Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia may be on the other side of the country but is one of Aaron Judge’s biggest admirers.
The Angels manager said Judge has the potential to be very, very special as a player. Of course, Scioscia should know a great player when he sees one as he has managed Mike Trout since he debuted back in 2011.
Scioscia called both his player Trout and Judge exceptional multi-dimensional players.
He is the first position player for the Yankees to win that award since August of last year when Gary Sanchez earned it.
Judge has played well since the start of the season. He leads the majors in home runs with 22 after hitting one Monday night against the Angels. He is also the first rookie in the history of baseball to be the first player to 20 home runs in the season.
After Monday’s game, Judge has a batting average of .347, with 22 home runs, 49 RBIs and a .728 slugging percentage.
He is No. 2 in baseball in on-base percentage at .453, slugging percentage of .728 and OPS of 1.168.
Judge also leads the AL in runs with 57, walks with 39, total bases with 155 and is No. 2 in extra base hits with 35.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi is most impressed with the ability of Judge to hit while there are two strikes in the count. After going down 0-and-2 in the count this season, Judge’s average is .298.
Girardi said the thing that is so impressive is Judge’s hits with two-strike and that is the way someone is able to hit for such a high average since you must have the ability to make good contact with two strikes on the count.
Scioscia said how far Judge has hit some of his home runs, one of which traveled 495 feet, is very impressive, but nothing the manager puts too much emphasis on.
Scioscia said that the long ball Judge can hit also means that when he is jammed or hits the ball of the end of the bat he will still hit home runs illustrating the power the young player has at the plate.
