 David Cohn joins us now and David let me ask you about Rodan when and if that agreement becomes final and he joins that road shit rotation how much does that change the Yankees starting staff well it gives him obviously that power lefty but to me it's the diversity of the rotation that really pays dividends Yankees when you think about Derek Cole going number one and then you follow that up the next night with Carlos Rodan now you've got a tough lefty in that lineup that might get neutralized or you give a different look from the other release point from the high three-quarters delivery from Cole to what Rodan gives you right over the top with that powered basketball and slider so I'm a big believer in diversity it's a completely different look even though both of them are power guys but the Yankees just they give you a different look every night now then you follow that up with Nestor Cortez and then Luis Severino and then the then potentially some depth to it the fifth and sixth and seventh spot in that rotation Rodan changes everything for me not only from a power standpoint but from a diversity standpoint David you know better than anybody that pitching in New York you have to have the stuff to do it but you also have to have the stomach to pitch on the bright the biggest stage in New York what have you seen from Rodan or maybe heard from him that tell you he's ready for that challenge well I can't really say that I've talked to him a lot just a little bit in passing and covering him on Sunday night baseball the last year or two but the one thing that really rings true to me is that he wanted the Yankees that when he talked about you know the chance to come into the Bronx he really kind of lit up when you think about some of the statements he's made I'm anxious to hear his press conference but that's a big part of the flash is somebody who really embraces the Yankee experience and wants to come to New York and understands what it's all about and also knows he's going to be pitching some big games down in September and the pen race and then in postseason as well David you baffled and befuddled a lot of hitters with your own slider when you watch his slider how would you describe it and what makes it so effective well I think it's a tunneling effect that he gets off of his foreseen basketball I think he's really figured it out in terms of just simplifying his approach he's basically a two-pitch pitcher now but both of them really look similar coming in and he gets such efficient spin really high spin rate not only on his but his slider coming right out that same plane and that same tunnel and he's gotten to the point where he he knows that those are his two best pitches and he's using them more often and with great success as well he's had some arm injuries in the past he stayed healthy the last year and a half how confident are you that the health concerns with his arms are in the distance well I really believe that when he got over Tommy John surgery in 2019 he rededicated himself and gained a lot of velocity by going going into the trainer's room and taking advantage of some of the medical analytics nowadays and the power training and the velocity training that he talks about the county said you know I've had enough I'm gonna get my body in top notch shape the Tommy John surgery kind of shook him up a little bit and from that point on he's really become a different pitcher his velocity's up in the upper 90s when he needs it although he's easy he has the ability to kind of save some in reserve so to speak and kind of add when he needs to in tough spots and then he's also took a look at the videos and understands that you know my pitch design my slider off of that foreseam fastball really plays well let me try to use those two pitches as much as I can David we haven't spoken to you on the hot stove since the Yankees reached an agreement with Aaron judge what was your takeaway about those negotiations and also just how vital it was for both sides to have that marriage continue I thought it was a masterclass in terms of a player for the first time in his career becoming a free agent and if you think about Aaron judge all the years in the minor leagues six years on the major league level it took him the better part of ten years almost eleven years before he had the chance to become a free agent and he played it as well as you can play it I think he's worth the money I think he's worth the contract I think the surplus value that he's already provided place big dividends for the Yankees on the back end of the contract that everybody talks about that maybe you know maybe those will be some rough years when he when he gets in his upper thirties but I think that if you look at the totality of the contract and you amortize the value over the course of the years that he's been a Yankee I think they'll be very happy at the end of the day especially if they can get a ring or a couple of rings before that ten years is up and to get that ring we know David that the Yankees have to find a way to get past the Astros that's been a problem that listen the sort of stated goal was how do we improve ourselves to do that they keep judge they sign wrote on are they on their way to doing that also knowing that the Astros lost Justin Verlander from their rotation. Yeah I think if you're a Yankee fan you're not going to miss seeing Justin Verlander in postseason that's for sure because he's been a tough customer so you know in my mind I think the Yankees have matched up with Houston in the rotation obviously you subtract you subtract Verlander and then you add Rodan on our side then you figure out hey maybe they've caught up on the rotation side now I don't think the Yankees are done yet I think they're going to fill out their outfield I think there's some potential value on the trade market for the Yankees as Brian Cashman kind of places down to spring training but I don't think we seen the final the final edition of what the Yankees are going to look like I'm interested in left field I'm interested in the rookies whether it's Volpe or Paraza and how much time they're going to get this year the big leagues. David I remember talking to you at the stadium last season where we were both playing GM in the booth because that's what everybody does and you brought up the likes of Volpe and Paraza and you wanted to get a peek at them right then and there how excited should Yankee fans be about the future and the injection of such talent in the middle of the infield. I think they should be very excited about both Paraza the guy they saw and then obviously Anthony Volpe the guy that's the number five prospect in all the baseball so yes all eyes are on Anthony Volpe at spring training is he ready is it going to spring training if he has a great spring training is that enough to sort of allow him to break camp and actually go north with the Yankees I think that's the big question in spring training is what's Anthony Volpe looks like and is he going to get a real legitimate chance to make this team on spring training or is he going to need a little more time in AAA and let the Yankees kind of sort out the playing time on the left side of the infield and up the middle. All right Connie final question for you I'm sure discerning viewers on Hot Stove would love to know where are you coming to us on this broadcast are you in Reykjavik on the moon is kind of an eerie glow behind you where are you? Well you know I couldn't quite make it home I'm in Florida and I couldn't get home for this this six o'clock hit that I had so I had to pull over and there's a little tennis center down here in Aventura Florida so I don't want to dox myself nothing matters but nonetheless I'm at a tennis center in Aventura Florida right now. All right well if you get a chance work on your backhand a little maybe 15 minutes let traffic lighten up and we'll see you again soon happy holidays. Thanks for having me on I appreciate it guys.