Grinning and Winning - Aaron Judge
During home games, a baseball player will approach home plate with a song that he selected playing over the speaker system. Choosing a "walk-up song" can be very important because that song can represent a player's personality. Right now, right fielder Aaron Judge has a preference for Pitbull and Kesha.
"It's going down. I'm yelling 'Timber!'" is what Charleston RiverDogs fans hear at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park when the highly-ranked New York Yankees prospect heads to the plate. For someone as jovial as Judge, it is a perfect fit.
"I liked the song when the season started and thought it would be catchy and something fans might like as well," Judge said.
An injury prevented Judge from making his professional debut in 2013, but RiverDogs manager Luis Dorante knew there would be high expectations for Judge's debut season in Charleston. This year, Judge was rated the No. 6 Yankees prospect by Baseball America and the No. 9 Yankees prospect according to MLB.com.
"The raw power that he brings to the table, I think it's unbelievable" Dorante said in a preseason interview with RiverDogs broadcaster Sean Houston. "Everybody wants to hit .300 and hit home runs. For him, we've just got to be patient, teach him how to be ready when he needs to be ready, and he needs to take the walks."
Dorante sounds prophetic after Judge's first three weeks of play. Judge finished Charleston's last road trip with team-high season totals of 16 walks, 17 runs scored, and a .451 on-base percentage. He has also led the South Atlantic League in all three of those categories recently.
"If there are runners on, I'm not going to go out there and try to chase a pitch," Judge said about his plate discipline. "I'm going to take my walk and get on base for the guy behind me."
A native of Linden, California, Judge choose to attend Fresno State University even though the nearby Oakland Athletics selected him in the 30th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. He cited his parents, Wayne and Patty Judge, as an important influence on his decision.
"Both of my parents are teachers, so they were big into the college thing. It kind of made my decision pretty easy."
In 2011, Judge was the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year with the Bulldogs. He won the 2012 TD Ameritrade College Baseball Home Run Derby as a sophomore. Judge followed with a stellar junior season, earning 2013 NCBWA and ABCA Third Team All-America honors.
In that year's draft, the Yankees used the loss of their starting right fielder to draft another. Judge was taken with the 32nd overall pick in the first round, a compensation selection after Nick Swisher became a free agent and signed with the Cleveland Indians. Three years after being drafted by the A's, Judge was in Yankees gear and taking batting practice in the O.co Coliseum.
"Words really can't describe that feeling, being out there with all the big guys." Judge said. "Being on a major league field, putting on a jersey, and having my own name up on a locker next to Mariano (Rivera) and Andy Pettitte. That was an unreal moment. I was speechless."
Batting practice in front of Yankees manager Joe Girardi and the big league club was Judge's professional highlight last year, but finally getting to play as a member of the 2014 RiverDogs has been very beneficial. Judge hopes to develop a solid mental approach along with his physical adjustments he will make during his professional debut.
"You're going to have those days when you go 0-for-4. You're going to have those days when you go 4-for-4. It's just trying to keep an even keel… Everyone has the tools. It's just that mental side that everyone has to work on."
While Judge is happy with his start, fans throughout the Lowcountry will be happy to keep watching him play for Charleston. Hearing "Timber" at The Joe is a good sign that Judge might still be around.