JUDGE ROCKS STAR VOTE!!
Aaron passes Trout for highest AL tally, gives Sox crash course that he’s for real
We learned last November that exit polls and early returns don’t mean a whole lot until all voting precincts come in, but Aaron Judge leading the American League in the latest tabulations released by MLB on Tuesday for next month’s All-Star Game fully appears to be anything but fake news.
The rookie slugger’s combination of continued production and mounting popularity is deservedly translating to the baseball equivalent of high approval ratings at the polling centers. Judge has moving ahead of injured Angels superstar Mike Trout to pace the entire A.L. – not just among outfielders – with more than 1.25 million votes so far for the starting lineup for the Midsummer Classic on July 11 in Miami.
Judge reached base three more times and made another acrobatic catch – but he also only could watch as two of the three latest homers surrendered by Masahiro Tanaka sailed over his head in the Yanks’ 5-4 seriesopening loss to Boston.
“I think people are recognizing what he’s doing. I think people are like, ‘Wow, I want to see this kid and I want to see him play in the All-Star Game,’ ” Joe Girardi said of Judge before the game. “Because a lot of people don’t get the chance to see him play every day, I think his personality is resonating with fans around the country and how he plays the game.”
Only potential future Yankee outfield mate Bryce Harper of Washington, in fact, has tallied more votes in all of baseball than Judge presently, with 1.46 million for the Nats outfielder, who is slated to become a pending free agent after next season.
Indeed, Judge not began the day leading the majors with 18 home runs, but the 25-yearold has captivated baseball fans in the Bronx and throughout the country with his size (67, 280 pounds), athletic ability and infectious attitude and play.
He now is slashing .328/.433/.683 after going 2-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts as the potential tying run for the final outs of the seventh and ninth innings — while also making a wall-crashing grab in right in the second. (Judge said afterward that he’s fine, although the wall is day-to-day).
“You’ve got a defensive end diving for fly balls into the stands, in the ground, in the gap,” Girardi said. “I mean, he’s just playing extremely well and people are recognizing what he’s doing and want to see more.”
The Red Sox will get to see plenty more of Judge firsthand this week in this showdown series between the longtime AL East foes, now separated by one game in the division standings.
The rookie right fielder homered in his first career game at Fenway Park on April 26, and despite their concerns with Tanaka, Yankees fans have to at least like the early returns on how Judge is handling himself in his initial home series of the vaunted rivalry.
“Carefully,” Boston manager John Farrell said when asked how the Sox will approach Judge. “What’s been impressive to watch has been his ability on both sides of the baseball. Defensively, he’s done a great job.
“We saw him for the two games earlier this year and we know that he’s a big strong right-handed power bat that’s seemingly closed up some holes in his swing … He’s transitioned quick and is a major threat in their lineup.”
Judge, who was referred to Tuesday by GM Brian Cashman as “being a potential MVP candidate,” also figures to pose that sort of threat for National League pitchers in the upcoming All-Star Game. He most certainly will be a marquee attraction for MLB to promote in the Home Run Derby, especially if pitted against hometown slugger Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins.
One player who won’t be there this year, of course, is 10-time All-Star David Ortiz, the retired Boston designated hitter who gushed over Judge on Monday night at CC Sabathia’s charity event, calling him “the scariest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“That’s incredible,” Judge said when asked about Big Papi’s comments. “A guy like that who I’ve watched growing up, with the career he’s had, for him to say that was pretty cool.”
While Girardi earlier this season had compared Judge’s off-field demeanor to that of Yanks legend Derek Jeter, however, Judge suppressed a few smiles and offered his best impression of The Captain by insisting that he hasn’t thought about his pending All-Star turn.
“Not one bit,” replied Judge, before seemingly offering everything but the classic Jeter deflective line “I gotta go hit” in sidestepping further queries before batting practice.
“I’m more worried about the win column right now for the Yankees. So I’m just trying to focus on that and first place,” Judge added. “It’s cool, but I have a job to do on the field and I’m more focused on that right now. If I go out there and take care of that, that other stuff I think will take care of itself.
“So like I said, I’ve got work to do. Yeah it’s crazy…but once that time comes, then maybe I’ll take a second to kind of soak it in a little bit and think about it.”
If Judge won’t make the ruling, we will bang the gavel for him.
With his popularity and production, he should be a lock to be voted into the All-Star Game next month. There is nothing fake about that.