Judge the talk of Old Timers Day

NEW YORK — Bernie Williams is probably one of the few men in the world who understands. The Yankees’ outfielder had been out there under the microscope, thinking about the possibility of a future out of pinstripes. So, he’s watched Aaron Judge navigate this season carefully. Williams hopes that Judge will one day also be remembered as a great Yankee.

“I’m very happy for him, especially since this is such an important year in his career,” Williams said. “I think he feels the allure and the greatness of remaining a Yankee, I think he is definitely taking that in consideration. And I think the team should too.” WIlliams and the other former Yankees gathered in Monument Park among the tributes to the men who made this franchise and corner of the Bronx legendary. The 74th Old Timers Day at Yankee Stadium, the first since 2019 and the coronavirus pandemic, was different. There was no game, just the players out in Monument Park and then walking out from center field during extended introductions before Saturday’s game.

Many were not there, including Mariano Rivera, Lou Pinella, Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Reggie Jackson and Gary Sheffield who were scheduled to be at the National Sports Collectors Convention this weekend in Atlantic City.

“A lot of guys aren’t here so I’m a little disappointed some of my old teammates aren’t here,” Tino Martinez said. “But it’s still great to be here and we know nobody will get hurt today, that’s for sure.”

The talk among the former players instead was about the historic run that Judge is on in his walk year. Williams can obviously relate. In 1998, he won the American League batting title and helped the Bombers to a World Series. He had turned down a $37.5 million deal from the Yankees during the season and the Red Sox’s $91.5, seven-year offer made the Yankees postseason offer of $60 million seem silly. On the verge of finishing his career in Fenway, Williams accepted a seven-year $89.7 million deal that guaranteed he’d retire a Yankee and bring him back for days like Saturday.

“I think it’s hard if you think about it,” Williams said of free agency looming at the end of the season. “I think as a player that was kind of like the last thing on my mind. I was always reminded of contract negotiations or the situation when I was asked about it. I think playing is his sort of distraction from this whole thing...He probably welcomes the opportunity that he has to play. So he doesn’t have to talk about this all the time.”

And Judge has certainly poured everything into this season.

He went into Saturday afternoon’s game with a major league-leading 41 homers and on pace to crush the American League and Yankees franchise record of 61 for home runs in a single season.