SF Giants fans recently booed Bryce Harper during the Phillies’ visit to San Francisco. Now, they have another chance to express their discontent with Aaron Judge, who will be playing against the Giants in San Francisco for the first time.
Of course, Giants fans weren’t just booing Harper for rejecting the team in free agency; it was also about the home runs he hit against the Giants in the 2014 NLDS and the brawl that ensued when Hunter Strickland threw at Harper. But Harper’s decision to spurn the Giants was certainly part of the negative response.
Now, Giants fans can give a similar reception to Aaron Judge. While the free agency pursuits of Harper and Judge were different, when Judge steps into the batter’s box, Giants fans will see a player who chose not to sign with their team, possibly using them as leverage to get more money from the Yankees.
The pursuit of Harper was somewhat unexpected for most Giants fans. At the time, the team still had several star players despite disappointing seasons in 2017 and 2018. The Giants only became involved when Harper’s asking price dropped, but he ultimately chose the Phillies over the Giants.
In contrast, the pursuit of Judge was anticipated by everyone following the Giants’ mediocre 2022 season. The team desperately needed a star player to attract fans, and who better than the player who had just broken Roger Maris’ record for most home runs in a season by an American League player?
Adding to the intrigue, Judge is originally from Northern California and grew up rooting for the Giants, making it seem like a perfect match. Despite this and an infamous tweet from a reporter suggesting Judge was heading to the Giants, he chose the Yankees, breaking the hearts of Giants fans in the process.
As a kid, Judge likely dreamed of receiving cheers at Oracle Park. Instead, he will be booed throughout the series. Although Judge is generally more liked than Harper and seems less pretentious than the Phillies star, Giants fans won’t forget the disappointment of missing out on Judge.
Giants fans will voice their displeasure during this series, and perhaps the team can find some redemption on the field by winning the series against the Yankees, who are currently tied with the Phillies for the best record in baseball.
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