For those not keeping track at home — with the presumption that their dwelling places are located under some secluded rocks — Yankees’ outfielder Aaron Judge is defying the patterns of baseball’s praxis.
In 79 games this season, the 25-year-old rookie sensation hasn’t encounted any slumps and injuries — nor has he shown any signs of weakness and vulnerability. What Judge has displayed, however, is his innate ability to refashion the tape-measure home run. During the Yankees’ 4th of July matinee in the Bronx on Tuesday, the 6-foot-7, 285-pounder crushed his major league-leading 28th jack of the year, and with a combination of exit velocity and lauch angle, Judge placed another dent into Yankee Stadium’s substructure.
So far, 27 major league pitchers have been responsible for hurling the ball into Judge’s wheelhouse, and that number will inevitably grow with each new game. But there is one other right-hander whose stats won’t be seen in the boxscores, and it’s safe to say he’s surrended dozens upon dozens of homers to Judge when nobody’s watching.
“Judge is an impressive young player that can put on a show,” Yankees’ batting practice pitcher Danilo Valiente told the New York Post. “I’m glad I can be a part of it.”
Valiente, who’s been in the Yankees’ organization since 2006 (according to the New York Times), began working as the big league team’s BP arm in 2014, and on July 10, the 51-year-old Cuban native will be pitching close to home in Miami. The only difference is, Valiente will be throwing BP to both Judge and Yankees’ catcher Gary Sanchez in front of thousands of fans during baseball’s Home Run Derby at Marlins Park.
Evidently, inviting Valiente to the event was a no-brainer for Judge, who recently accepted baseball’s request to put on a hitting display in the upcoming week.
While I was busy getting sunburnt, Aaron Judge put a dent in Yankee Stadium with his 28th HR. #AllRise #Yankees 👨⚖️ pic.twitter.com/fE1vJCghN2
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) July 5, 2017
“I didn’t want to change anything since it’s been going so well,” Judge told the Post of his relationship with Valiente. “So I figured I’d give him a little trip to Miami. He just keeps hitting my barrel. He doesn’t miss. He’s consistent, has good speed. You rarely see too many balls in the back of the turtle [net] after BP.”
And that’s certainly true, thanks to video cameras located throughout all ballparks. While fans are seldomly present to catch any of Judge’s moonshots that either land in the bleachers or concourses prior to games, there are plenty of highlight reels available to watch, and sometimes, even Valiente can’t hide his fascination.
“When I’m pitching BP, I try to concentrate on what I’m doing,” Valiente said. “From time to time, I take a peek to see where one lands.”
Soon, baseball’s ordinary pregame activity will be placed under the microscope, and Valiente will have to deal with a crazed atmosphere. But the Yankees do have some success with first-timers at the derby, as the Jose-Robinson Cano connection won the contest at Chase Field in Arizona back in 2011.
“I have a responsibility to go out there and do my job,” Valiente said. “I definitely don’t want to go out there and be all over the place, so there’s a little bit of pressure.”
The duo of Judge and Sanchez will accompany Twins’ Miguel Sano and Royals’ Mike Moustakas on the American League side, while Marlins’ slugger Giancarlo Stanton headlines the derby for the National League, with Marlins’ Justin Bour, Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon, and Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger also scheduled to make an appearance.
If you want to connect with Tom Hanslin, email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @tomhanslin.
