SAN FRANCISCO, CA – What if Aaron Judge decides to play out West? It won’t be the first time the Yankees had a slugger bolt. Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson signed with the California Angels after helping the Yankees win two world championships, and three pennants in his five seasons with them. Bronx Bombers fans need to be prepared to see Judge in another uniform and their response should be…See Ya!
First of all, the Yankee organization will never be outbid by any team. There’s only one obstacle they need to convince that the Bronx is a better fit. That would be the Mrs. in Aaron’s world.
Samantha Bracksieck was number 99’s high school sweetheart, and currently his wife of one year. They both studied at Fresno State University in Cali and their charitable contributions are a joint effort. They both visit young cancer patients at Valley Children’s Hospital out there, which is all part of Judge’s foundation, ALL RISE. The organizations mission is to inspire children and teens to become responsible citizens through leadership programs, grants, baseball camps and more.
The newlyweds are doing it well – in California. The San Francisco Giants wasted no time, as they serenaded Judge with their hometowns star, Stephen Curry, giving him a sales pitch. Even native New Yorker Chris Mullin was persuading the American League Home Run King to swing his bats for the Giants. Will another New Yorker, Tony Bennett, step up to the plate next and sing his, “I Left my Heart in San Francisco,” to the Judge’s?
Yankee fans need to look at the whole picture. In Judge’s seven years in pinstripes, he’s played two full seasons. His Rookie of the Year in 2017 and his Most Valuable Player Year in 2022. He never led his team to the Fall Classic, but forget all that on the field stuff… where was Judge off the field?
Like another great Yankee named Derek Jeter, was Judge ever seen interacting with the people of the boroughs? Did he greet his neighbors in the Bronx, or the folks up in Harlem? Say what you want about one time Yankee Alex Rodriguez, but the fact of the matter is A Rod strolled the streets of Washington Heights (his birthplace) with Yankees Community Advisor, Ray Negron. Ray showed him that there was plenty of love in the concrete jungle. Rodriguez also played stickball with the youths of the Bronx.
A star of that magnitude needs to be in touch with the folks that support their hometown team. Even a former Yankee named Joe Pepitone swung a stickball bat in the streets of New York. He emulated a former N.Y. Giant named Willie Mays, who did the same before he would take the kids to the ice cream parlor.
Like I wrote earlier, the Yankees won’t be outbid for Judge’s services, but if he flees he should do New York a favor. Have his new team acquire his Yankees teammate Giancarlo Stanton, another Californian, who was the invisible man in his five seasons here. The Bleacher Creatures can then show these two how they really feel about them on Opening Day 2023, when their Yankees host the Giants.
With all that money that will be saved, by this salary dump, maybe the Yankees front office can give a financial upgrade to the little people it employs.
