Judge-ment Days

     I can't stop thinking how lucky I have been in my lifetime to have witnessed some of the greatest New York Yankees playing in the Bronx. As a youngster almost 60 years ago, I began watching WPIX telecasts in black and white on our Philco television, seeing the exploits of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Roger Maris and Whitey Ford--all Hall of Famers or record breakers. Then there was the years of Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter in the mid-to-late 1970's. Followed by the Derek Jeter-led teams bolstered by Mariano Rivera, Roger Clemens and augmented by Wade Boggs.

     Yet in 2017, I am witnessing something unreal in Yankees lore. The emergence of Aaron Judge. What he has accomplished merely 100 games into this, his true rookie year, is the greatest individual feat I have watched by a Yankee or maybe anyone else.

     Aaron Judge. The larger than life person. Largely because he IS that large. He is officially listed at 6'7", 282 pounds. Standing next to Jose Altuve, the diminutive Houston Astros' shortstop, he made Altuve look even shorter than his listed height of 5'6". Aaron Judge looks bigger and he does not seem to have an ounce of fat on him. He doesn't have body builder arms like Reggie did. But can he ever generate power.

     Right now Judge has 32 home runs. That number has already eclipsed the Yankees' rookie record of 29 homers, set by the esteemed Joltin' Joe Di Maggio, the Yankee Clipper, in 1939. That, in itself, is an awesome achievement.

     He has a legitimate shot at 50 homers this season, which would surpass the all-time rookie mark set by the embattled Mark McGwire, who may have used steroids to aid his career. Again, another tremendous accomplishment.

     What sets Aaron Judge apart beyond the even the aforementioned attainments are a number of facets. Which makes the 2017 season he is having even more remarkable.

     Aaron Judge is an exceptionally interesting phenomenon. Besides his height, there is the mystique behind the giant. He was adopted a day after birth by the only people he calls his parents, Patty and Wayne Judge. The Judges, both teachers and devout Christians, raised Aaron and his adopted brother, John in Linden, California  , with restraint and love. It shows in his humility and discipline.

     Aaron Judge has no interest in finding out who his birth parents are. At age 10, Mr and Mrs Judge informed Aaron that he was adopted. His response was that he knew he didn't look like them. His ethnicity is therefore unknown.

     He was a three sport star in high school, excelling at football, so much so that Notre Dame, Stanford and UCLA recruited him to play tight end. His basketball teams were at the top of those playing in California.

     However, Aaron Judge loved baseball. He was drafted in the 31st round by the Oakland A's out of high school. He rejected that and instead attended Fresno State University, where, of course, he was a star.

     In 2013, at the conclusion of Judge's junior year at Fresno State, the Yankees drafted him in the first round, the 32nd overall selection. He signed with New York and received a $1.8 million bonus.

     He missed his 2013 minor league season due to a quadriceps injury. Judge debuted in 2014, and rose somewhat unspectacularly through the Yankees' farm system, showing brilliance at times, but also experiencing growing pains along the way. He did warrant inclusion in the 2015 All-Star Futures Game, but he missed the 2016 Triple A All-Star Game, once more being injured.

     Aaron Judge made his MLB debut with the Yankees on August 13, 2016. He arrived on the scene with some expectations from his draft status, his rise through the Yankees farm system and his stature. The Yankees were going nowhere and the idea of management was to get the feet wet for a couple of the promising minor leaguers--Judge, Gary Sanchez and Tyler Austin. Sanchez became the star--a catcher with tremendous power and a rocket arm who nearly catapulted the team into the A.L. Wild Card. Austin showed some promise before being injured.

     With Judge, he had 95 plate appearances and struck out 42 times, He did hit 4 home runs and he drove in 10 runs. His batting average was a paltry .179. Judge suffered an oblique injury on a swing against the Los Angeles Dodgers which ended his 2016 season.

     The expectations for 2017 were not high regarding Aaron Judge. Some people opined that maybe he should start the season back at Scranton-Wilkes Barre, the team's minor league AAA affiliate. Yankees' brass disagreed, instead thinking that Judge should start the 2017 campaign in New York.

     In hindsight, it would have been a big mistake to send this huge talent back to the minors. This is said with Judge having amassed 32 home runs, driven in 73 runs, walked 69 times and is hitting at a .310 average. The home runs and walks lead all MLB players. He was the highest vote recipient for the American League All-Star team.

     What separates Aaron Judge from the mere mortals are the things he does--how he does them to be exact. Aaron Judge slugs home runs. With the top speed off of the bat in the MLB. With the greatest distances traveled.

     Aaron Judge draws intentional walks as a rookie because he is feared by other managers.  He has good plate discipline, which creates many 3-2 counts. He has cut down on his strike outs/plate appearances.

     Aaron Judge was supposed to be in the Home Run Derby at the 2017 All-Star Game in Miami. Because he hit so many homers, the speed from which they leave the bat and how far they traveled. Whereupon he calmly tore up his opposition to win the title, making Marlins Park his own small playground, especially with a mammoth homer that went over 500 feet.

     Aaron Judge has a work ethic that is as monstrous as he is. He has the .179 average saved on his phone, to be looked at daily as motivation to succeed. Judge is deferential to the veterans and inspirational to his younger peers. He never argues with the umpires when they frequently call strikes that are clearly not within the strike zone. Nor does he show displays of anger. He wears number 99, a number given to players who are not expected to make the roster.

     Aaron Judge is a well-grounded, humble young man. Who has an inner fire and passion to win and excel.  in a team game, and for the greater good of the team. He appeared undercover on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon in May, asking fans if they could identify Aaron Judge.

     Aaron Judge reminds me, in small part, of Roy Hobbs, the super nova who led the fictional New York Knights to the pennant in the move The Natural. Aaron Judge reminds me of Babe Ruth--so far ahead of his peers. Aaron Judge reminds me of Derek Jeter in how he comports himself.

     Then again, Aaron Judge reminds me of, well, Aaron Judge. A uniquely gifted, strong, quiet leader who can really play the game of baseball. People turn on games or go to the ball park to see him.

     Right now, and maybe for as long as he stays in the game, Aaron Judge is playing head and shoulders above his peers. He is almost certain to win the A.L. Rookie of the Year award. His feats have dwarfed his competition.

     Should the Yankees make the playoffs and move forward with his on the field leadership, Aaron Judge's storybook 2017 season may become immortal. That is no small feat for this giant of a man.

     We fans can withhold judgment on Aaron Judge until the season is concluded. While it is ongoing, enjoy what we are seeing all of the days the Yankees have a game. It is really something else.