Results tagged ‘ Delmon Young ’
More Hatred for Brown
I have written here several times (10/11/11, 5/20/11, and 7/30/11) about Domonic Brown and the terrible mishandling of the talented, young outfielder by the Philadelphia Phillies. Still just 25 years old, Brown faces another uphill battle with Phillies’ management signing Delmon Young to a one-year, $750,000 deal on Tuesday.
Young adds a right-handed element to the Phillies crowded outfield, as he joins Brown, John Mayberry, Jr., Laynce Nix, Darin Ruf, and Rule 5 pick Ender Inciarte as possible corner outfielders. Only Ben Revere seems locked into a job in center, with the other six men fighting for two spots.
While Rotoworld stated that Brown will likely see most of his at-bats in right field, you have to wonder if Ruben Amaro, Jr. is going to actually stick to that. He is the same man who said that Brown needed another full season in Triple-A in 2012, only to give the outfielder another up and down season with just 187 major league at-bats and 220 at-bats for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
While Brown is not Jason Heyward, the two were likened to each other at times coming up through the minor leagues. The major difference: Heyward was given an opportunity in Atlanta after posting a .953 OPS over three levels (as high as Triple-A) in 2009, earning the every day right field job in Atlanta in 2010. In 2009, Brown also went through three levels (as high as Double-A), while posting an .880 OPS. He hasn’t received his opportunity yet
Over the last three seasons, Brown now has 465 at-bats in Triple-A and 433 at-bats in the majors. Considering 500 at-bats is the norm for an everyday player, why has Brown been riding the bench in Philadelphia instead of getting everyday at-bats, and if he isn’t ready, why is he not in Lehigh Valley full-time instead of sharing outfield duties with Raul Ibanez and Ben Francisco over the last few years?
The Phillies have played with their talent a bit too much, here, and for a team that has so quickly aged with Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard leading the offense, they needed to actually give Brown the job and see what he could do, allowing him to prove that he is a failure instead of miscasting him as one without a full opportunity to prove the theory wrong.
While the Phillies rely on Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Cliff Lee to win them so many games in 2013, it is still questionable as to whether the team is going to rely on Domonic Brown. After signing Delmon Y0ung, it looks like the one-time No.4 prospect in all of baseball will have to prove himself and fight for at-bats among a group of less talented peers.
Brown still has value and for a team that seems to have no interest in building around him or giving him an opportunity, perhaps it is time to deal him for a pitcher that doesn’t cost $30 million per season or a younger position player who isn’t earning nearly three times what they are worth, like Rollins, Utley, and Howard.
Yunel Escobar Issues
Courtesy: Deadspin.com
At the end of 2009, Yunel Escobar was one of the top players in baseball, at least when it comes to potential. He was 26 years old and had just finished a season with a .299/.377/.436 line, 26 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 76 RBI for the Atlanta Braves. For some reason, though, Atlanta wasn’t fond of him.
Legendary Braves manager Bobby Cox was fed up with Escobar’s lack of hustle and disregard for the expectations that he had for all of his players. However, Escobar seemed to use the language barrier, he defected from Cuba, as a crutch. While others used translators on the team, as did Escobar, the expectations that Cox had were never met, as Escobar seemed lazy and lethargic with his day-to-day responsibilities in the game of baseball.
Mark Bradley, of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, said after the trade of Escobar in July of 2010 that this was “addition by subtraction” and added that:
This is a happier clubhouse than it has been in years, and not just because the team is in first place. Because these guys like and respect one another. The one guy who didn’t fit — and who was never going to fit, no matter how many chances the Braves offered — just got traded.
Whether it was a language barrier issue or a maturity issue, Yunel Escobar just bought himself some unneeded publicity. This publicity will reach well beyond the sports world and well beyond the diamond, just ask the owner of Chick-Fil-A.
On Saturday afternoon, Yunel Escobar wore eyeblack with the words “tu ere maricon”, which anyone who has seen the movie Scarface knows is Spanish for “you are a fag—.” Needless to say, this will lead to a suspension.
Earlier in the 2012 season, Major League Baseball suspended Detroit Tigers outfielder Delmon Young for anti-Semitic slurs thrown at a group of tourists outside of a hotel in New York, receiving a 7-day suspension. Prior to that suspension, John Rocker was suspended in 2000 for all of spring training and the first 14-days of the season after ranting to a Sports Illustrated reporter about gays, foreigners and minorities.
Bud Selig took this stance with Delmon Young’s suspension in 2012:
Those associated with our game should meet the responsibilities and standards that stem from our game’s stature as a social institution. An incident like this cannot and will not be tolerated.
Yunel Escobar plays in a city, Toronto, that is very liberal, in the liberal nation of Canada. His choice to wear the slur was a miserable idea, one that should and will have repercussions, not only on this season, but, possibly, Escobar’s 2014 and 2015 team options and the Toronto Blue Jays willingness to keep him beyond this season. Ultimately, Escobar’s entire future in the majors could be affected by this choice.
After having been traded for pennies on the dollar in talent from Atlanta to Toronto, little has changed in the man that Yunel Escobar has been or who he is going to become. He is still immature and a nuisance to his team. For someone who had to defect from Cuba to earn an opportunity at freedom and a chance to play the game that he loves, it is incredible that Yunel Escobar continues to make poor choices and doesn’t seem to think of how lucky he is to be making millions to be a complete moron, on and off the field.
Shocking Spring #’s
Below are some guys who have impressed or have been absolutely miserable. There are familiar names and there are some surprises. Can it carry over if they’re doing well? Will it carry over if they’re doing poorly? Only time will tell, but it’s nice to dream that:
Melky Cabrera is a future Hall of Famer
.410/.425/.769, 5 2B, 3 HR, and 9 RBI
Cabrera hit .468/.471/.742 last spring, then he went on to have a career year, posting a .305/.339/.470 slash with 44 2B, 5 3B, 18 HR, 87 RBI, and 20 SB. He is now in San Francisco instead of Kansas City, but he could use the spacious gaps to post similar numbers this season.
The Tigers have two stars and they aren’t Cabrera and Fielder
Delmon Young: .472/.487/1.000, 4 2B, 5 HR, 19 RBI
Ryan Raburn: .462/.464/1.308, 2 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 18 RBI
Raburn looks like he shouldn’t have to share second base with Ramon Santiago. He’s always had excellent power, so this is something that should continue…as long as he keeps making contact, which is where his problem has always been.
Young is also raking, the same thing he has done since joining Detroit. Keep in mind that Young scored 28 runs, ripped 5 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, and drove in 32 runs in just 40 games when he arrived in Western Windsor Canada last season. If he cuts down on his strikeouts, Young, too, could develop into a star…the one everyone thought he was going to be several years ago.
Short people can play baseball
Colin Cowgill: .419/.469/.605, 4 2B, 2 3B, 4 SB
It is still a crowded A’s outfield, and the 5’9″ University of Kentucky product will have trouble finding playing time because of it. With Coco Crisp in left, Yoenis Cespedes in center, and Josh Reddick in right, Cowgill will battle Seth Smith and Jonny Gomes for backup outfield time and occasional starts at DH. Cowgill may never get a serious shot due to his size, and that would be a short-coming…pun intended…by the organizations that continue to overlook him.
He Cain lead the league in OPS
Lorenzo Cain: .500/.553/.971, 7 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI
With Eric Hosmer, Billy Butler, and Mike Moustakas becoming the elite players that everyone anticipated them becoming, what would make the Royals really happy? How about ANYONE from the Zack Greinke trade working out for them!? Cain won’t be killing any of his brothers, but he could destroy some pitching and become one of the best center fielders in baseball in his rookie season.
Francisco Liriano is good again
2.77 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, .143 BAA, 18/2 K/BB in 13 IP
Dude can pitch when the Twins let him pitch in the Dominican Winter League…which they didn’t let him do prior to an absolutely disgusting 2011.
The most dominant pitcher this spring won’t have a job when camp breaks…sorry about your luck Wade LeBlanc
0.61 ERA, 0.41 WHIP, .083 BAA, 15/2 K/BB in 14 2/3 IP
Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, and Carlos Zambrano will be ahead of him, but LeBlanc should get a shot at some point between Johnson and Sanchez shoulder woes and a Zambrano breakdown.
The Suckers
Jair Jurrjens: 10.13 ERA, 2.63 WHIP, .403 BAA, 8/10 K/BB in 13 1/3 IP
Jurrjens would do better just sitting a ball on a tee. The only guys who aren’t hitting against him are the ball boys, and his ugly K/BB ratio is concerning, as are his consistent shoulder woes. Stay away.
Mike Pelfrey: 14.90 ERA, 2.69 WHIP, .426 BAA, 4/6 K/BB in 9 2/3 IP
Not even Pelfrey’s ears can hold the ball back this spring. It looks like his two pitch arsenal is finally not working, but no one saw that coming…except Ray Charles.
Raul Ibanez: .059/.111/.088, 2 for 34 with 0 XBH and 2 RBI
Wonder why he was still available when the Yankees finally signed him? Oh…I know. He’s old and can’t hit a fastball. Andruw Jones will get a lot of at bats at DH in 2012.
Freddie Freeman: .174/.191/.171, 8 for 46, 0 XBH, and 3 RBI
Freeman had some issues with a knee dislocation earlier in the spring, so he may get a small pass for that; however, the Braves need him to have it in high gear when things really get going, as he is one of their key bats.
Jason Heyward: .208/.236/.358, 11 for 53, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 16 K!
So much for refining his swing. Heyward has picked up where he left off in 2011. There is still time for him to get it going, but if both Freeman AND Heyward are hitting like this in April, the Braves will be alongside the Mets in the NL East basement.
Why the Tigers Lack the Roar
According to Fox Sports John Paul Morosi, the Tigers and Braves are working on a deal that would send Martin Prado to Detroit. The Tigers would be sending Delmon Young back in the deal, possibly more. Why are they doing this? To get a leadoff hitter. Martin Prado is apparently their goal for that. It’s funny and sad. Dave Dombrowski could become Dumbrowski.
Prado has a career .341 OBP, with a career low .302 OBP in 2011. He is arbitration eligible and he made $3.1 million in 2011. He is 28-years-old.
Austin Jackson is or was the Tigers leadoff hitter of the future when he was acquired from the Yankees in the three-way deal with the Diamondbacks (Ian Kennedy, Curtis Granderson, and Max Scherzer were also in that deal, which was a win for everyone). Jackson turns 25 in February, isn’t arbitration eligible until 2013, and won’t be a Free Agent until 2016. His OBP last season was an abysmal .317, still better than Prado’s, and his career .331 OBP isn’t far off considering he hasn’t had a breakout season and his speed (49 SB in 304 games) far outweighs the “danger” that Prado brings if he gets on leading off (his career 13 SB in 527 games). Jackson brings an element that can’t be replaced, creating runs in a spacious ballpark. He’d still be on the team, as Prado would be in left field or at third.
Which brings us to Delmon Young. Young is 26, he’ll be a Free Agent after the 2012 season, and he’ll make about $7 million in arbitration in 2012 after making $5.38 million last year. Young is taking the position player Edwin Jackson approach, playing for his 3rd team at such a young age. While he probably isn’t worth what he’ll earn in arbitration based on his production so far in his career, he has shown glimpses of stardom and he is entering his prime. While Young has been an enigma, he hasn’t been an enema, especially as a Tiger. The man played in just 40 games for Detroit and if you multiply his production by four (to get to 160 games), he could have posted 112 R, 184 H, 20 2B, 4 3B, 32 HR, 128 RBI and a 120/20 K/BB with a .274 AVG and .756 OPS. While the AVG and OPS are underwhelming, his statistics are pretty sexy. He’d be someone who would fit in nicely by Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez in the lineup if he finally breaks out.
If the Tigers can get Prado and have him play third, that would be a solid deal. They shouldn’t get him to play left if it means giving up Delmon Young. They shouldn’t get him to lead off because he isn’t really a good guy to have clogging up the bases IF he even gets on. This is another addition of a veteran who might do something to help, but probably isn’t the answer. The Tigers had a solid team this past season. They seem to overthink things. They STOLE Young from the Twins for the playoff run and he did a nice job producing for them.
It’s about time they make minor changes instead of reaching for a splash. They need to keep the players that got them to where they were last season. They need to dump guys who are hurt and cost too much like Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen. They don’t need to trade guys in their prime for overvalued, underproducing corner players. Do you want a guy hitting 11-15 homers in LF/RF/1B/3B? Especially if he is below average defensively at 3B and LF like Prado is? Wilson Betemit is below average and has posted a .378 and .343 OBP and .889 and .795 OPS the last two years, but no one is giving him a job. Even the Tigers, as he was allowed to walk as a Free Agent. Seems like a bad move.
