Should Aaron Judge Make The Yankees' Mount Rushmore? Or Even the Back-Up Version?
ALSO: JAPANESE HOMETOWN THROWS MONTHLY PARTY FOR SHOHEI OHTANI
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Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
In 1993, longtime New York sportswriters John Harper and Bob Klapisch published The Worst Team Money Could Buy, a book about the 1992 Mets, whose payroll was a then-record $45 million. Still a record, that payroll now stands at $377 million . . .
Shohei Ohtani hit only .257 — the lowest of any regular player — when he won the MVP award in 2021 . . .
Though best-known as a Yankee, Joe DiMaggio was a uniformed coach for the Oakland Athletics in 1968-69 and served on the Board of Directors for the Baltimore Orioles when Edward Bennett Williams owned the team (1977-78) . . .
Strikeout artist Spencer Strider, sometimes called Quadzilla because of his thighs, had Tommy John elbow surgery while a collegian pitcher at Clemson in 2019 . . .
Brandon Crawford, star shortstop of the San Francisco Giants, had never played anywhere else before he pitched Sunday. Naturally, he threw a scoreless inning.
Leading Off
The Yankees’ “Mount Rushmores”
By Paul Semendinger, Ed.D.
I heard some debate the other day as to whether or not Aaron Judge will one day become a player on the hypothetical Yankees’ Mount Rushmore. In other words, people were asking whether or not Aaron Judge would one day be considered one of the four greatest players in the history of the New York Yankees.
I happen to think not.
I believe the Yankees’ Mount Rushmore is pretty secure. The four players I would put there are each, in their own way, bigger than the game itself. These four players are among the greatest of the great, inner-circle Hall of Famers:
Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
It would be difficult for any player to break into that group. I dare say, it would be almost impossible. Some of the greatest recent players were not good enough, or legendary enough, in spite of their own Hall of Fame careers, to crack this distinguished group.
But what if there was a second group? What if there was a second Yankees Mount Rushmore? Who would make that list? Is Aaron Judge on pace to be one of the eight greatest Yankees of all-time?
Again, in spite of his success, and his record-breaking home run season, I don't see Aaron Judge making the second Mount Rushmore either.
I would submit that the following four players would comprise the second Mount Rushmore of Yankees. I further suggest that these four would also be difficult, if not impossible, to supplant:
Mariano Rivera
Derek Jeter
Yogi Berra
Whitey Ford
Aaron Judge is great. He currently sits in 24th place among Yankee position players in WAR. If he averages just 4.0 WAR over the next 9 seasons, he will end in fifth place all-time, just behind the first four players above and slightly ahead of Derek Jeter.
But, still how does one take the place of:
The greatest closer in baseball history,
The only Yankee to have 3,000 hits,
The Yankee with the most World Series rings (and a three-time MVP) whose legend only grows, or
The winningest Yankees pitcher of all time?
Aaron Judge would have to have a host of amazing seasons to be able to crack into that second Mount Rushmore. And, in spite of his great abilities, I simply do not see this happening.
Further, the Yankees have a tradition, not just of excellence, but of greatness. In spite of his own record, and an MVP, Aaron Judge lacks the one thing that all of the players above possess, and in bulk -- not just a World Series ring, but multiple championships. Let's take a very quick look at the eight players above and the total amount of Yankees World Championship teams they have been on:
Babe Ruth - 4
Lou Gehrig - 7
Joe DiMaggio - 9
Mickey Mantle - 7
Mariano Rivera - 5
Derek Jeter - 5
Yogi Berra - 10
Whitey Ford - 6
Aaron Judge does not have any World Series championships. Furthermore, he's never even played in a World Series. Judge would have to be on a host of championship teams to be able to break into that esteemed group.
Once one begins this exercise, the big question becomes, not if Aaron Judge will be legendary enough to make it onto the first or second Yankees Mount Rushmore, but will he have a career worthy enough to be on the third Yankees Mount Rushmore?
There are a host of legendary Yankees who would have to be considered to be the four players on that third Yankees Mount Rushmore. Would Aaron Judge even be able to make that mountain?
From the early days, there are players such as Jack Chesbro and Willie Keeler who deserve consideration.
From the Yankees of the 1920s and 1930s, Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri, and Bill Dickey deserve some thought.
The Yankees have had a host of excellent pitchers including Red Ruffing, Lefty Gomez, Allie Reynolds, Vic Raschi, Ed Lopat, Mel Stottlemyre, and Ron Guidry who might be worthy. In more recent years, David Cone and C.C. Sabathia deserve at least a look.
Closers Sparky Lyle and Goose Gossage might also be considered.
Aaron Judge set the single-season home run record, but Roger Maris had the previous American League record and he also had two MVPs. If one were to consider outfielders, might Tommy Henrich, Reggie Jackson, or Dave Winfield be worthy?
If we were to put a Yankees great without a championship on this mountain, would Aaron Judge be more worthy than Don Mattingly?
There are also three other catchers who deserve to be there: Elston Howard, Thurman Munson, and Jorge Posada.
Finally, there are the over-looked and under-appreciated Yankees form the 1970s and 1980s who were much better players than they have ever been given credit for. Among these players are Roy White, Graig Nettles, and Willie Randolph.
As amazing as this might sound, at this point in his career, Aaron Judge might still have to take a back seat to all of them.
The Yankees have a rich enough history to create a mountain chain of Mount Rushmores. If they started carving, the Yankees chain might comprise the entirety of the Adirondacks. There are that many great players who are worthy of this recognition.
Dr. Paul Semendinger runs the Yankees website Start Spreading the News. His most recent book is the autobiography he wrote with Roy White: From Compton to the Bronx. His email is drpaulsem@hotmail.com.
Cleaning Up
En Route to Record Season, Ohtani Gets Monthly Salute From Hometown
By Dan Schlossberg
On the 17th day of every month, the Japanese town of Oshu paints itself red in honor of a local hero who now works in the United States.
Yes, Shohei Ohtani is still the honored son in Oshu, where the Shohei Ohtani Hometown Cheering Team — Oendan in Japanese — reminds the populace to dress in Angels red and even wear 17 if at all possible.
If it’s the 17th of the month, it’s Ohtani Day — at least in his hometown.
The people who live there celebrate every Ohtani home run, every strikeout, and every win of the two-way star who later this year will become the highest-paid player in baseball history.
Shohei Ohtani was the biggest factor in Japan winning the World Baseball Classic. Credit: the Topps Company
Baseball is the unquestioned national pastime in Japan, where there are nine daily baseball newspapers — nine more than the U.S. has if online sources are excluded.
The unquestioned front-runner for the American League’s Most Valuable Player award, which he has already won once, Ohtani is also a good bet to win his first Cy Young Award for pitching excellence.
Only 10 previous pitchers have won both in the same season.
According to Angels manager Phil Nevin, “All he does and all he wants to do is about one thing. He wants to win.”
A right-handed pitcher but left-handed hitter, Ohtani prepares for games completely and methodically.
“He’s probably the smartest baseball player I’ve ever been around,” Nevin said of the 28-year-old megastar, who plans his pitching schedule two weeks ahead of time. “He had it all worked out, not only for himself but why other match-ups made sense.”
Arguably the most popular player in the major leagues, Ohtani got even more attention in the World Baseball Classic, won by Japan with his help. He ended the WBC championship game against Team USA, the defending champs, by inducing a double-play grounder from Mookie Betts and fanning Mike Trout — his Los Angeles teammate during the regular season.
Whether he stays with Arte Moreno’s Angels or signs elsewhere, Ohtani will certainly get $50 million a year and 10 years when he signs his next contract. It could be more.
The question of the day is should the team keep him or deal him before the August 1 trade deadline? Moreno wants to hold on, hoping his club will finally energize enough to become a factor in the AL West title chase or at least a playoff participant now that six teams per league can qualify.
Having both Ohtani and Mike Trout, another MVP contender, certainly helps.
Sports Illustrated says Ohtani is a combination of Pete Alonso and Julio Urias in one player. That’s an apt analogy, since the 28-year-old superstar just took over the American League lead in home runs — while sporting superlative marks in wins and strikeouts as a pitcher.
Before Ohtani arrived, the record for home runs by a pitcher was 38 by Wes Ferrell. It’s entirely possible Ohtani could hit that many in one season, though he gets the lion’s share of his long balls when deployed as a designated hitter.
With both Alonso and Aaron Judge likely to miss the upcoming Seattle All-Star Game with injuries, the focus of the baseball world will fall squarely on Ohtani’s muscular shoulders. The 6’4” superstar might even participate in the Home Run Derby dominated by Alonso and Judge in previous years.
If he chooses to leave the Angels, the teams most likely in his sights are the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners, where earlier Japanese import Ichiro Suzuki — treated like royalty by the fans in the Emerald City — is just two years away from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
He’s not keen on New York, despite the wealth of owners Steve Cohen and Hal Steinbrenner, so don’t look for him in orange-and-blue or pinstripes.
The Dodgers have money too, though, plus a winning pedigree the Angels lack.
It’s going to be an interesting winter.
Former AP sportswriter Dan Schlossberg is working on a Hank Aaron tribute book timed to coincide with next year’s 50th anniversary of his breaking Babe Ruth’s record. He also writes for forbes.com, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, Latino Sports, and many other outlets. He’s at ballauthor@gmail.com.
Timeless Trivia
“It felt like we were facing a closer for almost eight innings.”
— Miami manager Skip Schumaker after Atlanta starter Spencer Strider fanned 13 while yielding two hits in his eight-inning stint
Hall of Famer Lefty Grove was the only pitcher to hit a grand-slam in a game he lost on July 27, 1935. Three other Red Sox pitchers who also hit slams: Babe Ruth (1919), Wes Ferrell (1936), and Ellis Kinder (1950) . . .
Jimmie Foxx was the first Hall of Famer to hit at least 30 homers 12 years in a row . . .
The first man to serve as DH for two different World Series teams was Don Baylor (1986 Red Sox and 1987 Twins) . . .
Frankie Frisch, also known as The Fordham Flash, managed the Cardinals, Pirates, and Cubs but won the World Series only with the 1934 Gashouse Gang Cards . . .
Speaking of St. Louis, shortstop Marty Marion won MVP honors in 1944 despite a .267 average, the lowest by any National League winner . . .
The only National League slugger to accumulate 400 total bases in three different seasons was the well-traveled Chuck Klein . . .
Mickey Cochrane was the only catcher to win MVP awards before and after the baseball writers took over the voting in 1931.
Know Your Editors
HERE’S THE PITCH is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles Monday and Tuesday editions, Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] does Wednesday and Thursday, and Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com] edits the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HTP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.
I don’t think Chuck Klein qualifies as “well-traveled.” He played 15 of his 19 Major League seasons for the Phillies and set his total base records with them. He spent his other years with the Cubs and had a brief stop with the Pirates.