Don, Hahn & Rosenberg: Hour 3 – Mets Pitching (August 25, 2025)

Podcast: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg (absent this hour)
Theme: A deep dive into the Mets’ pitching woes, rotation management, organizational philosophy, and how it all fits into Mets and league-wide baseball trends.

Overview

This hour centers on the New York Mets’ current pitching situation, including roster management, the decision to use top prospects in the bullpen, the front office’s strategic philosophy, and broader MLB pitching trends. Don and Alan bring sharp, candid opinions, field calls from passionate fans, and debate whether the Mets’ longstanding pitching-first identity is still viable—or even being honored by leadership.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brandon Sproat: Starter or Reliever?

(00:44 – 11:12)

• Major topic is the Mets’ decision to move top prospect Brandon Sproat from the starting rotation to the bullpen in AAA, seemingly in preparation for a September call-up.
• Don questions the logic:
  • “He got shelled in his first outing coming out of the bullpen... Aren’t you kind of curious to see how this kid starts?” (01:41)
  • Compares Sproat to McClain, who’s thrived as a starter after call-up.
• Alan: “The thinking of moving into the bullpen... does that suggest that they don’t see him long-term as a starter?” (04:25)
• Carlos Mendoza’s explanation (paraphrased from press conference):
  • “It’s just part of the development... We’ve done it with all of our starters pretty much... in case there’s a need here.” (04:45 – 05:13)
• Don’s skepticism:
  • “If he’s been this good and he is a starting pitcher, I don’t want his debut in the major leagues to be coming out of the bullpen, especially when you see the outing that he had coming out of the bullpen. There’s an adjustment there.” (06:07)

Notable Quote

“If you’re ready, you’re ready. You’re not, you’re not. But if you’re a starting pitcher... I would like this kid to come up here and make some starts.” – Don La Greca (06:22)

2. The Mets’ Rotation Woes & Playoff Strategy

(11:12 – 20:34)

• Evaluating the rest of the rotation: Senga, Peterson, McClain, Mania, Holmes, Montas (injured).
• Mets are still in the playoff hunt; division could be in play.
• Alan outlines the post-season implications:
  • “When you look at the standings... once you get to the playoffs... you’ve already got your three pitchers, right? You figure Senga is going to pitch... Peterson... and then maybe McClain gets a start. Mania.” (07:17)
• Don advocates for using this time to “audition arms” given the lack of rotation reliability.
• Both agree: the bullpen has been inconsistent and unreliable, exacerbating rotation struggles.

Notable Quote

“I want to audition arms here, man, because... you got a kid in McClain who’s been good. Peterson bounced back... but for the most part... this year he’s been your horse.” – Don La Greca (08:27–08:40)

3. David Stearns’ Pitching Philosophy

(11:12 – 23:21)

• The hosts explore whether Stearns’ lack of investment in big-ticket starting pitchers is wise or shortsighted,
• Alan frames the historic Mets identity:
  • “If there’s one thing identity-wise in Mets history, especially in their best years, what would be that identity?”
  • Don: “Pitching. Starting pitching.” (11:50–11:53)
• Question: Is Stearns’ “piecing-it-together” approach temporary, or his blueprint?
• Referenced contracts (e.g., Max Fried) as cautionary tales; the risk of long, expensive pitcher commitments.
• Don defends the philosophy:
  • “He doesn’t want to pay big money to a pitcher... Because what is it, a $218 million contract. Right. For over eight years... Am I going to sign a 31 year old pitcher to an 8-year contract?” (15:07 – 17:50)

Notable Quotes

“You can make the case [Stearns’ pitching strategy] hasn’t worked [this year]. Last year it did. But I understand where he’s coming from... You have to overpay for pitchers. And why do it if you don’t necessarily have to?” – Don La Greca (16:59)

“It does [sound excessive], yes. But it doesn’t if you have a ring or... if you get that champion, especially for the Mets because it’s been so long.” – Alan Hahn (17:50)

4. The Reality of Modern Pitching—Across MLB

(36:13 – 52:18)

• Comparison of Mets to other teams: nobody gets length from starters, few true aces are available, injury rates are high league-wide.
• Callers and hosts agree: pitching instability isn’t just a Mets problem; looking at teams like the Brewers and Padres, even the best staffs lean heavily on the bullpen and have limited innings from starters.
• JT (caller) adds:
  • “Who even does have a staff that strikes any sort of fear in any lineup?” (49:22)

Notable Quote

“The problems the Mets and the Yankees have are problems that exist in Major League Baseball all over.” – Don La Greca (52:05)

5. Callers Debate the Mets' Decisions

(30:26 – 36:13)

• Stamatis (caller):
  • Challenges the negativity around Stearns’ signings:
  • “I kind of got a little bit of a rebuttal here... I think you look at the Canning signing... you look at Clean Holmes... he was 11 and 6, with 3.6 ERA...” (30:30 – 32:10)
  • Don agrees, saying, “This would—the Clay Holmes was not made for 2025. It was made for the long haul.”
• Danny (caller):
  • Offers playoff bullpen management advice and a soft challenge to the Mets pitching “legacy.”
  • “I want to talk about the Mets pitching presently, but... have the Mets really been known for their starting pitching since Richard Nixon was president?” (36:57)
  • Alan counters, “You just gave me the eras where the Mets were good. Give me the good Met era where you couldn’t name the starting pitchers.” (37:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Sproat Bullpen Plan:

  “I don’t want his debut in the major leagues to be coming out of the bullpen, especially when you see the outing that he had coming out of the bullpen. There’s an adjustment there.” – Don La Greca (06:07)

• On paying for aces:

  “Does it make sense in a sport where a guy will maybe make 30 to 32 starts out of 162 games... and pay him more than a guy that’s going to play every day?” – Don La Greca (19:01)

• On Stearns' frugality:

  “Should the Mets be so frugal when they’ve got an owner sitting on $16 billion... I do think Stearns was hired by Cohen to keep him in check.” – Don La Greca (35:10)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:44 – Start of Mets pitching discussion, Sproat’s move to bullpen
• 02:36 – Discussion about potential spots in the rotation (“Who’s he going to start for?”)
• 04:45 – Carlos Mendoza’s explanation of the bullpen plan
• 07:07 – Playoff pitching strategy/rotation
• 11:12 – Alan’s pointed question about the Mets’ pitching identity
• 13:55 – Big-money pitcher contracts: pros & cons
• 19:47 – The Mets’ homegrown pitching legacy
• 30:26 – Callers (Stamatis, then Danny) question and defend the front office’s moves
• 36:40 – Danny’s creative playoff bullpen plan
• 49:22 – JT’s call: “Who even has a dominant staff in MLB now?”
• 52:18 – Hosts conclude that pitching challenges are league-wide

Tone and Language

True to the show’s brand, Don and Alan blend sharp analysis, Mets fandom, and frank back-and-forth:

• Don is brash, passionate, occasionally exasperated with management, and eager to test “the process.”
• Alan probes deeper, pressing for strategic reasoning, historical parallels, and big-picture implications.
• Callers are knowledgeable, sometimes combative, always invested in the Mets’ fate.

Final Thoughts

• The hour closes with agreement that Stearns' philosophical refusal to overpay for starting pitching is defensible, even visionary, but carries significant year-to-year risk—especially with injuries and unproven prospects.
• The rotation issues are a microcosm of a broader MLB trend toward less reliance on starter innings and more advancement for homegrown arms.
• Ultimately, both hosts express hope (and some impatience) that the next Mets championship-caliber rotation can be cultivated, not purchased outright—but admit results are pending.