Loss of Aaron Judge is felt far beyond the field for the Yankees – The Denver Post

Everything about Aaron Judge says big, especially his absence.

During TBS’ coverage of Yankees-Mets Tuesday night, Brian Anderson and Jeff Francoeur said they had never seen one player — Judge — influence a team to this degree. The words were accompanied by numbers that proved a point.

They could have added another factor — entertainment. Without Judge, the product the Yankees put on the field is void of glitz; bland as a bowl of mush. Outside of Gerrit Cole, there’s no one enticing Yankees loyalists to pay extra money to see the Judge-less Bombers play on a streaming service.

What does it say about the state of affairs when the Yankees most recent signature video is of John Sterling getting conked on the head by a foul ball in the radio booth?

Without Judge, the Yankees pursuit of Tampa Bay, or a wild card spot, is not all that compelling. Now, until Judge returns, the most entertaining thing about the Yankees is hearing Valley of the Stupid Gasbags regurgitating reasons to fire Brian Cashman, even though his contract has already been extended.

Nonetheless, the longer it takes Judge’s toe to heal, the more likely the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network’s ratings are going to slump. It’s not a reach to suggest Jake Bauers, Josh Donaldson, DJ LeMahieu and Isiah Kiner-Falefa don’t register high marks on the charisma meter. Nor can they come close to Judge’s Q rating.

When Hal Steinbrenner signed Judge to a nine-year deal worth $360 million, he wasn’t just paying for what Judge does on the field. Steinbrenner was paying for the new captain and face of the Yankees, the new face of baseball, to magnify the Yankees’ brand.

When Steinbrenner was recently asked if injury concerns for older players would lead the Yankees to signing younger, lesser-known, free agents he said no: “This is New York City. Fans want the stars.”

During Judge’s chase of the AL HR record last season, the Yankees expanded their fan base, adding casual fans who were being converted to the Pinstripes through Judge’s exploits. Now they see Judge standing in the dugout, unable to play and wonder where the juice that nourishes YES’ ratings, ticket and merchandise sales, is going to come from.

Is there a must-see-at-bat in the lineup? Giancarlo Stanton, maybe? Without Judge, who is the promotional focus of the Yankees? Do they continue airing video of him hitting long homers?

Or count their blessings that, at least, there is a Derek Jeter “Captain America” bobblehead giveaway on Friday night?

EMBRACE THE HARD KNOCKS

Robert Saleh’s attempt to veto the Jets participation in HBO/NFL Films 2023 edition of “Hard Knocks” is a bad sign.

It shows Saleh’s unwillingness to accept that no matter how much he tries implementing controls, the Jets, because of Aaron Rodgers’ arrival, are going to be in the national spotlight, with 24/7 distractions.

Why not take your medicine now? Dive in the deep end of the pool and use “Hard Knocks” as a trial run for the stampede of attention the Jets will continue attracting during the season.

“I know there are several teams that would love ‘Hard Knocks’ to be in their building,” Saleh said recently. “We’re just not one of them.”

Yet in 2010, Woody Johnson witnessed how his team’s participation in “Hard Knocks,” helped reinforce the us-against-them image created by Rex Ryan. It defined the Jets. It gave something for fans to embrace. Sold tickets too.

THE CARTON CHALLENGE

With Craig Carton leaving WFAN to work solely for FS1′s morning soiree (“The Carton Show”), the audio suits, who will replace Carton with Tiki Barber, will be hard-pressed to duplicate the ratings recorded by the “Carton and Roberts Show.”

Like him, love him or loath him. Carton’s singular personality drew ears to the radio. He was the Bip to Roberts (hardcore sports Gasbag) Bap. Barber, the former Giant and veteran Gasbag, will be hard-pressed to bring must-hear-sizzle to the microphone. Barber, who was teamed with the bombastic Brandon Tierney, has a more traditional sound. Barber’s current approach is very vanilla.

Another words, it’s going to take time for the team of Roberts and Barber to develop a singular style and chemical balance. Time is not on their side.

With the radio business going in the toilet and Audacy, WFAN’s parent company, experiencing a rapid descent, there’s a greater sense of urgency for the new afternoon-drive team, Roberts and Barber, to deliver the goods before the company’s financial predicament brings more instability into the mix.

Carton, on the air Thursday, mostly gave life-changing reasons for making FS1 his solo gig. Math, aka getting more money out of the Foxies, apparently was also an enticement.

Yet Carton now faces a creative challenge. In the nine months he’s been anchoring “The Carton Show,” it has hardly been a blip on the radar screen. Now that he’s left his radio platform will Carton be able to make some real noise on the TV side?

THE HAHN CON

Alan Hahn, on ESPN-98.7, had problems with Mets boss Steve Cohen, taking a measured approach to Mets’ misery during a recently published interview.

Cohen said, in The Post, when things “get really bad” he’s not going to “blow up” and fire anybody. This, Hahn said, is another example of the Mets having “no fire.”

“If Cohen doesn’t want to upset the apple cart, then flip your own over,” Hahn, on the air, said. “Say, ‘you know what, I’ve got to spend more money.’ … Say Something, so at least your customers don’t start tuning you out.”

It’s ironic Hahn would encourage Cohen to “say something.” After all, Hahn also serves as a Knicks analyst on the MSG Network. He’s had a front-row seat to James (Guitar Jimmy) Dolan basically saying nothing, staying in a state of perpetual hiding from the media, for many moons.

Now, Knicks prez Leon (Sphinx) Rose has followed Dolan down the path of silence. At least Cohen, through good times and bad, has made himself available to the media and fans.

Something tells us Hahn won’t be imploring Dolan (or Rose) to “say something” anytime soon.

AROUND THE DIAL

All the back-and-forth over Saquon Barkley’s contract “negotiations” has produced some intriguing analysis. Yet none quirkier than the line Michael Kay offered on 98.7. Kay said: “Saquon’s mistake was becoming a running back when he was a kid.” Ya mean Barkley wasn’t thinking about the 2023 market for running backs when he was eight-years-old? Where was his agent? … What “event” was more moving? Craig Carton’s hour-long “farewell” soliloquy? Or Shannon Sharpe’s tear-stained goodbye to Skip Bayless? Didn’t both have you reaching for the Kleenex? … Tuesday night’s Yankees-Mets game on YES was the network’s second-most-viewed tilt of the season averaging 431,000 total viewers. The Yankees season opener (with Aaron Judge) vs. San Francisco is No. 1 averaging 553,000 viewers.

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DUDE OF THE WEEK: FRANCISCO LINDOR

For his accountability. Throughout his offensive drought, including striking out with the bases loaded in the eighth inning Tuesday night against the Yankees, Lindor has not ducked the media. He’s made himself available, answering all inquiries.

DWEEB OF THE WEEK: ERIK SPOELSTRA CRITICS

For criticizing the Heat coach for not playing Tyler Herro during the NBA Finals. Spoelstra, unlike his critics, had all the medical and strategic info. The media “doctors” who weighed in on Herro’s injury were ill-informed. And their analysis was ill-conceived.

DOUBLE TALK

What Max Scherzer said: “You can put the camera right on me.”

What Max Scherzer meant to say: “I’m stinking up the joint.”

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