The 2022 season starts with Aaron Judge unsigned by the Yankees and becoming a free agent at the end of the season. The Yankees gave Aaron Judge a contract extension offer just before the season started — after Judge had publicly said he would not negotiate during the season.
The Yankee offer was $213.5 M for 7 years — which works out to $30.5 M a year — in addition to a $17M offer for the current 2022 season.
Some sources reported Judge was given a $230.5 M offer — and that is where that number comes from: $213.5 + 17 = $230.5 M.
That would mean Judge would average $28.8 M a year for the next 8 years, until his age 38 (he’s 30 years old this season).
Judge a Top-5 Player
Both of those figures are an absolute insult to Judge, who is one of the top 5 players in the game. When a top-5 player in the game comes to the table, you give him top-5 player-in-the-game money.
Judge is coming off a 39-98-.287 (.373) season, and was the legitimate MVP winner in 2017 (Jose Altuve cheated) when he hit 52-114-.284 (.422 OBP). His lifetime average is .276 (.385 OBP) — and that average is quite good in an era of Statcast-computer-aided shifts. Judge’s .287 average last year was 12th in the American League.
Judge is a Gold Glove right fielder with a canon for an arm.
Judge Is the Face of Baseball
Judge hits to all fields like Derek Jeter but with massive power. He also always says the right thing like Jeter, and is arguably the Face of Baseball.
Top 5 Player Should Get Top 5 Salary
The Yankee offer of $30.5 M/yr would make Judge the 15th highest paid player in the game right now. And that is NOW — when inflation has just been announced at 8 percent. In a few years, Judge’s salary status will slide as other big dogs come to the table. In just a few years Judge would undoubtedly fall out of the top 30 in highest paid.
Judge Should have been given a salary of at least $35 M a year for the 7 year extension — to at least be in the ballpark of Mike Trout. Judge is not as good as Trout, but he’s in the vicinity — and Trout signed his contract 3 years ago. I would have given Judge a graduated salary starting at $35M and working up to $37 to tie Trout (again Trout’s contract is 3 years old).
Giancarlo Stanton was once the biggest dog given the biggest contract — but that contract was signed 5 years ago — and PS has Giancarlo making $32M a year the next three years (2023 – 2026).
Carlos Correa just signed for $35 M a year for 3 years — that means Correa gets another big payday in 3 years when, with inflation at 8 percent (and even if it drops), you can bet he’ll sign for much bigger dollars.
Yanks Play Dirty with Blackmail
It was reported by Bryan Hoch that “Brian Cashman said he told Aaron Judge’s camp that the $213.5MM contract offer would be announced if they did not strike a deal.” That is blackmail. The Yankees knew the average fan would be revolted at Judge turning down the $30M/yr offer — not understanding that a top 5 player should get top-5 money.
Brian Cashman said he told Aaron Judge’s camp that the $213.5MM contract offer would be announced if they did not strike a deal: https://t.co/078HuHDqla
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 12, 2022
Judge Has Played More than Trout Last 5 Years
Some say Judge should be penalized for missing games with injuries in recent years. Well — Judge has played a lot more games than Trout since 2017.
In the last 5 years — since 2017 (inclusive) — Trout has played played 477 games. Judge has played 545.
Yanks Asked Judge to Kneel Down
With the $30M a year offer, the Yankees essentially asked Judge to take a knee and bow to Mike Trout and acknowledge that Trout — with an old contract of 3 years ago — is a 20% better player than him ($37M/yr is 20% more than $30M/yr). They asked Judge to take a knee to Carlos Correa, and Giancarlo Stanton, and Anthony Rendon, Nolan Arenado, Francisco Lindor, David Price, Corey Seager, Miguel Cabrera, Manny Machado, and others.
An absolute INSULT to Judge and Yankee fans.
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