Aaron Judge has plenty on his plate as he tries to lead the Yankees out of a summer decline that has seen his club fall out of first place in the American League East, so the skipper indicated on Friday that he has little interest in anything posted on Twitter.
Nonetheless, the social media platform was a pregame topic of discussion after Richard Schenck, Judge’s personal hitting instructor, posted a response during Thursday’s game that was critical of the Yankees’ player development.
In response to a statement posted by the YES Network emphasizing Judge’s numbers in Yankees victories, Schenck said on his @Teacherman1986 account: “They’ve lost 13 of 18 while he’s hitting like an MVP[.] “The Yankees’ offensive player development is terrible.”
Judge said he didn’t see the message until a reporter brought it to him before Friday’s game.
“It doesn’t involve me, to be honest,” Judge replied. “Somebody else is making a comment. I’m not going to comment for someone else. … I have no influence over what another individual does. It’s outside of my control. “I have nothing for you.”
Judge stated that he continues to work with Schenck “every two weeks.” Judge credits Schenck, who owns and operates a billiards parlour in St. Peters, Missouri, for helping him refine his swing over the 2016-17 summer.
Schenck, who claims to have discovered the secrets of Barry Bonds’ lethal swing mechanics, frequently travels to see the Yankees at home or on the road. Judge and Schenck then collaborate in a batting cage away from the MLB stadium.
Some of Judge’s colleagues, including as Anthony Rizzo, have attended these sessions on occasion. To clarify, Schenck is not employed by the Yankees in any manner.
It is also worth noting that the Yankees’ lineup on Friday had four homegrown players: Judge, first baseman Ben Rice, catcher Austin Wells, and shortstop Anthony Volpe.
When asked about his reaction to Schenck’s comment, Yankees manager Aaron Boone echoed Judge, stating it was “out of your control.”
“People are going to say things, and certainly everyone is entitled to their opinion,” Boone told me. “Especially when you’re going through a difficult stretch and wearing this outfit, I know people are going to take jabs and stuff like that.
“You can’t become obsessed with all those stuff. We have enough to worry about just making sure we’re dressed appropriately and putting our best foot forward every day. So that is the focus.”
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