Aaron Judge
The big thing is, it's about learning which off-speed pitches to swing at. A lot of people say, 'Oh, this guy can't hit a curveball; this guy can't hit an off-speed pitch.' But it's about swinging at the right one. Swing at the hangers. Swing at the ones you can handle.Collection: Learning
One and done, Home Run Derby champion. It was a cool experience. I enjoyed it all, but I don't think I really need to go out there and do it again.Collection: Cool
In baseball, you have to remain calm, cool, and collected. In football, you can let out a little anger sometimes. It was a fun game, and I liked it, but I knew in my heart I was going to play baseball.Collection: Cool
When I was younger, I'd always forget stuff. I think there was probably 4-5 times where we'd drive 30 minutes to a town for the baseball tournament, and all of a sudden, I'd get to the field and look in my bag, and I didn't have my cleats. So my dad had to race all the way home to get my cleats and get back before the game started so I could play.Collection: Dad
My dad played junior college basketball, and he always showed me clips of Michael Jordan.Collection: Dad
To a certain extent, I enjoy failure. It's part of the game. There's always room to grow; there's room to improve.Collection: Failure
My dad was my role model; he always did the right thing.Collection: Dad
If your team is in the trenches, you've got to be in the trenches with them.
You have to earn your job every day.
People strike out. I strike out a lot - it happens. Just got to keep working.
I just take it one day at a time, try to forget about what I did the day before. Go out there like every day is Opening Day.
If I keep taking my good swings, swing at the right pitches, good things will happen.
When I'm lifting heavy, doing squats, and doing upper-body workouts, it's mostly about core and stability. But I'll still do deadlifts. I also do tire workouts with these big 600-pound tires, flipping them and stuff like that.
The mental game is what separates the good players from the great players. So anything I can do to get that mental edge to help me stay my best, I'm gonna try and do it.
My dad told me, 'If you're going to go out there and play baseball, or you're going to play basketball or football, work hard at it no matter what. I want you to have fun with your buddies, but you have to put in the time because this is your craft.' He didn't just want me to be good. He pushed me to that next level.
My goal every year is to come in and be consistent. It doesn't matter if it's the first game of the year or it's the last game of the year.
When you're facing a different guy every at-bat, he's coming at you with his best stuff. There's no warm-up; there's no 'see a pitch.' You've got to be locked in from the very first pitch... The biggest thing is do your homework before the game starts.
I just try and keep everything simple.
I'd rather be in a good position in the playoffs and holding up a World Series trophy than holding up an MVP trophy.
Sometimes you've got to tip your cap when they're painting stuff on the corner. But you can't give up, got to keep battling and make some adjustments.
You define great players as guys that are out there grinding, battling every day with their team.
My main focus is, 'What can I do today to help the team win the ballgame?' You have those blinders on. It helps you focus.
If my barrel meets the ball, I think good things are going to happen.
To put on the pinstripe - it's extraordinary. Just being able to play one game with the Yankees is quite an honor.
Even in the Minor Leagues, I thought you have to go out and earn a spot. Nothing is ever given to you.
This is a crazy game we play. You're going to have those times you can't get out, and those times where you can do everything right, and the ball does not fall.
You never hit a good slider or curveball; you just try to go after the mistakes.
Just being in a video game is an honor, and being on the cover, I can't really describe it.
For me, all my negative thoughts that I have about, 'How did you miss that pitch? Why did you miss that pitch? You shouldn't have missed that pitch.' I just kind of sit there and kind of crush it up, and once I'm done doing that... I just kind of toss it aside.
Usually when you get on the sweet spot of the bat, you don't really feel it.
You're always still trying to win a job. That's everyone's mindset: come in here and fight for your job, win a job.
Music, I feel like, affects people's moods.
For me, it's just about taking it one at-bat, one pitch, one play at a time.
I do a lot of planks. I feel like the plank is the most underrated core workout; that's one of my go-to moves.
I think that is one thing I've picked up: follow a routine, be consistent, and everything is going to fall in place. If you are scrambling around, and you are late for stuff, that adds extra stress, and you have to go out there and hit a 97 mph fastball.
I know a lot is expected of me, but I'm surrounded by some great teammates.
Defensively, hitting-wise, running the bases. There's always room to improve. That motivates me to get a little better every day.
There are some great pitchers in this league. You're going to get fooled sometimes. They're going to get you.
I think it was like, 'I don't look like you, Mom. I don't look like you, Dad. Like, what's going on here?' They just kind of told me I was adopted. I was like, 'OK, that's fine with me.'
When you come to a game, it's supposed to be fun for the players and the fans.
I got a job to do on the field.
I've just got to go in there and get some quality at-bats and do my job and help the team win any way I can.
Being around veteran leaders such as CC Sabathia and Brett Gardner really helped me.
I just focus on what the team needs me to do to win.
If I'm sitting at home playing video games, and I've got a couple of minutes to myself before bed, I'm listening to music and putting a couple of playlists together. I'm passionate about music.
One thing I really liked about David Winfield, man, just... the way he played the game, and such a class act he was on and off the field.
Everything I do, I'm always playing music. When I wake up in the morning, I'm playing music. When I'm showering, I've got music playing. When I go to the field, music is playing.
Once it gets to two strikes, it's time to battle, put something in play, and try to get the job done.
In my early work, my time in the batting cage, that's serious, and that's when I feel like I'm really working. That's where I have to lock in on my approach, make sure my mechanics are right, and make sure my mindset is right for the upcoming game. But then, when the game comes up, it's a game! You're supposed to have fun when you play games.
If you have a good music tone of the day, it puts everybody in the right mindset.