By Guillermo Sanchez
Whether it’s the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants or any of the other 28 teams that want to get the services of Aaron Judgethey will have to commit at least the rest of their 30 years. This was reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Judge appears to be looking for a middle ground between a contract close to 10 years and at least setting an average annual record. At this point the best comparison parameter is Mike Trout’s contract which is about $36 million annually. The MVP should have no problem setting a new record, which would be about nine years and $324 million.
This reality is not very far from what was proposed by www.mlbtraderumors.com where they mention that the Yankee star can get a contract for eight years and about $332 million, which would fulfill Judge’s first goal: Break the record for a position player with about $41.5 million per season. This would undoubtedly mark a before and after for future free agencies in baseball.
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Perhaps that is where the problem lies, that the 39-year-old slugger is not attractive enough for a club. But let’s face it, if you’re paying at least $36 million for a player at age 38 (assuming the contract is eight seasons), what’s the problem for one more year? To all these, and your investment must have been rewarded.
If what you want is for the player to have a guaranteed ninth season, then we must cross Los Dodgers off the list: “It is believed that the Dodgers only want Judge in a short-term, high-value deal,” writes Rosenthal, which is in line with the club’s general strategy in seeking free agents. Be careful, this does not imply that the Los Angeles team does not break the rule and make exceptions to it; last season itself took over the services of Freddy Freeman who will turn 33 in less than a week in a six-year, $162 million deal.
Dodgers, Giants and Yankees are the candidates that have publicly expressed their clear intention to stay with the AL MVP, Rosenthal even reports that there are several clubs that have at least seen it, what we do not know is if these teams are really making an offer would be. It was known days ago that the Yankees made an offer of eight years and $300 million and that in fact, they would be willing to negotiate and improve the final proposal.
When will Judge’s novel end? And above all, where?
