NEW YORK — Stephen A Smith dug deep in his bag to deliver a rant regarding the Toronto Blue Jays walking Aaron Judge — who is one home run shy of tying the AL single-season record — four times on Tuesday night. Smith was displeased, to say the least, and pointed to the growing unpopularity of baseball among young fans.
“This is the problem with baseball, this is why baseball doesn’t get to ingratiate itself with the younger generation,” Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take” Wednesday morning. “You’re going to walk Aaron Judge four times? Pitchers, could you have some heart, please? Isn’t it your obligation to go out there and show what you’re worth? If that was Nolan Ryan, what would he do? If that was Randy Johnson what would he do?”
Smith continued by naming other former pitchers such as Goose Gossage and Ron Guidry to remind his viewers that he does indeed know the names of baseball players. He even pointed to the fact that he himself would be able to walk Judge four times in a baseball game.
