Aaron Judge will be a free agent when the 2022 season ends after the World Series between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies.
Judge set a Yankee record for Home Runs in a season with 62. It's also considered an "American League" (AL) record even though Judge hit 12 (19%) against "National League" (NL) teams:
Mets 3
Cubs 2
Astros 2
Brewers 2 (moved from AL to NL)
Pirates 2, including #60: September 20, 2022
Reds 1
Cardinals 0
Aaron Judge #4 in 60 Home Runs seasons ranked by (AB/HR) percent difference from top HR that season. Final stats. Monday, October 3, 2022
The Phillies beat San Diego 4 games to 1. Yesterday in game 5 the Phillies trailed 3-2 in the 8th inning in Philadelphia:
HR: Bryce Harper (5, off Robert Suarez, 8th inn, 1 on, 0 outs to Deep LF).
Phillies won the game 4-3 and the series.
Houston swept the Yankees 4-0. In game 4 tied 4-4 in the 6th inning:
HR: Harrison Bader (5, off Hector Neris, 6th inn, 0 on, 2 outs to Deep LF).
Yankees led 5-4.
7th inning Houston scored 2 runs aided by another bizarre fielding mistake by SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa missing a DP throw over the bag (error charged on the throw by Torres).
Houston led 6-5 in the 9th, two out, no base runners:
Aaron Judge: Groundout: P-1B (Weak 2B-1B)
Judge made the final out of the season.
Judge looked increasingly lost at home plate in the 2022 tournament. He even made a fundamental fielding mistake in ALCS game three, interfering with center fielder Bader resulting in Bader dropping a two out fly ball followed by a two run homer: Houston 2-0. Both runs were unearned off starter Gerrit Cole.
8th inning, trailing 5-0, 2 on, 2 out:
Judge: Groundout: 3B-1B (Weak 3B)
Yanks lost 5-0.
Hal Steinbrenner, clean house! Fire Cashman and Boone, if Yanks lose to Houston ... again. Thursday, October 20, 2022
it took the Yankees all five games to defeat Cleveland, a team they outspent in 2022 payroll $239 to $66 ... million.
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ALDS:
| Name | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | E | WPA | cWPA | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Bader | 5 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .267 | .389 | .867 | 1.256 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.27 | 4.11% | *86 | 292 | 38 | 73 | 5 | 30 | 17 | .250 | .650 |
| Anthony Rizzo* | 5 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | .294 | .429 | .529 | .958 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.30 | 4.30% | 130 | 465 | 77 | 104 | 32 | 75 | 6 | .224 | .817 |
| Aaron Judge | 5 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | .200 | .238 | .500 | .738 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.09 | 1.34% | 157 | 570 | 133 | 177 | 62 | 131 | 16 | .311 | 1.111 |
| Giancarlo Stanton | 5 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 6 | .125 | .211 | .500 | .711 | 0 | 0 | 0.26 | 4.67% | 110 | 398 | 53 | 84 | 31 | 78 | 0 | .211 | .759 | |
| Isiah Kiner-Falefa | 4 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .273 | .385 | .273 | .657 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -0.02 | -0.40% | 142 | 483 | 66 | 126 | 4 | 48 | 22 | .261 | .642 |
| Josh Donaldson | 5 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | .250 | .400 | .250 | .650 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.01 | -0.07% | 132 | 478 | 59 | 106 | 15 | 62 | 2 | .222 | .682 |
| Oswaldo Cabrera# | 5 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10 | .105 | .105 | .316 | .421 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.09 | -0.44% | 44 | 154 | 21 | 38 | 6 | 19 | 3 | .247 | .740 |
| Gleyber Torres | 5 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .158 | .238 | .158 | .396 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -0.24 | -2.18% | 140 | 526 | 73 | 135 | 24 | 76 | 10 | .257 | .761 |
In 20 At Bats (AB) Judge had 2 HR and 2 singles, 3 RBI, 1 BB.
ALCS:
| Name | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | E | WPA | cWPA | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Bader | 4 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .400 | .471 | .800 | 1.271 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.22 | 1.68% | *86 | 292 | 38 | 73 | 5 | 30 | 17 | .250 | .650 |
| Anthony Rizzo* | 4 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | .250 | .438 | .583 | 1.021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.09 | -0.44% | 130 | 465 | 77 | 104 | 32 | 75 | 6 | .224 | .817 |
| Isiah Kiner-Falefa | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .286 | .286 | .429 | .714 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.08 | -0.76% | 142 | 483 | 66 | 126 | 4 | 48 | 22 | .261 | .642 |
| Giancarlo Stanton | 4 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .250 | .250 | .375 | .625 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.14 | 1.98% | 110 | 398 | 53 | 84 | 31 | 78 | 0 | .211 | .759 |
| Gleyber Torres | 4 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | .200 | .250 | .200 | .450 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -0.06 | -1.44% | 140 | 526 | 73 | 135 | 24 | 76 | 10 | .257 | .761 |
| Josh Donaldson | 4 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | .077 | .250 | .154 | .404 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.35 | -3.90% | 132 | 478 | 59 | 106 | 15 | 62 | 2 | .222 | .682 |
| Matt Carpenter* | 4 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .100 | .100 | .100 | .200 | 0 | 0 | -0.36 | -4.94% | 47 | 128 | 28 | 39 | 15 | 37 | 0 | .305 | 1.138 | |
| Aaron Judge | 4 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .063 | .118 | .063 | .180 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.32 | -3.47% | 157 | 570 | 133 | 177 | 62 | 131 | 16 | .311 | 1.111 |
| Oswaldo Cabrera# | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 | .100 | .000 | .100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.23 | -2.28% | 44 | 154 | 21 | 38 | 6 | 19 | 3 | .247 | .740 |
Bader and Rizzo were one/two hitting in both series. Harrison Bader hit FIVE HR. Against Houston, they hit the only HR.
In the ALCS Judge had the second lowest OPS (On Base Plus Slugging averages); one single in 16 AB, 0 RBI, 1 BB.
My recommendation to not make an offer to Judge is not based simply on his poor performance in the 2022 tournament.
1. Baseball is a stupid game and MLB has stupid rules. The best baseball player has by far the least impact among the three U.S. team sports: baseball MLB, football NFL, basketball NBA. The best basketball player is not restricted to every 5th shot. The quarterback does not share plays with his backup. Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Babe Ruth, ... gets only 4-5 plate appearances (PA) per game. And even then the other team can simply walk the big bopper. MLB should have changed the rule when Babe Ruth walked 170 times in 1923: give the batting team the option to put a temporary pinch runner on first base and give the walked batter a new PA. Also, start each inning with the top of the order, which makes as much sense as what baseball has been doing; this is especially true for the highest level of professional baseball as opposed to recreational leagues.
2. I oppose the Yankee team payroll going over the soft cap resulting in Yankee fans sending their money, as paid to the team, to fans of Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Tampa, ... all those minor league places with teams.
3. Yankees commitments in millions; age is in 2022:
$68 million to Stanton and Cole in 2023, 2024, 2025.
Paying Judge upwards of $50 million per season in what can only be his declining years starting at age 31 (birthday 4/26/1992) in 2023 makes zero sense. His sudden improvement in his "walk year" is inexplicable and almost certainly unrepeatable.
Don't even make Judge an offer. Let another team pay for his past glory. Judge disappearing in the tournament might be a warning sign. Maybe no team will satisfy Judge. Then he may come to the Yankees in a weak position. Only then reconsider but it should be for no more than four years, through age 34. And not a gazillion dollars.
Hal Steinbrenner, wake up!
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