OAKLAND, Ca. — Luke Voit is quickly becoming a Paul Bunyan in spikes, swinging a Louisville Slugger for an axe.
Here’s Voit, talking about his go-ahead home run in Tuesday night’s eighth inning off Fernando Rodney – his seventh homer as a Yankee, all in the last 12 games.
“(Rodney’s) had a great change-up forever and I saw a good one first pitch. (I took that) approach to kind of stay right-center on him; if he hangs it let it eat,'' Voit said after the Yankees' important 5-1 win against the Oakland A's.
"And he left a pitch up and I got to do some damage with it. Yeah. It’s a fun feeling.’’
They’re having a blast, watching Voit square up baseballs and doing his Sammy Sosa hop-out-of-the-box thing after connecting.
“To see the Luke Voit Show roll on, he’s been terrific,’’ manager Aaron Boone said. “(He’s) consistently thrown up quality at-bats, which makes you believe that he can really maintain this.’’
Here are five facts about the energetic right-handed hitter:
Mr. Missouri
Born in Wildwood, Mo., he attended Lafayette High there – which also produced Ryan Howard and David Freese – and later, Missouri State University.
He also was drafted by both of Missouri’s big-league teams, first by the Kansas City Royals in 2009 in the 32nd round (he did not sign) and next with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013 in the 22nd round.
One up, one down
A door opened due to lefty-hitting Greg Bird’s continued struggles, and Voit has crashed through it.
“When he’s gotten this opportunity, he’s made the most of it. What can you say?’’ Boone sad. “He's been really important.’’
Voit arrived via trade from St. Louis, with international bonus money, for pitchers Chasen Shreve and Giovanny Gallegos.
“I finally got a chance, you know? I never thought I’d be playing with the Yankees,’’ Voit said. “But it’s been awesome, I’m just trying to enjoy every moment.’’
'Try not to be Mark McGwire'
During an exchange at first base last week, retiring Detroit Tigers star Victor Martinez took a moment to praise Voit for his game and his approach.
“He’s like, ‘Man, you’re having so much fun out there. Just enjoy every second. Because I thought I was going to play until I was 100,’ ’’ Voit said, relaying their conversation. “Cool stuff, especially from veteran guys.
“(I’m) just trying to take as much as I can out of it and not beat myself up over small stuff,’’ Voit said. “You get four at-bats a game, and if you strike out or get out, just move on, kind of flush it out, like tonight.
“Be Luke Voit and try not to be Mark McGwire.’’
The idol
Voit’s previous biggest thrill in his brief big-league career was a homer he hit in St. Louis, out toward Big Mac land.
As a McGwire fan growing up, Voit is thrilled to be hitting homers in the same ballpark where McGwire first made his mark as an AL Rookie of the Year.
“Kind of makes me look like a twig,’’ the 6-3, 225-pound Voit said of seeing pictures and video of the controversial slugger.
Voit mentioned his wish to be around long enough to “hit as many home runs’’ as guys like McGwire, “but I got, like, 600 more to go,’’ he said with a laugh.
Mr. Excitement
Voit doesn’t know where the hop, the point, or any of his home run antics come from.
“I like to bring the energy and have fun and I think these guys fed off it,’’ Voit said.
Boone sees Voit, 27, as having an inner belief that lends to playing “with a little bit of swagger, but that’s from a place of confidence.’’
And in the dugout, “we all just had smiles,’’ Boone said of Voit’s latest big moment. “It’s great to see what antics he might have trotting around the bases - fist bumps and chest bumps, whatever he does. We like to watch the reaction.’’
