Hour 4: Last Call Crew

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 4: Last Call Crew
Release Date: July 23, 2025
Host/Authors: ESPN New York’s Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg

---

1. Opening Discussion: Mets vs. Yankees Standings (00:30 - 01:13)

The episode kicks off with Don Hahn providing an overview of the current baseball landscape. He highlights the New York Mets' challenging upcoming series against San Francisco and San Diego and shifts focus to the New York Yankees' pivotal game against Bassett. Hahn sets the stage for debates on whether the Yankees will clinch the series and potentially impact their standings with the Blue Jays.

Notable Quote:
Don Hahn [00:30]: "Mets fans will find themselves, you know, rooting for the Yankees this weekend."

---

2. Caller Segment: Criticism of Anthony Volpe (01:39 - 07:02)

Caller: Charlie from Brooklyn
Charlie expresses strong dissatisfaction with Yankees' shortstop Anthony Volpe, criticizing his defensive plays and overall performance. He argues that Volpe's recent underperformance is detrimental and suggests that he should be sent down to the minor leagues.

Key Points:

• Performance Issues: Charlie labels Volpe's plays as "pathetic" and believes his struggles have persisted for nearly two months.
• Trade Suggestions: He proposes trading Volpe for Corey Seager, despite Seager being considered a valuable asset.

Notable Quotes:
Charlie [01:39]: "I had enough of Volpe. I want him sending down to the minor leagues."
Don Hahn [02:59]: "So I'm not sending him down until I make that deal. And I don't think he can make the deal."

Hosts' Responses: Don Hahn and Peter Rosenberg engage in a deep dive into the feasibility of trading Volpe. They discuss the complexities of filling the shortstop position without compromising other critical roles within the team.

Notable Quote:
Peter Rosenberg [05:33]: "They have glaring holes in third base, the rotation, and the bullpen."

---

3. Third Base Concerns and Suarez Trade Discussion (07:02 - 11:31)

The conversation transitions to the Yankees' need to bolster their third base. The hosts examine the potential acquisition of an offensive player like Suarez, weighing his high home run count against his defensive shortcomings.

Key Points:

• Suarez's Performance: Suarez has hit 36 home runs over four months but is criticized for poor defense and high strikeout rates.
• Trade Implications: Michael K. is quoted discussing whether acquiring Suarez is worth trading top prospects, considering his defensive liabilities.

Notable Quotes:
Michael K. [07:50]: "He strikes out an awful lot. But you can't ignore the 36 home runs."
Don Hahn [10:52]: "So if they're not in on it, that tells me that it's going to cost too much."

Analysis:
Don and Peter debate the strategic trade-offs, considering both immediate needs and long-term team composition. They conclude that while Suarez offers offensive boosts, the defensive risks and trade costs may outweigh the benefits.

---

4. Continued Caller Interaction: Impact on Volpe's Status (16:16 - 18:19)

Caller: Kevin from Saratoga
Kevin inquires about how Anthony Volpe's performance affects his standing with the team's fan base, especially with emerging talents like George Lombard Jr. making strides in the minor leagues.

Key Points:

• Fan Perception: Don acknowledges that fans are growing concerned as Volpe fails to meet expectations.
• Team Strategy: The discussion touches on the challenges the Yankees face in balancing young talent with immediate championship aspirations.

Notable Quote:
Don Hahn [16:30]: "This is a legitimate concern. So I'm not going to jump the Yankee fan for being concerned about this."

Peter Rosenberg [17:39]:
"The concern about Volpe is twofold... he might not be the shortstop of the future."

---

5. Mental Pressure and Defensive Struggles (18:19 - 23:50)

The hosts delve into the psychological aspects of Volpe's performance, attributing some of his errors to mental stress and the immense pressure of playing a pivotal role on a high-stakes team.

Key Points:

• Mental Game: Don Hahn likens Volpe's struggles to past instances where players have experienced the "yips," leading to uncharacteristic errors.
• Team Expectations: The Yankees' continuous push for championships places significant stress on young players like Volpe.

Notable Quotes:
Don Hahn [18:19]: "You can live with the lack of offense, but 13 errors... it's in your head."
Peter Rosenberg [19:32]: "At any point since he came up, this might not be the shortstop of the future."

---

6. Don Hahn's Transition to the New York Devils (19:37 - 24:25)

In a noteworthy personal update, Don Hahn discusses his new role with the New York Devils, detailing his preparation process and enthusiasm for covering a new sport.

Key Points:

• Preparation: Don immerses himself in learning the Devils' roster, history, and current season dynamics.
• Excitement for Hockey: Unlike his deep familiarity with the Rangers, Don approaches the Devils with fresh enthusiasm, treating it as a fun new venture rather than work.

Notable Quotes:
Don Hahn [19:37]: "This isn't work. This is fun. Diving into the roster of a team that I'm going to be working for."
Peter Rosenberg [21:35]: "The preparation is some of the funnest part of that job."

Summary of Transition: Don anticipates engaging with the Devils' training camp, building connections, and leveraging his passion for hockey to excel in his new broadcasting role. He expresses excitement about covering preseason games and integrating into the Devils' community.

---

7. Closing Remarks and Future Episodes (24:14 - 25:03)

As the episode wraps up, the hosts and guests exchange final thoughts, reiterating plans for upcoming shows and expressing gratitude to listeners.

Notable Quotes:
Don Hahn [24:25]: "We never got the chance to do this before. This was fun, man."
Peter Rosenberg [24:29]: "This was fun. Great sitting in for not one, but two esteemed gentlemen."

Final Note:
Hosts encourage listeners to stay tuned for future episodes, highlighting continued discussions on Yankees' strategies and other sports topics.

---

Summary

In Hour 4: Last Call Crew, Don Hahn, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg engage in an in-depth analysis of the New York Yankees’ current struggles, particularly focusing on Anthony Volpe’s performance and the team's strategic shortcomings at key positions like shortstop and third base. Through passionate caller interactions, the hosts dissect potential trade scenarios, the psychological pressures on young athletes, and the broader implications for the Yankees’ championship aspirations. Additionally, Don Hahn shares personal updates about his transition to broadcasting for the New York Devils, showcasing his enthusiasm and methodical approach to embracing a new sport. The episode blends sports critique with personal narratives, delivering a comprehensive and engaging discussion for fans.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Don Hahn [00:30]: "Mets fans will find themselves, you know, rooting for the Yankees this weekend."
• Charlie [01:39]: "I had enough of Volpe. I want him sending down to the minor leagues."
• Peter Rosenberg [05:33]: "They have glaring holes in third base, the rotation, and the bullpen."
• Michael K. [07:50]: "He strikes out an awful lot. But you can't ignore the 36 home runs."
• Don Hahn [10:52]: "So if they're not in on it, that tells me that it's going to cost too much."
• Don Hahn [16:30]: "This is a legitimate concern. So I'm not going to jump the Yankee fan for being concerned about this."
• Don Hahn [19:37]: "This isn't work. This is fun. Diving into the roster of a team that I'm going to be working for."
• Don Hahn [24:25]: "We never got the chance to do this before. This was fun, man."

---

This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the "Last Call Crew" episode, providing listeners and non-listeners alike with a comprehensive understanding of the episode's content.

Transcript

[Unknown Speaker]

On WhatsApp, no one can see or hear your personal messages. Whether it's a voice call message or sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this. So whether you're sharing the streaming password in the family chat or trading those late night voice messages that could basically become a podcast, your personal messages stay between you, your friends and your family. No one else, not even us. WhatsApp message privately with everyone.

[Don Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. That sounds like heaven to me. Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers. Mets head out west to take on San Francisco and San Diego. So a lot of work for the Mets to do. Yankees got the big game tonight. They got freed on the mound against Bassett and the rubber match of that three game set. So we'll either talk tomorrow about the Yankees winning another series and being two games back of the Blue Jays or we're going to talk about, you know, the New York Yankees falling back to four back at Toronto and losing series to the Blue Jays before they welcome in the Phillies. So Met fans will find themselves, you know, rooting for the Yankees this weekend.

[Peter Rosenberg]

As the Yankees are doing for the Mets this week.

[Don Hahn]

That's right. So kind of interesting bedfellows when we're talking about the standings, the Yankees and Mets recap driven by Ramsey Mazda. It's the experience of driving into Mazda and buying a Mazda from Ramsey Mazda. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Let's get back to the phones. You want to climb aboard? A couple of lines open at 1-800-919-3776. Let's talk to Charlie in Brooklyn. You're on ESPN New York. What's up Charlie?

[Charlie]

Hey, what's going on guys? How you doing?

[Don Hahn]

Good man.

[Charlie]

You okay? So I know a lot of people say last night the Yankee wins a turning point the season. Well, not yet until they win tonight. And we're not going to say turning point, please. And nobody has talking or maybe Michael K. I heard Michael K Mention on the show, but not enough people are talking about Anthony Volpe with his pathetic putrid plays for what almost two months. And in my opinion enough is enough. I had enough of Volpe. I want him sending down to the minor leagues. How come they can't do the same thing with the mess they were Francisco Alvarez. And I believe where before the pre all star break the failing grades in this town are Alvarez and Volpe, who's gonna have a better impact? I believe it's Alvarez and Volpe. I Cannot take the tolerance from this organization. Continue to be, oh, he's elite. That was the ma echo by the manager, which I can't take it. And he needs to go down to the minor leagues.

[Don Hahn]

And Joel Sherman has talked about that too. Who's your shortstop if you do that? Because the Mets had to Renz, who many people thought should have been playing ahead of Alvarez because Alvarez was struggling. Who is your shortstop if you were to send down Volpe?

[Charlie]

So if, if you're not. If you're not going to send down. I mean, if you send down, I'll look at the trade market as well. Like if I'll put pour out shortstop with which not. It's. It's awful idea. But I'll go on a purge trade. I'll trade Volpe and take on Corey Seer's money because I cannot.

[Don Hahn]

Now, Seeger was a guy you could have had in free agency but chose not to because you didn't want to landlock Volby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's exactly right.

[Don Hahn]

You are not going to trade for a shortstop. You'd have to give up too much. It's too much of an important position. Very difficult to find. So I'm not sending him down until I make that deal. And I don't think he can make the deal. All right, so the other idea you had was moving Perazza to shortstop. Oh, he can't hit either. He's a better defender. Now, who's your third baseman? Rice. Well, Rice has never played it before. It looks like they have no appetite to do that. All right, you want to put jazz back there? Then who's your second announcement? DJs guy's back there. So I understand your sentiment. If they had a shortstop, let's say Lombard Jr. Wasn't 19. Let's say he was 22 and he's. And he's chomping at the bit to get called up. Well, then maybe you do that and you send Volpe down. But he's 19 and he's not ready. I'm not going to send up a 19 year old to play shortstop on a team in a pennant race. That'd be silly. All right, so I don't know what you do. The Mets had Turennes and he was okay, not great. Alvarez raked. It was the perfect thing to send him down because they had an alternative. What's the Yankees alternative? Because the options that I got from the caller he even admitted probably aren't going to work. So what are we doing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I like the sentiment. If you had a backup plan, I don't think they would do it anyway for other reasons. I don't think they would do it for the symbolism. You know, I mentioned this before. I think the Yankees like the whole homegrown narrative at that position. Being a local kid, I don't think the Yankees would be gutsy enough to do something like that if they did have a pseudo. Look, their. Their backup plan to do that is Parasa. He's already the backup plan at third base. And by the way, a subpar backup plan at that. So you would send Volpe down and now the left side of your infield is what, Parraza at short and Vivas at third in the middle of a pennant race. As bad as Volpe has been and as disappointing as he's been, he hasn't been their biggest problem. They have a bigger glaring hole in third base. They have a glaring hole in the back of the rotation. They have glaring holes in the bullpen.

[Don Hahn]

And it's not like this is what he's been his entire career. He had a great rookie season from a defensive standpoint, won a Gold Glove. He also had some big home runs, was great in the postseason for you last year. So even though it feels like the Yankees being a little overly optimistic about Volpe, there is a enough evidence to say he could do it. Can he do it on a consistent basis? We'll have to. We'll have to wait and see on July 23rd. You're not doing that. And you're not going to give up the equity that you have in your organization to get a shortstop. And then, and then, unless you're going to get somebody who could walk at the end of the year and then landlock them again. Again, Alvarez. I understand the sentiment, but Alvarez, the, the. The Mets had an opportunity to play Turin's. They had an option. There were people talking when Alvarez was up that Terence would probably be the everyday catcher. There's nobody that people are saying, why isn't this guy playing? You're just grasping at straws. The organization can't afford to do that. It's too important a position now. It's a lot to do, right. It's a shortstop, very important. It's a position that Jeter used to play and all the options they had to get a shortstop. We kept hearing Volpe's coming, Volpe's coming, which set a level of expectations that he may never live up to. He may never be the player that we thought. But can you win with him? Well, he went to a World Series last year with him. And you certainly didn't lose that World Series because of him. So why would you want to give up on him? Be frustrated, be aggravated, but don't give up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, he needs to be in between. He's not going to be the guy who you had hoped or expected him to be. I think that's out the window. But he needs to be somewhere in between when what he has been so far this year and where those expectations were, because there is something to work with here, unfortunately, whereas you would have wanted to see him take a big step in year number three, he has actually regressed.

[Don Hahn]

Now, third base is what they need to address because they're getting no production out of third base. They're getting defense, but they're not getting any production. And as good as this offensive team is or can be, they need to be better. So that's why Suarez is somebody not an A plus defender by any means, but he's third in baseball in home runs. So Michael K. On his show earlier today talked about the interest in Suarez.

[Michael K.]

I'm just wondering, are the Yankees that high on Suarez, which everybody seems to think they are? He's a bad defender. The Yankees have a pitching staff that allows ground balls. So do you want a bad defender who obviously is going to hit home runs, or do you want a good defender, which is what you have now that can't hit. And Suarez strikes out an awful lot. But you can't ignore the 36 home runs. But remember, that's 36 home runs over four months. So that's nine home runs a month. So if you get them before the trade deadline, you're hoping that you get, I don't know, 15 home runs out of them. Is it worth giving up a top prospect for that?

[Don Hahn]

Well, not. Not just what you get for the rest of the regular season, which is important. What is he going to do in the postseason? And I think that's probably important to talk about as well. So, Michael, what do you think is going to happen at third?

[Michael K.]

My guess, and this is just a guess, I'm not being told by anybody, I don't know if the Yankees are in on Suarez. I don't know if they're in on Key Brian Hayes. So for those of you that want them to make a big splash, you can only make a big splash if people are willing to play in the pool with you. Can they get the Rockies to engage them on Ryan McMahon or is it going to be somebody of a lesser value, like a Luis Renjifo? Might they bring in an IKF to play third base and fill in at shortstop. That might be the thing you're looking for because again, they're looking for a starter and they're looking for a couple of relievers when everybody is looking for that.

[Don Hahn]

Well, Ren, he foe is not having a great offensive year either this year. I. Because let me just take a look at his statistics. Right. But that's what I was hearing, that he's not exactly tearing it up. So I don't know if that's an option for them, but again, they're getting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No offense there now.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that. That's the. You probably don't have the luxury of getting the best offensive player because at this point, it feels like everybody is going to be better than what you have there at third base.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Ren, he was a.604 OPS this year. That's not good at all.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, and he's, you know, again, he's just looking at, you know, the Overall stats. He's a.241 hitter. He's got four home runs, 23 RBI. Like you're right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

282 on.

[Don Hahn]

282 on. But again, that would still be better. It would be than what they have right now, but again, you'd have to trade for it and you're giving up prospects. And again, give. Give Cashman credit. Usually doesn't give up a ton to get what he needs. But if they're not interested in Suarez, you know, Michael can talk about, well, it's only going to be maybe 15 home runs in the regular season and he stinks defensively. If the Yankees aren't interested in him, Pat, it's because he's going to cost too much. And they don't want to give up a Jones. And it makes sense because he's a free agent at the end of the year, so, you know, landlocking Lombard Jr. But. And then right now, they're still technically in it. They're only five games out. Remember, this is a team two years ago went to the World Series and they got hot in the second half of the season that year when they got into the World Series. So they may not be hot to just give the guy away. They might want to hang around a little bit. Now, listen, if five becomes seven, eight by the time we get to the 31st, different story. But other teams are going to be interested in him. And other teams might be willing to give up their best prospects are the Yankees. Historically tells you, no, they're not going to want to do that.

[Unknown Speaker]

That.

[Don Hahn]

So if they're not in on it. That tells me that it's going to cost too much.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, what they did with with Soto when he left was, you know, they had that pivot to Freed and then to Goldschmidt and they got two or three guys, you know, with that Soto money. Is that something that they can do here instead of Suarez is going to likely be expensive because of the season he's having with the 36 home runs that they don't want to give up that. Can you give up a little bit less, improve third base still just not as much as Suarez. You still get some relief help, maybe a starting pitcher, you know, spread it around a little more than concentrate your assets on one position.

[Don Hahn]

And remember, part of like what they gave up for Soto even though he was a free agent is they thought they had a reasonable chance of resigning him. That was somebody they wanted to bring back. Yes. Suarez is not somebody going to want to bring back. Michael brought this up many times. Is that from an analytic world? He's not like the perfect player. So if you're not going to resign, then it is a rental with no shot of bringing him back because you don't want it. So that tells me that maybe that it is a bit of a pipe dream. He might end up with the Yankees. Close out your calls next 1-800-919-3776. DJ Kevin, hang in there. Climb aboard till 7:00, and then it's Jake Aspen right here on ESPN New York.

[Unknown Speaker]

This is an ad by BetterHelp. Workplace stress is now one of the top causes of declining mental health, with 61% of the global workforce experiencing higher than normal levels of stress. To battle stress, most of us can't wave goodbye to work. But we can start small with a focus on wellness. With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. And it works with an App store rating of 4.9 out of 5 based on over 1.7 million client reviews. It's convenient, too. You can join a session with a therapist or at the click of a button, helping you fit therapy into your busy life. Plus switch therapists at any time. As largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of expertise. Unwind from work with better help, our listeners get 10% off their first [e-mail] timeout. That's betterhelp.com timeout.

If you've shopped online, chances are you've bought from a business powered by Shopify. You know that purple shop pay button you see at checkout? The one that makes buying so incredibly easy? That's Shopify and there's a reason so many businesses sell with it. Because Shopify makes it incredibly easy to start and run your business. Shopify is the commerce platform behind 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started. Shopify gives you a leg up with hundreds of beautiful ready to go templates to express your brand style and forget about the code. Tackle all those important tasks in one place from inventory to payments to analytics and more. Spread your brand's word with built in marketing and email tools to find and keep new customers. And did I mention that iconic purple shop pay button that's used by millions of businesses around the world? It's why Shopify has the best converting checkout on the planet. Your customers already love it. If you want to see less carts being abandoned, it's time for you to head over to Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.comnetwork. go to shopify.comnetwork shopify.comnetwork with the Venmo Debit card.

You can Venmo everything. Your favorite band's merch. You can Venmo this or their next show, you can Venmo that. Visit Venmo Me Debit to learn more. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp bank and a pursuant to license by MasterCard Incorporated card may be used everywhere. MasterCard is accepted. Venmo purchase restrictions apply.

[Ceedee Lamb]

Hey guys, it's Ceedee Lamb, wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. I'm partnering with Abercrombie this season to tell you all about their viral denim. All you need to know is denim should fit like this. My jeans need to check a lot of boxes fit first, trend second. They need to go with whatever I'm feeling and Abercrombie Denim has it down. Whether I'm throwing on a tee or putting the whole fit together. Shop Abercrombie Denim in the app, online and in store.

[Unknown Speaker]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want, like that dream house or ride, is a great feeling. That's why the State Farm Personal Price Plan can help you save when you choose to bundle home in auto bundling. Just another way to save with a personal price plan. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are Selected by the customer Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state.

[Charlie]

Not all meals are created equal.

[Don Hahn]

For instance, breakfast has the spicy egg.

[Charlie]

McMuffin for a limited time and lunch doesn't.

[Don Hahn]

McDonald's breakfast comes first. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch the show on demand whenever you want to. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Let's close it out with your calls at 1-800-919-3776. Let's talk to DJ in Iowa. Wow, you're on ESPN New York. What's up, DJ?

[Charlie]

Yeah, I was wondering how much does it affect Anthony Volpe status in the, in the eyes of the fan base with the resurgence of George Lombard Jr. In the minor league? I'll hang up and I'll listen. I don't have a great line.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that's, that, that's the thing is that at 19, it's a little bit much to expect him to do anything this year, although he did have a great spring. But I really just think it's, I don't even know if the Yankees or fans are that forward thinking about Lombard Jr. And his potential. It's just that they don't feel like Volpe's living up to his. And let's face it, we've talked about this many times. The Yankees have left a lot to be desired fundamentally over the years, but they've always found a way to bash their way through it. And you're winning games 12, nine, if there's a couple of errors, so what? You ended up winning the game anyway. But there's been too many games where those errors have cost them. And now you're a second place team, all right? And now you're not running away with the division. And now there's actual questions on whether this team's gonna be able to win the division or maybe make the playoffs. So it's hurting you. And then these are legitimate concerns. Pat, I don't think this is, I'm not jumping the Yankee fan for being concerned about this. I think this is a legitimate concern. So I'm not going to jump them. Sometimes I jump them and go like, God, you just can't, can't have nice things, right? You got to find something negative. No, this is, this is something to be concerned about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, the concern about Volpe, I think is twofold. Number one, as it pertains to this year, where there is still a hope among the fan base that they're Going to go to the World Series and contend again. And number two, it's starting to become clearer that more so that at any point since he came up that this might not be the shortstop of the future. They thought when he came up, he was going to go through some growing pains. And then a lot of people thought he turned the corner, the way he played in the playoffs, the way he played in the World Series. And they thought, okay, cool. That position is locked up for the next 10 years. And now you're starting to realize that, you know what? Maybe this is who he is. In which case it's not going to be good enough for what we want to do over the next 10 years.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And you can live with the lack of offense. It's not great. But 13 errors and a lot of them throwing errors, which I've always felt, I don't know how you feel is a mental thing. I think instinct takes over. Gloving the ball now, but when you're not being able to complete the throw from shortstop to first and you're healthy, I think it's in your head. You're getting the yips. Kind of like what. What happened with the Mackie Sasser, not being able to throw the ball back to the pitcher. Right. We've seen that happen where guys, you know, Steve sacks back in the day, like you wonder if. And there's a lot of pressure playing that position. You're a local kid, grew up a Yankee fan on a team that's supposed to win a championship. Tell you, I saw it with. With the Rangers and I'm seeing it with the Yankees. You know how hard it is to compete for a championship and bring along young kids. And that's what the Rangers were trying to do with Cocko and Lafreniere and. And Keandre Miller. Oh, let's bring these kids up. And also let's try to win a championship. Well, the Yankees are trying to do that with some young kids and also win a champion. It's hard. You know, the Yankees, every single year, Volpe's been the shortstop. The expectation is to win a World Series, and that's sometimes really difficult to do. And I'm sure he's feeling it. Let's go to Kevin up in Saratoga. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Kev?

[Charlie]

Hey, guys. How you doing today? Thanks.

[Don Hahn]

No problem.

[Charlie]

Quick question, Don, with you, with you starting your new gig with the Devils, what do you do to prepare for your new job? Anything special for the team? You've been with the Rangers for so long. What do you have to do to prepare to be ready for the season coming up?

[Don Hahn]

Well, what's easy for me, Kevin, is that I love hockey the way Pat loves basketball, the way Allen loves basketball, the way Michael loves baseball. I love hockey. So I wasn't just about the Rangers. I wanted to know everybody's roster. I wanted to know how good everybody was or bad everybody was. I did a podcast three days a week talking about the entire National Hockey League. So I'm not any, some expert, but I'm a fan. So I've got a working knowledge of the Devils from just not the fact that I grew up a fan. I have the history where maybe I'd have to learn the history if I didn't know it, but I know the history. But the current roster and what's been going on, I've been on top of that. But he makes a good point. Not to the extent I was on top of the Rangers, where I knew so much about them because I was around them all the time. So I've been, you know, reading all the information I can different guys that they picked up during free agency, getting to know when contracts are up. This was stuff I knew without even looking it up with the Rangers, but with the Devils, who's a free agent when who's a restricted free agent, who's unrestricted, like so. But I, I was telling somebody the other day because I got asked that question by a buddy of mine, like, this isn't work. This is fun. You know, diving into the roster of a team that I'm going to be working for. I look forward to doing that. It's fun. You know, it's not work, it's fun. So. But that's what I got to do. You got to have to know the team. And I didn't have to know the Devils other than the times they played the Rangers, pronunciations, numbers and stuff. But the focus was always on broadcasting the game for the Rangers. So there'll be a little work to have to do. But believe me, it's fun. It's, it's. Work just doesn't seem the right word for it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The preparation is, is some of the funnest part of that job. The play by play job, diving in, obviously, like you said, getting the intricate knowledge of the team that you're doing every, every day, or you know, in my case, the Knicks, not every day, but often. And then of course, you know, being a fan of the, the league of the sport and knowing as much as you can just because You're a fan. And then secondly, because it is your quote, unquote job about the rest of the league. So that's a very good starting point.

[Don Hahn]

And also training camp is going to be a big deal because that's when everybody will come together. You'll find out what the line combinations are. You'll get to know the players. Because that's the one thing that made it tough with the Rangers. I was able to do it, but, like, going to practice was tough because they practice out in Greenberg. I live in Central Jersey, so it's like an hour and 20 minutes away. And it interfered with work, so I'd have to rely on information from another source. And then when they hit the road, I would go to the morning skate. And so I would know that. But here, living in Jersey, I'm going to literally have to drive past the Rock to go to work every day. So I can go to practices. I'll be able to go to training camp. So that's where I'll get, I think, a lot of the knowledge about the team and just get ready. I mean, I'm so looking forward to it. It's going to be a lot of fun. It's only we're not even through July yet, but, you know, and then we'll get. I don't know how many exhibition games I'll get. Maybe one, maybe two. We'll see. I'm going to meet with some people coming up on Friday about all that stuff, but, you know, it's going to be fun, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Preseason opener is against the Rangers, it looks like.

[Don Hahn]

So it'll be dependent on what how many are tell. They have six total. I don't know how many of them are going to be actually. Usually they only televise when the locals play the locals and when they're home. And sometimes they have those crossover broadcasts, too. I don't know if they do that with the Knicks. Well, they can't do it with the Knicks because different networks, but, like, if the game's at UBS and it's Rangers, Islanders, they might put, like. It would just be like Sam on the call and put him with Butch Goring, you know, like, so that both teams get covered during the course of the broadcast. So I don't know. It'll be fun to figure it out. But it's coming, man. Like, the first stage to know that summer's dwindling is when NFL camps open. And the death knell for the summer is the U.S. open. To me, yep. When the U.S. open comes, then you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Know, that's when I always knew that I was going back to school.

[Don Hahn]

Right. That was your. You're pretty much done.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When the US Open was in the paper growing up, I'm like, I'm gonna be in school next week.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And. But now, now that we're out of school, I, I don't dread the end of the summer. No, I don't either. I did.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, the end of the summer now means hockey and basketball start right for you and me, that's the best time.

[Don Hahn]

And you do get nice weather and you can swim deep into September. But when you had to go to school, it was a different story.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So this was fun, man. We never got the chance to do this before.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for having me.

[Don Hahn]

Hopefully you're free on August 23rd for the mark Sasso. I'd love to see you and your dad there. Love that. Kids, enjoy the rest of your summer, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thank you.

[Don Hahn]

And I know we'll talk to you tomorrow and Friday because you're going to be coming on after us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I'll be on seven o'clock tomorrow and Friday. This was fun. Great sitting in for not one, but two esteemed gentlemen and alongside you. So thanks.

[Don Hahn]

And Jacob and Julian doing a great job as usual. It'll be Jordan Ron on back the next couple of days here to my left as Alan and Peter continue their vacations. And Jake Aspen is coming up next, so enjoy the Yankees. We'll talk to you again tomorrow at 3:00 clock right here on ESPN New York. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the.

[Don Hahn]

Sausage is made, but I just want to know.

[Ceedee Lamb]

It's good.

[Don Hahn]

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.