Why no Love for Delmon Young?

[Coach1310]

I can't help but notice how many folks want to see him go in hopes of us getting reliever or 3rd baseman. For a couple reasons I don't think this has a chance at happening.

#1. They won't trade Young because that would be like admitting they screwed up when they traded Garza and Bartlett.

#2. He is ONLY 23 years old. He has plenty of time to learn and improve. I'm willing to live with his seeming lackluster fielding and sometimes Jacque Jones like at-bats to see what he can become.

I guess I think he will be a really good player in the near future and would hate to see the Twins get rid of someone with power potential. I know he didn't hit a lot of HRs this year, but when he hits them.... he really hits them.

[Munk]

I agree.. I belive Young has huge potential just needs a little time come around. I too ami interested in how he will develop. We've gotten rid of way too many players like this only to see them hit their stride and become a major factor for another team.

[Gary Crichton]

His bat is not an issue. He just looks lost out in left field. He needs time to develop. I asked b-4, where did he play in Tampa.

G.C.

[Loos15]

David ortiz...man we made a mistake there.

[B420]

He is young and should improve with time. Good arm, OK at best at the plate, and an absolute butcher in the outfield. Gets the "deer in the headlights" look every time a ball is hit his way. If anything is hit to fence it's pretty much guaranteed it won't end up in his glove.

[Gary Crichton]

Thank you, I am glad I am not the only one that sees this happening.

Don't get me wrong, he may develop into something but he may not either. The Jury is still out on that IMO.

G.C.

[SkunkedAgain]

Delmon is a good player for the most part, except his fielding is atrocious. I'm serious when I say this: I was a better outfielder in Little League than he is in the pros.

Maybe he needs glasses. Maybe he's got some undiagnosed condition that we can all feel sorry about. However, the fact remains that he misjudges balls all the time. Outfield is the easiest position and if he hasn't learned when to dive, when not to dive, and how to keep a ball in front of him (things we learn at a young age), then he won't learn it now.

Don't tell me that his previous coaches didn't try working on that with him. Put Delmon at the DH as our backup outfielder. At least I won't cringe every time that a ball is hit into left field.

...and thank goodness Gomez is fast enough to be standing behind Delmon during each catch!

[Gary Crichton]

That could be why he was trade bait. They saw no improvement in his defense. I know they liked his bat for sure.

G.C.

[Hammer Handle]

I think he would be a great DH someday....

I hope they give him another year or two to develop and see what happens.

[blue_healer_guy]

I like Delmon, but did anybody notice has he gained about 10lbs since the start of the season?

[zamboni]

He stutter steps and misses alot of fly balls, and he can't hit a curve ball. What else is there? He is a professional baseball player, catching a fly ball shouldn't be an issue.

[zamboni]

Oh yeah, he is 23, but he looks like he is 40.

[bassislife]

True. He really needs to work on his fielding.

[Jarrod32]

I’m on record in more than a couple threads in this forum with the opinion that this guy is going to be a very, very good player for many years. A 22-year old outfielder hitting .290 with 10 homers, 28 doubles, and 69 RBI has a good future. He cut down his strikeouts this year from last (1 K in every 5.48 AB this year, 1 K in every 5.08 AB last year). Not a huge drop, but again…for a 22-year old that is a notable step.

[Jigger Here]

you guys don't even know what your talking about.

If you watched him play this year, he was up there in outfielder assists, and when ball was hit down the left field line, he was there to cut it off and hold the hitter to a single.

This happened numerous of times throughout the year. Also, if he does get a bad jump at it, Gomez is usually there right behind him to make the catch if he loses it. so i'm glad they will keep him and be pacient with him, his bat will still be there with his .300 average he has.

The Twins play the game of basbeall for contact and small ball so they don't need to rely on the homerun, if they wanted to, i'm sure they could change there swing to get more homeruns, but through the system they don't teach that.

I hope the twins keep everyone on the team and rely on the healthy body's of Cuddyer, and Neshak...

[zamboni]

Jigger, he had a ton of assists because of instead of him catching the ball in the air, it dropped a foot in front if him. Then while the baserunner had to wait and see whether or not he caught the ball- he would throw them out. I seen it happen at least 15 times this year where he would run in for a pop fly, then almost walk to it and it would drop at his feet. Any other major league caliber OF'er keeps running and catches it and runs through it, or they dive for it. Did he dive for ONE pop fly all season? JUST ONE??? No, he seemed content to let the ball drop at his feet. I wouldn't mind him as a DH, but as a long term option in the OF, I don't see it.

[Jigger Here]

you get me this video of him doing that 15 times and then i'll agree. He's better then having Kubel, Lew ford, jason tyner, or rondell white like they have in the past? i can sure tell you that they aren't the best fielders you have ever seen. So look and Manny...i'd say he's a major league caliber OF and don't seem him diving after balls, yet he still gets it done. he knew hoe to play the green monster right and thats hos Young plays in the meterdome and what not where he cuts the ball off befoe it gets to the wall.

If you look at his stats, he ranks 8th in the league for field percentage for left fielders. i would take that any day. i think he's a slick fielder and smart out there. On;y flaws/problems i see with him his that he can't jump to rob a homerun, but that only happened once all season i seen, and that he always swings at the first pitch. that's the only think i hate about his game.

[CrappiesNCats]

Delmon is only 23. i think there is some time fore improvement, and he's been playing on a bad ankle for two months

[only ice]

SEE BALL, CATCH BALL!! Makes a easy play look hard. And dont tell me the reason is beeing in the Dome.!!

[First Ice-Mike]

He played right field in Tampa and when he got here they moved him to left field in the Metrodome - one the the most difficult outfield positions to play in the majors. This guy will be a stud when he puts it all together. I can't believe anyone would suggest any position in the majors is easy.

FI

[so haaad]

He needs to learn how to take a pitch instead of swinging at everthing. Especially on the first pitch.

[UdeLakeTom]

How soon we forget MR. Ford.

[zamboni]

Jigger apparently you have never listened to the millions of complaints about Manny, who says he gets it done in the OF, in fact, I think you are the first person I have ever heard say Manny Ramirez gets it done in the OF, at the plate- yes. The OF, not so much. If I had footage of all the pop flys that have bounced a foot in front of him, I would gladly show them to you, but instead all you had to do was watch the Twins games this past season on TV, I actually think 15 is a pretty low number. He made ONE catch all season I was impressed with, the one that tailed away from him at the wall at the Dome. I bet I seen 15 foul pops alone bounce at his feet in the Twins bullpen area, and that isn't counting all the ones that were fair balls.

[Gary Crichton]

Zamboni, you and I must be watching a different player all together. People come on, like said it looks like hes 40, not 23.

Yes he has potential, but it is a ways off, so long as he controls his weight. He has a few things to correct first.

Learn to take some pitches, first pitch swinging will not get you anywhere. Yes if the pitch is there great, but don't go up there swinging away at the first pitch no matter where it is. Pick a zone and stay with it.

2nd. Get a clue in the outfield. He NEEDS a lot of work out there. With the game on the line, I would not what to see a fly ball out to left. Makes me what to slam my drink of choice.

G.C.

[Jigger Here]

Manny must be doing it if he has a .990 fielding percentage. may not look like it but he does do it. if you looked at your stats up and i found this,

range factor by games played

Delmon Young----------- 1.94

Legue average---------- 1.66

look at that and shows he has better range than the average. May not look like he has range or hustles at it, but he does. Take in account playing half games in the Metrodome. If you think he's so bad, i would love to see you out there and try to catch 30/50 fly balls.