Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 4: Animosity

Date: October 3, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Podcast: ESPN New York

Main Theme

This hour dives deep into the simmering animosity between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays as they prepare to face off during the ALDS. The hosts dissect recent comments and events that have stirred the rivalry, discuss the dynamics of media attention, and break down the narrative fuel surrounding the matchup. The episode also explores whether the Yankees are truly respected as a team, highlights notable recent playoff performances, and fields engaging listener calls on these topics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Yankees’ Playoff Pitching Decisions

• Luis Gil Named ALDS Game 1 Starter

  • Discussion about Aaron Boone’s choice to start Luis Gil in Game 1 and keep Warren available for the bullpen.
  • Alan explains the logic: “Not pitching freedom early. This makes sense and I think he's a better option than Warren.” (01:26)

• Cody Bellinger’s Health Update

  • Addressing Bellinger’s minor injury (bruised heel) and his impact as both a hitter and runner.
  • Peter relays Boone: “Yeah, he’s pretty good. He’s good to go. Bruised his heel... jammed his heel a little when he was rounding third. So he should be all right.” (01:47)

The Blue Jays-Yankees Rivalry: Why is There “Animosity”?

• Media & Announcer Slights Fuel the Rivalry

  • Alan references Blue Jays’ broadcaster Buck Martinez calling the Yankees “not a good team.”
  • Don: “...when you're around the team long enough and as much as a broadcaster usually is, you get a feel for what everybody's feeling. And I'm sure he's just sort of a mirror to what they feel about the Yankees.” (04:29)

• Toronto’s Chip on Its Shoulder

  • The Blue Jays feel overshadowed by the Yankees' constant spotlight and media attention.
  • Alan: “They pay attention to the lack of attention they get because the Yankees are always on national television... And every big free agent is going to go to the Yankees and Yankees this, Yankees that. And you're in Toronto...” (05:13)
  • On Toronto fans vs. Maple Leafs: “You’re not the biggest story all the time. Where the Yankees are always a big story.” (06:09)

• Rivalry as Motivation and Media Narrative

  • Don suggests using a montage of slights for pre-series hype: “If I’m Fox, this is the montage I’m doing... This is going to be a dirty fight. The Blue Jays don’t like the Yankees. And I don’t know how the Yankees feel, but I think the Yankees look at the Blue Jays like, ‘yeah, whatever, okay?’” (10:39)

• Hating the Concept, Not the Players

  • Alan: “I don’t think they hate the Yankee players. I just think they hate the whole concept.”
  • Don agrees: “You don’t have to hate the players to still hate the whole idea.” (11:22)

Respect for the 2025 Yankees: Media Perception vs. Reality

• Are the 2025 Yankees Respected by Their Peers?

  • Don asks: “Do you think this is a highly respected team, their approach, all of it?” (11:40)
  • Alan: “I wouldn’t think they wouldn’t be. You don’t think Judge is respected, Stanton isn’t respected?”
  • Don presses: “That’s individuals. I’m talking about the approach, style of play, how they play, what they're about. Like overall.” (12:07)
  • Alan summarizes wider opinion: “What Buck said was probably how everybody feels. Everybody feels that this team is fugazi.” (12:14)
  • Don: “They get a ton of attention because of who they are, not what they are.” (12:20)

• Attention Jealousy in the AL East

  • If the Yankees advance, other underappreciated teams like the Mariners or Tigers may feel similarly slighted by the media.
  • Alan: “I can totally see Detroit or Seattle getting completely kind of thrown away here in a series against the Yankees.” (13:16)

• Marquee Matchups

  • Don: “This [Yankees-Blue Jays] series and Dodgers-Phillies to me are the series that are going to have sizzle.” (14:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Media’s Role in Fanning Rivalry:
  • Don: “This is going to be a dirty fight. The Blue Jays don’t like the Yankees...” (10:39)
• On Blue Jays’ Mindset:
  • Alan: “They probably feel, you know, like, hey, is anybody going to pay attention to us? ... We were the best team in the American League. Damn it, why [Isn’t] anybody talking about us?” (06:09)
• On Respect for the Yankees:
  • Alan: “They get a ton of attention because of who they are, not what they are.” (12:20)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Yankees Pitching & Bellinger Update: 00:44–02:10
• Aaron Boone & Buck Martinez Comments (Rivalry Heats Up): 02:39–04:29
• Toronto’s Chip on Shoulder, Hockey vs. Baseball in Toronto: 05:13–06:09
• Montage & Dirty Fight Narrative: 10:39
• Are the Yankees Respected? 11:40–12:14
• Other AL Teams Getting Overlooked by Media: 13:16
• Marquee Series in the Playoffs: 14:15

Listener Interaction & Playoff Pitching Performances

• Call from Chris in Barnegat (16:40)

  • Chris recalls the excitement of a pitcher going out past 100 pitches and asks where this ranks among playoff pitching performances.
  • Alan: “This is a kid making his 16th major league start, his first in the postseason. But just right now...I think it’s top five, but it could age even better if they make a run.” (17:23)
  • Don and Alan put it in context with historic performances (Clemens, Don Larsen, Andy Pettitte).

• Fun Music Tangent (David Bowie vs. Bonnie Tyler vs. Mariah Carey): 19:15–20:08

  • The team jokes about different hero-themed songs, keeping the banter light and the camaraderie natural.

• Call from Javier in Queens (20:08)

  • A shoutout to Don’s “newfound Yankee fandom.”
  • Alan quotes The Sopranos: “To the victor belongs the spoil.” (20:39)
  • Analysis of “rest vs. rust” as an advantage for the Yankees going into the series. (21:34)

Closing Thoughts

• The hosts are energized by the Yankees-Blue Jays storyline emerging for the ALDS, emphasizing that the animosity is real but often constructed through media narratives and city-wide chips on shoulders.
• The talk highlights why Yankees series draw outsized attention, how that feeds rivalry, and how teams outside the New York spotlight motivate themselves by their underdog status.

Episode Highlight:
Don (10:39): “This is going to be a dirty fight. The Blue Jays don't like the Yankees. And I don't know how the Yankees feel, but I think the Yankees look at the Blue Jays like, 'yeah, whatever, okay?'”

For Listeners:
If you care about the powerful undercurrents of baseball rivalries, market jealousy, and the inside psychology of postseason pressure, this episode offers both insight and lively banter, capturing the true essence of Yankees vs. Blue Jays in October.