For years upon years now, especially since the passing of George Steinbrenner months after the Yankees’ last World Series title, consternation over the team’s desire to not go crazy with payroll (in fact resetting their luxury tax rate multiple times during a championship window) has been a constant – even more so the last two years since Steve Cohen has owned the Mets.
That brings us to Juan Soto, a player Aaron Judge called “a generational talent” on Monday, and one who is likely available via trade but will also command 10-12 years’ worth of salary in the range of $400 to $500 million.
The Yankees, who are over the luxury tax this year, have already offered Aaron Judge seven more years at $213.5 million and owe both Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton large sums for the next half-decade or more, and it seems likelier that neither Judge nor Soto is in their outfield next year than both of them being there – but that’s not enough for Craig Carton, who, even from his COVID sick bed, implored the Yankees to finally show their might.
“I don’t think the Yankees are going to do it, but I’ll tell you until I’m dead: there is no excuse for the New York Yankees not to be the only phone call the Nationals need to take,” Craig said.
Evan Roberts chimed in with the wonder if the Yankees could pay Judge and Soto, and Craig only needed one word to answer – but of course, he gave many.
“Yes,” Craig said bluntly. “They’re the New York effing Yankees, they can afford to pay Stanton, Cole, and Judge, and yes, you throw on top of that their ability to afford Juan Soto.”
Evan, for his part, agrees.
“The Yankees should be on the phone tonight, and I’ll take it a step further,” Evan said. “You’re going to have to give them something for today, and I think that’s Gleyber Torres – and then you’re offering Volpe and Dominguez, because you’re going all the way with this. This is Juan Soto, and this doesn’t happen every week.”
The Yankees haven’t been to the World Series since 2009 and only four trips to the ALCS have come in that time, so the time is now to strike.
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“You have to negotiate, because every deal involves that, but you can afford it, it brings the Evil Empire back into play, and you tell the world that in case you forgot while we were not making World Series over the last 12 years, we remembered we are the New York Yankees,’ Craig said. “You can all take a long walk off a short pier, because we’re getting the best player available, not the Dodgers, the Red Sox, the Cubs, the Rangers, or the Mets.”
And the added benefit off the field? It kills the narrative of frugality.
“This will stop and shut every negative mouth in the world that thinks Hal Steinbrenner is not his daddy,” Craig said. “If you want to shut up Yankee fans – and that’s not the reason to do it, the reason is because he’s a great player – this is a great opportunity for Hal to announce to the world the Yankees are still right where we always were.”
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