Aaron Judge is a BEAST!
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The real bonus IMO is he is a young man who respects everyone and everything about the game. What a breath of fresh air. No bat flips, stare downs, just a great role model.
He also won the HR Derby in the minors I believe. He only makes about 540K this year. I think that is about to change.
I wish I could see this kid square off against Mantle (in a Home Run Derby) in his (Mantle's) prime. I would take Mantle, but this kid would make it interesting.
LB what is really amazing is, Mantle was built like a tank, but he wasn't THAT big, six foot even, 200.
Judge is a freakin' Goliath. 285 with single-digit body fat.
That was ludicrous (in an amazing way).
Only watched it as I was at a bar attending a regular happy hour - otherwise I wouldn't have been caught dead watching it as Chris Berman ruined home run derbies for me.
Anyway, his first couple home runs to right field looked like pop ups off the bat. He is insanely strong. We were laughing at how some went out. Then he hammered that one over the Marlin. My God!
I do like the time clock - keeps these things from being never ending.
Only watched it as I was at a bar attending a regular happy hour - otherwise I wouldn't have been caught dead watching it as Chris Berman ruined home run derbies for me.
Anyway, his first couple home runs to right field looked like pop ups off the bat. He is insanely strong. We were laughing at how some went out. Then he hammered that one over the Marlin. My God!
I do like the time clock - keeps these things from being never ending.
crikey if only the Yankees pitching and management could put a consistent effort behind Judge . . .
From the Marlins website...
ROOF:
- Batted ball strikes roof over fair territory: In Play. If caught by fielder, batter is out and runners advance at own risk.
- Batted ball strikes roof over foul territory: Dead Ball.
So after it hit the roof, wherever the ball landed would determine HR or not. That ball must have landed in the field of play so therefore, no dinger.
I said the same today. Mantle did no off season training, ate like crap, drank too much and was two thirds the size of Judge but had more power. On top of it, he was the fastest player in the game as well. You can talk Judge or Trout and you are still doing a disservice to Mantle. Just remember Mantle did this 60 years ago. He was a baseball laboratory creation.
Mantle also didn't face middle relievers, closers, guys throwing in the high 90's consistently. I'm not sure why fans recognize that athletes have gotten better in every other sport but don't seem to accept it in baseball.
Interesting....thanks for the info. Seems like a pretty dumb rule, but both teams have to play that way.
I'm not saying that, I'm saying that Mantle had more power as in the ability to hit a pitched baseball further. You make one point that even further highlights the distinction, the fact that he hit a baseball further that was pitched at a slower speed than today generally. Do some research into the device Mantle created that was basically a ball suspended which could be adjusted to various speeds. You will be amazed.
Judge has freakish power and people are amazed at him hitting it 513 last night which they should be. That's inhuman. It puts what Mantle did to a pitched baseball even more remarkable.
I've stood next to most of these guys and have been amazed at their lack of size. Another example was Harmon Killebrew. If you stood next to The Killer, you would be amazed at his size as in how small he was. But he was a masher. Compare and contrast to standing next to say a Scott Rolen who is a VERY large man.
Judge showed in the derby what he can do to a ball pitched slower. It's harder to make contact with a ball going 98 than 85. Obviously, Judge isn't anywhere near Mantle at this point in his career and likely will never get to that level, but he can hit a baseball every bit as far as Mantle and is likely more athletic.
Certainly we will never know. But another factor is that the actual ball is subject to a lot of debate as well. Certainly, balls were replaced less during the course of the game in Mantle's time and the physical construct of the ball is likely an advantage to modern day players to hit it further.
Today's players are clearly better athletes, there is no debate on that. But the thing that always struck me with the older players was the size of their forearms and the strength in their hands. Mays in his 50's was still physically imposing and the size of his forearms was sick from my memory. And he would tell you that both he and his wife suffered physically to that day as a result of playing in Candlestick. Ditto Aaron and Killer. Travel was also a huge drain on older players.
Judge is obviously a world class athlete but 60 years later hard to imagine players today who had the combo of speed and power that Mantle had. I've seen one that comes to mind, Bo. Can't really think of anyone else. Mantle had an advantage plate to first when he hit lefty, but his recorded times are stupid.
I must say that Judge has really surprised me. Tall players have a lot of movement which tends to hurt them in their swing. Let's see how he does the rest of the year. I'd be surprised if he doesn't cone back to earth a bit. I will say he was effortless last night which was the most impressive aspect of the display to me,
I am a BIG BIG TIME Mantle fan but Aaron Judge 'seems' to be the real deal ...Mantle had the amazing potential but he also played in a different era and lived his life in a way a lot of players did ...LARGELY.. Aaron has only been (full time) in the majors but looks ungodly close ....at this point to a Jeteresque type player (on and off the field). what's the chances of getting that type of guy so close together in time ...but obviously the test is time ...but Judge's 'command' of the strike zone has been ridiculously amazing for a 'rookie' ...he is a fun guy to root for at this point in his career... can he be a 'larger than Jeter' clone ...time will tell everyone but so far ...even if you hate the Yanks ...he is fun to watch
I don't disagree with anything you're saying. I had a buddy who was a phenomenal baseball player and he used to do tons of exercises just to strengthen his forearms and wrists. Of course back then baseball players didn't lift like they do today so who knows what some of those guys could have done had they had the lifting regimen of many of today's players.
Judge has all the tools and seems to have the right attitude. But it is almost impossible to reach a level like Mantle or Jeter. I was just telling my son tonight how impressive it is to see what Harper has done with his life. Most athletic prodigies fizzle out or never make it. Harper and Trout certainly have excelled and could very well have HOF type careers. I'm not a Yankees fan but I'm rooting for Judge to have that type of career as well.
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