They Asked

Clare called last night to ask if I saw Aaron Judge strike out, which he’s done twenty times this postseason. My daughter is proving how spot-on that Progressive Insurance ad campaign is, the one about turning into your parents. She saw a Yankee go fishing for an outside pitch, and she caught herself saying, “And where would that ball have gone had he managed to hit it?” I’m flattered by the imitation. Afterward, Michele asked, “What’s wrong with Aaron Judge? He looks terrible.” I told my wife that, when a hitter goes bad like this, it’s likely one of three things—age, injury, or a slump, something no player can avoid. Judge is 32 and coming off a season where he hit 58 homeruns to go with 144 RBIs, so I’d say it’s not age. An injury? It’s possible the Yankees are trying to keep one secret, but I doubt it. That leaves a slump, which can happen anytime. Unfortunately for Judge, it’s in a World Series where he’s being paired against Shohei Ohtani. Ironically, Ohtani is hitting .091 to Judge’s .083. Freddie Freeman is lapping them both with three homers and a .333 BA, but I digress. My wife also asked, “How can he get out of a slump?” to which I answered, “By getting some hits.” This is where the mental part of the game comes in. Judge has to control the urge to swing at everything and, instead, stay small. Some singles to the opposite field could lead to an avalanche of homers. A slump can turn that quickly. Judge has had pretty decent stats in the postseason until this year, which coincides with his first World Series’ appearance. Some guys have all the luck. Right now, Aaron Judge is not one of them.