Hal Steinbrenner’s statement that the team would not be outbid for Aaron Judge.
Which team will have Aaron Judge?
Following Hal Steinbrenner’s declaration that the team would not be outbid in their pursuit of Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees have backed themselves into a corner ahead of the Winter Meetings.
So far, only one other team has emerged as a serious contender for Judge’s services: his hometown San Francisco Giants, who appear content with providing longer-term security.
To keep his promise and bring his right-fielder back at any cost, Steinbrenner appears to need to sweeten the pot one more time.
According to Ken Rosenthal’s sources on Saturday, the recently leaked eight-year offers for Judge are unlikely to be enough; the sweepstakes winner may have to go to a ninth year, and they may have to do so soon.
No word yet on whether the Giants are willing to do so while the Yankees are not, or vice versa, but kudos to the Judge camp for inciting a bidding war with limited options.
Yankee fans should have learned by now that, when a certain group of connected insiders tosses out contract estimates, they’re not just making unfounded guesses.
When Jack Curry beat the drum for eight years and $300 million last week, it was no coincidence that it was leaked just days later as the Yankees’ reported current offer.
And when Joel Sherman offered Judge nine years and $342 million on Friday night, an unusually specific figure, it appears he was doing more than just guessing.
In today’s big-money environment, where Jacob deGrom, despite an uncertain health status, can secure five guaranteed years at the game’s second-highest AAV, Judge can easily break the position-player AAV record with room to spare.
The rumored Yankees offer would have done that, but Judge clearly has one trick up his sleeve before deciding between coasts.
