MINNEAPOLIS -- Aaron Judge uses dirt to clear his mind.
Often, when the New York Yankees' rookie right fielder is at-bat, he'll reach down to pick up some soil around home plate. He does it subtly enough that even many of his teammates said they hadn't noticed. It is part of his routine, reminding himself to focus on the next pitch, not agonize over the last one.
"For me, it's just a way of slowing things down, taking an extra two or three seconds to grab some dirt," Judge said. "For me, all my negative thoughts that I have about, 'How did you miss that pitch?