Hour 4: Passan's Prediction

Summary

Summary of "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" Podcast Episode: Hour 4: Passan's Prediction

Release Date: July 17, 2025
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Duration: Approximately 28 minutes

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Introduction

In this episode of the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg podcast, the hosts delve into a comprehensive discussion centered around Major League Baseball's mid-season dynamics, with a particular focus on Juan Soto's performance, the New York Mets' bullpen challenges, and a comparative analysis of third basemen Greg Nettles and David Wright. The conversation weaves through statistical insights, player performances, team strategies, and historical baseball moments, all seasoned with the trademark banter and camaraderie of the hosts.

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Juan Soto's Second Half Surge

Timestamp: [01:10] – [06:21]

The episode kicks off with Anthony Pucik referencing a bold prediction made by Passan on the radio show Get Up, asserting that Juan Soto will lead Major League Baseball in home runs during the second half of the season. Despite Soto's sluggish start, Pucik underscores his June performance—11 home runs, tying him for the most in MLB that month—as a harbinger of an impending offensive resurgence.

• Peter Rosenberg highlights, "Soto hasn't really been Juan Soto yet. He started to show us hints of what he can be offensively" ([03:32]).

• Anthony Pucik adds, "He's basically married to this organization for the next decade and a half. Expectations are gonna be high" ([04:23]).

The hosts speculate that Soto's increasing comfort in New York and his ability to handle the pressure of being a core Met may unlock his full potential, potentially transforming the Mets into a formidable contender.

Mets' Bullpen Woes and Trade Deadline Strategies

Timestamp: [05:31] – [08:47]

Transitioning to team dynamics, the discussion pivots to the Mets' bullpen performance. Pucik expresses concern over the bullpen's capacity to sustain long innings, especially with pitchers like Montas and Maniah expected to contribute more consistently.

• Anthony Pucik questions, "The bullpen is your concern and if you can shore that up, then they're as good as anybody" ([07:27]).

• Peter Rosenberg concurs, emphasizing the need for bullpen reinforcement as a priority for David Stearns during the trade deadline.

The conversation touches on the competitive landscape, noting that other teams, notably the Yankees, are also in pursuit of strengthening their bullpens, which could complicate the Mets' trade strategies. The hosts deliberate on potential acquisitions and the financial implications ("Yankee tax") associated with bolstering the bullpen.

Comparing Greg Nettles and David Wright

Timestamp: [15:47] – [23:51]

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to a nostalgic and analytical comparison between two renowned Mets third basemen: Greg Nettles and David Wright. The hosts delve into their career statistics, defensive prowess, and overall impact on the team.

• Anthony Pucik states, "David Wright had a career batting average of .296 while Nettles was a .248 hitter" ([22:10]).

• Peter Rosenberg reflects on Nettles' longevity, "He played in an even 2700 games" ([21:42]).

They explore various facets such as Nettles’ defensive superiority, Wright’s offensive consistency, and their accolades—highlighting that while both players excelled, neither has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The discussion underscores the challenges of comparing players across different eras and playing conditions.

Historical Baseball Moments

Timestamp: [11:43] – [16:14]

The hosts reminisce about pivotal moments in baseball history, particularly focusing on the 1969 World Series involving the Mets. Jake Asman recounts critical plays and controversial decisions that shaped the outcome of the series.

• Jake Asman narrates, "Game five was the clincher... Cleon Jones is up, down three, nothing, bottom of the six" ([12:15]).

This segment not only serves as a throwback for long-time fans but also provides context for the Mets' historical performance and legacy within the sport.

Host Banter and Personal Anecdotes

Timestamp: [16:14] – [27:05]

Interwoven throughout the episode is lighthearted banter among the hosts, including apologies for on-air mix-ups and personal updates.

• Anthony Pucik humorously apologizes, "I apologize for Anthony for, you know, falsely accusing him of getting engaged this weekend" ([24:14]).

The camaraderie among Don, Alan, and Peter adds a personable touch to the podcast, making it relatable and engaging for listeners.

Closing Remarks

Timestamp: [27:05] – [27:28]

As the episode nears its end, the hosts preview upcoming content, including a discussion on the impact of the three-point shot in basketball, hinting at their multi-sport expertise and the breadth of topics covered in future episodes.

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Notable Quotes

• Peter Rosenberg: "Juan Soto hasn't really been Juan Soto yet. He started to show us hints of what he can be offensively." ([03:32])

• Anthony Pucik: "The bullpen is your concern and if you can shore that up, then they're as good as anybody." ([07:27])

• Anthony Pucik: "David Wright had a career batting average of .296 while Nettles was a .248 hitter." ([22:10])

---

Conclusion

This episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg offers a deep dive into the New York Mets' mid-season trajectory, spotlighting key players and strategic challenges. Through informed analysis and engaging dialogue, the hosts provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of the team's prospects, the significance of player performances, and the historical underpinnings that influence current dynamics in Major League Baseball.

For those interested in New York sports, baseball analytics, and insightful commentary, this episode serves as a valuable resource, encapsulating the essence of what makes the Mets' season compelling.

Transcript

[Don La Greca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

1-800-Contacts. This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Anthony Pucik]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen live, weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers, Fleetwood Mac. All right. Let it be known that I flipped the chair trying to get to the microphone and you jumped ahead of me.

[Anthony Pucik]

Sorry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Gonna name that tune in two notes. Damn. All right. That was a good one, though, Jake. Two to one, Donnie Fallen. You know what? Nothing. For the fact that I almost killed myself just to try to get to the.

[Anthony Pucik]

Yeah, but it's all part of it, you know?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is it?

[Anthony Pucik]

Listen, you gotta be ready.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Coming back.

[Anthony Pucik]

If I was slipping the backfield, I would have gotten that first down. So move those chains. No, sorry. Didn't work out. The hell with you, Jeff Patson.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anthony. Better still have a girlfriend after what you said.

[Anthony Pucik]

Oh, don't. I apologized already, so it's all right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is it? You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.

[Anthony Pucik]

Yes. You can't put the milk back in the gutter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When he goes home, he's got problems. She's got her arm full.

[Jake Asman]

She doesn't listen.

[Anthony Pucik]

Oh.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, you're not. You're not gonna ask me? No. When are you ever gonna ask me?

[Anthony Pucik]

I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Then what are we going to Maine for? Like, you know, if he has to deal with that now, it's all your fault.

[Anthony Pucik]

Oh, well, listen. That's a bad job about him, then. If they're not on the same page, isn't it better to find out now than later?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's for sure.

[Anthony Pucik]

There you go. All right, so Passen was on get up earlier. There's on K, but apparently I heard he got a bad line or something. Terrible. Okay, but I'm sure he said this on K earlier, but he said it on get up. Bold prediction for second half of the season. Juan Soto is going to lead Major League Baseball in the second half in home runs. And I understand he got off to a rough start, but we saw what Soto can do in June, he hit 11 home runs, tied for the most in MLB during that month. And I think it's really been about getting comfortable in New York. I talked to Francisco Lindor at the All Star Game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He said it took him a little.

[Anthony Pucik]

While to understand what it's like playing in New York. And I think Juan Soto is really beginning to understand what it's like to be a Met now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is that a name drop? You didn't want to do a drop there? I talked to Francisco Lindor.

[Anthony Pucik]

But he. It hit different knowing who he talked.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I get it now. I actually agree with him, though. And I said this earlier. You know, we talk about all the Mets needs and all things that. What both teams are going to try to do at the trade deadline. And I'm looking forward. We'll have John Heyman on tomorrow. John Heyman's really got his finger on the pulse of a lot of stuff going on. There'll be some great rumors in tomorrow's show. But I said. One of the things I said is, let's not forget that Juan Soto hasn't really been Juan Soto yet. And he started to show us hints of Juan Soto and what he can be offensively. And what if he has a Juan Soto second half? How much different do the Mets look and how much more do you believe in them as a team that has a potential to win a World Series?

[Anthony Pucik]

And you could say, well, he was in New York last year. It's a different story. It's. And it's a different everything, of course. Right, because he knew he was auditioning for a contract and he was playing for a team that was trying to win a World Series. So that comes with a certain amount of pressure. And there's a different pressure in all right now. I'm basically married to this organization for the next decade and a half. Expectations are gonna be high. I'm gonna have a lot of the city hating me for the decision that I made and a lot loving me for it. And I don't care. Listen, you don't think after, you know, working here at espn that if I went to another radio station in New York, even though it's the same market, same audience, theoretically or potential audience, it's gonna be different. You got different bosses. You got a different place to go, work every day, show to show. It's just different.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, you've been on the Same show for 20 years. I moved from one show to another. And the vibes, it's the same place, but the vibe's different, the rhythm's different. Everything's different. It just takes you a minute to figure it out.

[Anthony Pucik]

Different teammates and believe it or not, different media, it's the same city. And I'm not talking about like, you know, the expectations because the expectations are very high for the Mets as well. And I don't know if he got caught up in the difference between being a Yankee and a mat. He's a baseball player playing on a team and there's pressure and getting acclimated to your teammates and all that. And it took a little time, but I don't think it's that really that bold of a prediction by Jeff. He had amazing close to the first half of the season and I think you're going to see a much better Soto than you saw for the majority of the first half.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was player of the month in June and if you get that version of Soto that can be, you know, an offense unto himself, he could be a catalyst. That is something that for this team could be, it could be huge. It could change everything. And if you just fix a little bit of that, you know, the late eating bullpen, you got to feel pretty good about what you got.

[Anthony Pucik]

And that's why when you look at the possibility of what Soto can be, that maybe the urgency to get another bat may not necessarily be there like here, Like, Soto had a great June, but if you remember, the Mets didn't play well in June, so they really haven't been. They were winning of having this team clicking with Soto.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Anthony Pucik]

And Lindor struggled a lot in June while Soto was, was, was hot and Alonzo slowed down, wasn't hitting a lot of home runs. If you can get the first four guys of Lindor, Nimmo, Soto, Alonzo going and if you can get something close to what Vientos gave you in the postseason last year and then you get a healthy Marte and you get McNeil, there's enough there offensively for this team to win, I believe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Anthony Pucik]

My question is of the bullpen and, and the length that the starting pitchers are going to give you is saying you're going to stay healthy. Montas, I guess will be his fifth or sixth starts since coming off the IL in the second half. And then we're going to see Maniah. The only thing we saw from him was that last game before the break and he three and three and a third. He gave up the game winning hit, but he struck out seven over three and a third. Yeah, that gets me excited that maybe he's going to be able to get something going. But if These guys are going to give you five and two thirds six innings and I'm going to have to get nine, 10, 11 outs out of this bullpen. It's going to be a problem.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ye, that feels like the biggest assignment for David Stearns in this trade deadline is going to be just strengthen the bullpen. Everything else can figure itself out. Especially like it's like you mentioned, if Soto can now find his groove and have a strong second half like passing said, I don't think offense is the issue. I think that that bullpen is your concern and if you can shore that up, then they're as good as anybody.

[Anthony Pucik]

And the problem is even like the Yankees who have a strong bullpen, they're going to be looking for arms. Everybody wants somebody out of the bullpen, of course, so you're going to have to give to get. And the Yankees as well, we agree.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Third base though for them, third base.

[Anthony Pucik]

Well, I'm going to say find a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Way to figure that out.

[Anthony Pucik]

The same for the Yankees in the sense that if you're going to make the big splash, we open the show saying Suarez would be the big splash. He's got 31 home runs. You get a third baseman, you keep Jazz at second. But it's going to cost you, man. I don't think the Diamondbacks are giving him away now. Maybe things will change by July 31st. Maybe they come out of the break, they drop seven in a row and they're going to be in complete fire sale mode. But they made it very clear in Arizona they're not giving this guy away. And it always seems like there is a Yankee tax that they have to pay because they have prospects and, and obviously when you make a deal, they've got, they've got a chance to win championships.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not ready for that.

[Anthony Pucik]

And that could be something that really hurts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

As good as he is and as much as you have that need, I mean that's a critical need. But Cashman's always been good at, okay, there's the obvious number one candidate and then he's good at finding like here's another guy that's pretty good that plays third and we can get him for much cheaper. So let's just do that, right? Yeah, he's good at finding those guys. Now whether or not they work out is a totally different story.

[Anthony Pucik]

Yeah. And then ultimately that will be depend on whether it worked or not is how much they even if the guy does hit, but if they don't win, everybody's going to freak out about that.

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[Anthony Pucik]

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[Anthony Pucik]

Richard of Manhattan has a rewrite with replay. What do you got, buddy?

[Jake Asman]

Oh, I got replayed a couple quick things. You had mentioned Roselle and Christmas yet? Goodell and Christmas. What about Roselle? And ignoring the President Kennedy's assassination in 63. That was pretty cool.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ignore is a strong word. I remember reading about that and it was. They really went.

[Jake Asman]

Giants didn't want to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They went through that was a lot of debate and they just ended up not ignoring it because they debated it. So they clearly not ignoring it. But they went on anyway.

[Jake Asman]

All right, David Wright stays. Coming, fellas. David Wright, Craig Nettles.

[Anthony Pucik]

Well, obviously Nettles won. I think he was a way better defender and he hit for power. But I think. Is it wrong to say David Wright was the better all around hitter than Nettles?

[Jake Asman]

Oh, I don't know. Nettles to me was the piece that started the angle.

[Anthony Pucik]

Oh, no, he was in. He was an A plus defender. He was a better defender than Wright. I'd have to take a look at the stats, but. And I think Nettles was a more prolific home run hitter.

[Jake Asman]

All right, let's go to replay. The play that started the NFL questioning it was the 79 playoff game in January. You touched on it. Pastorini to Mike Renfro in the end zone. Replay showed his feet were inbounds. What would have happened if Pittsburgh didn't win that game? But anyway, that's what happened. All right, now, two plays during the 69 World Series. Now, before I get to the exact plays, let me just tell you that 69 Met Oreo world Series. Siva Kooseman and Ryan Coyer, Palmer and McNally. 1500 wins. You'll never ever, ever see that. 1300 complete games with those six guys. 1500 wins. You can imagine. Okay, game four, bottom of the ten at Shea Stadium. Mets are up two games to one, bottom of the tenth, first and second. No out. Seaver gets pinch hit for JC Martin. The only at bat he has in the World Series. Backup catcher to Grody Seaver won 10 innings, first and second. He lays down a bunt toward first, Don. You know why? Tore it first. Didn't want a bunt to third. Brooks Robinson was there. So Elrod Hendricks picks up the belt. That same Elrod Hendricks, seven years Later, Will hit the only home run off FIDRICH in that 76 Monday night, by the way, it was Keith Jackson, Warner Wolf and Bob Prince who did the game. Anyway, JC Martin is running out of the baseline. But in those days they didn't have that line toward first base. When a batter has to run in, the ball hits him on the elbow. The man on second runs all the way in and the Mets win that game. And after that, they changed it. That's over the off season to put that line in because Martin was way out of the baseline. But they had no way of knowing it and they saw it in the newspaper that the ball hit. All right, now, game five was the big famous one. That was the clincher. Mets are down three, nothing, bottom of the six. Cleon Jones is up, down three nothing. McNally pitches, hits Cleon on the foot. The ball goes into the Met dugout. Cleon doesn't want to go to first, he says afterwards, because he wanted to stay at bat. Clenden is on deck. Don Clenden go to first, go to first. So the ball ends up in the Met dugout. It stays there for about 20 seconds. Kooseman later confesses, Joe Hodges put black sh. Foulish on the ball. So Hodges takes the ball, shows it to Lou Demero, the umpire, and he awards Cleon Jones first base. But Cleon always said it did hit him anyway. Clendenin hits a two run homer, makes it three two. Al Weis later hits a homer. And that's what Mets won that game. Four games won in that game, five. But that was two controversial plays that the luck was on this side. But think of that fella Seaver, Guzman, Ryan, crayol, Palmer and McNally. You'll never, ever, ever see wins complete games. And you can't. I don't know if all six are in the hall of Fame, but. Oh, by the way, guess how many star youngster Nolan Ryan win, fellas, Guess how many?

[Anthony Pucik]

I don't think you want any.

[Jake Asman]

That's right, Don, you're on the money. Always a pleasure, fellas. Thank you, guys.

[Anthony Pucik]

He had a chance in. I'd have to go back. There was one year where I think he had a decent chance. He might have finished in second or third, but he never won because he didn't get it. They really looked at win totals and he never played for any real great teams. So he never had great wins. But always love the league and strikeouts. I want to dive a little bit deeper into the Wright and Nettles comparisons because they're kind of interesting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

The Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University helps you go from I know the way to I've arrived with our top 10 ranked online MBA. Gain skills you can learn today and apply tomorrow. Get ready to go from make it happen to made it happen and keep striving. Visit strayer.edu Jack WelchMBA to learn more. Strayer University is certified to operate in Virginia by Chevin has many campuses including at 2121 15th Street north in Arlington, Virginia. 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. This episode is brought to you by Stay 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 and 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.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Anthony Pucik]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Christopher Cross yes, sir. Arthur Theme from Arthur.

[Anthony Pucik]

The theme from Arthur is actually the name. So yeah, share that. I think we ended up tied. Good for us. I love this. I saw this in the theater. That's how old I am. Wow. I didn't think 1981 it was all right. No, Arthur is great. No, no, take it back. I did More is a national treasure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay. What I enjoyed most was just the scenes from old New York. Like, that's all. Like that. That era. You think about it though, it started in, I think it was the late 60s, Mayor John Lindsay, because there was a whole thing in New York where people weren't making movies in New York City anymore because there was this rule that you couldn't make New York look bad in the movie. It had to only make New York look bad. You know, spectacular and wonderful. So people stopped making movies here because, I mean, the city wasn't spectacular and wonderful at the time.

[Anthony Pucik]

No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And he took all that away. It Said, no, we want movies made here. No matter what, we want them made here. And that's why we started seeing more and more of those movies, French Connection and Taxi Driver and you just started seeing the grittiness of New York. And that was okay. And then, then what came from that was movies like this, I, I, which was the, the upper, this is the Central park, all of it. The Park Avenue Plaza Hotel type of lifestyle. That also was another part of.

[Anthony Pucik]

That's such a great point. Because whenever there's a movie based in New York and it's a period piece meaning or not a period piece, but it goes back a long time, you see when the street signs were yellow instead of the green that we see now, A Midnight Cowboy jumps to mind the old cabs. One of my favorite movies that really accentuates New York is Tootsie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Anthony Pucik]

That a lot of shots, scenes. And just as, as somebody that spends every day in New York and be able to see how certain areas that I go, 40, 30, French connection is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like the whole thing is being in that, like that midtown area where he's hiding out at the bar, like he's watching like all the things that are happening. The hotels, it's like, oh, that's right here. Oh, that scene was here.

[Anthony Pucik]

No, it's also, it's really cool. It is really cool.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, everybody. The ESPN New York Tee Up Golf Challenge presented by Jake's 58 Casino Hotel. It returns next. That is July 21st at Colonial Springs Golf Club in Farmingdale, New York. Out on Long island, team's gonna battle it out for amazing prizes and bragging rights. The charitable recipient this year is Madison Square Gardens Garden of Dreams Foundation. Something very near and dear to the hearts of myself and also Don Lagreca. The foundation helps young people facing serious illness, financial challenges or the death of a family member in uniformed services. To learn more and to donate, please visit gardenandreamsfoundation.org ESP New York Tee Up Golf Challenge is presented by Jake's 58 Casino Hotel. It's brought to you by London Jewelers, Verizon, Schweppes, Wild Fork, Meat and seafood Market, Bota Box and Infinity.

[Anthony Pucik]

Now it's really difficult to compare certain stats. Greg Nettles to David Wright because David Wright played 14 years, Nettles played 22. Nettles played til he's 43 years old. Crazy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't realize he put in that much time, but yeah.

[Anthony Pucik]

How many teams he played for ended up playing for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6. You think of the six. Well, he wasn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Give me, give me the teams.

[Anthony Pucik]

All right, well he started in Minnesota, three years there. Then he went played three years in Cleveland. Then he spent the majority of his time with the Yankees. Then in 84 he was on that Padre team that we were just talking about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

San Diego was yeah, three years there.

[Anthony Pucik]

Then 42 and 87 he played for Atlanta and then in 88 he was in Expo Mike.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't remember that's, I don't remember. Braves and experts don't remember that.

[Anthony Pucik]

He didn't let it go. He played in an even 2700 games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good for him.

[Anthony Pucik]

And David Wright played. Of course we know the back he played in you know under 1600 games. But overall batting average, David Wright had a career batting average of.296 while nettles was a.248 hitter. And then you look at the on base percentage for Nettles. It was for a career was 329 where David Wright was 376.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What if you took the first like how many games did Wright play?

[Anthony Pucik]

15, 85.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just get, give me nettles first. 1600 and then compare those numbers because you know when you're 40 years, I mean like I think his later years, those, it's going to skew, it's going to bring down the batting average, going to bring down certain numbers.

[Anthony Pucik]

And what's interesting too is I just, just said that Nettles was the way better defender, at least that's how I remember it. But both of them won gold. Only two Gold Gloves which was interesting. But if you look at the, as you said the first 1600, it's hard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To get it from playing in an era with Mike Schmidt, George Brett, right.

[Anthony Pucik]

When he became a full time player which was in 1970. So you throw away pretty much Minnesota where he never even played 100 games. You know he was, but he was always a 235. 261, 253, 230. He never hit for average. He was a better home run hitter. He led the league with home runs in 76 with 32. That had 37 and 77. So they're, they're both great third basemen. Neither are in the hall of Fame. Maybe David Wright would get there, I don't know. Six all stars for Nettles when it mattered. Seven for David Wright and a lot of that mattered too. So very comparable. Okay, two silver sluggers for David Wright and no silver sluggers for Nettles. He did win the MVP of the American League Championship Series. So interesting. But I always, even though I was not a Yankee fan, I did love Greg Nettles. He was. He was a fun guy to watch.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah. Again, those teams, that's kind of my. That was my introduction into, like, being a sports fan. I was still very young, but those, Those Yankee teams were like 13 first teams. I really.

[Anthony Pucik]

It was a good team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was a good way to introduce.

[Anthony Pucik]

The baseball, that's for sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

My parents didn't think so. Well, they didn't like.

[Anthony Pucik]

Yeah, well, they were coming off the 69 and 73 World Series that you weren't alive for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Anthony Pucik]

So I've been spending the day apologizing to people. I apologize to Jordan Ronan for calling him John during via chat.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did you see? Okay, go ahead.

[Anthony Pucik]

And I apologize for Anthony for, you know, falsely accusing him of getting engaged this weekend. I also need to apologize to Pat o' Keefe because he also congratulated me on getting the devil job. And I looked and he reminded us that my response was, thanks, man, and I didn't personalize it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He also sent so we could all see it. This is what I love about Pat, is that Pat made sure he had evidence. A screenshot of him saying, congratulations, extremely well deserved, and I'm very happy for you. And your response that came three hours later, by the way, was, thanks, man.

[Anthony Pucik]

I was thanks. No, that's not what I meant. I did text him in the middle of the show. Yeah, well, it was right in the wheel that Monday. I was inundated. You can imagine Pat with a lot of congratulatory text message. And I tried to change it up. I tried to personalize it when I could. I got a lot of thanks, man. If it was during break, I might like, add a little something like I'm over the moon or something. It was really difficult. So, Pat, please. It doesn't reflect on how I feel about you. It was just a matter of timing. And on the show, it's tough. I didn't even notice it until you had the discussion about texting Jordan. And then I circled back. I'm like, huh, I wonder.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pat's like, what's.

[Anthony Pucik]

Let me ask you this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where do I write?

[Anthony Pucik]

This is interesting. So what's worse? A failed attempt at personalizing it or not even trying to personalize it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I think a failed attempt, yeah.

[Anthony Pucik]

100% right. I didn't think. I didn't. Like I said, I didn't think twice about the thanks, man until the conversation today about Getting Jordan's note wrong.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what we're doing here, though? Now we're starting this unnecessary precedent that if something good happens in our lives, we have to respond differently to everybody. Now I have to make sure I don't say the same thing.

[Anthony Pucik]

You know what it reminded me of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Guys, can we just send a thumbs up?

[Anthony Pucik]

Is when I get, you know, the only other time I get inundated with text messages is like people wishing you a Merry Christmas or Happy Birthday. And I just feel like I want to make each one a little different just in case everybody happens to get together and they pair notes. I just didn't want to be, like, generic. But what do you got on the show, Pat? We're getting ready for the second half of the season. Yanks and Mets, obviously both in playoff position now. Trade deadline around the corner. I think it would be a disaster if either or both of these teams missed the playoffs. Listen, they're built for not only getting to the playoffs, but the expectations are long playoff runs. So what can they do over the next two weeks to try to shore that up as much as possible? All right, buddy, I'll be listening, driving home. Have a great show, Alan, I'll talk to you again tomorrow at three.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You got it, boys.

[Anthony Pucik]

On ESPN New York.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know it's good. Here for more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.

[Anthony Pucik]

You've seen the headlines, heard the debates.

[Jake Asman]

Some say the three point ball has.

[Anthony Pucik]

Created a monotonous rhythm to the game. Has the three pointer ruined basketball? And how did we get here? The rise of the three point shot can be partially traced to an eccentric Kansas genius named Martin Manley, whose story didn't turn out quite the way he imagined.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I decided I wanted to have one of the most organized goodbyes in history, and I think I will be successful.

[Anthony Pucik]

30 for 30 podcast presents a brand new original series, Chasing basketball heaven. Available July 22. Wherever you get your podcasts.