PTI - Should the MLB Implement a Salary Cap?

Episode Date: January 21, 2026

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser discuss the Knicks, the MLB, and John Harbaugh joining the Giants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows, and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon. It's National Hugging Day, Tony. Have you hugged anybody today?

I'm Tony Kornheiser. The UPS guy, it was awkward. Yeah, maybe a fist bump. Yeah, I shouldn't have drawn him in quite like that. No, no. Did he have packages? Yeah, I was so happy. Like, things were being delivered to the house

and made me so happy. So I figured it's National Hugging Day. Why don't do something like that? Why not? Welcome to PTI, boys and girls, in today's episode, the Yankeesies. bring back Cody Bellinger. John Harbaugh and Joe Shane

claimed to be on the same page, and Steve Young joins us for five good minutes. But we begin today with the struggling New York Knicks playing New York's other team, the terrible Brooklyn Nets. Off.

Tonight in Madison Square Garden. Since winning the NBA Cup, the Knicks are 7 and 11, including 2 and 9 lately. They were booed at home the other night, losing to Dallas. And then Jalen Brunson called a player's only meeting.

As former Nick, Michael Ray Richardson once observed, the ship be sinking. Wolbon, how badly do the Knicks need a win tonight? Didn't they, you know, not all that badly. They're going to get one. They're playing Brooklyn. They stink.

They really do stink. And they're not playing them over across the bridge. They're playing them in Madison Square Garden, the world's most famous arena, where they will beat Brooklyn tonight by 27, 28 points. That's just the way that's going to happen. And it's not going to take any pressure off the Knicks. The Knicks have plenty pressure.

They came into the season with the pressure. Boston is without its best player, most, if not all of the season. The Indiana Pacers and other conference finalists out, I mean, without their best player all or most of the season. So the Knicks came into this. It expected to win the Eastern Conference at the very least. And they, see, you don't, you think I'm showing too much faith in the Knicks? Well, I mean, I just think you're part of a crew that has this drumbeat going on,

that you see on television all the time, that forgets a, out Cleveland, just ignores Cleveland, ignores Cleveland, ignores Detroit, ignores everything, and ignores the next history, which is not to anything. I'm ignoring that. I'm looking at what they got now. And so is Jaylen Brunston. He's looking around. You know they don't have.

I know you and I agree on this. We haven't talked about it. Tibbs. That's exactly what I want to say. Okay. I'll leave that part to you. Because there is trouble there right now. And the trouble is on defense.

And so people look around knowing the Tibbs was a defensive guy and they say, well, this is what you get when you fire that guy. And Mike Brown started off very good. They looked very good for a while. But last year with Thibodeau, the Knicks were 13th in the league on defense. That's fine. That's good enough. This year in the last 18 games, they're 29th.

They're next to last in points allowed per 100 possessions. They're allowing a tremendous amount of point. Dallas isn't any good. They were up 75, 45. That's what they have. Legitimate. So, okay, but here's the other part of the trouble, Mike. Players-only meetings.

with a first-year coach, that doesn't reflect well. I believe this, Mike. I believe they won that dopey cup, and they decided that meant something, and I think they're cruising. I agree with you completely. You know what, Tony, but you know there are dog days of the NBA, and we are in them.

You talk about it all the time. We're in the dog days. We're not going to get out until the Super Bowl. It's like the NFL season means something to NBA players. They're going to wake up on February 9 and go, oh, wait a minute. We've only got 25 games. left, the Knicks are going to be okay.

I'm not saying they're going to beat out Detroit ultimately in the east. I'm just saying they're going to be okay. Let's move to baseball. Where Cody Bellinger will return to the Yanks for five years, $162 million. That's a lot. But nowhere near the $240 million for four years

the Dodgers are giving Kyle Tucker, overrated Kyle Tucker in my book. The athletic reports that baseball owners are raging about the size of the Dodgers' payroll. and that deal, and we'll push for a salary cap with 100% certainty. Is this something the owner should be doing? So me personally, I think a salary cap is fine.

As long as there's a floor, as long as you make sure that teams, and I'll name a few, the Marlins, the pirates, the A's, the White Sox, the Nationals, those you make sure they're trying to be competitive in spending money. And if you want to balance that out a little bit, maybe you make the luxury tax even more punitive than it, is right now. You know, but look, I'm not

against the Dodgers. I admire the Dodgers. They spend a lot of money, but they spend the money wisely. Rob Manfred is happy with the Dodgers. He has said we like a great team in a big city. Yeah, but he represents the small teams too. This is the whole point. He represents all the

owners, even the cheap ones, even the dumb ones. Okay, so he's got to be cognizant. It feels like most of the owners are asking for a set of guardrails to guarantee a competitive balance, and they believe that a salary cap will do that. It works in other sports.

It does. At baseball, they've gone without it. And one reason we've got to acknowledge is that the baseball union is a hundred million times stronger than the other two unions combined. And they're never going to go for it. They'll miss a whole season.

And so I think the Tucker deal is the tipping point. A guy who's never hit 35 home runs, who's never hit 300, and he is now being treated like Henry Aaron? Are you kidding me? I don't see it that way. If I'm the other owners, look, by the way. The Dodgers haven't made any mistakes in the people I brought in.

There's two ways of looking at this, all right? Well, you're looking at it. The Dodgers owner I know, and the Dodgers owner is purple, and I know him. Here's the problem. And he has done the right thing every step of the way with his team. The Mets spent a lot of money. There's two ways of looking at it. Okay.

Look, the baseball players are never going to. go for a salary cap. They're thrilled that Tucker got this money. They're thrilled when anybody gets this money because they're saying maybe I'll get the money the next time. And it's a shame because baseball's been great lately and there could very well be

a strike. You know what we're looking at. It's in the DNA of players to strike. They've done that before. This is a lost season coming. If the owners The next one. This one, yeah, right. If the owners truly are 100% certain about the insistence of a salary

gap. There's got to be a way. There's got to be a way to make the floor such that players will say, I'll live with this. The ceiling may not be here, but if the floor is got, it's got to be away. The New York football giants introduced John Harbaugh yesterday as their new coach. He said he was seeking a championship for a great city. Who's going to argue with that? But there's a secondary issue that's interesting. That is that Harbaal will report directly to ownership, not to general manager Joe Shane. Harbaugh said, quote, I think it's overblown the way it works.

The main thing is it works, and we work together, unquote. Wilbonne is Harbaugh write that who has the final say here is being overblown? No, it's not being overblown. You know, I am steadfastly against any sort of coach

being the final say, all right? And I know that Parcells has a great line about shopping for the groceries, but there was still some guard else to use the Well, there's ownership. Ownership has the final say. Yeah, but you need a general manager.

Tony, it doesn't work. We know this in Seattle, that when the head coach was reduced to just head coach, then went from also ran to winning a Super Bowl and should have won another one. Now, all I'm saying is

you cannot have that structure, whether you are John Harbaugh or anybody else. I am not having, if I'm the owner, I am not having a general manager who's just a figurehead who doesn't have the same. What coach are you referring to in Seattle? To Mike Holmgren?

Yes. Okay. All right. Mike Holmgren. Look, so we differ in this. There are great general managers out there, though we cannot name them. We can name great coaches.

Andy Reid is a great coach. Sean McVeigh appears to be a great coach. Bill Belichick was a great coach. Can you name the general managers when they were there? No, you can't. And because it's not... Maybe they were doing their jobs. You don't need to be able to name them.

I believe that ownership always has the final say. I also believe this, that John Harbaugh, when he coached at Baltimore, or reported to Steve Bishotti, the owner. So he is used to this. Joe Shane, who's the general manager, they're paying Harbaugh $100 million over five years. You think they're paying Shane that?

Let me go through this. You know what Shane's record is as the general manager and Giants to this point? It's 2245-1. I'm not defending him. Well, you're saying he's the GM. You know who? San Juan Barclay walked on his watch. You know who Harbaugh also had to answer to it.

I know this. Ozzie Newsom. He wasn't there in the last four or five six years. And did he win? Well, did Harbaugh? win with Ozzy Newsom or without Ozzy Newsom. He continued to make the playoffs most of the time. He didn't win. That's why he got fired. You know what I think? He's good. He's out. Here's what I think about Joe Shane.

I'm sure he's a fine man. He about Joe Scho. Well, I do. That's that question is Joe Shane. One of the things I think is this. He shouldn't worry. He should understand why Harbao won't necessarily report to him and he shouldn't worry. And when they have a meeting of ownership and Harbaa and him, he should ask people, do you want coffee or tea? He should be happy to have the job. We'll revisit this. Once again, when the giant are the new Ravens and underachieving and when it counts

if John Harbaugh doesn't change them in three years he will be fired and if they make great and prove he will get the three years. Yes, three years. Let's take a break. Coming up, how war will Jared Stidham really be when he starts for the Broncos against a Patriots? We're going to ask Steve Young. We'll also ask you about the degree of

difficulty on Caleb Williams. Incredible touchdown pass Sunday night. I ain't having that structure. I'm not having it. You're fine with the G. Is he the right GM? I don't know. I'm not defending him.

I'm talking about the structure. I'm saying John Harbaugh didn't get it done. You have to have the right GM with the right coach. Yes. Pardon the interruption is brought to you by Tax Act. Let's get them over with. Let's get back into the NFL with our great friend, the man who took my suggestion to tuck and run when he had a lane.

All of Fame quarterback Steve Young. Let's start with this. Jared Stidima of the Broncos has not thrown a pass in a game for two years. Is the lack of game action, is it a huge deal, or can it somehow be made up for in practice reps? No. No. Like, there's a speed of the game, and the guys that played a lot in the playoffs, there's a preseason speed. There's a first game of the year speed.

It's more like playoffs. And then there's a regular season. And then there's a like first round to play, a second round. By the time you get the championship game, the intensity, the focus, the new Rockney's famous, right? Because he made a speech and everyone emotionally went, that's what the championship game brings out is this intensity that you cannot get ready for even if you played all year. It takes a second to kind of get used to it. And like, and so he's running into a wall. And that's why I'm grateful at Sean Payton's there with him.

They've got to be careful because you lose championship games, any playoff game. You lose so quickly. A couple of bad series, couple of turnover. It's over. And so he needs to be very, very careful that he's not the reason they lose. That's his goal is just don't make,

if we lose, just make it not about, not that he's trying to prevent accountability, but just like I don't want to take away from the team. I don't want to be the reason. If they're asking him to be the reason they win, that's, that's Rudy stuff, right?

That's Hoosiers. That's insanity, right? That's Mendoza. No, I'm just kidding. But it's way too much to ask. To have him kind of lean in in a championship game and thrive. You can't do that from a standing start, no way. Well, it's not too much to ask of Matthew Stafford, presumed MVP,

who struggled against the Bears. And Steve, I'm wondering, if you saw anything on Sunday night and soldier field that Seattle could replicate or do to give him problems again? Yeah, if it's, you know, minus five. You saw the ball When people, they threw it okay But it was You know, jumping off people's, it's slick

It feels odd The cold air It's just minus five wind chill Or whatever it was Is different And so in a playoff atmosphere Minus 5 It was Matthew Stafford

In those conditions And I think he managed through it Which he's a vet, he gets that And I don't think that's going to happen again He gets a decent day up in Seattle Now I will say Matthew has fought the vulnerability to being the swashbuckler, right? The guy that's going to rip one down and cause a couple of himself.

He's been able to manage that out of his game. That's why he's winning Super Bowl and getting to Super Bowls. If he can play that lately, that really kind of buttoned up, classic, beautiful, I learned in a more sophisticated era quarterback football game, he's been tough to beat. Now, Seahawks are all of that, by the way. So, you know, good luck. to everybody. But Matthew,

Matthew is all of that. And I back Matthew no matter what. That dude has got to figure out. Well, he certainly is a quarterback who advanced out of that nice game. But I got to ask you about the throw, the fourth down throw Caleb Williams made. You were one of the people I thought of immediately

because modesty aside, not going to let you be modest, you're one of the few guys who could have made that play or something damn close to it in his prime. What did you think? Did it make sense to you? What was your reaction? my reaction is fourth down and the second he turned his back

and started to run backward it's one of those no because nothing's good is going to happen it's like no then he turned back again no like there was five nos in a row and then he kind of squared himself up and let one go

and I'm like no ball thrown from the 40 to the end zone and the last play of the game in a professional NFL defense is going to be completed there's no it's not and then all of a sudden the balls he catches it like no one's around like did the defenders just take the did they were they already in the tunnel did they thought it was over like that play can only work in peewee football but he the physical part of it was amazing like the idea that you can turn back three times and then square yourself up and throw a ball and minus a five degree so caleb's all of that but the idea that it worked kind of works against the expertise of the NFL like how does how does how do the Rams allow that?

That's just an excusable that somebody was just wide open in the end zone after all that. A quick follow-up. How does someone who struggles with accuracy on sort of regular plays make that play? And the play the previous week on fourth down,

how does that do you reconcile that? I do relate with Caleb in this way. When you are mobile, highly mobile, you love the game fast. You love it in motion. And the second you get a little time to kind of think it through and watch, your arm and your brain kind of like, well, let's be more careful and more precise.

And it's like in a way, the best throws you ever make are the ones that you don't think about. And that was one that he, I mean, I can't imagine the desperation he felt about that. And I think all of Chicago, I mean, I just, I hated that they didn't win it because that now the play doesn't get the, a full measure in a way, right, in history.

You can't talk about it the same way. But I think just the stadium, you were there, that must have been one of the all-time moments in athletics, all-time. You're just like, fourth down, no, no, no, no, no, triple no, yes. Like, national. No way to say it. Let me get you out of here on this.

I love this. It's a small story, but I love it. Baker Mayfield says he's still waiting for a call from Kevin Staphan's who he says shipped him off like a piece of garbage. And now Baker Mayfield is looking forward to playing the new Falcons coach twice a year. Were you a chip on your shoulder guy and did it help you? Well, first of all, it sounds like what he's saying is he didn't get a call. Like, he didn't even call him, which is, I mean, if that's true, that's pretty cheap.

I mean, that's bad. And do you have a chip on your shoulder? Yes. I would make the differentiation. I call it creative tension and toxic tension. toxic tension when you get so overwrought about the anger you have at somebody and it actually hurts your game but there is a lot of creative tension and I think baker's trying to tap into that like I'm going to see you twice and I'm going to play better than you've ever seen and I think in

that way that chip on your shoulder that creative tension I like I think it'd be super cool and I think it's going to be fun to see how that plays out it's great to talk with you all the time totally great today thank you Steve thank you Okay. I hope you guys. See you. Let's take one last break still to come. Carlos Beltran and Andrew Jones make the hall, but did others deserve better? And are the Chargers the right fit for Mike McDaniel? Not Michael McDonald.

No. You're going to be there. No, but also not Mike McDonald from the Seahorse. Who was originally from Baltimore, Max. Not the Doobie Brothers. You're right. I don't want any more MC. Happy time. People happy 63rd birthday, Akeem Elijah Juan.

It feels like Elijah Juan has been around forever. He goes back to the University of Houston and Faislamma Jamma in the early 80s. Elijah won never won the NCAA championship, losing to Michael Jordan once in the semifinals, to Patrick Ewing once in the finals, and once most famously to Jim Valvano and NC State in the finals. Elijah won the first pick in the 1984 draft going to Houston where he won two NBA championships,

once where he got some revenge over Patrick. Ewing in the Knicks and once in a four-game sweep over Shaquille O'Neal when he was with Orlando. Elijah won played 18 seasons averaging 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks. Here's an obvious choice for the Hall of Fame. And lately, he's been tutoring Victor Wenbanyama. How smart of Victor Wimbanyama. If there's all the people in the universe you can go to now to help you way up to top of that is Lash. Way up there. Not so happy anniversary, Jeff Van Gundy. this day 29 years ago, weeks after Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy called Michael Jordan a con man. Though in context, Van Gundy said it respectfully and with admiration, Jordan scored 51 points

on the Knicks and took every opportunity to glare at and shout at Van Gundy after each made basket. This game is known in Jordan Law as the con game. Van Gundy had said, quote, he uses everything to his advantage. He cons them by inviting him to his movies. He cons them with his commercials. He pretends to enjoy guys and befriends them, and all he wants to do is win, unquote. Jordan's coach at the time, Phil Jackson said, quote, it was a tactical mistake by the coach of the Knicks to attack Michael in the press, unquote. You think? Listen, Jordan never pretended that all he wanted to do was win.

He never pretended that's what he wanted to do. But a night or two before that game, Jordan saw a bunch of us people in the media, you know, and he said, what are you doing tomorrow night? I don't know I'm going to assault. No, you don't want to do that. Come watch me. You want to come watch this. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Happy trails to the wait for the Hall of Fame for Carlos Beltran and Andrew Jones. The two center fielders earned more than 75% of the vote to gain induction into the hall. Jones got 78%, Beltran, 84%. Clearly, the baseball writers that have taken such a strong stand against performance-enhancing drugs are not taking the same stance against the Astros' sign-stealing scandal, of which Beltran was reportedly a ringleader.

Andrew Jones was a great center fielder. But where were the votes for Tori Hunter this year who got just 5.1% or Jim Edmonds in 2016 who got just 2.5% automatically booted off the balance. Fair question, but I'm going to ask you a question now. It seems as if you hold the steroid era and the Astros cheating thing equally.

I don't at all. I know what you mean? Nothing to me. We have talked about this. I know. I hold it in higher esteem than you do. Let's go to the big finish. Let's do it.

The Mets traded with the white socks for Lewis Robert Jr. Significant? He's a big talent, but spends a lot of time underachieving his seems to me. Mike McDaniel is reportedly joining the charges as an offensive coordinator, DOC. Good fit? Yeah, because he's got Justin Herbert and he believes in the run game. UCLA upset number four of Purdue. Is that a big deal?

No. Just another night, you know, a Tuesday night in the Big Ten, no. A judge ruled that Duke quarterback Darien Mentsa can enter the portal, but not sign until a ruling on Duke's request for an injunction. What is that? Nobody understands what's going on. By the way, another night in the Big Ten with UCLA. That's funny.

Last one. Naomi Osaka. Back on the court of 3 a.m. You know who my favorite tennis player. I know. You know. We're out of time. We'll try to be better than the next time.

Shirley Spearman, happy birthday. I'm Mike Wilbaum. Same time tomorrow, knuckleheads.