By Paul Semendinger
December 13, 2024
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Please, Mr. Postman? Mr. Telephone Man? Call Me?
Anyway...
This is a difficult article because I am just going to lay out a scenario and ask for the readers to think about it and comment honestly. I'm going to refrain from any commentary myself, rather I'd like to get our readers' opinions absent of them debating my take.
In this, I think it will be difficult for some people to look at this honestly. The battle lines on this issue were drawn weeks ago. I sense many will just double down. In our own perspectives, we see certain players as heroes and others as villians. Once that happens, it is difficult to look at something with those players objectively.
I'm hoping all can...
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Weeks ago, Aaron Judge stated that he was not going to reach out to Juan Soto in his free agency. Yesterday, it came out that no Yankee did. Juan Soto didn't get a letter, a card, a text, an e-mail, or even a telegram from any former Yankee teammate as he determined what team he'd play for in 2025 and beyond.
It has also been reported that Soto did talk to some members of the Mets.
Did Aaron Judge (the Captain) and his teammates do the right thing by not reaching out?
I look forward to a good and honest discussion...
It may simply be that he was unliked and not a good teammate. If he has opt-outs with the Mets, he will likely use them, He would probably jump ship, if someone offered him an additional $20...no, make that $12.
"Hey, Juan, it's Anthony Volpe. How was your Thanksgiving? Just wanted to say hello, tell you I really hope we'll be teammates again, even if it means you take $5 million less and have to play an extra year when you're 41. Hope to see you in Tampa, brother!"
I'd like to know what combination of words coming from what combination of Yankees does anyone think might have had a non-zero chance of swaying Soto to take Hal's offer.
Kyle Tucker traded to the Cubs.
The question is not should Judge have reached out to Soto, rather the issue is why didn't any of his teammates reach out and encourage him to stay in the Bronx? I suggested yesterday that Soto might be a rolling stone and having moved to 4 different teams in 6 years, something about him drives him to always be going someplace else. Again, the question is, why were all his teammates silent? We may never know and then again, we might.
Yes I think Boone should have called and checked in also Judge as a friend should have called just to see how he was doing reminding him how much the Yankees wanted and needed him back. Just show him a little love like the Mets did. Might have gone a long way… I think he felt they really didn’t care weather he came back or not…I don’t think keeping in touch could have hurt…. Now we’re the second team in New York….