Baby Bombers are becoming even stronger
LEAVE it to Reggie Jackson to describe what Greg Bird brings to the Yankees when the first baseman is healthy and at his best.
“Barrel accuracy,’’ is how the Hall of Famer slugger explained it to me.
There is so much talk about bat speed, launch angle and everything else, but Reggie nailed it. Hit the ball on the barrel and boom happens.
This past week, good things are again happening for Bird after a season of frustration, triggered by a right ankle injury that eventually led to surgery to remove a bone.
Bird has appeared in just 36 games, but the Yankees need him now more than ever.
He skied a three-run home run to right field Saturday, his second home run in two games, as the Yankees once again bombarded the pitching-poor Orioles, 9-3, at Yankee Stadium for their third straight win over the Birds. The exit velocity was 104.1, the distance 409 feet, the maximum height was 89 feet, hang time was 5.0 seconds and the launch angle was 30 degrees.
All those numbers add up to near-perfect barrel accuracy.
“That’s huge for me,’’ Bird told me. “That’s what I try and do.’’
And here’s an even better description of what Bird means to the Yankees.
“Birdy is probably our best hitter,’’ Aaron Judge told The Post. “To have him back is a huge plus. We’re excited to have him back. It’s incredible, when he gets his pitch he is going to put the barrel of the bat on the ball and good things are going to happen.’’
This pitch was an 80 mph changeup on a 2-2 count. The most difficult thing for Bird since returning has been staying back on pitches. It takes time to get that skill back, and only comes with more at-bats. It doesn’t happen overnight.
Since returning from the disabled list Aug. 26, Bird has four home runs and 14 RBIs in 17 games as he battles to regain his timing. Essentially, this is Spring Training II.
This is where barrel accuracy comes into play. The leftyswinging Bird has a way of hitting the baseball on the sweet spot that is pure thunder, the perfect Yankee Stadium swing. When Bird is healthy he makes the Baby Bombers whole.
His towering blast in the fourth inning off Jeremy Hellickson landed halfway up the second deck in right field.
For all their success, the Baby Bombers are a work in progress. Judge struck out in the fifth, his 196th K of the season to set the Yankees single-season strikeout mark. The 43 home runs, 96 RBIs and 114 walks for Judge come with a growing pains price. Gary Sanchez has been marvelous at the plate with his 31 home runs and 86 RBIs, but what has been missing all season has been big numbers from Bird because of his injury woes.
“This is a great group and we are rolling right now,’’ Bird said. “Just to be playing is great. The cool thing for me about baseball is that it’s baseball. The same stuff happens. You kind of get in the groove again and it feels normal.
“I’ve always wanted to be a part of this and I am, but it was hard at times watching, not being a part of it, just to be able to go out there every day with them now is huge for me.’’
Bird’s horrendous start is behind him, and it is just a question of getting his swing together for the final 14 games and the postseason. No matter how long that postseason, goes it is imperative that Bird, Judge and Sanchez get those October atbats to grow even more as hitters. They are the present and future.
That experience is invaluable. The Yankees figure to be a most dangerous matchup, especially with Bird back.
“I knew I could do it, I just didn’t know when,’’ Bird said.
Now is the time, the time for barrel accuracy.