While the New York Mets’ inability to live up to the preseason hype has been one of the biggest Major League Baseball stories this season, their crosstown rivals have done their share to provide plenty of disappointing feelings as well.
The New York Yankees currently find themselves in last place in the American League East and there is plenty of blame to go around for how they got here. Michael Kay and Peter Rosenberg tried to figure out how to properly assign that blame during Wednesday’s ESPN New York and YES Network simulcast of The Michael Kay Show and it went about as poorly as the Yankees’ season.
Kay traced this season’s struggles back to last season’s DJ LeMahieu’s injury, which he says caused a ripple effect that led to their collapse against the Houston Astros in the ALCS. The Yankees broadcaster then claimed the franchise assumed it was in better shape than it actually was, which led to an offseason of acquisitions that didn’t do the job that was needed.
“I think they thought they were going to be a lot better, but now we see the flaw in that,” Kay said.
That’s when Rosenberg stepped in to throw some cold water on Kay’s theory.
“I’m just being honest, this does sound sort of like excuse-making,” he told Kay.
“I don’t give a crap what it sounds like!” Kay responded while raising his voice. “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! I don’t care!”
“Over the last few years they’ve (front office) gotten it wrong, repeatedly.” – @Rosenbergradio pic.twitter.com/o92IeWY0Y5
— Mario G (@marioagomez_1) August 16, 2023
Rosenberg then asked why the Yankees, who haven’t won a World Series since 2009, “always get it wrong,” which Kay refuted by saying “Really? They went to the ALCS last year.”
At that point, they started yelling over one another, as New York sports radio hosts are wont to do.
“They got their ass whooped!” Rosenberg said. “They got embarrassed! They got destroyed! Michael, they got embarrassed by the Astros!”
For his part, co-host Don La Greca, who called disgruntled Yankees fans “spoiled brats” earlier this season, ended up siding with Rosenberg, noting that even Aaron Judge called last season’s performance in the ALCS 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. “That’s stupid! You sound like a fan!”
The finger-pointing and blaming over the Yankees’ season certainly won’t be limited to Kay and Rosenberg, assuming the team is sitting at home watching the playoffs come October.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.