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[0:08] Al Malafronte: Hello and welcome to the Break a Bat Podcast where baseball meets Broadway, an attempt to show that my two favorite mediums don't have to live in such separate worlds and maybe even break some stigmas.

[0:19] Al Malafronte: We're happy to have you with us.

[0:21] Al Malafronte: Now let's play ball.

[0:25] Al Malafronte: Hello and welcome to Break a Bat, where baseball meets Broadway and sports meets show business. This is Al Malafronte coming at you for the Broadway Podcast Network.

[0:34] Al Malafronte: And today we're going to be joined by someone who I actually have a relationship with, at least as far as being a reader goes, all the way back to elementary school. I'm not trying to place any blame on our special guest, but this gentleman got me in trouble quite a few times in art class when, you know, occasionally the Newsday, I guess, was used to lay out on the tables while everyone was painting. Maybe I got a little bit distracted in class reading his baseball columns while he was the Yankees beat writer for Newsday. And over the years, you know, his career overall spans more than two decades. As of 2012, he's actually been writing for the New York Post as one of the best baseball columnists in the business. And I'm just so grateful he could join us today. So with that being said, I ask you all to please turn your attention to home plate, just be on the marquee. Now batting Ken Davidoff.

[1:28] Ken Davidoff: Thanks so much for joining us.

[1:30] Ken Davidoff: Thanks for having me, Al, and thanks for the nice introduction.

[1:33] Al Malafronte: Well, I'm very happy to have you join us today, but I'm sorry that the New York baseball season ended so abruptly. I know you write quite a bit on the national scale, but I'm sure that deep down you were polling for a fun October for the Yanks and Mets. I mean, that's good for business, I suppose, but you know, my job is to be impartial and to, you know, not really care, you know, who wins. And you know, ultimately my line is I root for quick games so I can go home. What do you think of these like four-hour games? They've made all these efforts to speed the game up, and none of it really seems to be working.

[2:09] Ken Davidoff: You know, it's funny. I don't hear—I have heard a few complaints this year about postseason games going along. To me, postseason games are just kind of epic, you know? Like there's just so much drama and intensity. It doesn't bother me the same way it does when it's, you know, a 4-1 game in June that goes three and a half hours. So yeah, you're right, though. More measures have to be taken. And I think that the one that's gonna solve it is the pitch clock.

[2:35] Al Malafronte: Now, do you think that—I mean, we have a new CBA negotiation coming up this offseason? Do you think that we would actually see something like that?

[2:42] Ken Davidoff: I think the pitch clock is inevitable. Yeah, I think there's just—it's so obvious how much it helps. If you look at what's going on this season in the lower A League, it used to be called the California League. It is remarkable the impact it can have, you know? It takes half an hour off the average time of game, and it is just too good to pass up. And I know pitchers are sensitive to that, but I think a lot of these pitchers now have grown up in the minor leagues using the pitch clock. So I think the more the older pitchers age out, the more it'll just become natural and it will be implemented.

[3:17] Al Malafronte: Now, how much did the pandemic impact your day-to-day as far as access to players and stories go? And then, of course, your writing style. Has it been a big challenge?

[3:26] Ken Davidoff: Yeah, it's been a huge challenge. Last year, I mean, I really didn't see a player. I'm trying, you know, maybe I stumbled upon someone on the road, like outside the ballpark. But yeah, last year it was all 100% in Zoom. We weren't allowed anywhere near the players last year. That was really hard, you know? And not to mention the lack of fans at the ballpark. This year has been a little better. We're at least allowed to interview the players in person before the game, on the field during batting practice, and now I'm talking to you from Houston. I'm covering the American League Championship Series. So there are pregame press conferences, so there are more personal interactions that way, but there's still no clubhouse access like we used to get before the pandemic.

[4:12] Al Malafronte: Now, what's your favorite city to travel to?

[4:15] Ken Davidoff: Probably Seattle. Seattle's just such a great city. It feels so exotic to me. It feels so not American, you know? It just feels so distant, and geographically it's beautiful, and there's some great restaurants there. So that's probably my favorite.

[4:31] Al Malafronte: Now, it's pretty amazing. I don't want to make this like a career retrospective, but you know, I mentioned the fact that you've been part of the fabric of New York baseball writing for nearly more than two decades now. You began your journey on the beat back in 1998, writing for the Bergen Record at the time covering the Yankees. And I know you had covered the Fab Five back when you were at Michigan, but was it intimidating to walk into that clubhouse for the first time, especially when you consider how that was really the peak of the Yankees being rock stars here in the city?

[5:00] Ken Davidoff: Well, it's a good question, Albert. To clarify, I had been around the Yankees since 1995, really. I was a backup beat writer for a few years before I became the beat writer in 1998. So I didn't go into that blind. You know, I had some relationships for sure. It would have been intimidating to walk into that blind. And it was intimidating in 1995 when I started, you know, first covering major league ball players. But by the time '98 rolled around, I actually had a comfort level with most of the people there, and that includes Joe Torre and the coaches and the front office and all that. Now, there didn't seem to be a lot of ego with that team compared to some of the guys today. And I know it was a different world. Now you have social media and everything, but not only was the character high on those teams, which I think really stands out, but you know, as we all know, the win total was too.

[5:28] Al Malafronte: Was there anyone in particular with a different or more guarded personality where you found it to be a struggle to cover them on a day-to-day basis?

[5:28] Ken Davidoff: Well, I mean, Derek Jeter was legendarily, you know, made himself available to answer questions, but you know, he took great pride in the fact that he didn't disclose much. So, you know, that could be frustrating at times. Also, it could be kind of fun just to try to, you know, poke the bear and see if you could get him in the right spot. You know, Michael Kay had a great quote about him once. It was, he'll open the door, or excuse me, like he'll talk to you through the screen door for 20 minutes, but he's not letting you in.

[6:21] Ken Davidoff: That's well put, well put. And he was like that even at age 23, 24.

[6:21] Al Malafronte: Also, he was that way?

[6:21] Ken Davidoff: Yeah, yeah, really just came out of the oven that way, you know? And I actually—he and I both attended the University of Michigan, so I had that connection where actually when I was a senior in Michigan, he was a freshman. And we remember we did a story on him. You know, he didn't play for Michigan because he had already started playing in the minors for the Yankees, but he attended for a semester, and we did a big story, and I remember talking to him about that story. So there, you know, we had that bond, but yeah, that certainly did not, you know, we could talk Michigan sports. We did for many years. But no, he was a very difficult guy to get in that door, as Michael said.

[7:16] Al Malafronte: Now, I mentioned your time at Newsday. That was right during my peak of being a Yankee fan. You were on the beat from '01 to '04, which is right around the time that Alex Rodriguez arrived in 2004. Who was tougher on a day-to-day during their peaks? Was it Jeter or A-Rod?

[7:32] Ken Davidoff: They were tough in completely different ways. You know, I mean, Derek, just because he wouldn't give you much, even though he would stand there and answer the questions. Alex was just unpredictable. You never knew what was gonna happen. You never knew what he was gonna do on the field. You never knew what he was gonna say off the field. You never knew when he was gonna show up on page six. So that made covering Alex a challenge. So yeah, two just too dramatic. It's really amazing they were ever friends. So I guess obviously they were both extremely talented shortstops, but that's really about all they had in common. So they were just, you know, I'm really grateful I got to cover both. And they presented completely different unique challenges.

[8:17] Al Malafronte: Now, did the relationship change a lot with either of them once you had to start asking the tough questions? Not that you had to ask too many tough questions about Jeter, at least back then, but A-Rod, for example, didn't necessarily have his best season the first year in New York. And he obviously was kind of the lightning rod in that whole '04 ALCS. He didn't really do much. Did that make it difficult, especially having to cover these guys on a day-to-day basis?

[8:43] Ken Davidoff: Well, it made my—what changed my dynamic was when I got promoted from beat writer to columnist, because now I'm expressing opinions, and sometimes they didn't agree with those opinions. And I would have to say, you know, both tried to completely shrug them off and pretend not to read what I wrote, but you know, in general I would say Derek was more sensitive to that than Alex was. I think Alex was just such a storm of commentary about him that he just kind of, you know, was able to just kind of put it all in a box, whereas Derek, you know, he got criticized less frequently. So it was a bigger deal when you did go after him a little bit.

[9:24] Al Malafronte: Now, are you ever hesitant to write the tough story, Ken?

[9:27] Ken Davidoff: Ha. I hope not. I hope not. I shouldn't keep my job if I am. You know, I obviously you try to handle it with a certain amount of respect and grace and fairness, but there are times when I have to be critical, no doubt about it. And you know, that's why I do what I do.

[9:46] Al Malafronte: Now who gave you the most pushback on a tough story over the years?

[9:50] Ken Davidoff: Huh, that's a very—oh yeah, I'd have to say Matt Harvey. Yeah, Matt and I had some disagreements, I guess you could say, over, you know, some of the stuff I wrote, which is, you know, his right to express his opinion. Like him not showing up to a playoff workout, for example.

[10:08] Ken Davidoff: For example. You know, he was something else. I mean, you talk about—I always had some questions about him, even from when he first came up. It seems like before he had actually really accomplished anything big, and obviously he had a world of talent, but he was already talking about, well, Derek Jeter's my idol, not because of the championships, but because of, you know, the nightlife component and all that stuff. So he just always kind of rubbed me the wrong way. It seems like there's a lot of guys that kind of get wrapped—they get wrapped up in that, especially here in the city. It's very easy for that to happen. But yeah, I always kind of have my doubts about his character. And then it's just so amazing that he was so fragile that after that game five of the 2015 World Series, it's like he never recovered from that. I never quite understood like what was going through that guy's head throughout his whole tenure here.

[10:59] Ken Davidoff: Well, you know, you touched on a lot there. I'll just address the last part. To be fair to Matt Harvey, I don't think it's been a mental thing since 2015. I think he's just broken down physically. You know, I mean, he pitched a lot in 2015, his first year back from Tommy John surgery. And you know, he had the thoracic outlet syndrome in 2016. He's just had a lot physically. And yeah, you referenced it. He wasn't shy about the fact that he lived hard, you know, that he enjoyed the nightlife. And I think that could contribute to it too. But yeah, I don't think what happened in game five of the 2015 World Series impacted his pitching after that.

[11:39] Al Malafronte: Now, have you crossed paths with him since he's pitched for the Orioles or the Reds or anything like that? Has he been a little bit easier on you since he's out of New York now?

[11:48] Ken Davidoff: You know, I don't think I've seen Matt since the Mets traded him to Cincinnati. As far as I can recall. Yeah, I don't think I've seen him. Now you have a very interesting job because especially back when you were on the beat, but you know, now as a columnist too, you're really competing with folks who it seems like they're good friends of yours for stories and access.

[12:10] Al Malafronte: Um what's that part of the job like for you?

[12:13] Ken Davidoff: Yeah, some are good friends, some are not, but you're right. And uh, it's uh you're you're a younger person, so you might not remember. There was an old Bugs Bunny cartoon uh with um a fox and like a sheepdog, and a sheepdog's job every day was to protect the sheep from the fox. And so they would report to work every day, and they said, Morning, Sam, morning, Ralph. And the five, you know, for from nine to noon, uh, the fox would try to steal the sheep, and the sheepdog would bang the fox over the head with that mallet, you know, and they would go out, get out, they take their lunch break together, and then from you know, one to five, they'd do it again. And then, you know, all right, see you tomorrow.

And that's what it's like, you know, because you, you know, you you you do try to bash each other's heads in uh competitively professionally, and then uh, you know, you might very well go out to dinner with them or or uh you know, or get to know their families. And it is it is an odd dynamic.

[13:06] Al Malafronte: Now, either on the New York baseball beat or on the national level, is there one baseball season that stands out, you know, for being the most fun?

[13:15] Ken Davidoff: Hmm. I have to say 98, you know, just because of the Yankees, their historic season, and then you talk about the home run uh records, and obviously history has uh shaded the the how we look at that home run race. But in real time, and really I like I watched that 30 for 30 last year. I would I still think it's delightful. I'm not much of a moralist, so I don't really care how they got there. You know, I just think it was a fantastic story, and uh that probably was the most fun.

[13:44] Al Malafronte: Now, do you put those guys on your Hall of Fame ballot? Because I know you have a vote.

[13:46] Ken Davidoff: Uh well, McGuire's no longer on the ballot, you know, he's on for 10 years and and is now off the ballot. Uh so there's some years I have, some years I haven't, and it's only because I I actually think he's a little overrated as a player. Uh and I I, you know, the ballot limits you to 10 spots, so there have been years where he hasn't reached my top 10. But the years where he has, I I put him on.

[14:10] Al Malafronte: Now you have Bonds and Clemens coming up on their final year of eligibility. How do you feel about those two guys?

[14:14] Ken Davidoff: I feel strongly that they should be in the Hall of Fame. I voted for them every year. I publicly advocated for them. I would say at this point, I would be surprised if they got in. And it's interesting because there are a lot of new guard writers that seem to be an advocate for you know something that you, as an old school guy, have been lobbying for. I'm surprised they haven't gotten that push that they needed. What I think is going to be interesting is you have Big Poppy coming on the ballot for the first time this year. Arod, completely different circumstance because he failed the drug test. But it's like, how do you vote for big poppy and not bonds and Clemens? You know, obviously there was suspicion with Big Poppy, but nonetheless, though, uh with technically Bonds and Clemens never failed the drug test. There were stories and suspicion. So I don't know how you put one in without the other.

[15:11] Al Malafronte: It's a fair question. Just to clarify, A Rod did not, the only drug test he felt was the survey test, which is the same one that Ortiz failed. When he got suspended in 2014, it was because of a trail of evidence of his communications with the dealer.

[15:27] Ken Davidoff: Yeah, it's all very complicated and nuanced, and each each guy has kind of been his own case. You know, the bonds and Clemens, it comes down to their dealers got caught, right? That's there, you put them in the same box uh because their dealers got caught and they spilled. Uh I'm sorry. Uh the uh bonds dealer didn't spill, but but the feds got a lot of information about it. Clemens dealer spilled. Uh and uh so that that puts them in one place. Ortiz, the one piece of information is he reportedly and I I I did he confirmed it he failed the 03 survey test uh and that's it. I I I don't you know I don't think that should exclude him. Uh but I do think I think that's I think if you just view it as how much evidence is there is more evidence in dieting Bonds and Clemens than there is Ortiz.

[16:19] Al Malafronte: Now here on Broadway we talk a lot about intense emotional performers and I think that very much defines Roger Clemens' legacy as a Yankee you know for those five years and then and then the sixth year in 2007 what was he like to cover on an everyday basis?

[16:35] Ken Davidoff: He was a pleasure I mean I really like dealing with Roger. Yeah he was uh uh he was kind of on his own planet a lot of the time you know you would you know ask him a question of you know hey Roger uh nice weather you have we're having today and somehow like the conversation would go around to country music or stake you know like he would just take the conversation in very odd directions uh but yeah Roger was you know always very accountable always there to answer questions uh I think his his teammates uh generally liked him especially once they got to know him better uh and look he he had a huge ego no doubt about it you know he loved being Roger Clemens.

[16:38] Al Malafronte: Uh but I do think he he backed that up by kind of honoring the superstars obligations you know when you look back on your career you know on a personal level how do you feel like you've evolved in your writing style because I I've followed you for so long and it seems like you've you always leave me wanting more every time I read your columns. And I feel like you've you've evolved with the game. You don't necessarily necessarily agree with all of it and how it's played, you know, now compared to 2001 or even you know 2011. But uh what are what are some of the bigger adjustments that you've had to make uh as time's gone on here?

[17:45] Ken Davidoff: Well, I think the biggest adjustment, uh well, there's I would say two. One is uh just the evolution of uh my product, you know, uh of how when I started doing this in 1993, uh covering high school sports, and then I started covering Major League Baseball in 1995. Like anything I wrote, any piece of information I learned didn't become public until roughly 5 a.m. the next morning, uh just because you know the internet really wasn't a factor back then. And now if I find out a piece of information, it's it's public within minutes, excuse me, if not seconds. Uh and the other piece would be uh analytics, you know, all the new mesh metrics and the new ways of looking at the game. And I I take pride in the fact that I've really tried to keep up with those and and understand and appreciate how they're being applied uh by the teams and by the players rather than shake my fist at them and say this is foolish, which I I think is a very foolish approach uh to looking at analytics. I've tried to incorporate that into my reporting.

[18:46] Al Malafronte: Well, I think you have to marry the old school and the new school because I mean quite often, you know, we're seeing starting pitchers get pulled after three, four innings, you know, in these playoff games, Blake Snell last year in the World Series after five innings when he was just cruising. Um I wonder, you know, at least with the Yankees, they have a very interesting offseason in front of them because they have at the time we're recording this, they haven't made a decision on Aaron Boone. Although it seems like, you know, all indications are that he's gonna be coming back. And as far as you know, the front office goes, Brian Cashman is coming up on the final year of his contract. I don't want to say that Cashman's here on a lifetime scholarship, but I really wonder if they've gotten too analytical and too far away from what's made them the New York Yankees, where they're going to start to reconsider how they how they do things and maybe bring back a little bit more of that old school mentality. I know Hal's not his father, but I really you know question if that's something that they're gonna consider.

[19:41] Ken Davidoff: All right. So do you mind if I push back a little here?

[19:44] Al Malafronte: Please do.

[19:45] Ken Davidoff: Okay. So like what give me an example. What would be what move could the Yankees make for 22 that would reflect more of an old school mentality to you?

[19:53] Al Malafronte: Well, I mean, for example, you know, they're you know, one example is Gary Sanchez, for example. They're talking, and I'm not the biggest Gary Sanchez fan, but they're debating whether or not uh to bring him back for you know, it'll probably be about nine or ten million dollars, for example, um, and different ways that they could allocate that money. And I remember a very specific scene in Moneyball where I think Brad Pitt playing Villy BM was talking about we could recreate him in the aggregate with you know with that money that they were gonna save on Damon and Giombi. Um, I feel like the Yankees shouldn't have to be worrying about, you know, how are we gonna better allocate nine million dollars?

If you look at what it's taking to win, the Dodgers are a highly analytical team, but they have also have the highest payroll in baseball. Go out and make the big free agent splash and bring in an impact player that can change the culture here rather than focusing on the nuts and bolts that I feel like has sort of defined some of the player acquisitions that the Yankees have made the last few years.

[20:54] Ken Davidoff: Okay, so again, we're friends. I'm gonna push back. What what what is like what exactly what move should they make that you would say, okay, that's old school. I like that.

[21:02] Al Malafronte: Go out and get Corey Seeger. Go out and get Corey Seeger, a five tool player. Um not necessarily, yeah, go out. I I I know that he's gonna have a hefty price tag, but nonetheless, though, I feel like he's I feel like he's more of the old school player. He's not necessarily an analytics darling.

[21:20] Ken Davidoff: He's completely an analytics darling.

[21:23] Al Malafronte: In what way, though?

[21:27] Ken Davidoff: Well, I mean, here's he doesn't necessarily well, here's the yes, he is a great player, but nonetheless, though, I feel like there's so much more of a focus on the when I talk about analytics, I am also maybe grouping launch angle into it, for example. Uh-huh. Um, and and I feel like he just is pure raw talent with great plate discipline. He always has a high on base percentage. Um, they don't, as far as the defensive metrics go, he's not necessarily the best shortstop, for example. I feel like there's a lot of emphasis on that. I've never been a big believer in defensive war, defining a player's defensive value. And I feel like there's hesitancy to sign him long term because they're not sure about his defensive metrics, for example, or his range at shortstop, but nonetheless, though, you look at this guy, I feel like he's the complete package.

[22:16] Al Malafronte: Okay. So what I'm struggling with is, yeah, I I agree with you. Signing Corey Seager would be a great move. Uh, and I think it's within the realm of possibility. I just don't see that's old school. I I I think I think a lot of Yankees fans in particular get all worked up of, oh, the Yankees are all too analytical. Like, when was a lot, you know, Gary Sanchez and Gleber Torres, what do they do? They prioritize offense over defense with those positions, right?

[22:37] Ken Davidoff: Yes.

[22:41] Al Malafronte: That was certain, certainly in the case of uh when once they move Glaber to shortstop. I thought he was a pretty decent second baseman.

[22:47] Ken Davidoff: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[22:48] Al Malafronte: So one what other Yankees teams can you think of where the catcher and shortstop were better offensively than they were defensively?

[22:56] Ken Davidoff: Jorge Posada at you know, the during the heart of the dynasty.

[22:59] Al Malafronte: Well, Derek Jeter as well.

[23:01] Ken Davidoff: All right, there you go. I rest my case. So the point is not that any belief system is undermining the Yankees, it's that they put their bets on the wrong players. Sanchez and Torres did not work out because they didn't hit enough to justify their defensive liabilities, right? And therefore they were overall liabilities. That's not analytics. That's just betting on the wrong guy and also ding them for development issues because we're both seen both guys do have high ceilings, but neither one came close to it this year. And you know, Sanchez for a few years.

[23:34] Al Malafronte: Do you think that they're going to bring Sanchez back?

[23:37] Ken Davidoff: No, I don't.

[23:40] Al Malafronte: And do you see them maybe having a big offseason where they are actually going to spend on, you know, maybe a blockbuster name?

[23:47] Ken Davidoff: Uh that's a very good, fair question. And I'm I'm honestly not sure. You know, I think there's an argument to be made with shortstop in particular. You know, there was an argument to be made for going aggressively after Corey Seeger in particular. He would he would be my choice among the this group because he hits lefty, and because as you said, he has an overall great talent, with which analytics you know, analysts would fully 100% agree with you. Uh except with this defensive war, though. Everyone's knocking his defense and it's driving me crazy.

[24:18] Ken Davidoff: Uh, he's not elite defensively, but guess what? His bat justifies his defense. And he makes the plays, right? Like Derek Jeter. He makes the plays. Right? Right. And he's a great clutch hitter, certainly, as well, as we saw last year. I mean, I'm looking at his defensive metrics now on Baseball Reference. He's never had a negative defensive WAR. He's had a couple zeros. So I'm not, I think he might be overstating the opposition to him. Right. But well, my issue is though, so his WAR goes down technically because he doesn't have a super high defensive WAR. Like for I'm just, I have his Baseball Reference open now too, actually. He had so just for example, um, yeah, I'm looking. Yeah. This year.

You could look at this year, for example. He had a 3.7 offensive WAR, 0.5 defensive WAR, finished the year at a 3.7 WAR. So are you really saying that he, you know, he was not valuable at all defensively? Does that and that doesn't warrant signing him to a large contract? I personally, I hope that's who the Yankees get as well. And I'm glad that you that we were in agreement on that. You've touched a nerve with me, which is good because it's good for your podcast. That's entertaining. Because I'm like anti-intellectualism is crippling this country, right? We saw what happened on January 6th. We're on the verge of disaster. So I feel like there are so many arguments made against the straw man of analytics.

There is not an analyst on this planet who would say don't sign Corey Seager. Not on this planet who would say don't sign Corey Seager. They would point out that he's better offensively than he is defensively. That's it. But you need to hesitate to pay him though, because of who's hesitating. Who's hesitating? Well, I think that there's some teams that are going to pull out because of his defense or you know what the analytics say about his defense. And I'm not anti-analytics. I just don't think that should hold a team like the Yankees back from giving him close to a blank check. Which there's no indication at all. If anything holds the Yankees back, it will be overall parsimoniousness, you know, on Hal Steinbrenner's behalf, and possibly the idea that, all right, we have the two best position-playing prospects in our system are shortstop, and we don't want to completely close the door on them.

So we go with a more short-term solution by a trade or something like that, and then we keep 2023 open for Volpe and Peraza. You know, that's gonna be interesting too, because, you know, there's a lot of hype around both of those guys. I'm pretty excited to see what Anthony Volpe can do at the higher levels because I think I was reading recently that his minor league season this year was very much the equivalent of what Derek Jeter did in 1994 when he was at the same point in his professional career. So obviously, I, you know, it's a completely different situation. I'm not gonna sit here and compare him to a Hall of Famer, but that's definitely someone that I look forward to seeing.

[27:08] Al Malafronte: Yeah, the Yankees are very excited about him. Very excited. So we'll see. Uh yeah, you're right. He clearly needs one more year, at least a partial year in the minor leagues before gradually into the major leagues. But yeah, yeah, it is exciting to see what he will do. Now, Ken, I could sit here and talk shortstops with you all day, but we did this is good back and forth, by the way. I gotta say, I'm very excited for our audience to listen to this. Um, but we do a little segment here on Break A Bat that's kind of a tradition. And it's called Fastball Derby. I want you to picture yourself in the batter's box, ninth inning. Uh, Chapman's on the mound throwing 105 miles an hour. Although these days it might be more like a hundred or a hundred and one, but you gotta think quick as the hitter here. And how about I ask you a question? You tell me the first thing that comes to mind. How does that sound?

[27:54] Ken Davidoff: Uh, yeah, let's see how we do.

[27:57] Al Malafronte: All right, I'll start you with an easy one. What's your favorite New York City meal?

[28:01] Ken Davidoff: Oh man, that's a great question. Uh gosh, that is a great, great question. Uh I'll go with Union Square Cafe. Um, that's my, my wife and I, one of our favorite spots gone there for many an anniversary. And really, there's a few things I like. You know, they used to have this black bean soup. It was delicious. Uh, but I think now they no longer make it. I haven't been there yet.

[28:30] Al Malafronte: I'll have to check it out.

[28:30] Ken Davidoff: That's all I know Ken Davidoff. Maybe they'll yeah.

[28:33] Al Malafronte: Yeah, I wouldn't bank on that, but uh, it is a wonderful place. I think they put Sherry in it, maybe, but it was so good.

[28:39] Ken Davidoff: Sounds delicious. But it's still a delicious place.

[28:42] Al Malafronte: All right. So since we are a baseball meets Broadway podcast, if you could be the lead in a Broadway musical, what would it be?

[28:50] Ken Davidoff: Man, oh man. Yeah, I took an acting class in college. Not for me. You know, I prefer to be in the backstage person. Uh, but if I could be the lead, I love Broadway. I love shows. Uh, what is my favorite show? Uh gosh, that's such a great question. Um completely, I've already looked at strike three, right? Uh what, I mean you know what I love is, uh what is the one that the movie just came out, uh the musical, uh Evan Hansen.

[29:22] Al Malafronte: Dear Evan Hansen.

[29:22] Ken Davidoff: Oh, Dear Evan Hansen, yeah, okay. Well, I mean, if I was talented enough to play Evan Hansen, which I'm obviously nowhere close to being, uh, that would be the role.

[29:31] Al Malafronte: Well, you know what you could even do is, uh, you know, from an age perspective, maybe you can be Mr. Murphy, because I'm sure you remember from the musical he teaches Evan how to break in a glove. And you know, what a wonderful, I mean, my God, I'm just getting choked up thinking about that play. But uh, but uh yeah, and that is a great part. And I am that's about my age.

[29:48] Ken Davidoff: You are correct.

[29:49] Al Malafronte: Yeah, so all right. So I think you would be a good Larry Murphy. So you could either be Evan Hansen's the dream role, but realistically, if there's, you know, maybe.

[30:03] Ken Davidoff: I'm not sure if you saw all the pushback that he got about that.

[30:03] Al Malafronte: Oh, I'm well aware, that's why I made the joke.

[30:08] Ken Davidoff: The joke, yeah.

[30:09] Al Malafronte: Well aware.

[30:10] Ken Davidoff: He and I have the same amount of hair.

[30:12] Al Malafronte: Well, why do you think I'm wearing a hat, Ken? I've got, you've probably got 25 years on me, and uh, that's why I'm wearing a hat because not necessarily the fullest set of hair.

[30:20] Ken Davidoff: But uh, I'm not sure if you saw all like the replies to that on Twitter with like gifs of Greece with, you know, like a 35-year-old soccer chan playing a high school, uh high school student and you know John Travolta at the time. It's pretty funny.

[30:35] Al Malafronte: Um all right, so back to uh Fastball Derby here. Um, what's the greatest game you ever got to watch or cover in person?

[30:44] Ken Davidoff: Another great question. Um, the greatest game I got to cover in person. I mean, the first one that comes to mind is 2003 ALCS game seven, uh, which is the reason that we're talking about Aaron Boone possibly coming back as manager. It is funny. That was my first game back after my son was born, so I was kind of mentally out of it. Uh, but uh, you know, you just yeah, that was still an epic game.

[31:14] Al Malafronte: Most uncomfortable Jeter and A-Rod moment.

[31:20] Ken Davidoff: Man, oh man. Um, you know, it's funny, I had the day off the day that the pop-up fell in between them, which I believe was 2006. Uh, but I, it had to be that day. Just it's funny, just the stories. Uh, I don't know if you know Howie Carpin. Uh, he's the longtime official scorer at Yankees and Mets games. And he does a lot of radio as well, and he talks about how mad Jeter was when Howie gave Jeter the error on that play. Uh, he said Jeter taught, you know, Jeter was usually, you know, is too cool to question something like that. But yeah, that one really annoyed Jeter. So he, I'm pretty sure he spoke to Howie about it.

[32:01] Al Malafronte: Wow.

[32:02] Ken Davidoff: All right. Um, let's go with an interesting one. Best Yankee team you've covered that didn't win the World Series.

[32:10] Al Malafronte: Either on, you know, on the beat level or the national level too.

[32:13] Ken Davidoff: Yeah, yeah. And I mean, when you stopped, you had the dramatic pause after teams you've covered, I was saying obviously 1998. Uh, but then you, you delivered the hook with, uh, yeah, that didn't win at all.

[32:19] Al Malafronte: Didn't win at all.

[32:25] Ken Davidoff: I have to go with '03. Um, because that starting rotation was so good. I mean, you know, Clemens still bringing it at I think he was 41 by that point. Um, and uh, David Wells, uh, El Duque, I guess was no, I was like, Mike Mussina, thank you. Yeah, uh that front four, all at or near their or close enough to their peaks. And then, you know, Jeter, Posada still there. Who else was, uh, oh Giambi, you know, Giambi slowed down a little bit that year, but some Soriano, uh their offense was not altogether dissimilar from some of the current Yankee team, you know, very strikeout heavy. Uh, but uh, you know, just that pitching was so strong.

[33:14] Al Malafronte: Yeah, that's an interesting answer. You know, I look back at that whole, it's all kind of grouped together for me, you know, as far as the two thousands go, post, you know, the subway series. However, the difference is '03 was the last year before everything changed because Boston winning in '04 just really kind of changed the complexion of everything.

[33:33] Ken Davidoff: So that like kind of broke off the chapters.

[33:35] Al Malafronte: Yeah.

[33:37] Ken Davidoff: And uh now Ken, we're gonna use this one to wrap Fastball Derby. We use it to wrap pretty much every episode of Break A Bat. Um, what's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you?

[33:49] Ken Davidoff: Oh, that is a great man. You're just killing me with all these great questions. Um, I'll keep it to the professional level, you know, as otherwise you're really gonna make me dig deep. But just professionally, uh, when I was at the Bergen Record, I had uh, an editor named Mark Schwartz, uh, and he, uh, you know, I was, you know, trying to make every mountain and molehill into a mountain, I guess it would be. I was overplaying, overwriting stories, you know, at high school at the high school sports level. And I remember he told me to give it what it's worth. You know, if something's a small story, then write it as a small story, you know, just write it with the proper perspective and don't try to overinflate it, you know.

And kind of to me it's, it's, uh, I, you know, I'd rather be accused of saying too little than too much. Uh, so that kind of messed with my personal beliefs, and that stays with me. It was probably 1994 when he said that to me. All these years later, it still stays with me. Like, you know, if you think you have something great, then go for it, swing for the fences. But if this is a day where, you know, to mix analogies here, like if you know, the best you're gonna do is a base hit, you know, just go the other way, Jeter-esque, then just do that. I was trying to think of a parallel for like instead of the Jetarian swing, I'm trying to think of the David Davi- Davidoffian swing.

[35:17] Al Malafronte: Jewish names, it doesn't work that kind of adjectives don't work that well. Same with the Italian names too. I couldn't really come up with something for that too.

[35:24] Ken Davidoff: But Ken, you are absolutely the good stuff in baseball coverage. I'm just so grateful we got to hang out for a little bit and talk. I'm sure our audience is gonna love this. Thank you.

[35:33] Ken Davidoff: Thank you very much, Al. It's been a pleasure.

[35:36] Al Malafronte: Well, folks, thanks so much for tuning in to Break A Bat today. Be sure to subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. This is Al Malafronte signing off for the Broadway Podcast Network. We'll see you next time.

[35:48] Al Malafronte: Um, thanks for listening to Break A Bat. This is produced by the fine folks at the Broadway Podcast Network. Visit and subscribe at bpn.fm/breakabat. You can find me online at break_a_bat_podcast. And you can also find the Broadway Podcast Network on Instagram at Broadway Podcast Network. It's been so great having you here with us today, and we'll see you next time.