Congratulations, Aaron Judge! Now that you're married, let's get down to business

This weekend, Aaron Judge married his high school sweetheart in Hawaii. Everybody! For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny. Which nobody can deny, which nobody can deny, for he's a jolly good felloooooow, WHICH NOBODY CAN DENY.

And he IS a jolly good fellow. I'm not denying it. Nobody can. 

At the end of 2022, Judge will become a free agent, capable of choosing his destiny (which might include fatherhood, hint hint?) He says he wants to be a Yankee for life, Frankly, there is no reason why the Death Barge should not slide a ring onto his huge finger and say, "We do." 

In April, Judge turns 30. Through age 29, here are his statistical MLB doppelgangers, according to Baseball Reference:

Look closely. None of these fine human beings will ever make the Hall of Fame. (Martinez would come closest; he needs a few more big seasons.) This is a list of hitters who ruled in their 20s and then hit the wall. (Giles collapsed at 30; Davis, 33; Mitchell, 34; Cash, 37; Wagner, 34; Nixon, 33; Justice, 34; Martinez is now 33, and Humanis Centepedes was done at 32, though he doesn't seem to know it.) 

Listen: Judge is a great player whom the Yankees want to keep. A fixture in RF. A fine teammate. A future plaque in Monument Park. But only once - his breakout 2017 season - has he driven in more than 100 runs. Last year, he hit 39 HRs and batted .287 - but only 98 RBIs, batting second in a stacked lineup. WTF? Twenty players had at least 100 RBIs. Bo Bichette. Austin Meadows. Marcus Semien. Yeesh. And Judge was pretty much healthy all year. 

The Rangers recently gave Cory Seager a 10-year deal worth $325 million, even though he'll probably move from SS in a few seasons. If Judge demands a 10-year deal - similar to what Giancarlo Stanton received from Miami - the Yankees should  consider doing what our AL East rivals would do: 

Trade him, now. 

We'll have Stanton through 2028, when he'll be 37 and probably playing golf. As bad as Stanton's contract is, he still wouldn't be as old as Judge's final season, if he gets a decade-long deal. And let's face it: By 2028, the Yankees would be knee-deep in gigantic DHs, neither of whom would likely be hitting his weight.  

It's sad to say this, especially during his honeymoon, because we all love Judge and what he brings to the franchise. But if Judge wants a 10-year deal, he's not doing the Yankees any favors. And they should say no. 

There should never be a reason for a Yankee fan to suggest austerity, when it comes to players' salaries. Hal Steinbrenner has so much money that, if he started counting today, he would die of old age before reaching the final dime. Someday, Hal will wake up and realize what owning the NY Yankees was supposed to mean, and how that in his quest for more money, he dismantled his father's one successful legacy. So be it. 

But even when considering Hal's unimaginable wealth, Judge still shouldn't get a 10-year deal. It's a grift, pure and simple. If wanting to be a Yankee for life means being paid by the Yankees for life - nope - we should move on. We made the mistake with A-Rod. We made the mistake with Stanton. Three strikes, and we're out.