Here’s hoping that The Masters officials capture the same sense of drama and intriguing narratives by pitting PGA and LIV golfers against each other in the early rounds at Augusta National Golf Club next week. It’s reminiscent of a sports scenario where a team invests heavily in an athlete, only to see him decline the offer in favor of tradition and a familiar setting.
As the San Francisco Giants head to Yankee Stadium for Thursday’s season opener, they’ll confront the player they missed out on—slugger Aaron Judge, the AL home run record-holder—and witness the fervent fan base and Monument Park that will soon celebrate him with a plaque and retired number.
The Giants, still feeling the sting of missing out on Judge (and subsequently Carlos Correa), had to pivot to new additions like former Mets outfielder Michael Conforto. While these players are solid, none match the superstar status they sought.
“It’s not like we’re bringing in players who don’t know how to contribute to a winning team,” said Logan Webb, who will start the opener, to the San Francisco Chronicle. “It was a smooth transition with these new guys. Missing out on Judge and Correa was disappointing, but we weren’t far from being a great team last year. We just needed to address a few issues and add some talented players.”
Alex Cobb, slated to pitch the second game, brushed off the rumors surrounding Judge. “We had a brief hope with Judge, but as players, we’re used to dealing with rumors. It’s tough on the fans, but hopefully they’re looking forward to the team we have now.”
Farhan Zaidi, Giants president of baseball operations, sees a silver lining in not landing Judge. “It’s going to be exciting,” Zaidi said. “We tried to sign him, but now he’s the opposition. This situation might provide extra motivation for our team. If people think we needed him to win, it just fuels our drive even more.”