Young yanked; Maddon cites "blatant disrespect" for game

Manager Joe Maddon yanked rookie RF Delmon Young from Saturday's game for not running out a sixth-inning ground ball and criticized Young for not showing respect for the game. Young responded by saying he was being unfairly singled out and said he would not play in Sunday's finale.

Maddon had talked to Young about this issue before, and said after the game: "That was a blatant disrespect for the game and what we’re about. I’ve had several conversations regarding that, and that was it. ... For us, for the Rays, we're going to run hard to first.''

Young said he wasn't the only one "doing it" and didn't think it was right that he was singled out. "So, I’ll see you guys next year,'' he said as he walked out of the clubhouse. "I’m shut down tomorrow.’’

Young, 21, had been having an successful season on the field - so much so that Maddon has been campaigning heavily for him to win the AL Rookie of the Year award - that was relatively free of controversy. He has had some issues before, specifically when he tossed his bat at an umpire last season when with Durham.

Comments

[George]

Trade him. Would love to have him.....but if he is like this now, he will be like this later.

[Rick Wallis]

Nobody is bigger then the game. The sooner he figures that out, the better. If he can't, trade him!

[Joe]

I don't think its just a coincidence that Scott Kazmir speaks up and Delmon Young talks about this. Yes, Delmon Young is completely wrong for his actions, but this is a shot over the bow of the owner. The last 2 days since Stuart Sternberg's comments reflect a serious problem that this team isn't close to "playoff contention" that it destroys the credibility of Stuart Sternberg.

Its time the local media put their attention on the comments that were made and look at the ramifications and consequences. How would a Edgar Renteria be next year as the Ray SS?! And its a chickenbleep move not trying to go out and be major league and address needs and shut people up!

The time for now to come is NOW! Stu, Andrew, are you chicken, are you scared or do you even care? Oh, its about your precious future that you so care for! Now and the future! Oxymoronic and hypocritical. Just go out and destroy the faith and the pride of the players and fans even more! How deep do your daggers go?!

[kb]

obviously delmon should play hard every game. but this, along with kaz's comments about how the ownership needs to sign some new players, is the sign that the ship is sinking fast if not already sunk. i don't know if the players are fed up with losing; if they have no confidence in maddon; if they're sick of the nonsense coming from the front office; or if it's a combo of all those factors. but these developments from kaz and delmon show an organization that is weak and sick and bad.

[Richard]

First kudos to Maddon for pulling him. But this is totally his fault. He has let several players, especially Young & Upton get away with lack of hustle all year long. Yes, he might have talked with them several times before, but he should have disciplined them all earlier to avoid this and nip in the bud. When you don't, this is what you get. If Young doesn't play tomorrow, he needs to draw a huge suspension next season. If not, Maddon is in for big problems next season. Pedroia should now win roy. He has been hustling his entire high school, college, and pro career.

[kb]

a few other things....

imagine all the negative stuff that goes on in the rays clubhouse that we DON'T hear about, either because the times won't report it, or because reporters don't hear about it. remember a couple months ago when jonny gomes and maddon got into a screaming match??

also, take a look at some of the photos of the celebrations by teams that clinched a playoff spot or their division. they're all so happy and excited. then compare that to the rays. while the winning teams are having champagne celebrations and partying with fans, the rays are so fed up that they're complaining to the media about how much it sucks to play on a losing team, and being benched for not hustling, and mailing it in for the last couple games.

take off the rosecolored maddon glasses for a second. does anybody in their right mind see the rays having a champagne celebration, given the way things are going now? honestly, i'm not sorry to say adios to this season.

[Joe]

Hallelujah bloggers. I am happy I am not alone, I applaud all of you for saying this. Stuart Sternberg is an absentee owner who treats the club like a toy and Silverman and Friedman, although smart, are naieve and incompetent in the sense they don't know their players and talent.

You anger the fans by ripping Tampa Bay on the road uniforms. You have your AL K champion question your resolve, you got the owner justifying "the price is right" and the "most exciting" last place team in history! And Young, although not directly related, indicating there are discipline and leadership problems on the club. And all of that falls square at the Three Amigos of Stu, Andrew and Matt. Its time for real action, real money and and fortitude.

[Frank]

Delmon is just a rookie reacting to limited clubhouse leadership. The problem is ownership. If you are not willing or don't know how to build a major league team, sell the franchise and go back to skimming a percent off everyone's 401k every Friday on Wall street. This team needs veteran leadership and an owner who with the resources to make the commitment. Dust off your Yankees cap Stu the playoffs are starting.

[Derek]

The Ownership of the Rays is alot like the Bush Administration's stance on Iraq.
They just don't have a clue and are in it for the Money

[agatha]

Do NOT blame Delmon. Maddon mailed in this game before the first pitch when he played only two starters in their natural positions. This ludicrous lineup would be disheartening for any professional. The a n a l retentive Maddon is a total hypocrite and does not have the respect of most of the players. All he knows is pitch counts. Not playing Shields against two contenders shows no respect for the game. The hubris of this p u t z is amazing.

[kronos]

A lot of you would react differently if the yanked player was white. Richard and others should know the problem is Maddon and the ownership. Yeah, let's trade the Rookie of the Year and one of only seven true major leaguers on this roster. How do you think the rest of the team would react to Young being traded, you morons? And to say the undeserving Pedroia should get the award is overreacting to an incident that Maddon brought upon himself.

[DJ]

There he is. THAT'S Delmon Young. "I'm not the only one" is something a 5 year old would say. It's pathetic. He also said he has played every day and hasn't complained. Really Delmon? Let's switch jobs you jerk. I want to play 162 games a year and get paid alot of money... How about you work on being more selective at the plate in the off season. You had a decent year, but 13HR for a right fielder will get old very fast. You are not yet as good as you might think. You have played 299 games above AA and you have only hit 27 homers. You are just a slap hitting right fielder with a good arm who is lucky to have played 161 games in the majors this year. If you were with half the other organizations, you would still be in AAA slapping singles, not walking, and striking out alot... So run to first when you hit the ball, and run out to right field when they put you in the lineup, because you are lucky to be where you are.

[DJ]

Did some jerk actually say this is about race? Get a life.

He's not lucky to be where he is. Unlike you, DJ (Dumb Jerkoff).He is talented. Unlike you he is 21 but you are both acting 21. Unlike you, he is not a hypocrite. Are you proud of everything you did when you were 21? I'll bet you aren't proud of many things you have done in the past month, including some of your embarrassingly ignorant postings. He had a more than decent year, you cretin. I agree with the other blogger who said he should be Rookie of the Year.

[DJ]

Anyone who blames Maddon or the owners for Young (and others) not running to first base needs a reality check. You work hard and get a paycheck because that's what an adult does. If you can't do that then you don't deserve whatever job you have. Someone else is worse off than you and would love the opportunity to work hard and get your paycheck.

[Fiona]

There are 3 things that people will never admit:

1) That they are cheap

2) That they have no sense of humor

3) That they are bigotted

We all have met people with those shortcomings.

[DJ]

Noname, Delmon's only good stats are his Average, RBI, and outfield assists. Everything else stinks. His .409 slugging, .729 OPS, and .317 OBP are aweful, especially for a right fielder. His .289 average is good but isn't great. His 93 RBI is good but isn't great for his position... If you are going to stike out 120 times and only walk 26, you better hit more than 13 homers and hit better than .289. If he didn't have a cannon for an arm, he would be well below average for a starting right fielder... And if he wants to use being 21 as an excuse then he shouldn't be in the majors until he grows up.

He's the Rookie of the Year, not an All-Star, you moron. Oh, and by the way, who has hit behind him all season? NO ONE!!! Check who's been hitting behind Pedroia. You really need to know about the nuances of baseball. A four-year-old can recite stats.

[KAT]

I have to agree there's a racial component to this absurd outrage. If Kaz was black, some bloggers would complain that he is a hired hand, only 21, and should not question his bosses who pay him so well. No one has said he "is lucky to be where he is." Yeah, unfortunately there are a few bigots left in our society.

[DJ]

Noname, I didn't say Delmon shouldn't be rookie of the year. I said he had a decent year. Decent means he can do alot better, but it wasn't bad. His best offensive stats rank 9th, 10th, and 14th among major league right fielders. Everything else is well below average.

If he's getting bad pitches because he has junk hitting behind him, then he needs to draw the walk, not swing at bad pitches. But he isn't getting bad pitches because of who's behind him. He's getting them because they know he will swing at them. I'm amazed that he hit .289 swinging at almost everything. He actually has the ability to hit some bad pitches because his hands are so good, but he can't drive them. Not being selective is why his power numbers are so low. Maybe when he gets older and stronger it won't matter and he'll be able to put up the huge numbers swinging at everything like Vlad Guerrero has always done. But even Vlad has drawn more than 50 walks a year doing that.

Delmon has alot of work to do. He is never going to be one of the best right fielders if he keeps having years like he had this year. He is lucky to be in the majors because, offensively, he is not an above average major league right fielder. Most teams had better options in right field going into the season. He also chucked his bat at an umpire last year. Most organizations wouldn't have rewarded him with a promotion.

[DJ]

KAT, what Kaz did and Delmon did are two completely different things. Kaz questioned ownership because he's tired of them doing nothing to improve the team. He's also not "lucky to be in the majors" because he is one of the best pitchers in the majors.

Delmon didn't run to first base. When he was benched for it he said "I'm not the only one" and then said he won't play tomorrow. That's like telling your boss that you took a 3 hour lunch because other people do it and you won't be showing up for work tomorrow because he reprimanded you. Kaz told his bosses that they need to spend some money on better workers if they want to compete with the competition or he'll go work for the competition when his contract runs out.

The actions of Kaz and Delmon came from completely different places and it doesn't have anything to do with race. Carl Crawford has been the Rays best player for years now. He busts his butt to first base on every ground ball. He has said some of same things Kaz did. He is also not "lucky to be in the majors" because he's one of the best left fielders in the game. And he is the same race as Delmon. The reactions to Delmon have to do with who he is what he did, not what race he is.

Your continued insistence that Delmon Young is lucky to be in the majors is irrational. You definitely have it in for this guy. I'm guessing it's the bat throwing incident. No one can dismiss it or excuse it but it is in the past.

You are correct about his penchant for swinging at bad pitches. I put the major responsibility for this on the batting coach. I disagree that he doesn't see good pitches because he swings at them; it's because of the configuration of this lineup. If his pitch selection doesn't improve, however, it will become a problem when the Rays have (hopefully) a deeper lineup.

About the power. How many homers did you expect him to hit in his rookie year? Are your expectations skewed by the steroid-pumped stats of the past decade and a half?

Young is a better-than-average right fielder. His teammates know it, the opposing teams know it, scouts know it. The only people that don't know it are Sternberg, Maddon, and you.

Last of all, with everything that's wrong with the Rays organization, you have chosen to carp about one of the few prized assets. There's no reason for me to discuss the disgraceful ownership and front office. It's been well-chronicled by the bloggers (but not the SPT). Maddon is a clueless field manager and, unbelieveably, an even worse leader. There are five and as half decent players in the starting lineup and no matter who else you put with them the other 3 1/2 are worthless. Shields and Kazmir are the only reliable pitchers. Reyes had an ugly second half. The rest of that staff is collectively horrendous. As far as I'm concerned there are 16 players (more on the expanded) roster that are lucky to be in the majors and Delmon Young is not one of them.

We can regurgitate stats and frame them to fit our beliefs to underscore the weaknesses of just about any player in the majors.

[DJ]

It's not all about the bat throwing, but that's part of it. He had done a good job all year of keeping cool, but to say "I'm not the only one" and then say he's done for the year just shows he hasn't matured at all. Scouts have been saying he has an attitude problem since day one. Scouts have also been saying his pitch selection is horrible since day one. And they have raved about his awesome talent. He still has all of it. He probably could have put the same season together starting the day after they drafted him out of high school. He hasn't gotten any better in any aspect of his game. He's just a few years older.

[DJ]

Yesterday I had the same opinion of his season and his lack of improvement. And yesterday I thought he had changed his attitude. Today he changed my mind.

[bear]

How many of you guys have ever played the game at a competitive level? I would guess not many.

Its not remotely racial but it is a total cancer to the clubhouse to have two players who can show up when they feel like it.

You would think after losing 972 games in 10 years Drays might consider character when drafting a player..Upton, Young and Dukes are just thugs and if Young had a chance for The Rookie award he self destructed.
Just deserts.

How some link Kaz's comments into that soup escapes me. He wants to win as a team..those others don't.

[Ray]

Think something like this might have been the dagger in the heart when it comes to ROY balloting.

Really thought he might have a chance, but quitting on your team doesn't cut it, no matter whether other people "do it" or not.

And others have dogged it all year and Maddon should have disciplined them right then and there and this wouldn't be an issue now. That's what happens when you have a "buddy" for a manager instead of a "manager".

[wiggy]

Wow!!! A lot of passion here.

Here's the unfortunate state of affairs with the Rays and what I beleive to be the big picture:

Players win championships. It's the responsibility of the front office and the manager to put the players into the position to win championships. By and large, the players have lost confidence in the front office to provide the many missing pieces and this manager hasn't earned their respect.

Believe it or not, the players are aware of fan blogs. If they don't actually read the content themselves, friends and family provide the information. Branding three black players out of only five on the roster "thugs" isn't helpful. To feel abandoned by the fans in addition to all the other woes would be icing on the free agent cake.

I'm speculating here but summarizing from demeanor and public utterances, I would say that Pena, Aki, and maybe Shields like it here. Crawford, Young, and Kazmir have strong feelings about the problems and would leave given the chance. Upton is a tricky read but I think he would pack his bags too. Reyes would bolt in a heartbeat. That's your nucleus. It's sad.

I will only scratch the surface with Baldelli who has been the major disappointment. Most of his problem is lack of conditioning which I translate to lack of dedication. I'm sure those of you who are fixated on Young will defend Rocco. He's a non-producer made out of pure teflon where the media and most of the public is concerned.

The leadership vacuum is a major problem and can only be solved with the signing of 2-3 veteran free agents whose maturity will be welcomed as much as their on-the-field skills. The re-signing of Pena would be a start but only a start.

Also, let's not construct artificial hurdles for who is credible on this blog. We are all sports fans and we don't have to have competed in organized sports (although I believe a lot of us have) to express our views.

[agatha]

I agree completely with credentials for weighing in on sports issues: if you lined up all the sportswriters in the country it would look like a scene from "Return of the Revenge of the Nerds."

[DR]

Madden did the right thing and pulled him. He's not disrespecting the game, he's disrespecting the hard working fans who go to the game and pay to watch guys, who get paid big money, play a game. I hope Young isn't right, there better not be other players dogging it, otherwise, they should be pulled as well. Also, a stiff fine is in order.
Deep down I wish Young pulled out his bat and solved the problem by beating Madden with it, like he did to the ump last year, but worse. That would kill 2 birds with one stone; Madden wouldn't coach next year, and an overrated cancer would be banned from the league. That would have been great!

[Joe]

Most of this sentiment falls at the top. A 1.36% increase in attendance with the Rays and Stu is "far from concerned" with that. The rate has gone down considerably!

I have said this before and I will say it again. You don't wait until the last game of the season to discipline players!! You set the tone early! Delmon is completely wrong, but who's to say what he may be saying is actually right? He isn't justified, but look at the message.

Stu, nothing about your operation is "playoff caliber". Absolutely nothing. Zip point doodly squat period. I thought you were someone else when you came here, but you have completely betrayed my trust. You have doublecrossed the hearts and minds of fans that thought you would do more. Just shuttling your minor leaguers in here and plugging them in is FAR from acceptable. There is a great chasm and dysfunction to your philosophy and operation. It could have worked 50 years ago, but not today with the prima donna athletes.

I give you credit for being utopic, but far from real. Yet you make comments about "Tampa Bay" what it is. Wiggy is right about the core, and why don't you Stu, do the right thing for frigging once and stop being so "perfect"? You obviously aren't so stop with the charade? Quit blowing smoke up our you know what's, and open the wallet, not for the sake of it, but it being the right thing to do!!

DR, you really have a lot of anger and should get help for it. Delmon Young promised you nothing; Stu Sternberg did. The target of your betrayed feelings is not only misplaced, but the magnitude of your venom is off the charts.

There is not a doubt that it's more than one baseball player that has triggered your overreaction. I could try to be clever and suggest that you and Elijah Dukes should attend Anger Management 101 together...but it's really not funny for either of you nor the people around you.

[kronos]

It looks like Young was right after all. Casanova didn't run out a ground ball from first to second on Sunday. He would have been safe because the throw pulled the second baseman way off the bag. Hell, he didn't just not run it out...he flat stopped!!!

When he returned to the dugout, Maddon didn't chew him out or even say anything to him (the camera was on him). He didn't remove him for "disrespecting the game" either.
Oh, wait a minute. Casanova isn't black.

The discontent will snowball as long as this bigotted t u r d is manager. At least the '62 Mets were happy losers.

[Felicia]

Why does race play an issue all the time with these comments? shheesh! I don't always agree with Maddon's decisions but Young has jogged to 1st base a number of times.

[fellicio]

A racist never thinks he or she is a racist. They're always the last one to realize it. Even members of the Klan assert, "We don't hate anyone. We're just pro-white."

It's plain that Maddon and some of the bloggers are bigots. You--and Maddon-- just don't have an answer for the Casanova incident which was far worse than what happened yesterday with Young.

The best thing one can say about you and some of the others is that you have no sensitivity or knowledge of the black experience. The worst thing is that you are indeed active racists who probably uses the "N" word regularly.

[Mike K]

You're the real racist Fellicio. You hate white people and think they are all racist if they say anything negative about a black person. Right Fellicio? Oh yeah, a racist never thinks he or she is a racist.

[fellicio]

Mothing about Casanova, a white Latin, who didn't run on Sunday. Nothing about Baldelli, a good-looking white who is the biggest waste of money in Rays history. Nothing about Zobrist, who is white but not-so-good-looking, a lifelong minor leaguer and .155 hitter who would still be playing if he didn't get an injury, nothing about Glover, Balfour, and the rest of the sorry lot of relievers who are all white and can't hit the ocean if they were standing on the beach.

[DR]

Fellicio isn't a racist, he's just an idiot. To blame and look to play the race card is just ignorant. Like McNabb being mistreated, yeah, multi-millionaires playing a game are being mistreated. Jackie Robinson and the generations before his time were mistreated. Yet, Jackie played through it all and never cried about it. He was a man. He actually had reasons to cry about it. You clowns are crying for a guy who got lazy and later admitted to it, so don't you look stupid.

[kronos]

Well here's what the Rays organization looks like:

1) An owner who doesn't understand the game and won't spend enough money to field a competitive team.

2) A team vice president who doesn't understand the game and is the owner's Wall Street lackey.

3) A manager who doesn't have the temperament, leadership qualities, and smarts to function even adequately and who hasn't earned the respect of the players.

4) A pitching coach who celebrated his tutelage of one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball history by getting drunk, hitting another vehicle, and running from police.

5) A playing facility that is universally acknowledged to be the worst in the majors in every way, shape, and form.

6) A hometown newspaper that lionizes the team's overpaid, non-producer who is white and vilifies black players in its sports pages on a regular basis.

7) An anemic fan base responsible for giving the Rays a 29th home attendance ranking out of 30 teams.

8) Angry bloggers who express racist sentiments and lamely attempt to cover up their bigotry.

[Mike K]

Fellicio, why isn't Edwin Jackson on your list? Jackson was the worst pitcher in baseball the first two or three months of the season. Maddon stuck with him while there were other pitchers who deserved a spot in the rotation far more than Jackson. Of course Jackson isn't on your list because he is black and he doesn't fit into your stupid racist accusations.

In case you missed it:

DR, you really have a lot of anger and should get help for it. Delmon Young promised you nothing; Stu Sternberg did. The target of your betrayed feelings is not only misplaced, but the magnitude of your venom is off the charts.

There is not a doubt that it's more than one baseball player that has triggered your overreaction. I could try to be clever and suggest that you and Elijah Dukes should attend Anger Management 101 together...but it's really not funny for either of you nor the people around you.

[DR]

I tried to go to anger mangaement once but it didn't work out. I had road rage on the way there and after getting 23 sutures on my arm after breaking that old woman's window, i'd figured i just go to the bar until I was wasted and head home to beat my wife and dog in celebration of a great day.