TAMPA — You can’t wipe that omnipresent smile off of Yankees superstar Aaron Judge. In the face of what others are logically calling the Yankees’ spring from hell, Judge still sees the sun through all the dark clouds, maybe even without squinting.
He understands what the Yankees lost. But he sees imported veteran stars contributing, and young guys emerging. All around, he sees positivity.
“Nobody in this room is fazed, which I think has been incredible … nobody in this room is really hit that hard,” Judge says. “You miss Gerrit Cole, one of the best pitchers in the game … Luis Gil, who emerged as probably our second best starter last season … Big G (Giancarlo Stanton) not being in there.
“You can’t replace a Cole. You can’t replace a Luis Gil. But I think we’ve got some young guys I feel are going to step up,” Judge said, sounding convinced and somewhat convincing.
