Aaron Judge's personal hitting coach takes shot at Yankees' player development system
Pete CalderaNEW YORK – In praising Aaron Judge’s production on social media, the Yankees captain’s personal hitting coach took a swing at their developmental system.
“They’ve lost 13 out of 18 while he’s hitting like an MVP,’’ Richard Schenck posted to his Twitter account Thursday. “The Yankees offensive player development is terrible.’’
Schenck’s post was in response to a YES Network tweet July 4, quoting broadcaster Michael Kay saying of Judge: ''He hits, they win. That simple.’’
Asked about Schenck’s social media post before Friday’s game against the Red Sox, Judge said he’d been unaware of the comments.
“I haven’t seen anything, and I honestly really don’t care what’s said on Twitter,’’ Judge said at Yankee Stadium, directing any inquiries to Schenck.
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“It doesn't involve me ... I’m not going to comment for somebody else,’’ Judge said. “I’ve got no control over what another person does.’’
Judge said he still works every two weeks with the Missouri-based Schenck, “Founder of the High Level Pattern Hitting System used by Aaron Judge and many others’’ per his Twitter account.
Schenck has worked with Judge since his 52-homer AL Rookie of the Year season in 2017, helping him transform the swing that has produced a perennial MVP contender.
“That’s stuff that’s out of your control,’’ said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, when asked about Schenck’s comments.
“People are going to say things and certainly everyone’s entitled to their opinion,’’ Boone said. “Especially when you go through a tough stretch and you wear this uniform, I know people are going to take shots.
“You can’t get all consumed with all that stuff. We’ve got enough to worry about, making sure we’re buttoned up and putting our best foot forward every day.’’
Judge was back in the designated hitter spot for a second straight game.
Aaron Judge to 'DH a lot' with Giancarlo Stanton out
Boone said that Judge would “probably DH a lot’’ with Giancarlo Stanton likely sidelined into August due to a strained left hamstring.
The manager sees it as a chance to provide Judge a physical break while utilizing Gold Glove Award winning center fielder Trent Grisham more often.
Judge was on board with Boone’s thought process, since “I don’t get much of a break during the All-Star break,’’ as an AL starter again this year, alongside teammate Juan Soto.
“Right now with Stanton being out, getting a chance to kind of mix in there and keep me out of center field - whatever gives us the best lineup to be honest,’’ said Judge.
“Getting a Gold Glover in center field you’ve got to do that, so I’m all good with it.’’
Grisham was back in center field Friday night, a day after he committed an awful-looking error against Cincinnati, slowly retrieving Jeimer Candelario’s single and bobbling it – with the alert Candelario taking second base on the error.
Boone said he spoke with Grisham about the play, and “understanding, especially when you’re going through these (tough times as a team), it’s a bad look.
“At the same time, one of the reasons he’s a Gold Glove center fielder is because of his heartbeat and reads, the jumps, the ease at which he plays the position.
“You don’t want to lose that in there,’’ said Boone. “With that, just be mindful of certain routine things.’’