C-Mac Calls for a Yankees Catching Trade and Benches Anthony Volpe

**Craig Carton** (0:00)
Oh, it leaves me no choice.
I didn't ask for this, but I can't deny it once I hear it. Come on, Freddie. It's only a two-hour show, Freddie.
I ruined it at the end. This song always gets me pumped up. Princes of the Universe Queen from the great movie Highlander. You've seen Highlander, right? You're a Highlander guy. You know Highlander? And the TV series, too. That's a TV series on USA. No, it's the same thing, though. It's not the same thing. It is. Come on.

**SPEAKER_3** (1:04)
Either way, yes. The answer was yes.

**Craig Carton** (1:06)
Come on. You've got to see the original. What's his name? It's Christopher something, the actor. Lambert. Look at you. You got it right. I think it's Chris Lambert. I think I need to stop doing like sports and just go to movies. That's it.
I'll put Christopher Lambert movies on the wheel tomorrow. Thank you for you. Thank you. Highlander. Highlander, too. He's got to be in some other things.
I think it was Immortal Kombat.

**SPEAKER_2** (1:31)
Was he in Mortal Kombat? I think so.

**Craig Carton** (1:32)
I think he played like Raiden. Raiden. Oh, so I'm not that pumped. I'm not Princes of the Universe pumped. I didn't ask for that. I didn't want that. But once you hear it, you have to do it. I'm not that pumped for this Yankee team off of one win. I'm not. I'm not being that guy. It's one win. And we got bad news on Judge, which we'll get to in a second. I want to finish out your calls on the game and the Yankee situation right now. We'll get to the Mets as well.
But again, I'm not... This is not a Princes of the Universe moment. I didn't ask for it.
Alan in Morristown. What's up, Alan?

**SPEAKER_3** (2:10)
How are you?
Look, I'm not as concerned about the Yankees long-term. They don't have Judge, they don't have Stanton. It's a big absence in the middle of the lineup. I think the biggest issue is not pitching, it's not fielding, it's not hitting. I think it's catching. I think they need a really good catcher. And I don't think... If you think about all the pitchers... The catcher has a huge role in pitching as well.
Yogi Berra wasn't just a great hitter, he was a great catcher. He called a lot of pitches. I think they need a team that's really skillful and who can hit. They don't have that, they haven't had it for a long time. If you think about it, the failure of pitching is also related to having a great catcher. And I think that's what's been missing, to be honest with you. I mean, yes, they had 34 strikeouts in two games, I get all that, none of it's acceptable. But honestly, I think that's a big deal right now, it's catching.

**Craig Carton** (3:12)
I don't disagree.
I don't think the Yankees have pitched all that poorly to say like, the Yankees problems have been there, they're hitting mainly.
I thought they've pitched fairly well. Again, I told you the ERA, the bullpen, and certainly you got Cam and Cole just coming back from injury. But yes, there's no doubt, even with today, I would not be like, and Brian Cashman said today, among other things, which we will get to, when asked about the catching situation, he said, it's an issue, obviously. It's a major issue on this team, and I think it's the one certainty they're going to at least look to improve at the trade deadline. I don't think today's home run, Wells would have to get crazy hot between now and August 3rd at the deadline. He would have to get crazy hot. He had some good at bats today, right? He has the fly ball that moves the runner over in the third part of that inning. He has the home run, the first home run since late May, first home run on a breaking ball all season long. He draws a walk in his next at bat, the first walk since late May. I mean, that's how bad, he hasn't walked since late May. Walked, I know he went on the IL for a 10 day stint, but like he hasn't walked since late May, walked. Plays every day, starting catcher. He hasn't walked since May.
So yes, he had an excellent day for him and a good day for the normal player, a home run, walk, two runs scored, great. He was good with the ABS challenge system today, great. But he's a major problem. He's a borderline unplayable player. He was until today. He's earned borderline. He was an unplayable player prior to today, a home run and a walk, first since May. I'll throw a borderline in there. He's a borderline unplayable player. But my gut is after the weekend in Washington, I'll go back to saying he's an unplayable player.