Aaron Judge mirrors Derek Jeter's non-confrontational stance with umpires

Aaron Judge was unintentionally being funny.

It was late Wednesday night in the visitors' clubhouse at Rogers Centre when discussing Aaron Boone’s tirade directed at plate umpire Marty Foster that was part of the manager’s 19th ejection of his five-season tenure as Yankees manager.

“If I get tossed in one of those situations, that’s going to hurt us,” Judge said after the 2-1 loss that included several disputed ball-strike calls, a few of which appeared to go against the Yankees’ outfielder. “He [Boone] stood up for us and stood up for me and I appreciate it.”

The notion of Judge getting thrown out of a game, of course, is far-fetched to say the least.  

Judge draws comparisons to Derek Jeter for a variety of reasons — some are based in fact, others not as much— but an indisputable on-the-field one is how they deal with, and ultimately treat, the umpires.

Not once in Jeter’s 20 years in the big leagues, a period comprising 2,747 games, was he ever ejected and, really, never came close. The closest was July 6, 2009, in a game at the Stadium against, coincidentally, the Blue Jays on a stolen-base attempt at third. Jeter, who on his his headfirst dive attempted a swim move in an attempt to avoid third baseman Scott Rolen’s tag, was nonetheless called out. Jeter jumped up and got in the third- base umpire’s face when, according to the shortstop, the umpire told him the fielder didn’t have to “tag” him because the ball beat him to the base. Incorrect, obviously, given the circumstances of the play.

That set off Jeter, who was quickly peeled away from the umpire by manager Joe Girardi, who soon was thrown out.  

The third-base umpire that day?

In another one of those baseball coincidences: Marty Foster.

“I voiced my opinion to Marty during the game, what I was thinking about some of the calls. At that point, that’s all I can do,” Judge said Wednesday. “That’s why I’ve got a manager to stick up for me.”

And how exactly did Judge voice his opinion?

“I’m not here to show anybody up,” Judge said. “He’s got a job just like [I do]. I’m up there battling, he’s back there battling. So it’s in between pitches, as I’m messing the dirt around. I’m asking him questions, telling him how I feel and then you step back in and you get back to work. That’s all I can really do.”

One veteran umpire whose career overlapped much of Jeter’s and now Judge’s described the pair’s demeanors as “nearly identical.”

“Jeter didn’t say much and neither does Judge,” the umpire said. “And when either says anything, you’ll listen [whereas] maybe not as much with other guys [who talk all the time]. They’re fair to us.”

Judge said he wants “consistency” above all else when it comes to umpires, but in saying that, altered course and displayed, well, fairness.  

“I like consistency,” Judge said. “I think everybody in this league wants it. If they’re calling it low, consistently call it low. But I’ve got a job to do. I know I can look back on all those at-bats and there were pitches I fought off that were in the zone with guys in scoring position . . . I could have drove those guys in and I missed my pitch. So I can’t get too mad at an umpire when I’m still in the box and I still have a fighting chance.”

Judge added: “If I’ve got a bat, then I get three strikes, so I like my odds.”

In short, those fans hoping Judge at least one time loses it on an umpire the way other stars occasionally do — Bryce Harper and Joey Votto are just two of many examples — will likely be waiting a long time.

“You learn what to say and how to say it,” Judge said. “I like to live in the moment. If I’m sitting here arguing about the call I think they just missed, that’s taking away from the guy behind me that needs to go up there and pick up the RBI for us. You move on.”