Mike Francesca is standing firm in his stance: he believes New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge should get max contract money, but not for too many years.
In his latest BetRivers podcast, the former WFAN host said that the Yankees should be wary of handing Judge a contract with a length similar to Mike Trout’s mega deal.
“I would not change my stance on him in any way. And here it is: At 30 years of age, I am not going to get tied down with a contract that is going to get me four dead years on the backend of the contract,” Francesa said, per ESNY.
“I would give him, if he wants, six years. And I will pay him $35 million a year for the six years. I may even go a little bit more than that per season. But it’s a six-year contract. That’s it. I would probably say $220 million is my max. But I would go six years, $220 million. And I would say, ‘Hey, if you can’t live on that, I don’t understand the problem.’”
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Francesa continues to say this as Judge dominates the league. Judge has league-leading numbers in home runs (14) and is near the top in both RBIs (30) and hits (42). Judge’s Yankees are in first place in the American League East with a 28-9 record.
Francesa’s potential six-year deal would net Judge about $37 million per year. Mike Trout’s current 12-year contract averages $36 million per year. Francesa said that if Judge wants more years, he should leave the Yankees.
“If he has to have a 10-year contract that pays him somewhere in the $350 million range, let him be someone else’s outfielder down the line,” Francesa said. “I am not going to take six great years, or six good years, with Judge and then be shackled by four years where I have a guy who I don’t want to play, or who is hurt, and I’m paying $35-plus million a year. That’s the worst thing you can wind up doing in this sport, is wind up with those players. Those players kill you. They kill you, those contracts. Don’t get shackled. Six years, big pay. That’s where I go with Judge.”
Francesa went on to say that playing for the Yankees –– and living in a market like New York City –– comes with its own monetary advantages.
“You’re in New York, you’re on the Yankees, you’re going to be in the postseason every year,” he said. “You’re going to be able to make plenty of money in endorsements on top of this $35-plus million you’re going to make as your base salary every year. I don’t see how anything else is needed.”
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Ryan Novozinsky may be reached at rnovozinsky@njadvancemedia.com.
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