Bob Raissman: Aaron Judge controversy shows how large his star has grown

Aaron Judge’s star power has eclipsed his home run power.

Evidence of this was provided by the overreaction to the Bunyanesque outfielder’s eighth-inning, side-eye glances toward the Yankees dugout, followed by a 462-foot home run in Toronto Monday night.

If this was Anthony Volpe, there would be no rush to judgment. Or debate if he was “cheating” in some form or fashion — like stealing signs or picking up on a pitcher tipping pitches, which has always been part of the game. But it was Judge. The face of the Yankees. The face of baseball.

If there is still any doubt why the Yankees had to re-sign him, there shouldn’t be now. Judge proved he can change the tone of a game and author a controversy in just a few eye blinks. And it’s a testament to his star power that Monday the SportsNet cameras in Toronto felt obligated to be in Judge’s face. The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network did not have the shot.

The Judge “controversy” erased the media focus on the Yankees’ poor start and injuries that have piled up. That’s what Judge’s star shine can do.

Outside of rampant speculation, while he was negotiating his contract, the spotlight has been kind to Judge. His image, not even nicked. So, when there’s an opportunity to put a crack in a superstar’s windshield, anxious commentators will throw rocks.

Yet Judge had his share of media defenders. On his side of the equation, there was passion too. From Harold Reynolds, who delivered a fiery monologue in support of Judge on MLB Network to John J. Filippelli, the YES Network’s president of production/programming.

Filippelli chided Toronto (TSN) voices Dan Shulman and Buck Martinez for, with no hard “evidence,” even suggesting Judge did anything wrong. During the sequence leading to Judge’s HR, TSN replayed the slugger shifting his eyes toward the dugout.

Martinez called it (Judge’s eye movements) “really, really unusual.”

Shulman said: “You don’t want to go throwing allegations around without knowing, but...”

But? But what?

Filippelli said he likes the two Toronto voices but they “impugned” Judge’s “integrity and honor.” Filippelli: “I can’t even offer a good reason why they said it, especially with no evidence to back what they were insinuating.”

Obviously, by the nature of his job, Filippelli tilts Yankee. Still, it’s unusual for a TV executive to offer a public, on-the-record, pointed critique of another team’s voices. Nonetheless, Shulman left himself wide open for criticism, when he delivered an open-ended conclusion.

As for Judge, well, he said he had some “choice words” for the Toronto broadcasters, but felt it was better to “keep them off the record.” Remember when Judge had problems with YES cameras focusing on him in the dugout? After what went down in Toronto, Judge is going to get even more facetime.

For baseball’s biggest star, it’s becoming business as usual.

NO COVERAGE FROM ESPN?

While the Judge eye-flap was big, it did not reach the proportions predicted by some Gasbags — like WFAN’s Gregg Giannotti.

On Tuesday he proclaimed all ESPN “screaming shows” will be talking about it. Yet First Take, ESPN’s most successful “screaming” show, never mentioned it during the two-hour telecast.

ESPN is one of MLB’s national TV partners, but in terms of studio and debate shows, the network is addicted to the NBA and NFL.

LEON BACK IN HIDING

It appears Knicks president Leon (The Sphinx) Rose will not surface to talk with boss Knicks scribes, even after they genuflected in his direction following his team being ousted by Miami in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Knicks, according to The Athletic, turned down a request for Rose, “or another front-office decision-maker” to speak to the notebooks and cameras. Rose has not spoken with the media (except the in-house MSG Network’s Mike Breen) since September 2021 and has not done a solo press conference since he was hired by the team in March 2020.

While Rose’s media blackout is lame, it makes some sense on this particular occasion (especially in the media-sensitive world of MSG). Some boss scribes might conclude Rose decided to chat because the organization is coming off a successful season.

The Sphinx could be accused of being a front-running phony, only willing to speak during good times.

RAIN DELAY DISASTER

If Rob Manfred owned a bakery, he would charge customers the full price of a pie and serve them a slice.

Thank goodness SNY’s Gary Cohen called out MLB last Saturday when after a 4-hour rain delay (Mets-Nationals) the game was suspended in the third inning. Then it was rescheduled as a “split doubleheader.”

“It’s really a shameful episode on the part of Major League Baseball to permit this to happen and come to this kind of a resolution,” Cohen said on SNY after the game was suspended. “To charge fans twice tomorrow rather than play straight through.”

Even while it attempts to project a fan-friendly image, greed still rules in MLB.

AROUND THE DIAL

Mark Jackson made a mistake leaving Nuggets center Nikola Jokic from the top five of his MVP ballot. Jax admitted his blunder and apologized. That did not stop the piling on in a variety of media precincts. Some even used the mistake to question Jax’s coaching ability (he will interview for the Bucks gig). Naturally, Jackson’s detractors were ultra strident because they’ve never, ever have made a mistake. ...

Larry Jones, the behind-the-scenes architect of every major rights and talent deal made by Fox Sports, is retiring from the company after 35 years. Jones has been with Fox Sports as executive vice president since it debuted in 1994. The Foxies bid farewell to Jones Thursday night in Santa Monica. Among the attendees saluting him were: Bill Raftery, Erin Andrews, Mike Pereira, Kevin Burkhardt, Colin Cowherd, Chris Myers and executives; Eric Shanks, Mark Silverman, Ed Goren, Chase Carey, and Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman. ...

The NFL is getting $110 million from streaming service Peacock for the rights to stream one Wild Card game this season. Not only does the NFL cash in, but it will also find out how much money Peacock makes, in terms of new subscribers. Who knows? The results could show one Wild Card game is worth more than $110 million. And that’s bad news for you, the fan.

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DUDE OF THE WEEK: JALEN HURTS

For his off-field inspiration. The Eagles quarterback recently walked on stage at the University of Oklahoma to receive his master’s degree in human relations. He was inspired by his mother who studied for her master’s degree while working.

DWEEB OF THE WEEK: JA MORANT

For lying. After Morant was suspended by the NBA in March for brandishing a gun at a club, he indicated he had learned a lesson. Yet when video surfaced last week of him flashing a heater from the seat of a car it exposed him as, among other things, a liar.

DOUBLE TALK

What Justin Verlander said: “We expect to be better. I expect to be better. I think the entire organization expects to be better.”

What Justin Verlander meant to say: “I’m not being paid $86 million to pitch like a ham-and-egger.”