Anyone else notice.....?

[Chuckster]

That Young swings at the first pitch EVERY time? There was a game about a week ago where the pitcher had thrown something like 11 consecutive balls in a row and could not throw a strike to save his life.....until Young stepped to the plate. First pitch he pops out to the shortstop. I would like to see some statistics on how many pitches he has even seen this year!

[UdeLakeTom]

Delmon Young delivered one of the four straight two-out singles in the third as part of a 3-for-4 day at the plate. He had one RBI and scored a run in the fifth inning when Nick Punto singled to left. .284 average....not that bad,

[mike morris]

He's hitting well. I really don't care if there's not much power behind that swing. As long as he's driving in a few runs.

[SledNeck]

yep Delmon batting .284 last year as a rookie hit .288

Cuddyer is a career .269 hitter whose highest yearly avg was .284

[The J-Man!]

Young is a free swinger no doubt and does indeed swing at the first pitch more often than not. He is hitting the ball well right now, so I won't complain. I seem to remember another Twin who used to swing at the first pitch often and was also a free swinger...Kirby Puckett. In no way am I comparing their abilities, but it is not always a bad thing for players to swing at that first pitch. Vladamir Guerrero is another player who will swing at anything.

[zamboni]

There goes Sled on another Cuddyer rant. Rather have Garza back than Young, and Monroe can play left. Monroe is part time and is 3rd on the team in HRs.

[Quackaddict9]

I remember seeing some list of batters who swing on the first pitch in %'s and Gomez/Young were in the top 5 and was around 40-50%, something like that. That was a few weeks ago.

[Chuckster]

Im not sayin that he hasnt been productive. It seems like he can hold his own at the plate now and then. Although, I have read a lot of "trade Young" or "send down young, let Kubel play" posts the day after he goes 0-4, and many "hes not that bad" posts after he goes 2 or 3-3.

Maybe its just me I guess but it just bothers me that he swings at the first pitch every single time. Think of all the advanced scouting that goes on, do you think a pitcher is going to throw him something decent to hit on the first pitch? Of course not, every pitcher that has half a brain has watched his last ten plate appearances before they start the series on video and start him off with a slider or curve low and away that he whiffs on 90% of the time, which puts him in the hole right away. If he would take a pitch now and then, he might even get something better to drive to the gap, or even over the fence! Or maybe even draw a walk now and then (which is really stretching it)

I guess maybe it doesnt matter to some guys such as Vlad who can handle a pitch in the dirt and park it 15 rows up into the left field bleachers, but I would hardly at this stage in the game compare him to an annual All-Star.

[bobber2400]

Don't you have work to do today?

[SledNeck]

Garza's own teammates dont like him

[mike morris]

Garza has a bad attitude. I'm glad we don't have him anymore. I like the way our staff is set up anyway.

I don't remember when it was exactly, but I remember Garza ripped the Twins for "not taking care of his injury" or some garbage like that.

[The J-Man!]

I completely understand Chuckster wanting to see Young take a few pitches, it would probably be good for him. It's like watching Mauer take the first pitch EVERY at bat. They always throw him a strike and you just want to see him crush the ball, but he never swings. I can't honestly complain about Mauer though, he's one of the best hitters in baseball. He must be doing something right.

Time will tell on how the Garza/Young trade pans out. Garza is pitching well for Tampa and Young is on par with his season from last year. They are both young players who will get better. Our starting rotation, sans Livan, is doing a pretty good job lately.

Bartlett has 11 errors this year already and his OBP is .299 (as of Thursday). We don't miss him.

[mike morris]

See I don't understand why people think we would be better off with Bartlett. He may cover just a little more range than Harris does, but Harris is usually more consistent with routine plays and also a more consistent hitter.

[zamboni]

Garza's own teammates dont like him

Yeah, you have to like someone to have them on your team. Guy has been pretty good this season- I sure wouldn't want his numbers because he's a jerk. Ty Cobb- NOONE liked him, but I think I woulda took him on my team, guy played pretty good baseball. Not every player in the Majors is going to have Kirby Pucketts personality and have everyone like him. And again, I would rather have him back and they can have Delmon Young, and I would put Monroe in left.

[Scott K]

Young has 3 homers now! Hes coming around.

[SledNeck]

Originally Posted By: SledNeck

Garza's own teammates dont like him

Yeah, you have to like someone to have them on your team. Guy has been pretty good this season- I sure wouldn't want his numbers because he's a jerk. Ty Cobb- NOONE liked him, but I think I woulda took him on my team, guy played pretty good baseball. Not every player in the Majors is going to have Kirby Pucketts personality and have everyone like him. And again, I would rather have him back and they can have Delmon Young, and I would put Monroe in left.

Gomez .270

Cuddyer .252

Young .289

Kubel .267

Monroe .218

Torii Hunter .271

Manny Ramirez .280

Grady Sizemore .264

Vladimir Guerrero .285

I rest my case

[SledNeck]

Garza 3.47 (plays on best team in MLB)

Blackburn 3.78

Baker 3.65

Slowey 3.47

Silva 5.85

[PierBridge]

I wouldn't consider trading Young for Garza.