Baseball’s had its share of big stars the last several years, the it guys of the game…
The Yankees had Derek Jeter, before that the Royals George Brett, Oakland Mark McGwire. Yet there really hasn’t been a true monster star since slugger Reggie Jackson.
Remember the “Reggie, Reggie, Reggie” chant when he hit three homers in a single World Series game?
Jackson was as close as it came to being a modern day Micky Mantle – the power hitter the nation watched and admired most when I was a kid.
I always felt that the power hitting stars of the game were the ones who made baseball America’s game.
Today, not so much.
Since the steroid era nobody’s grabbed our hearts like newest Yankee, Aaron Judge.
The 25 year old rookie is fast becoming the next guy you might see on a candy bar or cereal box. He looks to be THE MAN and not just in New York but in baseball.
Judge is not only going to be rookie of the year but maybe MVP.
Heck, Judge could be a triple crown winner in his first full season with the Yankees.
He’s already hit 22 home runs and is batting .335 with 49 RBI’s.
Those numbers at season’s end might get a rookie of the year award as they stand, but if it continues Judge may be the first mega star since Reggie Jackson.
Don’t get me wrong there have been some great ballplayers at the plate since Reggie – our own Carlos Beltran being one – but NOT LIKE THIS KID.
Judge’s home runs have already been tape measured many times at 450, 475 and over 500 feet.
He is a sight to watch. He has the build of an NFL linebacker at six feet seven inches and weighs in at over 225 pounds. He’s handsome, built, smiles and is simply a nice guy, superstar.
Today when he comes to the plate all eyes are on him and the crowd is silent. That’s the Babe Ruth effect. Is he gonna hit one out? How far? Will he get another one today?
Baseball today needs a player like Judge.
The game has become more regional and less national. Most fans can’t name five players on teams other than their own.
And lets be honest, outside of KC who knows our Royals players?
Yes, some people know Eric Hosmer and Sal Perez, but thats about it.
So having a Yankee super star is important to baseball’s global appeal.
This larger than life ballplayer could single handedly lift the national interest in baseball – even TV ratings in the post season.
If Judge gets to around 30 plus homers by the All-Star break the talk begins,
Can he break 60?
Sadly, the steroid era produced a couple guys who did so and the old Babe Ruth record is gone.
But it’s still a milestone to honor if a player can do it totally on his own – no roids.
And Judge could be that man.
The Yankees have not really been the it team for years. However New York is in first place and has a good shot at a World Series this season.
Can Aaron Judge add the romance and attention that’s been lacking for years? Can he be the superstar everyone watches and follows?
If he continues on his current path, the answer is YES.
hm… weren’t they saying that about bryce harper a year or three back?
seriously, i totally agree, cg. the game is just better with a ‘face’ of American baseball, a bigger than life player with all the right good stuff — including and in particular — a natural ability to hit a fastball so hard that it doesn’t just cut through the wind, it splits atoms. MLB certainly loves having someone like that. especially a yankee. but dude, he ain’t no babe yet.
talk to me when he’s at 49, 55… or has a two homer day after a night of carousing and 3 hours sleep, and does that year after year for a while… oh and owns the media and the kids alike, too.
and OF COURSE he’s a yankee. damn yankees.
Could happen.
More holes in this story than a slice of swiss cheese. Pretty obvious ones.
Hey Guy there are no holes the kid is great and has a shot at being a rock star time will tell.
Plenty of holes. The main big one is the notion that we haven’t seen anyone like this guy in the last 20 years. Just not true. The ONLY thing that makes him different is that he’s a Yankee and is the beneficiary of all the hyperbole that goes along with it. That’s it. To this point he hasn’t proven to be as good or better than a Mike Trout or an Albert Pujols. There are plenty of guys that can hit long home runs. And guess what, they still only count as one run regardless of whether they went 385 feet or 585 feet. At this point, he’s had a really hot start. Other than that? Wait and see. MLB pitchers have a way of figuring out hitters.
Man the Royals are on fire, 7-3 in last ten games…homers everywhere, Cain now at 10 from nowhere, only 2 games under .500 and in the race for the division now only 3 back. Boy that 40 to 1 bet looking good to win the division now and I was very sure they were not going to be a postseason team…now they will have to really look at those trades coming up in a month or so…do they keep the guys and try and go post season or trade them now? Tough call.
again cg get pie in his face. Read your past writings you old fool. What did you write. You wrote this team off and now you change your mind AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
No wonder you are delegated to this continuous back and forth b.s.
By the way….Boom Boom was right. Ol man Trump stole the election.
Flynn has flipped on trump and the noose is getting tighter around all the
presidents men.
It does not surprise me that you admire a liar/cheat/treasonous bastard/conman/scum bag/a manwho has screwed everyone over/a despicable piece of sh*t/who lied and cheated and now will hopefully
be indicted and do time just like you mr. glazer. Look for trump to do the
perp walk sooner than later! And yes, the president can do time and we
look forward to seeing him behind bars for what he’s done to america!
The clock has stuck midnight….your hero is going down.
Nice call again glazer. You’re 0-100.
I did write them off, I didn’t change my mind just reporting they are hot now…I don’t believe in them the division is weak so they have a chance…thats all.
You wrote them off and then subsequently said “they have a chance.” Glad you haven’t changed your mind fatty.
Which presumes the new flavor of the moment’ is steroid free/clean… which Kerouac seriously doubts. Ruth remains the greatest home run hitter in history, Mike Trout is already the new Mantle, as well ghosts ‘the next Mays’ continue to be foisted upon us, today’s sample Aaron Judge.
Of note, ‘The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home runs’ is a fascinating read, penned by a Hall of Fame voter & well-respected baseball scribe of many years. His research has affirmed that from baseball’s beginning to the present, an now long time PED-addled stat irrelevance era MLB, no one has ever hit the prodigious number of long distance home runs that Ruth did.
As for baseball, it will never again be the beacon of light and America’s pt time that it was in an earlier, better time our history.
I agree on the Babe not sure bout 104 home runs but he was the KING, it was a different era never to be seen again…however this kid can do a ton to bring back some ‘golden years’ as best we can…time will tell he looks to have the goods thats all.
Can’t believe this, but Kerouac and I have something we agree on.
‘The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home runs’ IS a fascinating read — it’s not a history per se, rather it’s more a treatise on Babe Ruth’s career had he played baseball in modern ballparks under modern rules with modern traveling conditions.
I highly recommend it….
Huh?
Baseball already has its next Mickey Mantle. His name is Mike Trout.
Trout is very good no question, but I see a bit more in Judge, the name, the Yankees, the power, the better team…soooo….it may be the next big thing…we’ll see.
Royals on fire as of late…Moose looks like the first KC player that will break 40 homers in one season…nice for his next years contract, and others might hit plus 30 like Sal…the big question now is what will Dayton Moore do on trades with Hosmer, Moose,Cain and Escabar…yikes, keep them to make a post season run or trade them now before likely all but maybe one leaves next year…tough call!
Usually I don’t learn post on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me to check out and do so! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thank you, quite great post.
Judge proved he is THE man last night. Home run contest was all his…he is baseballs new face.