Yankee Unforeseen Issue: The Light Has Gone on for Mr. Judge
Tonight, Aaron Judge was 4-5 with a homer to left and a homer to right. That's a big game for anyone, but a pretty typical game for Judge in June: where he's hitting, hitting for power, stealing bases, playing D and walking more than he K's. Till he hit AAA, Judge had cruised through the minors. Once he got to AAA last year the veteran pitchers there fed him a steady diet of low and away. And instead of laying off and taking his walks, he swung. Maybe having such long arms made him think he could reach them but that's over. He's laying off the low and away and that enable him to wait for pitches he likes or walks, and thus the light has gone on.
Of course, the only problem is, is that the Yankees, who could really, really use a bat, and defense in a corner like Judge provides, would have to have one, two or three big injuries occur in the Yankee OF before he's called up. And Hicks, who is what he's always been, would probably get the first shot, and Gamel, who's already on the 40 could get the second.
This is a big problem. And will we really have to wait on and count on a July sell off, for a player that could help them win now? This is what happens when you load up on FA's and other people's failed first rounders.
23 Comments:
If Hicks was their own prospect, he would never get another AB.
Losing is the only path forward. Otherwise we will never see Judge.
I take it as a hopeful sign that Judge had to struggle before getting the hang of AAA pitching. It shows that he can learn to hit at a higher level and teaches him what he'll have to do to become a successful MLer. It would be much harder if his first real challenge were the majors.
Usually the biggest jump is either High A to AA, or A to High A depending on who you ask. Maybe the older, veteran pitchers in AAA showed how to get him to fish.
Anyway, they also changed his hands and his load a bit and the results are just exciting.
Thanx for that info, Phil. I don't disagree about the jumps to high A & AA. It's always easy to fall into a bad habit or two, and perhaps the proximity to the bigs made him impatient as a hitter and therefore more vulnerable to sophisticated pitching. Whatever, let's hope lesson learned.
Another good night for Refs. He's making it hard for them to send him down as he keeps hitting and his sample size grows. Six doubles already!
Judge will be a Sept callup no doubt and will be the Yankees RF'er for the next 10 years I hope.
I have never rooted for the Yankees to keep losing but this needs to happen to reload with young kids.
Ref's OPS+ is 106, Castro's is 84.
If they do sell, Refsnyder should get every start at second base.
Only two walks last night, both by Gardener. That's bad. It also shows Gardener could be a good piece in a trade due to his OBP skills.
That should be the case no matter what, unless playing your best players isn't the goal.
Girardi on Refs: Really good ABs, like what we have seen, trying to make a name for himself, error at 1B one of learning to read the ball there.
I have to think Feinsand's comment about his 1B defense was from someone in the organization who is kind of a dick, like the dick, maybe the same person, who said he had attitude problems last year.
Girardi seems to genuinely like him.
Is Headley tradeable yet?
I'm thinking he is.
Was just gonna say the same. Since May 1 he's been very good. They should find a taker in the offseason and shift either Didi or Castro over there.
I'd rather move him at the deadline.
Just attach Headley to Miller or Chapman.
The team won't lose enough between now and the deadline for management to consider them "out of it." If this nets them the Gurriel brothers and they don't give up top prospects for quick fixes, I'm fine with that.
Where would they play Gourriel? I can't see it happening without trading some of their starters.
The other thing is that trading one of the big relievers may make them better. Whether or not they see that is another issue.
http://riveraveblues.com/2016/06/badler-yankees-favored-to-sign-dominican-righty-roancy-contreras-140315/
Nolan Martinez signed. No word yet on the bonus. All eyes on Rutherford now.
Pulaski begins play tonight.
I really hope that one day a lot of these kids are actually playing for the New York Yankees. What are novel idea, homegrown talent on the New York Yankees.
I doubt they signed Nolan without being confident that they have a deal with Blake. Maybe they'll net another prep or two as well. Not bad.
After seeing what they spent on Nolan, I really don't think they went $500K+ over slot if they didn't have a deal with Blake. The only question is whether they have enough to get someone else as well. Phil -- of the remaining preps, which one would you most like to sign?
There's a separate post on Nolan signing.
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