The day after Little League coach Bob Laterza criticized New York Yankees star Aaron Judge for not acknowledging his young fans during the Little League Classic game, the Yankees defended their player. Laterza, who coaches the South Shore team from Staten Island that participated in the Little League World Series, felt Judge should have interacted more with the fans, saying, “How about turning around or waving to New York and the kids that think you’re a hero? They are the ones who pay your salary.”
In response, the Yankees issued a statement praising Judge, calling him “one of the great ambassadors of our sport” and suggesting Laterza could learn from him. The statement highlighted that the entire Yankees team engaged with Little Leaguers in Williamsport, including the Staten Island team, and praised their commitment to making the event special for the young players.
The Staten Island Advance reported that while some Yankees players, including manager Aaron Boone, met with Laterza’s team before the game, Judge was not among them. Boone expressed his displeasure with Laterza’s comments, saying, “I’m not even going to dignify (Laterza’s comments) with a response. Aaron Judge is as good as it gets.”
Judge, who was hitting .332 with 45 home runs and 114 RBIs as of Wednesday, chose not to respond directly to the criticism. He emphasized the importance of focusing on the kids and the positive experiences they had in Williamsport, despite the game’s loss.
South Shore won its first two games at the Little League World Series but was eventually eliminated after losing two more games, including a defeat to Lake Mary from Florida.
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