. Rick had a different energy than usual too. Rick seemed a little off too. Michael was pretty usual. I thought everyone else basically seemed.
Andy Pusick
Well, Rick was in a lot of pain.
Don Hahn
Yeah. Rick may have been on serious narcotics.
Andy Pusick
Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick did all, I got to tell you. And you can go back and watch it. Obviously the effort he put in for the kick on Rick, that was his 110.
Don Hahn
But by the way, do we ever talk about the size of this man's arms?
Peter Rosenberg
I know.
Don Hahn
How does he have time to be that big?
Andy Pusick
He gets up at 2:00 in the morning, works out, watches all the games that he fell asleep before finishing and then comes in and does the show.
Don Hahn
Wait, yeah, Literally his alarm goes off at 2.
Andy Pusick
I don't remember the exact time. He gets up at an insanely early hour to get all of his workout stuff in, watch all the games he missed and then come in and do the show. Rick is one of the most, if not the most prepared person on the station.
Peter Rosenberg
He's incredible.
Don Hahn
No, no, he's. But he had an excuse.
Peter Rosenberg
He was in pain. But he was still Rick. He was still. No, no, no.
Don Hahn
Compared, compared. He was Eddie Murphy. Next to Dave though, he was Johnny Carson in the flesh.
Peter Rosenberg
And then the other thing that bothered me about the Beach Bash is we usually always have a dinner after, but everybody was just so hot and, and traffic was so bad. Like everybody just wanted.
Don Hahn
Well, the worst one there was Michael who was desperate to not do it and was going home to an empty house.
Peter Rosenberg
And let's face it, I don't know why, but when Michael's out, then everybody's just going to follow. He's like the Pied Piper of the Station.
Don Hahn
I don't know damn well if Michael
Peter Rosenberg
went, everybody else would have.
Don Hahn
I. Let me say this, maybe not you. I was not apt to go because I had friends who arrived to town at like 6:00'. Clock.
Peter Rosenberg
So I would have felt bad, which makes sense.
Don Hahn
So I would have felt bad just hanging for even longer because I did get home, Don, like it was only nine when I got home. Like I was able to hang with my friends, whereas if we went to dinner, it would have been 10:30. But I will say this, Michael, his decision to say I'm out. And by the way, he had nothing to do. Literally nothing. But, well, we know exactly what he was going to do. But you could do that when you get home. No matter what time it is. There's no reason to not do it. Except bad guy. So listen, a lot happened. I just wanted to point out that Dave looked like a miserable wretch.
Peter Rosenberg
Hopefully he bothered me.
Don Hahn
Hopefully he's better when we get to the watch along in November and I expect more from him. And then. Yeah, and then the last note is, Rick's arms are freakish. And like, honestly, like, how does he even do it? Like, is he just going to keel over one day?
Peter Rosenberg
I don't know how he puts his arms through, like a polo shirt.
Don Hahn
Yeah, I don't know.
Andy Pusick
I believe Cassie helps him.
Don Hahn
She has to. You would need multiple people to like pull the shirt apart to fit your arms through. Now listen, I don't know why he refuses to tan that part of his arms. If you're going to have big, beautiful arms, Don, you might as well take your shirt off every once in a while, sit by your million dollar pool and get a little full tan. You know what I mean? Yeah, but good lord, I mean, he looks like. He looks like Mr. T. If you haven't seen the photos, go back and look. It's on our Instagram and Twitter page from around the Beach Bash. Rick is a freak, an absolute gorilla. It's insane. That's the only thing I can. I mean, it's like that movie Rampage, the poster, it's nuts.
Podcast Announcer
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
Don Hahn
I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man.
Podcast Announcer
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.
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Date: July 10, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Key Guests: Andy Pusick, listeners/callers
This hour of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg dives deep into the concerning outlook for Yankees star Aaron Judge’s future, focusing on injury updates, age, and Yankees' hopes for a championship with Judge as the centerpiece. The hosts discuss similar cases from sports history, compare championship windows across eras, field passionate listener calls, and mix in their trademark banter and humor around all things New York sports.
(Primary segment: [03:58]–[13:42])
Judge's Injury Update & Age Concerns ([05:45])
“He should be asymptomatic before we turn him loose... We don’t want to... put him in jeopardy, where somehow it gets worse.”
— Brian Cashman [05:45]
“How scary is it if you’re a Yankee fan that, like, the window is closing... Is he going to be the same when he comes back?... Can we expect Aaron Judge to be competing for an MVP deep into his 30s?” — Peter Rosenberg [04:00]
“Realistically, how many more Aaron Judge seasons do you think we got with him?” — Don Hahn [05:07]
The Aging Superstar Problem
Is This the Start of the Decline?
“We grew up with guys playing like Barry Bonds playing deep into his 30s. There’s compromise there because of the PEDs; but clean players after 35, they go on their decline.” — Peter Rosenberg [09:17]
“If this guy plays at the level that he played, Waltz is into the Hall of Fame, and all he’ll be known for is the great Yankee that didn’t win—that would be a crime.” — Peter Rosenberg [10:07]
(Segments: [13:03]–[16:43])
Comparing Legends: Mattingly vs. Judge
“He either goes from sitting with Mantle and Yogi and Maris to moving over to the other table and sitting with Mattingly. That’s how big the gap is, I think, in terms of a couple of championships.” — Don Hahn [13:03]
Championship Expectations, Then vs. Now
(Notable listeners: [17:18], [29:11], [35:31])
Yankee Construction and Role Players
“There are so many players that just... are not playing to any level we’re used to seeing them, and that’s got to be costing them.” — Peter Rosenberg [31:10]
Midseason Slump: Should Fans Panic?
“If you can’t really worry right now or be, like, freaking out, then why are we even watching?” — Don Hahn [32:04]
“If all you’re going to tell me is... it’s early... then I should be able to react to things in real time.” [32:14]
Listener Pushback on Judge’s Status
(Segments: [15:32]–[16:43], revisited at [27:13])
(Brief segments during/dropping listener calls)
This episode tackles the real-time anxiety swirling around the Yankees’ future with Aaron Judge, raising questions about superstardom, timing, and the pressures of New York sports expectations. Blending detailed sports analysis, thoughtful historical context, and sharp-witted banter, Don, Hahn & Rosenberg provide a show that’s as rich in laughs and local flavor as it is in sports insight.
Recommended for: Yankee fans coping with the uncertainty of Judge’s health, anyone interested in the pressures of New York’s sports legacy, or listeners who enjoy the honest, irreverent camaraderie that defines Don, Hahn & Rosenberg.