Buster Olney

And I know people who are on baseball love the fact that he's back to being a great player.

During that recent series between the Yankees and the Angels, he and Aaron Judge were texting each other after every game, sort of cajoling each other competitively.

I know Aaron well enough to know he loves seeing Mike Trout back to being a preeminent player.

Well, it was interesting because I have never seen a managerial change that was as respectful as what we saw with Rob Thompson.

It wasn't the Red Sox where you got palace intrigue and Game of Thrones and the whole thing.

It was David Dombrowski, head of baseball operations, came out and said, look, we need a change of voice, just as we did when we brought Rob Thompson in.

Now he goes out and Don Mattingly comes in.

It's so interesting because I think that Don and Rob are very similar in personality.

but maybe, you know, the, the Phillies just getting past that question, you know, as opposed to idiots like me coming up every day and saying, you know, what do you think of Rob Thompson might get fired?

Do you think this will be the week?

Do you think this will be the time like that?

That balloon has been burst.

And then you bring in Don who's got 12 years of experience managing in the big leagues.

And now I think the talent of this team is manifesting.

They have an excellent core pitching and Bryce Harper started hitting and now they're playing a lot better.

It would actually remind me a lot of what happened, and you're going to remember this.

1978, Billy Martin is the manager of the New York Yankees.

He famously has a blow-up with Reggie Jackson in the dugout at Fenway Park.

Billy gets fired.

They bring in Bob Lemon, theoretically as an interim manager.