Not that it’s a surprise, but it seems unlikely Aaron Judge will give the Yankees a hometown discount this winter.
The walk year of walk years. [Judge’s] 57 home runs are 20 clear of next best in the majors. His 123 RBIs are 13 ahead. A Triple Crown isn’t out of the question. He has played a passable center field at 6-foot-7, 282 pounds. He has stolen 16 bases. He is everything a team wants, and if the only ding is his age at 30, then that is the most benign of warts. He will get $300 million-plus this winter. Question is, will the New York Yankees be the ones to give it to him?
Do they have a choice? With each home run Judge hits, he drags his scuffling team closer to the AL East finish line. He also makes it increasingly impossible for owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman (yes, he will be back) to cheap out. The Yankees cannot afford to let Judge away. And if he does leave, there will be no reason they present that satisfies the fanbase. If the brain trust thinks the boos they got during the Derek Jeter and Paul O’Neill ceremonies were rough, they will quickly realize that was child’s play. It will be mayhem and rage.
Only 12 men in baseball history have hit 57 home runs in a season. Judge is now one of them. Here is the list:
• Barry Bonds, 2001: 73 home runs.
• Mark McGwire, 1998: 70.
• Sammy Sosa, 1998: 66.
• Mark McGwire, 1999: 65.
• Sammy Sosa, 2001: 64.
• Sammy Sosa, 1999: 63.
• Roger Maris, 1961: 61.
• Babe Ruth, 1927: 60.
• Babe Ruth, 1921: 59.
• Giancarlo Stanton, 2017: 59.
• Jimmie Foxx, 1932: 58.
• Hank Greenberg, 1938: 58.
• Mark McGwire, 1997: 58.
• Ryan Howard, 2006: 58.
• Luis Gonzalez, 2001: 57.
• Alex Rodriguez, 2002: 57.
• Aaron Judge, 2022: 57.
There is no price too high to keep this guy.
More on ESNY:
• Jets’ Robert Saleh is beginning to veer into Joe Judge territory | Kratch
• WFAN’s Gregg Giannotti blasts Jets’ Robert Saleh: ‘You look like a fool’
• How Brian Daboll used Derek Jeter to send Giants key message
• Aaron Judge’s ‘realm of reality’ may be rude awakening for Randy Levine, Yankees
• It’s hard to watch Yankees games. Will that create more Mets fans?
James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch.
