Aaron Judge Says He Was Upset When Brian Cashman Revealed New York’s Offer Back In The Spring Despite The Yankees GM Repeatedly Saying Everyone Was On The Same Page
Alex Trautwig. Getty Images.The clock continues to tick on Aaron Judge's decision with no one knowing when the big man will pick his next team. The rumor is that Judge is on a jet headed to San Diego as we speak. When he lands all hell could break loose.
As the minutes go by everyone and their mother continues to attempt to read the tea leaves to try and figure out what the resolution will be. It's all speculation. Let's try to join in on the fun.
We're going back to Brian Cashman's end of the year press conference when he addressed the media about the upcoming offseason. Beat reporter Sweeney Murti asked Cashman if revealing their contract offer back in the spring created any unnecessary friction with Judge. The Yankees GM said he spoke to Judge's team and let them know he was going to make the offer public because he knew it was going to get out one way or the other. He reiterated that Judge was not caught off guard by the announcement and that their relationship never wavered from that moment on.
Well, today Time named Judge their athlete of the year and with that got some juicy quotes from the free agent outfielder.
Judge has remained the object of attention this off-season, a validation of his decision ahead of opening day not to extend his Yankees contact beyond his “walk” year, the last season before a player can become a free agent. He had felt blindsided in April when New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman took the rare step of publicly revealing that Judge had turned down $213.5 million to stay in the Bronx for the next seven years.
“We kind of said, Hey, let’s keep this between us,” says Judge. “I was a little upset that the numbers came out. I understand it’s a negotiation tactic. Put pressure on me. Turn the fans against me, turn the media on me. That part of it I didn’t like.” (A Yankees spokesperson declined to make Cashman available for comment.)
Yeah, that's not something I needed to read today. Nope, not one bit. It's not exactly the first time Judge has expressed his displeasure with the contract offer being revealed, but hearing it again as the countdown clock winds down on his decision isn't a wonderful image.
What a fucking asshole Brian Cashman is, huh? You can call Judge soft for getting upset over this, but the fact is that there was no need to reveal that contract offer during that press conference. If you really gotta get it out just leak it to a reporter. Fucking Cashman man. This is the guy that got a 4 year contract yesterday! This dickhead botched every step of Judge's negotiations and got rewarded for it with a brand new deal. It's amazing the job security this man has despite fucking up so many things. Don't worry though, Cashman will tell you their process is right and the results aren't as important.
Then you have his wife reminding Judge his prediction back in 2010.
In fact his wife, high school sweetheart Samantha Bracksieck, reminded him of a prediction he made in 2010, his senior year at Linden High School. “I said, in 10 years, I’ll be married to Sam,” says Judge, “and playing for the San Francisco Giants.” Judge smiles. “I was like, that’d better not get out.”
To be fair in 2020 they weren't married and he was on the Yankees so that prediction rang untrue, but letting that out there as he decides between the Yankees and Giants doesn't make me feel the most optimistic.
Aaron Judge is an impossible person to read. No one truly has any idea what this man is gonna do except his inner circle who doesn't let anything out unless he wants them to. Three days ago I was 75% confident he was back. Yesterday 50/50. Today my hope is lower. What does it mean? Absolutely nothing until he signs the bottom line. Jeter and Cashman had similar issues about contract news leaking and they were able to get over it. Maybe Judge and the Yankees can? Maybe their relationship is fractured beyond repair?
My god is that a lot of fucking money. Just get this over with, I'm exhausted.