Aaron Judge is heralded in a different way at home by Paul Olden, and he gets louder and longer cheers than any of his Yankees teammates.
Richter now lockers in the prestige area long occupied by Brett Gardner. Before a 2022 season pitch was thrown, manager Aaron Boone explained what’s become apparent: “He’s probably the biggest leader in this space.”
And that’s not because of its 6-foot-7 frame. The judge’s vaccination status may be in question, but his status at Yankee Stadium’s home clubhouse is not.
He’s the best player on the team. The most important player in the squad. The most marketable player for the most historic franchise. It’s a symbol that it’s withstanding the cauldron of the Bronx and thriving – and not just in the batter’s box.
He is Derek Jeter’s most obvious heir. The local face of the team – and maybe the sport. He is indefatigable in public commentary, admired in his clubhouse and loved from the chambers of judges to the high-priced moat behind the house slab.
Oh yeah, he’s also one of the top 10 active baseball players in the world.
The Yankees felt they recognized all of this in their negotiations for a Judge’s contract extension. Additionally, he believes he accepted his $21 million arbitration request for 2022 and then seven years at $213.5 million, which would have made Judge the second-highest-paid outfielder in history per year behind only Mike Trout.
Aaron Judge Robert Sabo
But the judges’ camp, after taking into account all the tangibles, intangibles, baseball and marketing, wondered why he couldn’t be paid by the same age (38) that Trout will be of the Angels and for a similar amount.
These were two rational actors. The Yankees virtually ignored the five-year, $124 extension beginning in 2024 that the Guardians agreed to with Jose Ramirez, a player similar in performance and age to Judge. These were the Yankees who appreciated the difference between Cleveland and New York and the difference in local and national impact between Ramirez and Judge.
But their stop sign for the seven-year offer average value was $30.5 million, north of Mookie Betts’ deal with the Dodgers and enough to make Judge the second-highest paid among outfielders but well south of Trout’s average of 35 $.54 million. After all, Judge didn’t deal with the pressures of being a free agent. Unlike the deals the Dodgers and Angeles made with Betts and Trout, the Yankees would not get a season in Judge’s Twenties (he turns 30 on April 26). There are concerns about Judge staying healthy and concerns about how someone his size will age. So your offer would have brought him to 37.
Many people will certainly not see it as rational to reject generational wealth. Judge is risking a guaranteed $213.5 million to earn how much more he’ll stay healthy and productive at gaming in 2022.
But Judge is like Jeter or Mariano Rivera. He is built optimistically. Like her, he harbors no negative thoughts. He doesn’t imagine a collapse. The judge envisions being the MVP and leading the Yankees to a title and being able to charge more in the offseason than he’s now been offered.
Aaron Judge has emerged as the leader of the Yankees. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
And remember, there’s the next off-season. Neither the team nor the players faced the threat that this marriage is now ending. Both sides insisted they still want a long-term union. The judge played his part by also saying that he can speak to all 30 teams in the next negotiations. We can certainly eliminate a few today – hello Cincinnati, Cleveland and Kansas City. But leverage will come when the Giants, or especially the Mets or Red Sox, get involved.
After the 1998 season, the Yankees kept Bernie Williams under pressure until they thought he was about to join the Red Sox. That prompted George Steinbrenner to increase his offer by about 50 percent to keep the free agent center fielder.
Also, don’t forget that by the end of this season, Judge will have made around $40 million. Aside from a catastrophic injury, what’s the least he’ll be offered post-season? It won’t be less than Ramirez got, for example.
Aaron Richter Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
There is a risk. Of course there is. But Judge has built-in financial protection and a belief that his value to the Yankees on and off the field is such that he finishes second and at the box office, plays right and has a section dedicated to him nearby is for which he should be paid longer and for a greater amount than the Yankees were now willing to bid. His confidence is rooted in why he’s so good, why he can handle everything that comes with being a Yankee.
And as he sets out to prove he’s worthy of what he’s asked for and more, his biggest fans and supporters in this effort will be those who want a championship in 2022 as badly as he does .
Yes, Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees organization.