Aaron Judge doesn’t view himself as one of the all-time greats who have ever played in pinstripes. Despite being recognized as a key figure of the Yankees, the power hitter humbly distances himself from the upper echelon of legendary players in the team’s history.
During a recent interview on Mookie Betts’ podcast, Aaron Judge shared his thoughts on the “Mount Rushmore” of New York Yankees legends. The Yankees captain asked about four esteemed players who he believes deserve to be on this prestigious list. His choices were Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, and Derek Jeter. These iconic figures have left an indelible mark on the history of the Yankees franchise, according to Aaron Judge.
With numerous options available, Aaron Judge faced the challenge of selecting the most deserving names. However, it is difficult to dispute the legitimacy of his chosen list.
Aaron Judge’s four gems
As Aaron Judge highlighted, Yogi Berra’s remarkable achievement of winning the World Series 10 times with the Yankees speaks for itself. Mickey Mantle, known as the team’s dominant center fielder and formidable power hitter, claimed seven championships and earned three MVP awards. Babe Ruth, remains the most legendary home run hitter in the annals of baseball. Lastly, Derek Jeter, who spent his entire 20-year career with the Yankees, established a benchmark for success and exemplified the modern era of the team.
Aaron Judge on becoming Yankees captain
The power hitter also discussed the significance of being appointed as the Yankees’ team captain, a title that hadn’t been bestowed since Jeter announced his retirement. This honor came shortly after Aaron Judge committed to staying with the Yankees for the long term, signing a lucrative nine-year, $360 million contract following his exploration of free agency last offseason.
According to the reigning American League MVP for 2022, he was taken aback by Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner’s announcement to appoint him as the Yankees captain. This surprising revelation occurred during a late-night conversation where they also finalized the details of Aaron Judge’s new contract.
Aaron Judge shared that during the conversation, Hal Steinbrenner mentioned Thurman Munson as his favorite player from childhood and expressed his desire to make Aaron Judge the next Yankees captain. Aaron Judge, who was with his wife, felt a wave of emotions and remained speechless for about 30 minutes. His wife nudged him, urging him to respond.
Reflecting on the experience, Aaron Judge expressed his gratitude for Hal’s words and the subsequent press conference in New York. Having Derek Jeter and Willie Randolph, both former captains, present added to the significance of the occasion. The Yankees superstar considered it an incredible honor. He acknowledged that being named captain comes with added responsibility, but his focus remains on being a supportive teammate, a fierce competitor, and taking care of his own performance on the field.
Judge talks about dogs
The Yankees captain also provided some insights into his personal life. Aaron Judge shared that he has two dogs who occasionally accompany him to Yankee Stadium. Additionally, he revealed that he has been a fan of Taylor Swift for a long time, even during her country music days. Although he didn’t attend Swift’s recent Eras Tour, he mentioned that his teammate, Anthony Rizzo, went and bought a significant amount of merchandise there.
He also spoke about the tweet that gained attention during his free agency process last December, referred to as the “Arson Judge” tweet. It was the first time he publicly addressed the incident.
Aaron Judge playfully remarked that he hadn’t checked the player’s statistics with the Giants yet.
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