Don, Hahn & Rosenberg: Hour 3 – Tong's Debut & Alan's Belief (August 29, 2025)

Episode Overview

Hour 3 of the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg podcast digs deep into the current state of New York baseball as the Mets and Yankees embark on the last 28 games of their seasons. Alan Hahn and Don La Greca react to the Mets' untimely loss, explore the excitement and pressure around Jonah Tong’s MLB debut, and dissect what it means to be a “real fan” versus being a professional broadcaster. Key talking points also include Yankees' crucial upcoming stretch, the Red Sox’s surprising performance, and a “misery index” for New York sports franchises.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mets’ Frustrating Loss & The Jonah Tong Debut

• Game Recap and Disappointment

  • The Mets' loss is dissected in detail: bullpen woes, defensive miscues, and missed scoring opportunities dominate the conversation.
    • Don: "It wasn't so much Soto giving it up in the seventh... Alonzo couldn't field it and they end up giving memo bobbled one that allowed the go ahead run the score." [01:00]
    • Alan: "They didn't look sharp, you know, even early in the game, they were kicking the ball around." [03:14]
  • Both agree the defeat feels like a “Phillies sweep hangover,” wasting the momentum built over the last series.
  • Don warns there’s “no margin for error” given the division race and references the history of Mets-Marlins heartbreak.

• Jonah Tong: The Next Phenom or New Pressure Point?

  • Excitement and expectation swirl around the Mets’ call-up of pitching prospect Jonah Tong.
    • Alan: "There was some video of him...walking barefoot Don in the outfield grass, just like kind of walking around the field, looking around, looking up in wonder. And that's kind of cool, right?" [03:34]
    • Don: "When they call a pitcher up, a highly touted pitcher, you pay attention...history tells you it's worth paying attention to." [12:51]
  • Both stress the pressure that now falls on Tong, especially after the previous night’s loss: "If he ends up struggling and they lose the game now it's two in a row. And if Philadelphia takes care of business now, the division's probably over." [05:52]

• Mets Pitching Woes: Tipping Pitches & Fixable Flaws

  • Alan brings up closer Helsley potentially tipping pitches, suggesting a fixable problem could turn around the bullpen’s fortunes:
    • Alan: "Could it be that simple where he just...doesn't realize that he was tipping. Teams were like, knew what he was going to throw." [04:24]
    • Don: "Well, of course, because it's fixable...if it's just as simple as correcting that mistake..., then he can be what he was in St. Louis." [05:27]

2. The Yankees’ Upcoming Defining Stretch

• What Do the Yankees Need to Prove Now?

  • Alan frames the next 12 games (starting Tuesday) as the TRUE measuring stick for the Yankees, calling out the importance of upcoming matchups with contenders.
    • Alan: "The next two weeks of baseball for the Yankees is the most important and compelling baseball they're going to play to date." [23:36]
    • Alan: "[This] will let us know what you are...because you can tell me all you want...our best baseball is in front of us. This is a great team. We want to win a World Series. All those things. That all sounds nice. But starting Tuesday..." [18:22]
  • A critical Jazz Chisholm quote is read:
    • "We want to win the division. That’s our plan…we’re going to win the World Series." [15:43]
    • Don and Alan debate if star power alone is enough: "The one thing about baseball...it's got to come together, right? The Yankees have always had stars." [16:07]

• Red Sox Surprise & Team Expectations

  • Don notes different fan attitudes: Red Sox are exceeding expectations; Yankees fans, in nearly the same standings position, are frustrated.
    • Don: "He was just glowing about the Red Sox and how much fun, fun they are to watch...It just shows you the expectation..." [08:52]
  • Red Sox and Mets both calling up top pitching prospects fuels a parallel storyline.

3. Fan Identity: "Real Fan" vs. Professional Broadcaster

• Listener Call-In: The Alan Hahn “True Fan” Test

  • “Neil from Tenafly” accuses Alan of not being a “real Yankees fan” because he prioritizes compelling matchups over always watching the Yankees.
    • Neil: "He’s waiting for them to win. He’s not a real fan. He puts the Mets on...on the big screen. Puts the Yankees on the small screen..." [25:10]
  • Alan’s defense is equal parts passionate and reasoned:
    • "So, Don, you’re the purveyor of fraud and not fraud. Am I showing fraud behavior that I am...watching them, as I do every season, closely..." [26:11]
    • He explains his history as a lifelong Yankees fan, and insists that being a broadcaster means prioritizing what’s story worthy, which sometimes means putting the Mets front and center, especially during moments like a Phillies rivalry.

• Balancing Audience, Family, & Fandom

  • Don supports Alan’s stance:
    • "There are a lot of really good people that I know that have made a living out of being a fan first and a talk show host second. That’s the decision that they made. That’s fine...[but] we get on the air, it's this, what is the story?" [29:04]
    • "If you didn't do this for a living...how would you have consumed those two games in your house?" [28:11]
  • Both stress the reality of life getting in the way of obsessive fandom once you have a family and a professional commitment.

• Iconic Quotes on Fanhood

  • Alan: "I can’t tell you that because I don’t climb the walls anymore and scream like a lunatic...I’ve gone after Cashman. I don’t like the things that they do. I don’t like the style they play..." [32:31]
  • Don: "It's really hard to be a real fan and to then do a good talk show." [37:16]
  • Alan: "You're a better fan because you ignore your family and sit in your, in your bark lounger and watch every minute of every game?" [37:38]

4. The Misery Index: Where Do the Rangers Stand?

• Listener Kevin raises a new topic – the "misery index" for NY sports teams.
  • Kevin: "The Rangers should be pretty high on the misery index. If you look at it, they have 94 and then really nothing else since 1940." [41:12]
  • Alan points out their recent conference finals and cup appearance, ranking the Rangers sixth behind the Jets, Nets, Islanders, Knicks, and Mets [41:33].
  • Don acknowledges the Rangers’ loyal fanbase, long championship drought, and adds context about playoff structure and franchise history [42:22].
  • Discussion moves to whether the Mets or Rangers belong higher, comparing playoff appearances and championships across both [44:10].
  • Alan wraps up noting even as a Yankees fan with modern “malaise,” you can’t call it true “misery” compared to some others [46:20].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tong’s Debut:

  • Don: "It just always becomes a bigger deal. And now the tone was set with McLean. So, yeah, you're going to definitely pay attention." [12:50]

• On Player Pressure & Playoff Races:

  • Don: "If Philadelphia takes care of business now, the division’s probably over." [05:52]

• On Fan Expectations:

  • Don: “It just shows you the expectation and, and all that, right. Is that the Yankees came off going to the World Series and they seem to take a step back. Red Sox are surprising people.” [08:52]

• On Fandom as a Broadcaster:

  • Alan: "Look, I could have gone after Neil. I didn’t want to be bothered because he sounded like a nice enough guy who just got emotional. And it’s not worth my time." [32:22]
  • Don: "It's really hard to be a real fan and to then do a good talk show..." [37:16]
  • Alan: "You're a better fan because you ignore your family and sit in your, in your bark lounger and watch every minute of every game, like, how does that...you're better than me because of that?" [37:38]
  • Don: "If you ask me, Don, what's the score of the Met game? And I don't tell you, I'll give you a dollar because I'm a knowing. But I'm not going to sit there and watch every single pitch because life gets in the way." [36:10]

Important Timestamps

• [01:00] Mets game breakdown & defensive miscues
• [03:14] “Phillies hangover” and transition to focus on Jonah Tong
• [04:24] Mets bullpen issues, pitch tipping
• [12:51] Why Mets pitching call-ups capture fan and media attention
• [15:21] Jazz Chisholm’s “We’re going to win the World Series” quote
• [18:22] Alan sets up Yankees’ crucial 12-game stretch
• [23:36] Yankees’ schedule breakdown: “Don, I asked you about McLean...is tonight one of those...I'm locked in for you because it's Jonah Tong”
• [25:10] Listener call-in: “Alan Hahn is not a real Yankee fan”
• [29:04] On balancing talk show host and fan identity
• [32:31] Alan on why he’s lost passion watching Yankees vs bad teams
• [37:16] Don: on the challenge of combining real fandom with good broadcasting
• [41:12] Kevin from CT: The “Rangers misery index” debate
• [44:10] Mets vs. Rangers: Which franchise has the longer-suffering fanbase?

Tone & Takeaways

This episode, even with Peter Rosenberg absent, is quintessential New York sports radio: honest, passionate, and occasionally combative. Alan and Don blend statistical debate with personal reflection on what it means to care about a team, especially when you cover them for a living. Listeners are given a crash course in both baseball anxiety and sports talk candor. Whether you’re a die-hard or a detached observer, this hour offers both insight and a reality check on what New York sports do to their followers.

If you missed the episode, expect hard truths, some relatable frustration, and more than a few laughs—a perfect microcosm of the New York sports landscape.