To the Yankees, the image of former Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz stepping up to the plate was beyond daunting for over a decade. But Big Papi now believes that Boston will have to deal with a formidable slugger in New York for quite some time.
The 41-year-old retired ballplayer met Yankees’ rookie Aaron Judge for the first time at CC Sabathia’s All-Stars of New York’s Charity Bowling Tournament at Bowlmor on Monday night, and said a few words that might make Sox fans tremble.
“Look at Judge, man. Look at Judge,” Ortiz told Newsday’s Erik Boland. “Oh my God, he’s scary, man. That’s the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. A guy that big that hits like that, that’s special . . . He is so much fun to watch.”
In 20 major league seasons, Ortiz, a 10-time All-Star, hit 514 home runs — 53 of which came off of Yankees pitchers — and also won three world championships with the Red Sox. For 14 years, Ortiz tormented New Yorkers, and as a 6-foot-3, 230-pounder, he’s impressed with how Judge — a 6-foot-7, 285-pounder — has performed this season.
“To be honest with you, the strike zone for a guy his height, that’s why I say, that’s why I believe he’s so good and he’s going to get better because when you are that tall, the strike zone is bigger,” Ortiz said. “And then you watch him hit and he don’t chase bad pitches. He don’t chase bad pitches. God bless him.”
In 52 games, Judge has placed himself in the conversation for American League MVP — an award Ortiz never won. The 25-year-old is slashing .324/.429/.681 with a league-best 18 homers and 41 RBI, and although he won’t necessarily reap the benefits of Yankee Stadium’s short porch in left field as a righty, Ortiz isn’t too worried about Judge’s oppo-power.
“I loved Yankee Stadium, man. Yankee Stadium was built for guys my size.”
And that begs the question, which ballpark was built for Judge’s size?
