A Staten Island Little League baseball coach has a lot to say about New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge — and none of it is positive.
“How about turning around or wave to New York and the kids that think you’re a hero?” South Shore Little League Coach Bob Laterza told silive.com on Monday, August 19. “They are the ones who pay your salary.”
Laterza’s anger came after Judge, 32, allegedly skipped out on a meet-and-greet with the team ahead of the Little League Classic at Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, August 18. According to the coach, the young players apparently called out to Judge before he got up to bat during the Yankees Game against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. The right fielder allegedly didn’t acknowledge them. (The Yankees lost to the Tigers 3-2 in extra-innings.)
“They were disappointed,” Laterza continued. “Maybe he’ll want to make up for it and come and see them.”
The coach further claimed that his team was promised a meet-and-greet with Yankees players at the International Grove, where the Little League players were staying.
Infielder DJ LeMahieup and pitcher Tim Hill were the first notable names to appear. Pitchers Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes and outfielder Jasson Dominguez later met up with the team at the field. Yankees manager Aaron Boone and retired outfielder Nick Swisher were reportedly present, as well.
The official Yankees X account shared a video of Cole, 33, interacting with the Staten Island Little League players.
.@GerritCole45 x Staten Island Little League 🤝#LittleLeagueClassic pic.twitter.com/FWSgL5AHpD
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 18, 2024
“You guys came all the way over here? Did you play today or what?” he asked while giving everyone a high five, the MLB star also congratulated the players after they declared they had won. “Are y’all Yankee fans.”
Cole appeared to sign various baseballs for the kids while talking shop with the team’s pitcher.
The Yankees’ Instagram account also showed various members of the team interacting with other Little League players.
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“Baseball is the universal language,” the captioned a post on Sunday, alongside a video of pitchers Clay Holmes and Jake Cousins using their phones to chat with young players from Japan.
A second post, captioned, “Memories to last a lifetime,” included multiple photos of Yankee players with the Little League players, including Judge.
Shortstop Anthony Volpe was being pushed on a sled made of cardboard down a hill while Judge was all smiles with a member of the Latin America Little League team. Outfielders Jazz Chisholm Jr., Giancarlo Stanton, Alex Verdugo, Juan Soto and catcher Austin Wells were also featured in the photo dump.
