The Dan Patrick Show — C&R: Belli, MLB Cap Babies, Best NFL Storylines

Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Covino & Rich (C&R) on Fox Sports Radio
Episode Focus: Breaking down major MLB offseason moves (especially Cody Bellinger’s signing), debates about baseball’s salary cap/floor, and a lively hunt for compelling NFL playoff storylines

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode revolves around the biggest sports stories of the day, primarily in Major League Baseball—with Cody Bellinger's blockbuster deal to stay with the Yankees drawing the most attention. The hosts also dig into the league’s ongoing debate about salary caps and floors, fueled by big-market spending and small-market frustrations. Shifting to the NFL, Covino & Rich openly discuss their lack of natural rooting interest in the remaining playoff teams, but brainstorm possible storylines that fans could latch onto as the Super Bowl approaches.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cody Bellinger Re-signs with the Yankees: Impact and Reactions

[05:09-07:20]

• Bellinger stays with Yankees: 5 years, $162 million — considered crucial for NY’s 2026 competitiveness.
• Covino calls it “the final piece” for the Yankees' postseason push, stressing Bellinger's versatile skills and importance for lineup protection.
  • “That’s 32, 33 million a year for a five-tool guy that's already proven he can play in New York.” (Covino, 05:40)
• Speculation on what would have happened if Bellinger had gone to the Mets, Phillies, or another contender.
• Rich agrees: “The Yankees were out without this dude. Trust me on that. Judge can't do it by himself.”

Notable Quote:

“If he didn't end up on the Yankees, dude, they're not competing. Simple as that.”
— Covino (06:28)

2. Salary Cap and Salary Floor: The MLB Competitive Balance Debate

[07:41-22:15]

• Rich points out how the game's evolving, with more talk of a cap/floor to curb team spending disparities.
• The Bellinger and Luis Robert Jr. signings (to the Mets) highlight the arms race among big-market teams (“cap babies”).
• Danny G and Rich express that even though big spenders’ fans love it, fans of lower-budget teams (e.g., Reds, Marlins, Rays) feel left out.
• Covino: “I would hate to see a holdout or a strike really affect baseball ... Baseball’s popping right now.”

Colin Cowherd’s Take on Salary Cap Issues

(Clip played: 15:39-17:47)

• Cowherd argues the Dodgers are disliked not just for spending, but for being both “rich and exceptionally well run.”
• He dismisses complaints from fans of underachieving franchises, saying their failures are organizational, not financial.
  • “It’s not a Dodgers issue.”
  • “Because the Pirates stink, does that have anything to do with the Dodgers? Absolutely not.” (Covino, 18:08)
• Cowherd’s analogy: People resent teams who are both wealthy and competent, just as they dislike people who are both rich and good-looking.

Notable Quote:

“The Dodgers aren’t just rich... they’re rich and exceptionally well run. That’s what bothers you.”
— Colin Cowherd (16:15)

Hosts’ Takeaways:

• Covino and Rich both praise Cowherd’s analogy and stress that small-market woes stem from poor ownership rather than league policy.
• Danny G highlights existing revenue sharing and suggests focus should be on “treating your players ... best” and managing teams smarter.
• Ongoing concern: If salary disparities persist, fans might disengage from teams perceived as “locked out” of winning.

3. Fan Ownership, Bad Owners, and Team Investment

[23:41-24:23]

• Listener feedback and host commentary blast billionaire owners for treating franchises merely as investments, not true sport enterprises.
• Danny G shares Dodgers history under McCourt: “They were a laughingstock at the time... [he was] trying to use it as a cash register.”

4. Can a New Setting Revive a Player’s Career?

[25:38-25:56]

• Discussion around Luis Robert Jr. moving from the losing White Sox to the star-studded Mets lineup.
• Both agree that a new team and higher stakes can reinvigorate a player’s career and confidence.

5. NFL Championship Weekend: Searching for a Storyline

[30:37-39:19]

• With beloved teams like the Bills and Bears out, the crew admits the remaining NFL playoff field doesn’t stir their emotions (“I feel nothing for you—like a dead relationship.” – Rich)
• They riff on possible story headlines for fan engagement:
  • “Can Matthew Stafford—at 37—get another ring and ride off into the sunset?”
  • “Could Seahawks redemption (running the ball at the goal line vs. NE) be the best storyline?”
  • “Do fans have any reason to root for New England, given their dynasty?”
  • The group agrees no Cinderella or sentimental favorite remains; best they can do is root for “matchups we’ve never seen.”
• Discussion switches to how fans align with fan bases as much as players/coaches, which is why “Bills Mafia” is so universally beloved.

Notable Moment:

“What is the storyline of the four teams that is at all even sentimental or could get the emotions going?”
— Rich (30:45)

6. NFL Updates and Quick Hits

[37:10-38:25]

• Dan Byer sports update: Bills owner Terry Pegula addresses firing McDermott, 49ers' John Lynch teases looking into “injury substation” rumors, and more.

7. Listener Feedback & Community Engagement

[23:41, 29:45-30:37, throughout]

• Live YouTube chat is read and referenced multiple times, with listeners weighing in on team ownership, player moves, and “who to root for” as impartial fans.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Bellinger’s re-signing:
  “It’s so on like John Papelbon eating flan with Bishop Don Magic Juan...” (Covino’s creative riff, 05:21)
• On the MLB competitive balance debate:
  “You don’t cry about it until it affects you.” — Rich (11:48)
• On franchise malaise:
  “Bad owners... They don’t want to put [money] into their team... trying to use it as a cash register.” — Danny G (24:09)
• NFL playoff lack-of-juice:
  “After a glorious season of football, I look at the four remaining teams and ... feel nothing.” — Rich (31:46)
• On the essence of rooting interest:
  “I think a lot of fans look at the fan bases.” — Dan Byer (36:49)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Bellinger Signs with Yankees – Reaction & Analysis: 05:09 – 07:20, 08:13 – 09:51
• MLB Salary Cap/Floor, Big-Market Spending Woes: 07:41 – 22:15
• Cowherd Clip on Salary Cap: 15:39 – 17:47
• Bad Franchise Ownership & Dodgers History: 23:41 – 24:23
• Can MLB Trades Revitalize a Player?: 25:38 – 25:56
• NFL Playoffs – Best Remaining Storylines: 30:37 – 39:19
• Dan Byer’s Sports Update: 37:10 – 38:25

Takeaway

An episode packed with lively debate, pointed humor, and measured insight, “C&R” gives fans both the insider’s view on breaking news (Bellinger’s signing) and the voice of the average fan—particularly those feeling left behind by baseball’s economic arms race. The episode’s latter half acknowledges the current NFL playoff picture’s lack of underdog drama or natural “feel-good” narratives, but the hosts have fun riffing on what storylines fans can still embrace.

For anyone tuning in for sports news, big-picture context, and some relatable banter about the ups/downs of fandom, this episode delivers.