OT - Tigers acquire Delmon Young
In one of those fun trades-after-the-trade-deadline, They gave up Cole Nelson and a player to be named later:
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/08/15/tigers-acquire-delmon-young/
August 15th, 2011 at 2:59 PM ^
Fuck. Have always hated this guy. I can't forgive him for chucking a bat at an ump, ever. Sorry. I just can't. Not a fan.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:08 PM ^
His dudeness doesn't like something? Shocking.
Wasn't Young 19 at the time of the bat throwing/tossing? At some point in time you might want to think about letting it go since he hasn't been much of a hothead since then.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:14 PM ^
To be on your side of the argument really is shocking. I don't see how you could be. 19 is plenty old enough to know the difference between right and disgustingly wrong.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:19 PM ^
I'm not going to defend how he acted then, but we have seen guys with a troubled past come to contending teams in this town and get their act together. Let's just hope he can be like that.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:17 PM ^
Related note, different sport:
Todd Bertuzzi. Hated him. Now I at least trust him as a Wing and a different person. And he was a full 10 years older than Young when his incident occured. The incident was completely different, of course, in a less gentlemanly game and against a player instead of an official. But the part about learning to trust someone is similar, non?
August 15th, 2011 at 4:24 PM ^
Rasheed Wallace was another guy like that. He was a total hothead in Portland and I feared he'd destroy the team chemistry. He kept it together (for a few years, at least) and ended up being the missing piece in the championship puzzle in '04.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:58 PM ^
Both are still pretty much hotheads, but can be forgiven partly because of the healing effects of time, partly because they get older, wiser, and more in control, and partly because they contribute to the team. When you're winning, it's hard not to forgive people for the past. It helps if they contribute off the field, too, either cooperating or leading with the team.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:21 PM ^
People can't change once they turn 20, or is that albatross forever around his neck?
August 15th, 2011 at 3:53 PM ^
People can change, but you live with your past mistakes and I see no problem with someone thinking he is a dick bc of that...
and I agree...19 is plenty old enough to know not to throw a bat at an ump. Hell, little leaguers know that
August 15th, 2011 at 4:05 PM ^
he has admittedly not hit anyone with a bat, as far as I know, since he was 19.
He has, however, acquire a pretty terrible reputation independent of that incident. Not of violence, but of just being an ass.
There's a reason why a guy who was the #1 Prospect in all of baseball to every single service (stat-oriented ones like Baseball Prospectus and Scouting-oriented ones like Baseball America) has been given up on by 2 teams at the age of 25.
August 15th, 2011 at 7:14 PM ^
Young made a mistake while he was young and learned from it. Since it wasn't a pattern or something that involved a premeditated or prolonged attack on someone, I really don't see holding on to all of that emnity for so long.
But, hey: if we all thought the same, the world would be a total bore.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:17 PM ^
19 is plenty old enough to know that assaulting someone is wrong and bad and not good
August 15th, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
People can change and learn from their mistakes. I bet you wouldn't mind the tigers picking up Hamilton.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:48 PM ^
Hamilton did drugs (something I would never find as a negative) and hurt those around him emotionally. Very different than throwing a bat at an umpire.
August 15th, 2011 at 5:17 PM ^
You're right they are two different things, but still an example of a player making some terrible decisions, then able to learn from it and be able to come back and excel as a ball player. Hamilton did some hard hard drugs, not like Josh Howard who likes to blaze before games.
August 15th, 2011 at 2:59 PM ^
Ha beat me to the punch.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:00 PM ^
Why the hell would the Twins do that?
August 15th, 2011 at 3:01 PM ^
It's a mystery. Young is having a poor season, but that can be said for a lot of their players this year.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:05 PM ^
To a division opponent no less. I pumped my fist when I first saw this thread, then slammed the brakes on when you consider how smart Minnesota's front office has been over the last decade.
This just feels too weird.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:06 PM ^
Young has chronically refused to take coaching, has a solid history of being a complete asshole, and has approached "ok" one season in his career.
That's your answer.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:09 PM ^
I think if he gave us 21 HR 112 RBI and a .300 average everyone would be happy.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:24 PM ^
Is that he had a good yr last yr but wasn't in the MVP convo. Looking more advanced metrics than act and RBI, he was overrated. Dude never walks. Still a good pickup for the low price we paid
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August 15th, 2011 at 3:26 PM ^
..298/.333/.493 is almost the definition of average for a corner outfielder. He was fine last year. Not "Good".
August 15th, 2011 at 3:36 PM ^
He was top ten among MLB left fielders in damn near every hitting category and struck out less than most regulars. This is the opposite of average. If you don't like him personally, fine, but don't try and misportray what he did.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:57 PM ^
His OPS was 17th of the 42 starting AL outfielders.
That's moderately above average.
You're acting as if I have something personally against a player that I've never met, nor followed particularly closely.
He has, at best, been moderately above average. In his other 4 years, he has just been bad. He DOES have a poor reputation for taking coaching. There is a reason he's available to a division rival for peanuts.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
Eh, he's still an upgrade over Maggs. I'll take it for peanuts.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:07 PM ^
He is an upgrade over this year's incarnation of Maggs.
He has, however, produced on roughly the same level as Andy Dirks.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:19 PM ^
Young has been the better offensive producer:
Young: .295 BA/.787 OPS/13 2B/3 HR/21 RBI/12 BB/27 K
Dirks: .263/.689/7/4/17/6/22
August 15th, 2011 at 6:16 PM ^
Dirks OPS as of today is .729, not .689.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:08 PM ^
OPS is among the most flawed stats in baseball. Try again.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:17 PM ^
Fine. How about WARP?
Last year, he was 2 Wins Above Replacement, 124th in MLB for offensive players. Behind peers such as:
Jim Edmonds
Russell Branyan
Jason Bartlett
Ben Zobrist
Wilson Betemit
Josh Willingham
Pat Burrell
Ryan Raburn
August 15th, 2011 at 4:08 PM ^
OPS is among the most flawed stats in baseball. Try again.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:08 PM ^
OPS is among the most flawed stats in baseball. Try again.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:10 PM ^
speaking of flawed uhhh..... lol sry
August 15th, 2011 at 5:00 PM ^
I will take those numbers over "Singleo" Ordonez anyday with the number he has been putting up this year. Ordonez has no range whatsoever anymore and is batting like .220 right now. I think this is a great move to help hold off the Indians and Sox.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:16 PM ^
But he obviously has talent and is still has a lot of time left.
If Minnesota wanted him out of their clubhouse, OK. I would just think they'd probably want him out of their division as well.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:19 PM ^
I don't know about the rest one way or the other but "approached ok" is selling him ridiculously short, unless you mean "approached ok in a downwards direction because his worst OPS other than this season is .724." I mean, I can't see how his 2010 season qualifies as "less than ok."
August 15th, 2011 at 3:30 PM ^
"less than ok" is hyperbolic. He was around average, offensively. People fall in love with that BA, but the power was poor, and the plate discipline non-existent. Now we see what happens when 12-15 fewer ball drop for him.
He was, in reality, about as good as .243 hitting Carlos Quentin last year.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^
Well, I figured "approaching OK" is the same as "not there yet." I don't see how I get accused of hyperbole when you're calling his power "poor." Averaging 15 HR and 36 2B per 162 games is not poor; I mean, it's not like we'd be asking him to replace Cabrera. Victor Martinez averages 20 and 38 per 162 games, respectively, so what do you want us to trade for, Hank Aaron?
August 15th, 2011 at 3:50 PM ^
I was admitting to my own hyperbole, not accusing of it.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:00 PM ^
O I C. Sorry.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:45 PM ^
and, don't forget, his defense is very, very poor.
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/08/15/tigers-acquire-outfielder-delmon-young-from-twins/
August 15th, 2011 at 3:05 PM ^
This way Revere and Span can play in the OF at the same time. They have enough pop in their lineup with Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer and Kubel so they wanted the speed back. Watch that lineup is going to be awesome next year. They are out of it anyways.
August 15th, 2011 at 4:14 PM ^
when you watch him injure himself trying to catch a routine flyball. He has a great arm, but is one of the worst fielders I've ever seen. It's been painful to watch here in Minneapolis. He has a ton of potential, but I don't see much motivation for him to be more than a .250 avg guy.
August 15th, 2011 at 9:27 PM ^
he is a .289 career hitter. Don't be silly.
August 15th, 2011 at 5:51 PM ^
They realized they have a guy named Denard sitting on their bench.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:02 PM ^
Awesome deal. They gave up a bag of balls and a hot dog to get a 25 year old who was in the MVP talk last season. Nothing to lose here.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:04 PM ^
Similar to the Peralta trade of last year? Could be a solid deal going forward.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:06 PM ^
great pickup - could be our starting LF for years to come.
August 15th, 2011 at 3:09 PM ^
Young is having a bad year...But still batting 40 points higher than Fagglio! I'd rather have Demtri Young playing than Mags, he is gosh damn awful on the field and at the plate. My 83 yr old grandmother has more pop at the plate than him. Delmon is also 12 years younger than fagpipes.
I have an unhealthy hatred for mags, hudler, rip hamilton and rafalski...1 down