You're A Good Man, Luke Voit

When I was a kid, I loved the Peanuts.  I am surely dating myself with that comment, but I don’t care.  Actually, I still love the Peanuts.  I would draw the characters for hours, practicing the shape of Snoopy’s head and Charlie Brown’s interesting hairline to get them just right.  Why am I telling you all this and what does this have to do with Luke Voit?  Luke Voit reminds me of Charlie Brown.  You look at him and you say, “He’s not a baseball player.”  But then he does something that makes him so endearing, like act like a big kid who hit the ball for the first time, and you just shake your head and say, “You’re a good man, Luke Voit.”

From the moment he stepped on the field, I liked him.  There was something different about him.  He presented himself more like a tight end than a first baseman, which could be a good thing and has been a good thing for this kid named Luke Voit from Wildwood, Missouri where he actually played linebacker for his high school team.  But baseball was his back up plan, not that you’d ever know it from his incredible enthusiasm on the field.  He thought he would be a D-1 football recruit, but that never happened.

“Two serious shoulder injuries in two years crushed that dream, which led to his younger brother being the football star of the family. John Voit started at defensive tackle for three years at Army and was co-captain last year as a senior,” reported NJ.com.  Luke turned to baseball and he excelled.  As the story goes, “Voit was drafted by the Kansas City Royals his senior year, but not until the 32nd round, so he opted to attend college at Missouri State to major in criminology and play baseball. Four years later, Voit was drafted again as a college senior by the hometown Cardinals in the 22nd round in 2013 (as a catcher), and four years after that he reached the big leagues for the first time (as a first baseman) in 2017,” reported NJ.com.

Fast forward to the present, Voit as Yankee; the stocky kid with cool hair lit up September with his contagious smile and enthusiasm for the game.  He was an overnight power booster, and not just with the bat and long ball, hitting at all the right times, but with his energy on the base paths and in the dugout.  He put life back in a lifeless Yankee team, without Aaron Judge, losing hope.  He put the spark back in the plug.  He was a breath of fresh air and not just for the team…for the fans too.

So, when I heard he wrote for The Player’s Tribune through a friend, I stopped what I was doing to read his authentic words about becoming a Yankee and what that meant for him.  The piece is appropriately entitled, “You Gotta Step It Up Now, Kid … This Is New York.” You have to read it through…I mean I can’t do it justice but I can highlight some key parts that will get you saying what I am saying, “I love this kid!”

“So we’re sitting there talking and it’s just kind of blowing my mind how much they know about the game. They’re running down stats. They’re going into strategy. And, you know, it’s New York, so they told me what’s what: Gave me some advice on my swing, shared some tips, that kind of thing. We talked for about 20 minutes, and that was that,” said Voit regarding his trip on the subway up to the Bronx.  “It wasn’t some earth-shattering conversation, but it was pretty damn cool, and those guys were so amped getting off that train. You could see it on their faces. I’m pretty sure they’ll never forget that experience. You know what, though? What they probably didn’t realize at the time was that….Neither will I.”  Voit described this as his “Welcome to New York” experience.  And he hasn’t stopped turning heads or getting cheers of VOITTTTT where ever he goes.

“The big thing for me is try to be that upbeat guy in the locker room,” Voit said. “Maybe it’s that football guy in me. That was kind of my sport growing up until I had some injuries and stuff. But if I’m not out there having fun, take me away from this game. I want to bring enthusiasm because … why not? I enjoy having fun,” reported NJ.com.

You’re a good man, Luke Voit.  You are fun to watch.  New Yorkers excite you not intimidate you.  You have found a home.  Keep it up in the off season and we will definitely see you back next spring. I’m looking forward to watching you lighting it up in 2019.

–Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof