Hour 1: George Lombard Jr. Sparking Jeter Comparisons After Electric Debut

**Craig Carton** (0:04)
It's The Carton Show with Big Mac! On a gorgeous Wednesday afternoon in New York City, phone number to join, 888-808-1019.
Well hit, Botta left, she's got legs! Jorge Lombardo has done it again!
Two nothing Yankees, because that's all the Yankees can muster these days. Don't matter who your starting shortstop is, don't matter who's pitching, doesn't matter who's catching, it really doesn't matter who's got the pinstripes on. The New York Yankees are a two shot Johnny and that's it! But two last night was all they needed! One more to take the series, and that'll be another series that the Yankees win with absolutely zero offense at all! Good afternoon, Big Mac, how are you today, Ken?

**Chris McMonigle** (0:53)
I'm fantastic this morning, Craig. As you should be. This night was a great experience being in the ballpark, albeit in the press box. I couldn't necessarily cheer, but I was in the building for the beginning of the George Lombard era.

**SPEAKER_3** (1:05)
There you go! I was there for it.

**Craig Carton** (1:06)
Very similar to the Derek Jeter era, some people say.

**Chris McMonigle** (1:08)
Some people do say!

**SPEAKER_3** (1:09)
Yeah!

**Chris McMonigle** (1:10)
Yeah!

**Craig Carton** (1:10)
You're one of them!

**SPEAKER_3** (1:11)
I am one of them!

**Craig Carton** (1:11)
And you're getting beat down? I don't know why.

**Chris McMonigle** (1:13)
I don't know why either.

**Craig Carton** (1:14)
That was a fair comment to make.

**Chris McMonigle** (1:15)
I was having a little bit of fun in the moment!
In the moment! It dawned on me, we saw the great defensive play to start with, and really even more than the home run. It was the defense. And it wasn't just the great play. It was the double play. It was the double play to start, no doubt. That's the play.

**SPEAKER_3** (1:30)
The double play is a funny play.

**Chris McMonigle** (1:31)
When I referenced the Jeter opening day in 96, and it's the over-the-shoulder catch with Signature, and then the home run, there's no doubt. It's the double play in the hole, and like Paul O'Neill said, we haven't seen a play, and I would go back further than just this year, we haven't seen a defensive play like that, as smooth as that was, as strong an arm, as off balance, perfect to second base, to start, I don't even know if Deedee had it, to be totally honest with you. It's a long time, and it's more than even just that play, that play stands out, it was incredible, and it's unfair to do this to Anthony Volpe, and I know I'm not alone, everybody's been doing it, it's just fair.
When the ball is hit to him, it doesn't look like there is an ounce of skittishness, I mean, come on.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:17)
No, I'm just saying, no, you're right. It's one game.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:20)
No, no, no, that doesn't matter, that doesn't matter.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:23)
One game you can tell. And I read those comments too.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:25)
One game you can tell, nope, nope. The home run, one game. Yeah. The level of play, the moment, one game.

**Craig Carton** (2:31)
Anthony Volpe won a gold glove.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:33)
Listen, I get it.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:34)
Like we can't forget that.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:35)
I've been a protector and defender of Anthony Volpe.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:38)
Not since you and I have been together, Anthony.

**SPEAKER_4** (2:40)
No, because it's been the third year of it.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:41)
I mean, because it's been the third year.

**Craig Carton** (2:44)
But but I got to push back, not just against you. I saw the comments also.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:48)
I'm sorry.

**Craig Carton** (2:48)
We haven't seen shortstop play like that. No, you did.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:50)
Paul O'Neill said it.

**Craig Carton** (2:51)
Anthony Volpe won a gold glove.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:54)
I'm sorry Craig, you're not right.

**Craig Carton** (2:55)
How many gold gloves did Dee Dee win? How many gold gloves did Jeter win?

**Chris McMonigle** (2:57)
No, I think two or three.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:59)
But not right now out of the gate.

**Chris McMonigle** (3:01)
No, not right out of the gate.

**SPEAKER_3** (3:02)
Right? And you can argue that Jeter was never a gold glove caliber player in shortstop.

**Craig Carton** (3:05)
I know the Volpe body ain't cold yet and people are already shoving dirt on him.

**SPEAKER_3** (3:09)
Again.

**Craig Carton** (3:10)
There's got to be someone who pushes back and goes, was he the shortstop you wanted? He turned out he wasn't. But the kid won a gold glove here.

**Chris McMonigle** (3:18)
Absolutely did. And he's better defensively than a lot of people want to give him credit for. But I disagree with my guy, Brian Cashman, who was on here yesterday and called him elite defensively. He is not elite defensively. He was for a year and a half, two years.