Hour 3: Yankees Turnaround?

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 3: Yankees Turnaround?

Date: August 7, 2026
Hosts: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg, Don LaGreca (remote/returning next week)
Theme: Can the Yankees turn their disappointing summer around in a critical series, or are they fated to fall behind the surging Red Sox?

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Episode Overview

In this episode, the trio (& producer Anthony) dig deep into the Yankees' struggles, the Red Sox’s unexpected run, the impact of injuries, and whether one hot series can signal a turnaround. They also riff on vacation plans, baseball nicknames, and field “Fraud Friday” calls about NBA fandom. The tone is equal parts cynical, funny, and searching for hope.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hosts’ Vacation Banter & Resort Hot Takes (00:43–03:02)

• Rosenberg's Vacation: Peter is headed to a low-key resort in Mexico after a string of exhausting family trips. He expresses hope, but notes resorts can be “hit or miss.”
  • “I find these sort of like resorts to be hit or miss in my experience.” – Peter Rosenberg (01:15)
• Travel Philosophy: Don prefers staycations, controlling his own environment. Both hosts agree: Don’t settle if the vacation isn’t great.
  • “I'm not in a stage in my life where we have to suck it up because we spent the money and hate the five days... I'm leaving.” – Peter Rosenberg (27:40)

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2. Yankees & Red Sox: The “Magic” Debate (03:02–07:41)

• Yankees Lacking Mojo: Don and Anthony contrast the Yankees’ early-seasons “magic” with the current Red Sox run.
  • “Anthony said they have magic, we don't. And that's all I was trying to say about that feel that you have about teams. ... With the Yankees and their injuries...they haven't given you that feeling like you're that it team.” – Don LaGreca (03:52)
• Red Sox Surging: Red Sox overcome deficits, win wild games, and made a critical trade for Adley Rutschman—moves the Yankees needed, but failed to make.
  • “The Red Sox are that it team right now. They feel like that team—magical thing...It all starts, of course, in a sweep of the Yankees.” – Don LaGreca (05:56)
• Magic is Temporary? Don cautions that a “magical run” in July/August may fizzle, but “confidence comes from demonstrated performance.”

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3. Yankees’ Struggles Analyzed (07:41–10:33)

• Failure to Cash In: Yankees consistently strand runners; scoring issues persist for months.
  • “They get runners on. They don’t get them in. That’s been a problem for months now.” – Don LaGreca (07:42)
• Pitching Still a Bright Spot: Max Fried’s start is highlighted; pitching is keeping the Yankees above water, but offense is stagnant.

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4. Boonie Soundbites: Player Assessments (08:26–10:33)

• Max Fried: Yankees manager Aaron Boone says Max’s “stuff’s really good.” (08:26–08:37)
• Ben Rice: Boonie is encouraged by Rice’s recent plate discipline:
  • “He’s taken his walk a little bit...hopefully a sign of him getting ready to turn the corner again and getting hot...” – Boonie (08:55)
• George Lombard Jr.: Boone praises the rookie’s poise, focus, and early performance.
  • Nickname Debate: The group jokes about what to call Lombard—“GLJ,” “G.Lo,” “Georgie”—and put it to a poll.
    • “I don't hate G. Lo. All right, I'll give you credit.” – Don LaGreca (11:25)

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5. The Roster Crunch: Yankees’ Youth Movement and Veteran Reactions (14:40–18:10)

• Lombard’s Arrival: George Lombard Jr.’s call-up has cascading effects:
  • Anthony Volpe is demoted
  • Jose Caballero loses out on the shortstop job
• Caballero’s Response: Despite disappointment, Caballero is mature:
  • “He’s going to make us better…George is a great addition. The guy’s going to play for a long time.” – Don LaGreca quoting Caballero (17:23)
• Boone’s Communication: Boone personally calls Caballero to break the news professionally—a small win for team culture.

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6. What Would it Take to Change the Narrative? (18:10–20:56)

• LaGreca’s Perspective: One hot series is not enough; he needs to see sustained improvement through August.
  • “I would tell you you’d have to check in with me going into September…Because one series isn’t going to do it.” – Don LaGreca (18:40)
• Pitching vs. Hitting: Even with strong pitching, Rosenberg/Anthony lament inability to manufacture runs—overreliance on home runs and lack of situational hitting.

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7. Listener Input: What Makes a Team “Great”? (21:04–22:21)

• Ruben from New Haven: Great teams win games they're not supposed to—Yankees haven’t done that much; Red Sox have. He wants to see real offensive explosions, not just close wins or sweeps devoid of offense.

  • “You gotta be able to find a way when you’re not at your best. ... I want to see 8 to 1, 7 to 3, 8 to 1.” – Caller Manny (21:19)

• Extra Innings Struggles: Yankees are 1–9 in extras this season (22:44), amplifying the frustration.

• Injury Updates as Hope: Anxiously awaiting positive news on Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger.

  • “By the end of August, we should have another update on Judge, right? That’ll make me feel better.” – Don LaGreca (23:02)
  • Rosenberg jokes: “He’s using his legs to walk and sometimes run. ... He can put on his uniform.” (23:34)

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8. Brian Cashman’s Accountability and Trade Deadline Fallout (28:10–31:49)

• Injuries as an Out: Don worries Cashman will dodge criticism if the Yankees fizzle, citing injuries rather than roster construction for another wasted season.
  • “Brian Cashman can just simply say, guys got hurt. Can’t blame me.” – Don LaGreca (29:43)
• No Impact Deadline Move: No substantial help at the trade deadline; “can’t put it all on a 21-year-old shortstop.”
• Prediction: Don fears the Yankees will limp into a wild card series in Boston and “get their ass kicked.”
  • “I hope I’m wrong. ... But right now it looks like this: The Yankees will play a wild card series in Boston and they will get their ass kicked.” – Don LaGreca (30:59)

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9. Hard Truth: Yes, the Offense Really is That Bad (31:49–32:33)

• Cold Offense by the Numbers:
  • 19 games since the All-Star break, just 60 runs (about 3/game).
  • Haven’t averaged more than 4 runs/game in two months. Nearly all run production coming from home runs or opponent mistakes.
  • “They just do not know how to manufacture runs.” – Peter Rosenberg (32:04)

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10. Fraud Friday & Fandom Ethics—NBA Edition (32:44–35:47)

• Caller Sebastian: Tells the story of NBA allegiance via video games, favorite players, and switching teams. Don and Peter rib him for “fraudulence” in fandom—a running show joke.
  • Peter: “You might as well just root for the Pirates because your last name is Bonilla and call it a day because you’re just making things up.” (35:32)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The Red Sox are that it team right now. They feel like that team magical thing.” – Don LaGreca (05:56)
• “I can't put it all on a 21 year old shortstop and I can't put it on a superstar who has been out with an injury that is enough to keep him from swinging a bat or doing any baseball activities for months.” – Don LaGreca (30:59)
• “They just do not know how to manufacture runs.” – Peter Rosenberg (32:04)
• Ongoing inside jokes about Glen Lombard Jr’s nickname: “GLJ,” “G Lo,” “Georgie”
• Banter about vacation expectations: “If I get there… and the whole experience feels like trashy and not dope… I will eat it. I will go to the desk, get whatever money back I can, and be like, we're going somewhere else.” – Peter Rosenberg (27:40)
• Fraud Friday family names: “You know, the brothers McMullen? Well, you’re the brothers McFraud.” – Don LaGreca (35:23)

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Important Timestamps

• Yankees Magic and the Red Sox threat: 03:02–07:41
• Boone on Max Fried and Ben Rice: 08:26–09:27
• Nickname debate – “G Lo” vs “GLJ”: 10:33–12:46
• Caballero on losing the SS job: 14:40–18:10
• What would make you believe in a turnaround?: 18:10–20:56
• Ruben on what makes a great team: 21:04–22:21
• Cashman, injuries, and trade deadline blame: 28:10–31:49
• Offensive numbers breakdown: 31:49–32:33
• Fraud Friday – NBA fandom: 32:44–35:47

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Summary Takeaway

This hour captures the tension, exasperation, and faint hope swirling around the Yankees—the contrast with a surging Boston, an underwhelming trade deadline, and the constant churn of injuries. The hosts are all too aware that one good weekend is not enough for a true turnaround, and the coming weeks—especially any good news about Judge—will determine the season’s fate. Off the field, the show’s camaraderie shines through in jokes about travel, nicknames, and “fraudulent” fandom, keeping the conversation fresh, lively, and distinctly New York.

Transcript

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[Don Hahn]

and [e-mail] this is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.

[Don LaGreca]

Don Legreco will be back next week and then Peter goes on vacation. What do you got planned, man? Anything special?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah, I was just on hold during the break trying to make sure my transportation works out. I'm. I am going to Mexico.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Little, a little resort situation. Just wanted something like low key and we, our last several trips have been like going to Europe and running around with the baby every minute. Let's just go to a place and where everything is right there and easy. That is the plan. So hopefully it's great, man. I find these sort of like resorts to be hit or miss in my experience.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. That's why I hate going to them

[Peter Rosenberg]

because you can miss and then you're like, yeah, yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

It's, it's again, it's like the one cruise experience I had many, many years ago. And I'm like, I'm never doing this again. And it wasn't that it was bad. It's just I'm not big on sharing a small space with lots of people who don't have spatial awareness.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, yeah. And if it's like too New Yorky, like it wasn't. I've had a couple though where I've literally in the pool having conversations like, what's Michael K? Like what's the Giants record gonna be?

[Don LaGreca]

And like I don't want to do that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Respectfully. I'm down to do that in the streets in New York any day.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But like I'm away when I'm on vacation.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's like just not my favorite. I feel like I'm being judged.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. This was a little different because this was my younger days. Tells in my 20s I wasn't really in the business. I was still a part time guy like it. But I just said if this is what it's about, I ain't doing this. And so that's one and then resort stuff. It's, it's. I've just been a big. And I'm fortunate enough to be able to have done it like I'm a big staycation. Let me turn my place into the resort I want and I control my environment and I like that. So. But when you work like we do and travel a lot and away a lot, the idea of going away again is like you don't do that but have a great time because you know, James Taylor told you Mexico is a great place. Sounds so sweet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's the thing. That's why. Well. And when I go there, I plan to shower the people I love with love.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, you're gonna throw another song in too. Okay, go for it.

[Caller Sebastian]

Sure.

[Don LaGreca]

Like it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, I mean there's something in the way she moves. I'm sorry, go ahead.

[Don LaGreca]

I like to hear a JT guy a couple of things I guess we have for the Yankees a new series that begins tonight against a red hot team in the Atlanta Braves that they've won eight in a row. So they and the Red Sox keep winning too. They last night that the White Sox, they should have lost that game. Every opportunity to lose that game. Buster only called it. It's like it's, it's the game of the year because of just how that game, you know, was just they were losing the whole time and they won it. They ended up winning it in the 13. What is it in the. The 13th. Right. They won that. Yeah. And it was high scoring affair and a crazy one. But it just. Anthony said this to me this morning. We were going back and forth about it and I completely agreed with him. Yeah, this is what I was looking for. Red sox were down 2 nothing. 4 nothing. 4 2, 5, 2 5, 3, 7, 5, 7, 6, 9, 7, 9, 8, 10. 9 and 1110 before they ended up winning the game. And Anthony said they have magic, we don't. And that's all I was trying to say about that feel that you have about teams. And we just. With the Yankees and their injuries and a lot of things that are going on with them, they haven't given you that, that feeling like you're that it team. Now the one thing you can say with Boston because they're a half game back and I told you by the end of the week Boston could be in second place. The Yankees could be then in third place by the end of the week. And we're right there.

[Anthony]

By the way, Alan, if you had this conversation in May, the magical team was the Yankees they could do no wrong. Everything they did was great. The pitching was great, the hitting was great. Everybody was healthy. Fantastic. The Red Sox looked like they were on pace to be one of the worst teams in baseball.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Anthony]

With a manager who won them a World Series. They decided to let that manager go. And all of a sudden, things are starting to piece together for them. But that's how quickly it can change. And I'm not saying, like, oh, negative, Anthony, that the Yankees don't have magic. It's just the game against the Cardinals where Garcia Jr. Hits the home run. That's your moment.

[Don LaGreca]

He's supposed to win that game.

[Anthony]

In seasons where the Yankees are doing well or make long runs in the postseason, that's the game and moment where you say, all right, they've turned it around. This is going to start. Everything is going to start moving again. And Lombard gets called up and he makes great play, and they won the game that he got called up. And that's great. The next day, they went right back to not scoring runs.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Anthony]

That's what's happening to this team in this moment. Could it change? Absolutely. But right now, there's another team in the AL East. That's. That's who's on a magical run. That would be the Boston Red Sox.

[Don LaGreca]

The Red Sox are that it team right now. They feel like that team magical thing. And you bringing up that they move on from Korra, and it looks like they're just pulling the plug on everything. And what happens instead is it flips for them. And it all starts. Of course, it starts in a. In a sweep of the Yankees. Of course it did. That's what makes this a storybook kind of run for them. Then they're the ones that make the trade for Rutchman when they know the Yankees really needed a catcher like that. They really needed that. And then Red Sox, like, now we're going to take him instead. And so that's what makes this feel this way. The one thing you could do if you want, if you want to tamp down that Red Sox team of destiny thing is you could say, you know, it's happening in July and August. This could fizzle out. Because when you're. When you're. Winning games like this that you're supposed to lose, eventually it does catch up to you. So you could argue they've flirted enough. I mean, the fact that they were down, the scores that they were down also tells you they were giving up a ton of runs. So there, you could say that, and you could pacify Yourself with the idea that the Red Sox went from 14 games behind you to a half game behind you now, and by tomorrow, they could be ahead of you by the end of the week, as I said. But we'll see if it fizzles out or if this is really who they are. But confidence comes from demonstrated performance. And the Red Sox confidence can be built from the fact that they know they're in every game. And that galvanizes a clubhouse. You start to believe. You start to just realize that even what. No matter what the score, we've just proven several times that we can come back and win games, that we can win games we're supposed to win. We have something going on.

[Caller Ruben]

We.

[Don LaGreca]

What have the Yankees done to give them. What's their demonstrated performance? They get runners on. They don't get them in. That's been a problem for months now. And that can also be something. While confidence comes from it, it also. A lack of confidence can come from that same demonstrated performance. And that's kind of what I am worried about with this Yankee team. Pitching, though, has been fantastic. Max Freed is tonight against the Braves.

[Caller Ruben]

That's his.

[Don LaGreca]

That's his first eight years of his career. Was in Atlanta. Won a World Series there. Personal for him. He.

[Caller Manny]

Cole.

[Don LaGreca]

They've been very good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You want to hear. You want to hear Boonie's thoughts on Max coming back?

[Don LaGreca]

I would love to hear Boonie on. What would he call Max? What does he call him?

[Anthony]

You think Freed, Maxi, Max, Mad Max? No, I don't think he did.

[Don LaGreca]

Let's see what he says.

[Boonie]

Feel like the stuff has been really good the second time out. You know, struggle to get a little. In a little bit of a rhythm, but I feel like overall it's showing the ball really well. I feel like the stuff's really good.

[Caller Manny]

So.

[Boonie]

Yeah, really encouraged.

[Don LaGreca]

Stuff's good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good stuff, baby.

[Don LaGreca]

Good stuff.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's all you can hope for is good stuff.

[Caller Sebastian]

Mm.

[Don LaGreca]

Anything else on Maxi or.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no. I have Boonie talking about Ben Rice's dhing again and the struggles at the plate.

[Boonie]

I, like, the last few days, feel like he's taken his walk a little bit. You know, that's something as a group that we haven't. We've struggled at as well. Is that consistently getting on? I feel like he's done that a little bit here lately, so that's good to see. And hopefully a sign of him, you know, getting ready to turn the corner again and getting hot, which I feel like with Benny is. Is just a matter of time. It's just. I feel like he's hit some balls on the nose. Some of the balls he's hit well, you know, he's flown out the deep left a couple times, but he'll get it going. And I like the fact that he's mixed in the walk a little bit the last couple days, hopefully.

[Don LaGreca]

Good sign for him, Benny and the Jets. He had three walks in the last game, so that's a good sign. And dhing, probably get him out of the field, let him catch his breath, whatever it is. That's good. So you want. You don't want to lose him because he's had a great year. But when you take Bellinger away, you take Judge away. You know, for Rice now, it all of a sudden becomes, hey, you got to carry this thing. You're the 30 home run guy. And I think for him, that's. That's not who he is. Right? It's not who he is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now, I also want to hear this one. Here's Boonie on his early impressions of young George Lombard.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay.

[Boonie]

Yeah, he's been great. You know, I like that he's come in here and just kind of got settled in, you know, doesn't seem overwhelmed at all when you're around him in spring. He's. He's a very focused, really good worker. But to see him come up here and just kind of be settled, and I feel like finding his routine. Obviously, he's performed well in the couple games so far, so certainly like where he's at and kind of in line with what we've seen in his development.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, he's still batting eighth tonight, correct? No, he's seventh. And now, I mean, it's one spot. Grisham, Rice, Ramos, Garcia, Jazz, Spencer Jones. Then you have GLJ, and then McMahon and then Wells I don't like at all. I like it if it's easier. Peter, GLJ is so much easier than George Lombard Jr. We can't do this.

[Caller Manny]

No, that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't think it's working.

[Don LaGreca]

Lombard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We could call him. No, it's Georgie.

[Don LaGreca]

We can't do Georgie Jr. No, it's three juniors in the lineup tonight. It's true.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's tough. How about J. Lo?

[Don LaGreca]

G. Lo?

[Anthony]

I don't hate it.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't hate G. Lo. All right, I'll give you credit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thank you.

[Don LaGreca]

Put it up on the pole, Peter. Sorry, but yeah.

[Caller Sebastian]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

GLJ or G. Lo?

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's no good. G. Lo's in a crush. Trust me, no one wants glj. No, it's like dlg, but worse. And dlg isn't really a thing either.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't know what DLG was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don McGregor.

[Anthony]

Don the Gregor.

[Don LaGreca]

Who said who? I've never seen that anywhere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who does that?

[Don LaGreca]

I hear who has done dlg where.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You guys have heard dlg before, haven't you?

[Anthony]

Yeah, I'm not going to say frequently, but it's not the first time. I've heard it today.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I've heard it a couple of times today.

[Anthony]

No, I'm not the first time. Today is not the first time I've heard him be referred to that way. It's probably by Peter, to be fair.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But you should. You should start calling him that exclusively to watch him lose his mind.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, he doesn't like it?

[Caller Sebastian]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't even know how he'd feel about it, but just. I can imagine.

[Anthony]

I don't think he'd even acknowledge it

[Don LaGreca]

unless you told him right now. It has to be a thing, I guess.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See?

[Don LaGreca]

Well, anyway, yeah, there's three juniors in the lab, so we can't. We definitely can't call junior. But I don't hate J.

[Boonie]

Lo.

[Don LaGreca]

I just don't know if that's a thing either. Either.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, it's not.

[Anthony]

77% G Lo right now, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, early on it's looking like G Lo.

[Don LaGreca]

Three votes.

[Anthony]

That's right. Well, listen, it's good enough for Drop Madness. It's good enough for a poll.

[Don LaGreca]

I'll say this, I can't believe it's not 100%. Tells me I have a chance.

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[Don LaGreca]

But the Yankee thing is going to be interesting on many levels, including the fact that you do have this kid. He is getting a lot of attention and his, his arrival has not only affected Volpe, seriously affected Volpe, who now is not only going to the minors, but probably in the back of his mind is thinking to himself, I better learn second base because you don't know how long Jazz gonna be around. But it also affected Jose Caballero because Caballero was also competing with Volpe. And Caballero was trying to prove that he could be the shortstop, the full time shortstop. That's what he wanted to be. And so when he got the news, now, he didn't know about Lombard being called up until he was home after that law, you know, that they lost a game, the first game of that series before the deadline and, or at the, at the end of the deadline. And that was that, that was the bad loss. We just talked about a game they were supposed to win, they didn't and he was mad and he gets showered and left. So he didn't get the news in the clubhouse about the moves. And so Aaron Boone called them to tell him about it, which shows you also with Boone, he didn't want him to find out through social media or any of that stuff because he wanted to let him know, listen, I know you like playing shortstop. The media was making a big deal about how you should be the full time shortstop. You were winning that popularity contest. But this kid's coming up and guess where he's playing shortstop. And he's going to be there. We're going to have him Play a lot. Which means for a guy like Albiero who's, you know, was hoping to win that spot, now he's not only not going to play shortstop, he's not going to play that much. So it's affecting him as well. But he's, you know, he handled it pretty well. I saw some quotes from him where he said, it's not about me, it's about the team and it's about what we need to make us better team. I'm always available to do whatever the team needs. And he said, I told Boone, I'm part of this team and I'm just trying to win a World Series. That's all that matters to me. And he also was aware that Lombard, of Lombard and how talented he is because he saw him in spring training. And I thought this was a good quote. Again, this is a guy who's 30 years like his. This was his opportunity to win shortstop, to win the job for the Yankees, and they decided to go with the 21 year old. But instead of him being bitter about it, he said, he's going to make us better. It doesn't matter. He's very young. He's all about being professional. He knows what he's doing. I know he's going to succeed. He's going to help the team win games and lock down the defense because he's a great shortstop. So for the team, George is a great addition. The guy's going to play for a long time. So later this month, Caballero is going to turn 30, and he's probably got to feel like this might have been my best opportunity to become that everyday player in a shortstop. And it looked like he was winning it, don't you think? And now, like, he knows this kid's coming up and taking it and it's, I look, we talk so much about a lot of other negative things and bad things, but I was very impressed with that response from Caballero because he could have taken it any way he wanted, for sure, but instead he was like, no, whatever's good for the team. And Boone called him to talk to him about it that night, rather than let him find out and then come back, come back tomorrow and be like, yeah, I just found out, I don't know what's going on. Instead, they had a good professional conversation. So I felt like that was a good thing that Boone did. And the response from Caballero the next day was great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let me ask you this as we head into this weekend, what could happen between now and Monday in The series against the Braves. Where is there, is there a scenario where on Monday you could go, okay, they're turning it around.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I need, I'm going to need a bigger block of evidence than a weekend because we've had sort of this bit of a middling. It's been a couple of weeks now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you would need what, two series? You need two. Two full series?

[Don LaGreca]

No, I would tell you you'd have to check in with me going into September.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How about when I get back from. Oh, not till September.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I'd need going into September, though. That's when you can then ask me is, is it. Do I see it or feel it starting to turn Then, then I can give you a better, like, I've seen enough. Right. Because one series isn't going to do it. You could face some bad pitching, whatever it is, or a team just doesn't have. Look, look, the Braves are coming in red hot. So that's a big, this is a huge test. But because the issues have been stranding runners, not scoring, not getting over three runs a game in some aspects, only getting two runs a game, like that's something that can't be a one weekend thing. Oh, they've got it. They figured it out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I mean, I guess, I guess a great weekend can make you feel some positive energy.

[Anthony]

I'd like to see some runs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, if you saw some runs, I'd love to score.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Anthony]

Scoring would be great.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, I'm going to give you. How about guys, I'm setting the over under at Yankee runs for the weekend at 14 over under.

[Anthony]

Everything tells you it should be under.

[Don LaGreca]

It's going to be.

[Anthony]

I love it to be over.

[Don LaGreca]

No, it's gonna be, it's gonna be under.

[Anthony]

Well, listen, Chris Sale tomorrow. No picnic tonight. Now, again, they faced guys with six eras for the last month and it doesn't mean anything.

[Don LaGreca]

That's true.

[Anthony]

But the guy they're facing tonight has like a 6 era. This would be the night where they would score or should be able to score.

[Don LaGreca]

And they've had a day off to coming off a day off. Braves coming in, played, like played yesterday. You know, this, this could be that opportunity where you're a little more refreshed. The same lineup, nothing really changed. Right. As far as far as I can see. And it would be again, Garcia, you know, he, he has been hot. He needs to stay hot. He came in hot, so he had the home run. That was a big one. But it's, it's in a big spot. He needs to come through. And, you know, Rice has to keep doing what he's doing. But, yeah, they've got. They've got to just. It's. It's why it's so maddening. They're getting pitching, they're just not coming through when they're set up to score, when they have runners in scoring position, they're just not getting them home. They're not getting them in.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, that's because they're not hitting a home run. And that's what, that's what the aim of every at bat is. Let's go to Ruben in New Haven. What do you got, Ruben?

[Caller Manny]

Gentlemen, every. Every team, every sport, when they're a great team, I feel has one thing in common, and that's how many games can you win that you're not supposed to win? You know, I mean, the knicks did it 10 times in the playoffs, right?

[Don LaGreca]

Yes, you just.

[Caller Manny]

The Yankees just haven't done that in a lot of years. In a lot of years. They're kind of front runners. Things are going well, everything's happy, but things go bad, they all kind of just shrink down a little bit. Now, I will say Boston firing Cora. There was probably a lot of pressure taken off that team. You know, they were expected to just lose. They can go out there, be loose and just play, but they're winning a lot of games they're not supposed to win. They're just. You gotta be able to find a way when you're not at your best. And to answer your question, Peter, you know, the only thing that would make me feel good about this weekend isn't just a sweep. I want to see 8 to 1, 7 to 3, 8 to 1. That's the only way I'd feel better about this. They could sweep two to one every game. And I still think the issues are still there. Right. Pitching's great, but we just need to get a clutch hit, not a clutch home run, put a single in front of the outfielder and score one or two. I mean, it really is that simple. Well, I don't want to say it's really is that simple, because I'd go up there 100 swings and miss every time. But you guys know what I mean. But have a great weekend, guys. Always enjoy the show.

[Don LaGreca]

Thank you, Ruben. I mean, they have had a ton of comeback wins this year. It's not like the Yankees are. If they're down in the eighth inning, they never come back and win. They do have comeback wins. It's the low scoring games that are probably the most frustrating But Anthony wasn't. There's another stat out there about them. Is it about how like they, they will lose games? Is it extra innings?

[Anthony]

Well, the extra innings is in a bomb there with the ghost runner in general. Yeah, but they're like one in nine this year in extra innings.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, that's what it is. It's the one in nine in extra innings. That's the one I think that hits the most. But I know, I know they've had comeback wins. They've had, they've had a bunch of them this year. They do have the comebacks. But you're asking like, how did. What, what, what perspective changes 1. By the end of August, we should have another update on Judge, right? We should know something more on Judge going into September. I'm going to need to know that. He's pretty damn close. That'll make me feel better. Bellinger by then should be better.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is pretty damn close sound like in Yankee speak?

[Don LaGreca]

He's, he's, he's taking BP and they're ramping him up.

[Anthony]

He's outside.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Oh, he is outside. He's walking.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's using his legs to walk and sometimes run.

[Don LaGreca]

He's running outside.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's eating food and drinking.

[Don LaGreca]

I need just baseball activities which he has not been cleared for yet.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He wakes up in the morning, he showers.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, I mean, he's in the dugout for these games. He's there, he's present.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He can put on his uniform.

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[Don LaGreca]

Ohtani's interpreter was fired today. Ippei Mitsuhara ran up gambling debts to a Southern California bookmaking operation.

[Anthony]

The inside story of the biggest scandal in modern baseball.

[Grainger Announcer]

He was absolutely bananas.

[Don LaGreca]

The amount of bets he was making. I've never seen anyone like it. From 30 for 30 podcasts this is

[Anthony]

the Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani, presented by Gusto.

[Shopify/Kalshi Announcer]

New episodes available now. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm only saying this because I expect it'll be great. But like, I do. I have been to like, resorts before. I'm like, oh, this isn't great, okay? And I have made a decision at this stage of my life and I just decided it right now. And I told my wife this because we struggled to pick a place and then we're like, oh, was this stupid? Should we have spent this money a different way? Whatever. But. But here's what I declare and say to you right now as my friend. If I get there, like we get there Saturday afternoon. If, like for some reason the room kind of sucks or like the whole experience feels like trashy and not dope, like within 24 hours, I will eat it. I will go to the desk, get whatever money back I can, and be like, we're going somewhere else. I'm not.

[Caller Manny]

What?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not in a stage in my life where we have to suck it up because we spent the money and hate. The five days I'm leaving.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm in full support and I will call amex.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll call amex and be like, fight to get my money back. It sucked. I don't want to pay for it.

[Caller Manny]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Never.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not settling. If it's. If I somehow got it wrong and it's just not good, then I'll just be dad. I'll be Clark Griswold. I'll do the work. I'll come back. But, guys, we got another place. We're mounting up. We're out. We're going to.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, no, never settle.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can't say not now. Life is too short.

[Don LaGreca]

Exactly. And it costs too much. A couple of things. So first and foremost, again, like the Yankee thing, I was just thinking about it during the break when you were asking me, oh, you feel better after a weekend? No, No, I can't feel better with the. With the Red Sox on your tail like they are. I can't feel better with the key players that are injured. I can't feel better that Brian Cashman didn't really come through with the trade deadline as he said he was planning on doing, and then now going to use injuries as the excuse of why I'm Teflon. Can't blame me. Guys got hurt. Now, he's not saying it, but that's his out. Another year, that's his out. Brian Cashman can just simply say, guys got hurt. Can't blame me. We were doing fine. Then everybody got hurt and the Red Sox got hot and we couldn't hold them up because, you know, I know how this movie's going to end, and I hope I'm wrong. Like I said, end of September, I reserved the right to change my mind. But right now it looks like this. The Yankees will play a wild card series in Boston and they will get their ass kicked and they will go home again. That's what's going to happen because they won't be healthy. And if they get healthy, it'll be, well, Judge is going to have to ramp it up and get. Get right in time for the playoffs. And if he doesn't come through because he's not right, because he hasn't played most of the season, they will blame him. When I say they, I mean fans, media, you know, the usual. It'll be all his fault because this is really. Think about it. He has been relatively healthy in the last couple of years, but he hasn't come through in the postseason. Last year he was better in the postseason, but the rest of the team wasn't very good. If he has a year where he's, he's injured and missed a ton of time and then fails in the postseason, that's like all of it coming together at once. All the negative about a guy who's considered an all time great already as a Yankee. And we stop paying attention to the architect of this roster and this system, their style of play. That's what I don't like is this is setting up to just protect Brian Cashman from any type of criticism because as he said in his words, I was just looking at the story because I was saying, what was he saying that day? I was remembering there was stuff he said that I was writing down and one of them was what? That our roster we feel is good enough to win a championship. We have a roster that could win a championship. Problem with your roster is it's not healthy and he can't control that. He also has a leadoff batter in Trent Grisham that he thought, let me sneak in this qualifying offer. 20 mil. No way he's going to take it. Oh my God, he took it. You see what I mean? And now you don't really have a leadoff guy. But he is. Look at his numbers, his numbers not very good this year. It's not a surprise. So that's the problem I'm having with the buy in on the Yankees is it's hard to look at them and find the hope for this year because of the injuries, because of the lack of any type of true move at the deadline. That really helped them, that filled a space and I'm sorry, I can't put it all on a 21 year old shortstop and I can't put it on a superstar who has been out with an injury that is enough to keep him from swinging a bat or doing any baseball activities for months. Sorry, I can't put that on him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, listen, it's eight. What's the number? It's 19 games since the All Star break. 60 runs total. That's just over three runs a game.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I said they haven't scored over four runs a game in two months

[Peter Rosenberg]

and almost all of that is coming from home runs or mistakes by the other team. They just do not know how to manufacture runs. What I know how to do is some weekend weather brought to you by neutral. Oh yeah, beautiful weekend down the shore tomorrow Just a few clouds with a high of 90 and sun, mostly clear skies, high of 89. That's your weekend weather report brought to you by Neutral. Keep it tasty with neutral vodka seltzer made with real vodka and real fruit juice. Enjoy responsibly. Let's go to you want to talk to Sebastian?

[Don LaGreca]

Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Getting here near the end for calls if you want to get a chance to get in last couple of minutes. Sebastian and Queens, what's up?

[Caller Manny]

Hey, guys.

[Caller Sebastian]

How are we doing today?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good, man.

[Caller Sebastian]

All right. Awesome. So kind of late to the party, but I kind of wanted to give you a Fraud Friday scenario if you guys won't mind helping me out. All right, so it's a two for. It's a two for one. It's for my brother and myself. I'm 32. He's 30. This is about the NBA. So we became fans of the NBA around 1112 years old. Pretty late. We mostly got in because of video games. You know, NBA Street, Volume two, all that good stuff. He his favorite player growing up of all time, Dwyane Wade, mine Allen Iverson. So naturally, you know, he followed the Heat. I follow Iverson's career from when he went to the Sixers, then to the Nuggets. Fell in love with that Nuggets team, by the way. You know, J.R. smith, Kenya Martin, Marcus Camby, all that stuff. And he stayed on with the Heat. D. Wade retires in 19. He is kind of like in an NBA limbo. He doesn't really follow the Heat. He didn't really have a team myself once Mello got traded to the Knicks in 2011, that's when I was fully invested with the Knicks because I wasn't going to follow Iverson to Detroit or Orlando, wherever the hell he was at the time. So, yeah, he was in limbo. I've been with him since 20.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I just want to stop you there. Wade retiring. I understand he's not playing anymore. Why did you follow Iverson from. I believe. Let me see how this went. I believe it was. He went from Philly.

[Caller Sebastian]

He went. He went from Philly to Denver and then from Denver over to Detroit.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. So when he went to Detroit, what made you stop when he went to Detroit?

[Caller Sebastian]

Because that just. That team was not cool for me anymore. Like, honestly, I know.

[Don LaGreca]

I thought you were making me fall

[Caller Sebastian]

in love with basketball.

[Don LaGreca]

So I was.

[Caller Sebastian]

I was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's sounding just kind of starting to smell like

[Boonie]

it's already.

[Don LaGreca]

So you say, then you start. So you decided to follow Mello from Denver to New York.

[Caller Sebastian]

Yeah. And from there I just kind of fell in love with the Knicks. I've been there since the 1765 team. Just kind of thugged it out and you know, obviously here we are today. So then that's my story. And then my brother, right, he's been in limbo ever since Wade retired. Didn't really follow any teams. Right. He's been with the Knicks ever since. I would say since Tom Thibodeau arrived. You know, that Julius Randle team that.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, you.

[Caller Sebastian]

But he's been. He's been rocking with us since.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's your. What's your guys. What's your guys family's last name?

[Don LaGreca]

I knew you were gonna do this.

[Caller Manny]

Oh, man. Where.

[Caller Sebastian]

The Bonillas.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Bonias? No, no, the Frauds.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I was gonna call, you know. You know, the brothers McMullen. Well, you're the brothers McFraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Although brothers Bonilla does sound pretty cool.

[Don LaGreca]

Brother Bonilla is actually.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You might as well just wrote root for the Pirates because your last name is Bonilla and call it a day because you're just making things up.

[Caller Sebastian]

I wish I was related to Bobby,

[Peter Rosenberg]

you know, but yeah, no, it'll be great. Money once a year. Sebastian, thanks for the call, man. You sound like great guys. Fraudster.

[Don LaGreca]

Nonetheless, you could be a good guy, but you're a fraud.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We all know Don has set the rules.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, we don't make up the rules, we just enforce them.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, you certainly can be a great person. And a fraud. I see Manny is on hold. Who wants to talk about Kawhi Leonard? But we're going to get to the Kawhi Leonard in just a minute.

[Don LaGreca]

We should talk about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So why don't we break right now then and get right to enn so we have a little bit of time.

[Don LaGreca]

That's a good idea. We should do that for sure. But before we do though, I want to tell you again about ring's end. If you heard me earlier, you heard me talking about rings end and you heard me talking about why it is. If you are doing a project around the house. Windows, doors, kitchens. Also if you want to update or upgrade your house, this is the. We are in the end of August now. We're getting into August, I should say. And we are getting to the end of the summer. And you know what happens on the other side? September is a blink. It's a memory. It's a blur. Then you're in October. You're going, you know what? It's holiday season. Oh my God. I'm going to People over my house is just, I need to freshen it up. A great coat of paint on the wall, maybe a fresh color, something new is a great idea to go to. And so Rings End can help you there as well. Do you know that they have 12 freestanding paint centers in our area? That's right. They also have eight full service lumber yards in Connecticut and Westchester county as well that can provide all the different things that you would need to update and upgrade your home. You can contact them, you can even go there as well and pick out a great Benjamin Moore paint or any other trout paints that they carry and find the color you want. If you already know the color, if you do your research like we did here in our project and you know, like we went with Chantilly Lace and that's a, like there's so many shades of white, it blow your mind. But this is the best shade that we found and we love it. So we got a couple of gallons of it, threw it up on the wall and everything's great and everything looks fresh and clean. So if you want to do that, of course, Ring's End is a great place to start and you can actually order your paint online. If you know the type of paint, the name, the model number, whatever it is that they call it, you can simply just go to ringsend.com that's right, ringsend.com order it, have it delivered and ready to go. That's why it's a great idea for you and your contractor to work with Rings End like we did. So ringsend.com is the place to go.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the

[Don LaGreca]

sausage is made, man. I just want to know.

[Vivgard Hytrulo Announcer]

It's good.

[Don Hahn]

Hear more more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Caller Ruben]

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