← Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
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- [00:00]
A
This isn't just another ESPN fantasy football season. It's your shot at greatness. With a refreshed design, the ESPN Fantasy app is sharper than ever. So you can draft like a pro and dominate your league. And introducing Gridiron Gauntlet, a new game mode where the best compete to be crowned the number one fantasy football player of 2025. One app, one shot, one champion. Download the ESPN fantasy app and sign up to play ESPN fantasy football today.
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B
This is the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.
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C
That sounds like heaven to me.
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B
Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.
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C
Game time is brought to you by Tellamore. Do Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, guys, yeah, it's Tully time. It's Tully time. There is nada going on locally. Mets and Yankees are off. We've got no exhibition, nothing. But we do have a big game. Lions and the Ravens is not bad.
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D
That's a good game.
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C
And that's on Monday night football at 815. Tell them or do the original triple to still triple blended and triple cast mature at Iris Whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemore do or try the new Tullamore do. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore do responsibly. You know, we'll get back to the football calls, man. But what's happening with the Mets here is beyond disturbing. Beyond disturbing. And I, and I told you a week ago, and unfortunately it was misunderstood with the headline, I'm watching every Met game, but this team's not winning a championship. Stop with the runs. Oh, you just got to get stopped. They just lost two out of three of the nationals. Right now, if the season ended today, they're out of the playoffs. A team that had a five and a half game lead in the division, a team that was 21 games above.500.
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D
Best record in the sport, best record.
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C
In baseball is now four games above.500. And technically, out of the playoffs, they no longer control their own destiny. Technically, they can win out. And if the Reds win out, they're in. Oh, no, by the way, if the Reds were to stumble, which I'm sure they will, they've got three games coming up with the Pirates, and then they've got, I believe, go to Milwaukee.
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D
Yep.
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C
And Milwaukee's already gonna have the division clinched. We'll see if they're gonna what they want the one seed or whatever. And then the Mets have the Marlins. You know what happens with them. And they got the Cubs first is, it's unbelievable because now you got the Diamondbacks. They're only a game back, so maybe the Diamondbacks pick up the slack. Giants are only three back. If the Mets don't start winning, they're going to take on a Cub team at Wrigley over the next three that have lost four in a row. Now they're kind of locked in to being that first wild card. Technically they haven't clinched the first wild card yet, but they got a three game lead on San Diego. But you know what's going to happen. Guys, I don't know if you've been hearing about this. The weather apparently this week is not going to be good in Chicago. So get set for what we had last year on like on a Monday where the Mets are going to have to play a doubleheader in Chicago to get in.
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E
That was fun though.
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C
That was fun. But that's not what you want from look like you're going to win the division and maybe be, you know, the one seed in the National League to now barely holding on to the three seed. It's a mess. It's an absolute mess. And I'm not for scorched earth, but if this team misses the playoffs and it clearly is on the table, you cannot come back with the same team. Can't do it now. I don't know if that means firing Mendoza. You're going to have to make some big time changes. I'm sorry, you just can't. Because now you're going to be talking about a team that started out awful last year, then they got hot, rode the wave, continued it into the next season, but now this is kind of what they are. They're a good team, not a great team. And the only reason we're talking about the playoffs is because baseball now honors the average where you've got teams at.500 fighting for a playoff spot. And it's on the table. Obviously with six games left, if the Mets were to really bottom out here and finish under.500, they're only four over.
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E
You mean just do what they're doing? Keep doing it.
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C
Just keep doing what they're doing. And they were to finish under.500, they'd be the first team since 1905 to be as many as 21 games above.500 and finish the year under.500. And even if they don't do that, the fact that we were talking about the best team in baseball and being where they are right now. So stop the fallacy of it's in there and it's going to come out. Even if it does and they happen to win around this team's not winning a championship. You can't, you, you don't have any pitching and even, just even your kids, there's going to be a limit, man. You start to see now there's a book on these kids and I think they're going to be wonderful. Don't get me wrong. But this is why you don't rely on kids to bail out your season. Because now they're going to work on them. And you saw that they're starting to hit McLean. We already saw it with Tong. These guys are going to start to show some warts because that's part of growing up in baseball. Baseball is not that easy. You don't go out there and win every game you have. So somebody's going to have to step up. So they tried the combination again of Mania and Holmes. They reversed it and it kind of worked yesterday only allowed three runs. But now the bats have gone cold. And over the last month, guys, they've lost four out of six to the Nationals. The Nationals are 30 games under.500. What are we doing? So I don't know. We'll find out what happens this week and maybe there is some sort of a Fluky run in them. It's not going to be a run to a championship. Not what we thought it was going to be. So how do you run this back? You can't. So I don't know if it means Mendoza's gone. I don't know if it means that you're going to have to seriously consider the structure of this team. I mean, Lindor is not going anywhere. But do you say, hey, oh, listen, if we can't make it work with Pete, maybe we'll let him go. You know, maybe we need another catcher. Maybe Alvarez isn't going to work out here. You know, maybe will somebody take Nimmo's contract? You're going to have to make those types of difficult decisions. If they utterly collapse like this. You can make the case. This would be worse than 07 when they blew a seven game lead with 17 left to play.
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D
You could make the case, Don.
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E
Think about what a far cry that is though to go from the kind of season they were having and we all went, wow, well, Pete, we know what's going to happen with Pete now because look what's happened with this team. He's obviously going to be here. Everything is now called into question.
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D
Here's where. Now the money that your owner has can save you this is the only way to do that, kind of a high level rebuild without, you know, you're not gutting the franchise and starting over, you are resetting, is to have to go out and spend. What's it going to take to get Bellinger right? Like, what's it going to like. Like, you look at, you know, the catching situation, there's. There's several names that are going to be available. Some of them might be hard to get unless you just write a check that they can't, they can't refuse. But that, that's the only way you do it, is if you identify the areas of weakness and decide because you're right. Lindor, you can't move him. Soto obviously not going anywhere. Is there anybody else after that that you're saying is, you know, untouchable?
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C
No.
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D
That you're like, oh, can't. Can't move on without him.
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C
Now it is, it is a business coming off the highest attendance they've ever had at Citi Field because there was.
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D
An anticipation for this season.
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C
Exactly. But you also have to give something back to the fans. And if the fans want Pete back and you think, you know, you want to bring him back just to be able to keep the fans happy, after all, it is a business.
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D
You did that once, you did that last year, but you don't do it again.
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C
But I could also see a world where I don't know how you get better without Pete, you know, so that's.
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D
Going to be a better choice.
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C
I don't listen what I would say if I were Cohen, I would, I would let my. I let Stern say, if you think he is, then go do it. You know, make this team better. And the other thing that maybe has to be evaluated, even though I fundamentally understand where he's coming from with the way he's handled not spending big money on pitchers. Does he have to make an exception? If somebody shakes loose someplace, say, I need to bring a stud in here. I can't start a season where we're supposed to go for a championship and have three, in effect, rookies in my rotation and have Sanga, who's going to be coming off maybe not even being on a postseason roster, if they even make the postseason. Having a mania who completely wet the bed down the stretch of the season and a Clay Holmes. That's a project. Maybe I got to bring in somebody, you know, to make that one exception. Like, don't they all make the one exception? Right. The great organizations always make that one exception where they're like, it's not how I do things, but this is a special case. And I remember, like, with Lou lamarillo ran the Devils, he's like, I don't want to bring it. Nobody's more important than the crest on the front. But then when he sensed it, he went out and got Doug Gilmore, went out and got Dave Vanderchuck, went out and got Alexander McGilney. Right. Sometimes you do it when you feel like you need to. And I understand his philosophy about pitching, but if he had to do it all over again, right, knowing that this would happen, would he have spent the money on Max Freed? But he said, listen, this is against every fiber of my being, but, boy, I think they're in a better position if Max Freed's making a start every five days. Right. So does he have to maybe bend a little when you see that something needs to happen?
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D
You heard him admit that a couple of weeks ago about trade deadline and decisions that were made, and at least.
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C
There wasn't any needle movers like, well, Alcantara solved their problem.
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D
Well, you don't know. You don't know. You know, but you thought at the time when they did the bullpen thing that they did, you were like, you know what? They did a pretty good job because you looked at names. But what you didn't get is the result. And that's, of course, you don't. You can't grade trade deadlines until at least a month later. Right. And now you can, and you're looking at it, saying to yourself, they didn't do a good job at all. And now you got to go into an off season where there has to be heightened urgency. Bless you. There has to be a change in direction. If you feel like the lineup we have has issues that we didn't foresee or maybe that we've now seen for two years. And for half a year it's bad, and half a year it's good. Last year it was the right half. This year is the wrong half. The start of the season. But I'm wondering, Don, all things considered, don't you think this would be worse than.07.
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C
Seven games with seven left to play? 17 left to play. That was bad. That was really bad.
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D
Yeah, I know. But this is $350 million. This is when out and took. Look, went out and got the Yankee star and took him to your place. Like, think about it. Coming off of an nlcs, a run, a ride, all the things that you package into the story of this year feels a little more devastating. An owner is no Longer an albatross is no longer an issue.
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C
And then you've got the Yankees, who, let's spin the positive, could turn around and still find a way to win this division.
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D
They have the second most wins in the American League. When did that happen?
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E
Yeah. Well, slowly but surely, here we are again.
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C
They got through the gauntlet, seven and five, which is, okay, not great, but still, now they're taking advantage of the schedule. White Sox coming up close, out with the Orioles. And now you got the Blue Jays taking on the Red Sox. So as much as it's these next.
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D
Three, right, you would say the division's two, but it's three really tiebreakers. So if anything's going to happen, these next three games will give you the opportunity to win the division.
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C
Right? Because you're not losing to the White Sox if you've got any better not hope of winning. This debate.
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D
As a Yankees fan, are you actually like, keeping scoreboard watch and saying to yourself, I want the Red Sox to win.
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C
Of course you will. You'd be a moron. But it's a weird win the division.
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D
But it isn't a weird place to be. Like, to be like, almost rooting for the Red Sox right now. But it's, it's to benefit you. So you're doing it.
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C
But it is, to think of it this way, you hate the Red Sox, right? Of course you're rooting for them, but you're kind of sticking it to them at the same time. Like, we don't mind you. Yeah, you had your chance and we took, you know, we beat you at Fenway park, took two out of three. So you had your chance, you didn't take advantage of it. And now we're going to use you to benefit us. Like, it really, you can look at it that way if you wanted to.
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D
Yeah, I love it. The MVP case for judge continues to build. Again, this is. He's at 49 home runs. If he. You got to feel like he's going to get 50. There's still enough.
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C
I know.
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D
Like, so if he gets to 50, that's fourth 50 home run season. This is the list. Babe, Ruth, Sosa, McGuire. That's it. 450 home. Like, think about what he's accomplished now. I know that's. That's a career. That's not like, it doesn't come into case for mvp. But it's what he's, what he's doing this season now, what Seattle just did to Houston and what Kyle Riley did in that series, you know, he makes that case. But this might be one of the hardest MVPs to decide in a long time.
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C
Listen, Yankee fans are going to jump me. I think Judge is the mvp. But you can't get mad if Raleigh gets it.
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D
Of course you can.
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C
You can't. You will. But. But I can't. He's got 58 home runs and as Alan just said, they just swept the Houston. So now it's not Houston. Oh, this is a little engine that found its way into the playoffs. They're going to win this division and they might win the division going away.
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D
Yep.
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C
And he might hit 60. He's got 58 home runs. If he hit 60 home runs as.
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D
A catch, that's significant.
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C
I don't think he'll break or tie Judge with 62.
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D
Right.
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C
Because. Because it's four home runs and 63. I need 63.
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E
Right.
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C
63 to break. You don't think he'll tie? Okay, I was saying. But if he. Peter, if he tied it. Listen, how do you not give the MVP to a catcher that tied the American League home?
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D
My point isn't the Judge should win it. My point is the boy is Judge keeping the heat on because of everything that he's done. He hasn't gone through a lull. Now, another number. I saw that again, all because it's part of conversation. So you really can make a case. There could be 550 home run hitters this season. There could be five guys. We've had four. Twice the years that we've had four is 98 and 2001.
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C
I wonder why.
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D
What era is that? The steroids right now. So I named BABE Ruth, Sosa, McGuire, as the four, you know, the three guys, other guys that have done four, 50 home run seasons. Sosa, McGuire. We've now kind of give them a side eye. Right?
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C
Yeah.
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D
Ruth, different era, different everything. Like Judge might be the greatest clean hitter in the history of the sport. Right?
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C
Yes. I mean, yeah, for sure. Babe was fueled on hot dogs and women.
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D
It's not wrong.
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C
There is no accusations around him whatsoever. Him and Ken Griffey Jr. Are looked upon as the two clean home run hitters. And Judge is doing something special. Remember, MVP to me is not a conversation about who's better. Judge is a better player than Cal Raleigh. But in this year, considering that Seattle is going to win the American League west, that he might hit 60 home runs. He's already. It's the most home runs the catcher's ever hit. It's the most home runs a switch hitter ever hit. More Than Mickey Mantle.
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D
Yeah.
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C
And I don't think people realize, even though he's played more games than Judge, because Judge got hurt, what being a catcher does to the bike. It's so hard. That's why I don't care. Nobody cares about batting average anymore anyway. But the fact he's able to do as a catcher. Think of all the great catchers in the history of this sport never did this. All the switch hitters in the history of this sport have never done this. That's why you keep. Peter, listen. They'll get mad, but can you really get mad?
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D
No.
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E
That's what I'm saying. You could be disappointed, but with that level of historic, you have to understand there's a chance it's happening.
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C
You gotta almost acknowledge it in some way. Judge is being judged. No, this is a compliment to Judge. This is a Judge season.
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D
Yeah, right.
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C
So.
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E
But he shouldn't be punished for that either.
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C
No, he shouldn't be punished, but you also don't. So let's just give Judges until further notice. Judge is always going to be the best player in the American League LeBron James for the next few years. So give him the mvp. Unless he gets hurt or something, just give him the mvp. But the MVP to me, is valuable. And when you look at a Seattle team that nobody really considered a threat to win a division, we were having this conversation, we thought they were going to be the wild card, win the division, do something a catcher's never done before. It's almost just honoring. Like, listen, we know you're not as good as Judge, but we got to acknowledge this season. How is this season going to look? And people are going to. He didn't win the mvp. You know, it's crazy. But again, I don't think he should get mad. Yankee fans will. But this isn't Altuve stealing it from Judge. No, even. Never mind the cheating. Altuve was not Judge. Judge should have won that MVP in 2017. This one. I don't think you should get mad if it had. You can't just. You could throw the war. This is always. He's. He's leading in most statistical categories. He's hitting what, 50, 60 points higher than him.
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D
He's going to win the batting title.
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C
But.
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D
But like, think about but. But all that really matters now if you're Judge, like, I understand Yankees fans, because that's your guy and you want always. My guy's the best in the sport. He should get mvp. So that's fine. But in reality, the only thing left for Judge is not another mvp. This is his standard. Like you said for the. This is his Standard. Getting the 50 home runs. This is a standard. What you want is October.
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C
That's all there really is.
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D
Anyway, it's like, obviously every Yankee fan would. I'm not telling you how the team's going to do, but if I told you Judge had a great October regardless of the team's success, wouldn't that matter more?
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C
Mm, of course it would.
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D
Because he's got to get over that. He's. Again, I don't care that it like whatever the team success is, he can't control all of that because you can't control relief pitching, whatever it else that goes on. But if he has a solid October and I'm. It's got to be two rounds. Obviously it's got a. If it's wild card, division, round, whatever it is, it can't just be like three games. If he has a solid October, that has way more value than a third mvp. Way more value.
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C
But, you know, and every fan would agree with that. The same ones that were complaining.
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D
I mean, he's in the hall of Fame. Like, he's already done.
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C
No, I. Yeah, right.
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D
He's in the hall of Fame.
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C
No, it is. It's pretty incredible.
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D
Yeah.
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B
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [18:14]
E
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [18:16]
B
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
- [18:24]
C
Get ready for the new football experience on Monday night with the ESPN New York Couchcast, when the jets take on the Dolphins for their Week 4 divisional matchup. Settle in on the couch and join the old cast with all of your favorite ESPN New York personalities for instant reactions, unfiltered commentary, and behind the mic banter. Stream live on our YouTube page from kickoff to the final whistle. Grab your snacks and watch the game with the Pro Rose. It's the ESPN New York Couchcast, presented by Calandra's Bakery, Jacobs Pickles, and driven by the All American Ford Auto Group, the number one Ford Auto Group with huge locations throughout New Jersey. That's coming up Monday, September 29th. So a week from today, starting at 7pm on ESPN New York's YouTube channel that you've already subscribed to. And if you haven't, smash it.
- [19:11]
D
Smash it dead. Smash it.
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C
Poke a hole in the screen.
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D
Are you like, that's a long night for us. Seven o', clock, right? Kickoff. Because that's a double header.
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C
Is that true?
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D
I think you're right. Am I right? It's a 7 o' clock something. Yeah, 77 kickoff.
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C
Oh, that's good news that. I thought it was gonna be right.
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D
The minute we get off the air, boom, bang. Like we're going right out to the couch. And I'm just like. So we're obligated to stay till zero's on the clock fourth quarter, right?
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C
That's right.
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D
When the heartbreak. When the heartbreak happens. As we know as a Jets fan.
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E
Obligated to stay till zeros is a. Is a.
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C
That's a big couch to couch.
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D
What people on YouTube like, oh, one by one they're all leaving. Like, all I'll be left is me, Ty Butler and D. Pietro.
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E
By the way, you just said sounds. That sounds good.
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D
This actually sounds good to me too. So enjoy yourself throwing it out there.
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C
Let's talk.
- [20:07]
E
Let's see how the game goes.
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D
That's a long. It's a long night. Like, like you. You drive, right?
- [20:12]
C
Yes, I do.
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D
There's no way I'm. I'm not going to do the train thing that day. But I don't want to drive. I might to work out some like kind of car deal here.
- [20:19]
C
Oh, sure.
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E
Oh, good luck with all that.
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C
Don't you think if you, if you have the $875 to do it, they'll be glad to get you? They'll make the call.
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D
How bad is an Uber, you think? From here to Long Island.
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C
So where you are?
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D
Yeah.
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C
What do you think, Peter? Like buck 75? Yeah.
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E
Depending on time and traffic. Somewhere between what now? Some. Honestly, somewhere between 175 and 250.
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D
Well, I can't check now because at 5:30 in New York City, it's gonna be three times the price.
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C
But we got to be there till the end because they expect it.
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D
Yeah. And that's when the harping always happens.
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C
For Johnny Carson didn't go. Listen, we got Charo in the last segment, so I'm gonna duck out.
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D
You think Ed McMahon was like, I'm all set. You got this, right?
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C
Yeah.
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E
I'm going to go comparing the great Johnny Carson to a bunch of yo yos watching the worst team that's ever played football. Listen, two of the worst teams, I.
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C
Got to tell you. Yeah, it's bigger.
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E
It's bigger.
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C
I'm going to tell you why.
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E
Because you're lying.
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C
Well, because Johnny had had competition, right? ABC had Nightline, cbs. CBS is always taking the. On the late night stuff, right?
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D
Well, they did recently. Now they're taking another knee.
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E
They weren't now they are again.
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C
But before. Before, obviously before Letterman because Letterman started on NBC. Like what. What did CBS have during Carson? I don't know, whatever. But he had competition. I was just doing an all cast on YouTube. Nobody. What are the radio shows on the YouTube body now the Mannings will do it, I'm sure on espn. But that's their thing. But no, but that's not. We're doing. It's a radio show. All of us together. Imagine back in Johnny Carson's time, all of the talent on NBC decided to get together and watch a game. They'd be like, whoa, that's dead. That would be bigger. Everybody, all the talent. The only two that won't be here are Bart and Dan because they've got to do work. They've got their obligations because the jets are playing, right. Everybody's going to be here, man. You're going to turn on YouTube and you're going to see the whole kit and caboodle here. Carlin, Michael Kelly.
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E
And there's no band in cast next week, I'm told.
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D
KITT and the caboodle.
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C
You know, you got DPA trow in Rothenberg, by the way.
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D
That was a strategic. No Manning cast. You think Peyton looked and was like, no, can't do it.
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C
That's what I'm hearing. You have evidence that that's not the case? No, I'm saying. I'm saying they're like, listen, I don't want to go up against. I don't want to go up against ESPN New York's old cap.
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D
Who's to say we can't get Eli to come sit on the couch with us, hang out.
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E
I'll say it. He's not going to do it.
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C
Did you see last night where they.
- [22:51]
D
Could have let that one hang for a minute.
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C
Did you see last night, I guess during the half they had where you the football into and. And you got to try to beat Eli Manning and then he's. And the guy was struggling. So Eli was like throwing the ball into the. That other guys.
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D
Well, do you hear what Collinsworth said, how he described it? Yeah, I heard it.
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C
That's. I was trying to avoid doing the same thing.
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E
Yeah.
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C
Oh, that was.
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E
That was very.
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D
That should be our next Collinsworth drop.
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C
I don't know if anybody.
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E
Was it Collinsworth or Michaels.
- [23:18]
D
I thought it was Collinsworth.
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C
When.
- [23:20]
D
Who said. When he said that he. Eli is.
- [23:22]
E
Eli was throwing the ball into the other guy's hole.
- [23:24]
C
There it is.
- [23:25]
D
That's the one.
- [23:25]
C
Why would. Michaels wasn't on the broadcast. Oh, yeah. It's a great point.
- [23:29]
D
Oh, I. I moved.
- [23:30]
C
He was on Amazon, man. It was Amazon Prime.
- [23:33]
E
We need that drop. You're right.
- [23:34]
C
I. I told that anybody has made more of a turnaround in my life than Chris Collins were. I had no use for the guy. When he first started doing, I was not a fan. I thought he was corny. Here's a guy, you know, in the Olympics like him hanging out with the families and yeah, I was like, no, he's corny. He's really good. I've. I've completely did a 180 on amazing.
- [23:56]
D
With just studying and preparing.
- [23:57]
C
No, he was. I never criticized preparedness. I just thought he was corny.
- [24:01]
D
Well, no, but the.
- [24:02]
C
For some reason, I don't think he's corny. I think he's cool now.
- [24:04]
D
Okay.
- [24:05]
C
I don't know if that's on me or. Or did he.
- [24:07]
E
I don't know if I'd go as far as cool. I just think he's really good.
- [24:10]
D
You got older, but. Yeah, but he's. He's just dialed in and prepared like that. I think all that stuff matters when you're prepared, when you know it well, and then obviously can explain it simply, easily, quickly. I think all that stuff does make you. Just instantly makes you better.
- [24:24]
C
No, he's great.
- [24:25]
D
We've said Herb Street's great.
- [24:27]
C
No, he's good. He's a college guy, but football's football, right? And he does the work and he's really good.
- [24:34]
D
Did you catch McAfee doing the pencil dive?
- [24:39]
E
I can tell you right now, Don's good.
- [24:41]
D
You didn't see it.
- [24:42]
E
I can just tell you he's good.
- [24:43]
C
I have seen it.
- [24:44]
D
Like, he's just on the mic, scream. He gets the crowd going, which is so much fun. Climbs the ladder all the way, goes right out to the pool, the diving pools, right next to the set, all the way up the ladder to the top. Can barely keep his breath. I don't know how he did this. Strips down to a Speedo.
- [25:01]
E
Yeah.
- [25:01]
D
Straight pencil dive, straight in. First of all, took a lot of guts. Second of all, this party that's wondering, like, does he survive this? Like, it was really compelling.
- [25:11]
E
Don. Don, You've heard the description.
- [25:13]
C
Yes.
- [25:14]
E
Am I right in my assessment that you're good?
- [25:17]
C
Oh, yeah.
- [25:17]
D
Oh, come on. That actually was pretty.
- [25:19]
E
And by the way, I don't know why.
- [25:21]
C
Why?
- [25:22]
E
I don't know why you're saying such good things about it. The guy's got no use for you.
- [25:25]
D
Well, again, I'm not. This is not for anything for me.
- [25:28]
E
You're just doing the right thing.
- [25:29]
D
Yeah.
- [25:30]
E
Pointing out what's great.
- [25:30]
D
I made the mistake of giving him the all set when they asked me to come on.
- [25:34]
C
Yeah.
- [25:34]
D
Now I'm probably banished forever.
- [25:36]
E
You might be. My guess would be Ben.
- [25:38]
C
Well, I was the only one technically on the show because they played my rant. Yeah, I've been on the show.
- [25:43]
E
I've been a guest on the show.
- [25:44]
C
Oh, you have.
- [25:44]
D
Look at you.
- [25:45]
C
You know, I don't even know how you guessed why you lower yourself to be on this show.
- [25:49]
E
Be with you guys. Yeah, but I still know. I still know Don well enough to know that seeing Pat go down to his skivvies and dive, he's all set. I know it.
- [25:58]
C
Does that make me a bad guy? I mean, not at all.
- [26:01]
D
That was pretty.
- [26:01]
E
I'm re watching it right now because I missed it the day of.
- [26:03]
D
Oh, okay. Who's entertaining?
- [26:06]
E
I mean, the run over is very impressive and the climb up the ladder is impressive.
- [26:10]
D
Yes.
- [26:13]
C
Let's go and go some phone calls.
- [26:15]
D
Let's do it. All right.
- [26:17]
C
Kevin and Queen. Johnny, ESPN the archaic have. Hi, Kelp.
- [26:23]
D
Hello.
- [26:24]
F
Hey, what's up, guys? Sorry, I didn't hear that. Thanks for speaking the call.
- [26:27]
C
What do you got?
- [26:28]
F
Last. Last segment. You guys are the best, man. Listen, Don, last segment, right? You said you were hitting on really good points on. On the baseball, right? Wrong season. You can't win every game, right? Consistency, all this other stuff. Here's the issue with the Mets as a franchise. Not even this season. I mean, listen, I love Uncle Steve, I love everything he's done, but as a franchise, this team has never had consistency where it mattered the most. They. They've, like. I could count on one hand the amount of times they made the playoffs. Two years in a row, the Mets have never made the playoffs three years in a row. You got all these young guys. How are you going to develop them? Like, yes, you can have development mid season, but to me, like, you have to make the playoffs. You have to make the playoffs every year, man, to, like, have really true development. You know what I mean? Like, you don't have to win it every year, clearly. But as a Mets fan, I'm a Mets and a Jets fan.
- [27:21]
G
Like, it's the worst of the worst.
- [27:22]
D
God help me.
- [27:23]
F
I never expect my teams to make the.
- [27:24]
C
Yeah.
- [27:24]
F
And not expect the Mets. Never expect my teams to make the playoffs.
- [27:27]
C
Kevin, you're preaching to the choir, man, because you're sitting on the highest payroll in baseball. In a sport that's almost half the teams make it, right. Six of the 15 teams in the league make the playoffs. And only twice in the history of the organization did they go to the playoffs. Back to back years. And you got to go back to. What was it? 15, 16. And then when they did it in 99 and 2000. Right. So there's no consistency. And there's never been a more apt nickname than when the Mets are called Amazing because That's what it is. 69, they're a great team. They won 100 games. But of course it's the Miracle Mets in 73. It's. You gotta believe it's 1986. They were a dominant team, won 108 games. But look how they beat the Astros. Look how they beat the Red Sox. And then you followed up by not going to the playoffs again in 88 and then blowing it against the Dodgers and then completely shut down for how long before you go to the playoffs? It was again 99 to go to the playoffs and then 99 and 2000. But you know, miracle run to the World Series and then what? Nothing until oh, six. And that was shot down, blowing the seven game lead with 17 to play in 07. Yada, yada yada, over and over and over again.
- [28:41]
D
The 15 run, it, it's, you know, 15. That team felt like it had 15 and 16, Daniel Murphy, all that stuff.
- [28:47]
C
And then just. And then you're dead until you go to the playoffs in 22, when 101 games. And then what happens the next year? You miss the playoffs and then you go back to the playoffs again and you might blow another huge. It's, it's. Where is. Michael brought this up during the show. All right? And you can call him Yankee boy if you want, Peter.
- [29:03]
E
Yankee boy.
- [29:04]
C
But of all the teams in New York, as much as Yankee fans complain, they're the only ones to get it right. They're, they're, they are what they are every single year. They might not have won, you know, they might not have won since 2009, but every year they're in it. Every year, for the most part, they get to the playoffs, they're always above.500. Everybody else, Knicks are. Nick's got a flare going right now. Wasn't that long ago they were the worst team in basketball. Rangers, up and down, up and down, up and down. Giants and jets have stunk forever. Hockey teams, Devils, Islanders, up and down, up and down, up and down. That's all. You know, Nets had their little flare up a couple of years in a row in early 2000s. And then with the big three gone, you know, there's no consistency. But the Mets, their entire history is that.
- [29:51]
D
Well, isn't it? Wouldn't you argue that amazing is fitting on in both levels? Because when they make a run, it's amazing. There's always some magic. And when they don't, like, when are they boring? When is it like nondescript boring, bad year. There's always something epic that that happens to them where it's like, bottom drops out. Just what an epic fail, right? Like, isn't it always something like that?
- [30:15]
C
Yeah, it's.
- [30:16]
D
It's like this he said happening right now.
- [30:18]
C
The inconsistency of what. Why aren't you. You've got talented players, you've got an owner that's going to spend money. This was supposed to be. Hey, this is going to be sustainable. It's never sustainable.
- [30:33]
D
Your ace got hurt and then never really got right. Saying right, all right, well, you never got right. That's your ace.
- [30:40]
C
Lost their ace along.
- [30:41]
D
Well, they also had Max Freedom. Then they went out and spin on Max Freed. So Max Freed saved the day. Radon two years ago, you get him as a two now, and now he's a three. When he's really good enough, he's a two. Three. He's an all Star. The Mets didn't look at it that way. They had Sengo, that's our ace, but he hasn't pitched like an ace in two years. Mania gave you a reason last year at the end of the season to think that he finds something with the adjustment he made fundamentally to the way he pitches. They gave him a contract that didn't hold. Once you lose that, that's your 1 and 2. Once you get down to now, your third guy and I like, you're in trouble. And that's really what happened. If I'm looking at it from a distance again, aerial view. I'm not a Mets fan. I don't have like a rooting interest in it. If I'm looking at it from afar, this is a debacle because they had a lead. But when you look at what went wrong, it's pretty clear to tell starting pitching people they were depending on failed them. And when you lose your top two pitchers that are useless, you're in a problem. And then on top of it, you try to rebuild a bullpen that you taxed in the first half of the season. And when you rebuilt it, you rebuilt it poorly. And that blew a lot of games.
- [31:51]
C
Yeah, that to me, is what happened this year consistent, too.
- [31:54]
D
Yeah.
- [31:54]
C
But pitching door has been streaky.
- [31:56]
D
Pitching has been the major issue.
- [31:57]
C
But you're taking on the nationals and you give up three runs and you lose three to two.
- [32:02]
D
Yeah.
- [32:02]
C
Come on, man. Who's the leader on the team? Who's the one that Lindor is the guy.
- [32:08]
D
Does he. Does he get. Does he rally the troops kind of guy?
- [32:11]
C
Like, does he do that when he's hot? Yeah, that's the thing about baseball. You're not running through a wall of baseball.
- [32:17]
E
Yeah, it's a tough rally. The troops, let's all get together and run through a wall. Let's get. Let's get. It's just not that game.
- [32:23]
D
It's not that game. But it may happen, though, in moments. But this is where as. As much as it's sour grapes for Iglesias, it's. You're missing that. The little something that, you know, what.
- [32:35]
C
You'Re saying is, is that all the money, all of the time spent building a team, it's a guy they got, you know, off the scrap heap in the middle of the season. Last year that saves your season, it's Beniog. Bayani, out of nowhere, gets hot again. But that's, that's not. That's why it's not sustainable.
- [32:52]
D
But that's what last year was. So that's why when you look at it as a whole, you're like, yeah, there was some magic there, but it was the same. Like, to me, the Daniel Murphy thing in 2015, like, that's. That was a little magic. But if you looked at the group and said, this is a really good team, you're fooling yourself.
- [33:06]
C
But. But it should be, right? Because you have good players that just are too damn inconsistent.
- [33:11]
D
No, then you're not good players.
- [33:13]
C
Well, right, I know, but when you consider the money they're making and when you consider what the numbers are going to be overall. But baseball's about consistency. And if you're going to hit, you know, look at Pete Alonso's had a chance to hit 40 home runs, but when they all come in, like, you know, certain spans of time, and then when you really need them, they don't happen. It's a, It's a. It's a bad spot to be in for sure. Let's go to Joe in Florida. He's got something pretty interesting. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Joe?
- [33:41]
G
What's going on, guys?
- [33:43]
C
What's up?
- [33:45]
G
Okay, so I've been on hold for like three Hours, like, think about my life decisions and choices. So check it out. Like, you guys, I used to watch you guys on yes, obviously, with my Michael, and I think the other guy was with Bart for a while. You guys move around. I loved it.
- [34:05]
E
The other guy.
- [34:07]
G
Excuse me, Mr. Han.
- [34:09]
D
And the other guy.
- [34:11]
G
And I, I. I started watching because of Don's rants. And I don't feel as if there's enough rants. So if you guys allow me to, I'm going to go on a mini one. Here we go. Hopefully you guys will work. Now, I was a little bit disappointed with sports talk as a whole based on the fact that Russell Wilson threw the ball into the stands when they got the first and goal from the three. And no one's really talking about that. Like, somebody needs to check his bank account today because something's going on. Fun where you just drop back, no one's next to you, throw the ball in the stands basically four straight times. So that was questionable at best. The other part of it is this, like, he just. Gentlemen, here. Don Vintage Rants just got an opportunity working with the NHL. The other dude, Rosenberg, is a WrestleMania guy. Matt. Like, he's a champion of the world doing WrestleMania on ESPN. My point to this is they were given opportunities on top of more opportunities on top of more opportunities, and they are ready and they are professional, and they jump all over it. So my point to you is this. Jackson Dart is 22 years old. He's played football his entire life since he was in diapers. Obviously, there's levels to this. There's no way on God's green earth that he's not ready to play. Now, if he's gonna be ready, whether it's three weeks, a month, two months, this, that, and the other, I hate to break it to you. This is the National Football League. You're gonna have to play the Eagles, you're gonna have to play the Commanders, you're gonna have to play whoever. And in five years, the Cowboys might have a real defense. You got to play them, too. So stop putting diapers on the kid. And again, there's no way on God's green earth that Wilson should take a snap for that team ever again. After that display, check his bank account. And if Bart is good and prepared.
- [36:04]
F
For the moment, put him in the game and let him go.
- [36:08]
G
Because if he kind of sucks, he's going to suck in a month, two months, next year, the following year. By the way, this coach probably ain't no good. They don't have no damn players get some players.
- [36:18]
C
I 100% disagree with that. I think they have players and the coaches don't know what to do with them. So I disagree with that. I'm not going to get into Russell Wilson. He's not throwing.
- [36:30]
D
That was weird though. He doesn't want to do it.
- [36:35]
C
He doesn't want to do it because he looks at this and goes, you know what? It's not working. And I'm not going to get myself killed for this.
- [36:41]
D
That's exactly it. Watch it back. There's one moment he steps into the. They gets closing around him and he did. Nope, get rid of him.
- [36:48]
C
He's not getting killed. He's 36 years old. He's not going to get killed for this team. He's not going to get killed for this coach.
- [36:53]
D
Yeah, but see that while that's the frustration, right, of like Dart's got to be ready. He's been playing football his whole life. But there's certain situations that you just don't want to put a young quarterback in. If he's. And it's like I said, it's not him not being ready as much as the team around him not being ready. That's what you just don't want. And now he's running for his life.
- [37:15]
C
Optics too, because if he's not ready, you throw him out there, you gonna bench him and what's that gonna do to his confidence? You know, this is not a sport.
- [37:23]
D
Where you work, you work through it.
- [37:25]
C
Because you work through it, you can get hurt, you can get others hurt. You know, knowing the playbook, being able to audible the line of scrimmage, do all the things that it takes to be a quarterback in the National Football League. And if you're not ready, it's not just loss of down, it's not just loss of yardage, it could be loss of players. You got to be careful. It's not just him, everybody else around him and maybe he's just not ready for that.
- [37:46]
B
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [37:50]
E
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [37:51]
B
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
- [37:59]
C
Get some calls in before EN. Don't forget, we're with you until 7 tonight, so we'll have some time after ENN to continue with the phone calls. How about Michael in New Jersey? You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Michael?
- [38:13]
H
Hey, Don.
- [38:13]
C
Mike Snell.
- [38:14]
H
It's been a while.
- [38:14]
C
Hey, buddy.
- [38:15]
H
Hope all's well. I just wanted to make this point, if you took the Yankees out of the mix, I did a deep dive a few months ago. You could actually make the argument that the Islanders are the second best team in New York since 1969. I chose 1969 because every team had won a championship since then. And when you look at the run, I'm not making it a go Islanders type thing, but five trips to the Stanley cup, four wins. Not the Giants, not the jets, not the Rangers, not the Knicks, not the Nets. It's so sad what's happened to New York sports. And you said it yourself, the Yankees get it right. They're there in the mix. They're there in the playoffs, whether or not they win or not. Not making it a pro Yankee thing, but there's got to be something to why New York sports are so bad. I'll hang up and listen to what you.
- [39:04]
C
Well, I mean, there's a lot of different theories.
- [39:08]
D
That's a really interesting. He's right. If you think about it, right from the 68 NFL season or football season forward, everybody.
- [39:18]
C
Yeah.
- [39:19]
D
Has a title.
- [39:19]
C
And he's talking about the Islanders. But look at what that came at the expense of. 19 straight series wins. Great.
- [39:26]
D
It all happened in a small block.
- [39:27]
C
Small block. And then it just became an absolute embarrassment and the Spano and their flying commercial, and nobody wants to play there. Like, it really bottomed out, and they're trying to get it back, and I think they've got, you know, a chance to do that. But maybe, maybe just. There's a couple of things. Nothing is done in a vacuum in New York.
- [39:46]
E
We're gonna say in a vacuum.
- [39:48]
C
Everybody. Everybody pays attention to what you do, and you rarely are the underdog because it's New York. Right. So, yeah, there were times the Yankees were an underdog in 96 against the Braves. But it's not like people. Look at.
- [40:02]
E
Oh, look what.
- [40:03]
C
Look at the. Look what they're doing in New York. Like, if the Cincinnati Reds make a run, it's like, wow, look at that franchise. Isn't it nice the Reds are doing. Doing something nice. Or they. Oh, look at that. Hey, you see the Blue Jackets are on a run.
- [40:13]
D
Or, you know, it was the Royals in 2015.
- [40:15]
C
Right. But when it happens in New York, it's expected because we figure we've got all the money, we've got all the resources, we're the greatest city in the. In the world. You know, everybody wants to play there, which isn't the case. But then there's certain pressures. There's Very few places. Montreal would be one. Maybe Philadelphia, to a certain extent. Boston, if you're a Red Sox, where there's a certain level of expectation and pressure that comes with playing for that team, living up to the expectations. Well, you say la, but there's also like Lakers.
- [40:50]
D
Yeah, but Dodgers.
- [40:51]
C
I don't know.
- [40:52]
D
The expectation of those two franchises.
- [40:53]
C
Yeah, but.
- [40:54]
D
But in that town.
- [40:55]
C
Yeah, but they were really on your side. I don't think they're killing you in la. When Manny went out there, you do, you know, they were all wearing the long hair. They didn't care. He was late. They showed up late themselves.
- [41:05]
D
The Laker thing is maybe just because.
- [41:07]
C
They'Ve won so much, but in New York, you know how it just like you're expected to win, you're expected to be the best. You're expected to have all the best things. And I don't know, maybe there's something to it there where it just. The level of expectation is always going to be higher in New York than other places.
- [41:24]
D
Yeah. So it makes it different. Right. But that's also why. Why look to kind of answer the question that the previous caller asked about why it starts at the top. No. Why were the Yankees, like the demand of the Yankees to be great year after year, whether they were or not, came from where?
- [41:44]
C
From George.
- [41:45]
D
That's right. He set the tone and it was always. And all the stories you ever hear over the years was players and how many times was George in the clubhouse and the simplest things of, you know, whether it's like, you know, wearing the stirrups too low, like some. Just whatever it is. Right. Why do you wear that color batting gloves? Might want to change them. You're in a little bit of a slump like that. Just that's what he was. He cared so much about every stupid detail, but you just felt his presence and how much it meant to him and the demand he put on people. And he didn't care that he was sometimes the hated one, that sometimes he knew that at times he was Darth Vader walking into the room where everybody was scared, who's he going to choke out? But that's what he knew he had to be because it set the standard where everybody was on alert all the time. Now, it wasn't always great. And we know that the legend has changed over the years, but there still is something to having that owner that says, I want the best, I demand the best, and I'm going to give.
- [42:41]
C
You the best, but you still need to know what you're doing. Because there were plenty of times George demanded it. He didn't know what he was doing. And then team stunk. John Marrow wants to win.
- [42:47]
D
You're right. But it starts there, doesn't it? I don't care if they hate me. And meaning they, meaning fans, media, whatever it is, I don't care. I have a standard. I demand our greatness. And at times he screws up. Screws up, yes, but at least you always knew that year after year he was not going to accept bad years. I'm going to fire people. I'll rehire some people, I'll fire them again. He didn't care. Whatever it took, whatever he felt like was the right move to make. That is something that I think has lacked in a lot of, again, the football teams. Tell me, tell me where that Woody Johnson has ever carried that kind of presence with the organization. He wants everybody to like him. He wants the players to like him. He wants everybody to think he's smart. Why does he care what we think? He's a multi billionaire who owns an NFL team in New York.
- [43:44]
C
Yeah, right.
- [43:45]
D
But he cares too much about all that stuff. I think it starts there.
- [43:49]
C
Enn coming up next, Don Hanna Rosenberg on ESPN New York.
- [43:53]
E
All right, let's talk for a second about BetterHelp. All right. This is an ad by BetterHelp and we turn to some funny places for support sometimes. But not everyone's a therapist. Not everyone's the one. Find your right match with Better Help. BetterHelp therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the US BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you so you can focus on your therapy goals. Alright. Short questionnaire helps you identify your needs and preferences. And then their 10 plus years of experience in industry leading match fulfillment rates mean they typically get it right the first time. If you aren't happy with your match, switch to a different therapist at any time from their tailored recommendations completely online. Alright. And you can pause your subscription at any time. It's that easy. Plus, with over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp's the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. All right. And as the largest online therapy provider, guess what? BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of Expertise. Find the one with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com timeout. That's betterhelp.com timeout.
- [44:57]
B
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [45:01]
E
I don't want to know how the.
- [45:02]
D
Sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.
- [45:03]
B
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.