As the Yankees open Spring Training in Tampa Bay, they had their turn at being bombarded with a million and one questions, about the Houston Astros. Other than the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees may be the one team most affected by the cheating.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge answered questions about just that.
He told Fox’s Tina Cervasio that he was angry, as the results and the enormity of the investigation came to light.
#Yankees Aaron Judge: “The Astros thing is tough … “ “yes it affected their whole season… it affected a lot of games…” “not a fan of the punishment” “people lost jobs, people list money.” “The Altuve thing about him stealing …” LISTEN HERE to more of Judge on his reax: pic.twitter.com/mpcOuKg8nB
— Tina Cervasio (@TinaCervasio) February 18, 2020
Judge, like many, feel, and rightfully so that the cheating cost the Yankees a chance to play in the 2017 World Series against the Dodgers.
It is also the common perception that Astros second baseman, Jose Altuve’s 2017 MVP win, should have gone to Judge in the first place. Although it seemed Judge was downplaying his true feelings, just a little bit. He feels that the American League title and the MVP were stolen from him and his team.
But the one thing that he said, that I’m not sure if it’s his honest opinion and belief or if he’s “toeing the company line.” Which some of his teammates have pulled no punches in voicing their displeasure. None more than closer Aroldis Chapman, who finds it hard to believe that new Yankees and former Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole, knew nothing of the cheating when the investigation revealed the scheme carried into 2018 when Cole joined the Astros.
Even though Judge admitted he’s disappointed and rightfully so, in the punishments or lack thereof, that have been handed down, by Major League Baseball and commissioner Rob Manfred. Regardless of whether you feel that it was strong enough or not, there is nothing that could be done about it now.
Judge, the Yankees and Major League Baseball needs to somehow get past it and move on. A new season is on the horizon and that should be the common perspective.
The aftershocks will eventually fade, Astros batters will face angry pitchers, and deal with the consequences.
Judge and the Yankees should be answering more questions about their expectations, the addition of Cole, or the return of slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who only played in a handful of games a season ago. Stanton himself sounded off by stating that he would’ve hit 80 home runs if he knew what pitch was coming (he finished with 59 that season).
At the end of the day, by no means should the Astros fiasco be overlooked. But it’s hard to feel sorry for, of all teams, the Yankees. The team who is more often or not, the popular pick to win it all.
