Michael Kay and Peter Rosenberg got into it over the disappointing Yankees.
On the ESPN New York and YES Network simulcast of “The Michael Kay Show” on Wednesday, Kay said that last year’s Bombers swoon was triggered by DJ LeMahieu’s injury and then a postseason without the infielder and Andrew Benintendi and a hobbled Matt Carpenter hampered the team against the Astros in the ALCS.
Kay said this explained why the Yankees fashioned themselves as “better than a .500 team” last offseason and only made a couple of acquisitions, such as Carlos Rodon and retaining Anthony Rizzo, who was severely affected by a concussion this season.
“I think they thought they were going to be a lot better, but now we see the flaw in that,” Kay said.
Then, business started to pick up.
Rosenberg needled his radio partner, “I’m just being honest: This does sound sort of like excuse-making.”
Kay raised his voice.
“I don’t give a crap what it sounds like!” Kay sniped.
“I’m telling you the reasons why it happened. If you people want to say that I’m making excuses, I don’t care anymore! I’m telling you the truth here. If you think it’s making excuses, good, go crap in a lake!”
Rosenberg asked what the point of the truth is when the Yankees “always get it wrong.”
“Really? They went to the ALCS last year,” Kay retorted.
They started to yell over each other.
“They got their ass whooped!” Rosenberg exclaimed. “They got embarrassed! They got destroyed! Michael, they got embarrassed by the Astros!”
The Yankees are 60-60, and in last place in the AL East as they head into Wednesday night’s game against the Braves.
Kay is the longtime voice of the Yankees, and though he won’t entirely shy away from criticizing the team, it would not be in his nature to go scorched Earth on the front office.
He has played off the tension with listeners over the years, and it’s an unspoken subplot of the segment with Rosenberg.
Rosenberg asked, rhetorically, about whether Yankees fans should be happy about making it to the ALCS and getting swept, and if that was the team’s best accomplishment in three years what it says about the franchise’s performance.
He also was of the belief that the Yankees should’ve “punted” at the deadline as the Mets did, but instead collapsed with no extra prospects to show for it.
The show’s other co-host, Don La Greca, sided with Rosenberg, saying that Aaron Judge called last season’s Astros battering a “failure.”
“I get it. But you can’t say they always get it wrong, like they’re a bumbling organization that can’t get out of its own way and can’t make the postseason,” Kay said to Rosenberg.
“That’s stupid! You sound like a fan!”
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