As the New York Yankees find themselves slipping below the .500 mark and seemingly destined for yet another season without clinching a pennant, the spotlight is turning toward their esteemed captain and superstar, Aaron Judge. In a candid assessment of the team’s ongoing struggles, the MLB insider of SNY.tv Sal Licata has openly criticized Judge, suggesting that the time has come for the baseball icon to shoulder some of the blame.
Following a lackluster playoff performance in 2022 and an inability to galvanize the team upon his return from an extended injury-related absence, Licata contends that Judge should be held accountable for the current state of affairs within the team’s ranks.
In a recent statement, Licata said, “This is more about the career of Aaron Judge, not just this year – but Aaron Judge has been the face of the Baby Bombers since 2017. He was the reason they exceeded expectations and got them to game seven of the ALCS. He’s the one who broke the home run record last year. He was a beast. He’s been the guy for this team. He’s also been the guy who hasn’t been able to get them to a World Series.”
Licata acknowledges the challenges of injuries that Judge has faced, including a recent toe injury, but questions why the star player should be exempt from criticism in the midst of the Yankees’ struggles this season. He suggests that, given Judge’s influential role as a leader, he should be front and center when evaluating both successes and failures.
Aaron Judge faces criticism for Yankees’ struggles
Judge’s statistics since returning from injury present a somewhat contrasting narrative. While his .876 OPS in 18 games since his comeback is certainly commendable, the team’s record stands at a disappointing 6-12 over the same period. As for Judge’s playoff performances, Licata delves into his postseason history, noting his standout contributions from the 2017 ALCS through the 2019 ALCS. During this span of 21 playoff games, Judge maintained an impressive .300 batting average, along with seven home runs and a 1.017 OPS. His pivotal home runs in critical games set the tone for significant victories and solidified his status as a game-changer.
However, the story takes a different turn from that point onward. Judge’s postseason performance has witnessed a noticeable decline, with his OPS plummeting to .565 in 17 games since the 2019 ALCS. Licata firmly asserts that it’s time for Judge to accept his share of responsibility for this shift in dynamics.
“I love Aaron Judge. Great player,” Licata expressed. “However, enough about Cashman, enough about Boone. Aaron Judge needs to be held responsible here. He’s now the captain of the team. He’s been the leader and the face of a franchise that has failed year after year.”
Licata accentuates Judge’s role as the Yankees’ captain and the central figure in the team’s aspirations, making it imperative for him to be accountable for both triumphs and setbacks. He points out that, despite Judge’s undeniable prowess on the field, his contributions in the postseason have fallen short, a significant factor that Licata believes cannot be overlooked.
As the debate continues to brew, fans, analysts, and players alike are left to contemplate whether the blame should be shared amongst a variety of factors or whether Judge’s role and performance should be subject to greater scrutiny. With the Yankees’ aspirations hanging in the balance, the spotlight remains firmly fixed on their celebrated captain and his ability to lead the team toward a more triumphant future
Do you agree with Licata? What are your thoughts? Leave your comment below.
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Judge is the blame? What about cashman and owners not addressing left field , third base and don’t get me started on rondon freaking joke.
And stop with the journey men triple A players.
Bring up the kids and let them play. Give them a legit chance like you gave volpe and maybe we won’t be screwed for the next five years.
Judge is about as responsible for the Yankees decline, as Licata is for the decline of the media in the US.
nice
Cashman has never been a good GM Gene Michael STICKS made him look good for years. Arron Boone should have never been hired, Jeter and Mattingly should be looked at for these Jobs. How could they do any worse! George would have fired them a long time ago. Hal needs to step up to the plate and do what needs to be done to make this team a winner.
Yankees need a strong captain, a leader, someone that can take charge. It’s Not Judge. They also need a strong experience manager, and coaching staff. Forget the analytics and go back to the old school, play the game hard and take pride in being a Yankee. Other than very few players, the team needs to be rebuilt. They are missing Heart which is needed to be a winner!!
There is no debate brewing about judge. Brain-dead analysis. Desperately seeking clicks.
He’s only been the leader for 1 season. Get it right. He’s not to be blamed for the Yankees failures.
No one is exempt from blame Whether he wants to accept it or not, but Judge was the catalyst for their season success prior to his injury and their failure now after his injury! Accept it or not that’s just the way it is! Judge must shoulder a level of blame and responsibility for the Yanks as a team!
I’m unfamiliar with Sal Licata, and based on this story, ” l’m all good with that”. Aaron has been the one positive for the Yankees offense. The team is a mix of aging players who are over paid and are underperforming. Staffing requires significant change. Fans are paying the price for extremely poor management decisions.
Nothing to talk about re: NY baseball this summer with both teams flopping, so Licata has to try and stir up something to talk about. Judge didn’t put this team together. As captain, about the only thing he can do is possibly try to get players to be accountable for their own performance, but with Boone constantly making excuses for people, who’s going to listen to Judge. One thing no one talks about his the scouting department. (Cashman’s area) Look at all the teams that are constantly bringing up new young players (Rays, Astros, Dodgers etc.) and then ask where are the Yankees. This organization needs a complete overhaul which starts with Cashman and Boone. Then Hal needs to step up and be at least half the man his Dad was.
Boone needs to go! How many seasons is Hal going to give him to learn how to manage? A failed experiment that needs to end now.