Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, step right up to see the great beast, the worlds largest and slowest outfielder, and I use the term outfielder lightly, Delmon Young! That's right Phillies fans, Delmon Young has been activated from the disabled list after off season ankle surgery kept him out for all of Spring Training and most of the first month of the season. So tonight, Ruben Amaro Jr.'s great outfield experiment begins.
After the long wait, in which Young seemed in no rush to get on the field, claiming Florida was too cold, I guess he forgot his last two teams were located in Minnesota and Detroit, Young will most likely find himself in the lineup tonight. He'll have two games with the luxury of the designated hitter in place, as the Phillies kick off a two game series with Cleveland tonight, but then we will begin to find out just how bad his mobility in the field is.
Young definitely will not be the next "Minister of Defense," but if he can provide some offense and not look too bad in the small field of Citizens Bank Park, this move could pay off. Amaro made a low risk, high reward signing with Young, signing last years ALCS MVP for only $750,000 which is a fraction of his $6.75 million salary last year.
The reason for such a pay cut is Young's history of getting in trouble and also his lack of ability to play the field adequately. Young was arrested last year for assaulting someone in New York City and yelling anti-Semitic slurs at them, so don't expect a model citizen for the kids to look up to.
The Phillies in their desperation to improve the offense sacrificed defense and class by signing Young, but if he produces at the plate, the cheap move will be worth it. Young has hit .284 in his career to go along with 89 home runs. If he can produce adequately at the plate it will be a boost to what at times has seemed like a lifeless offense. If he doesn't produce, it was a cheap move and the Phillies will continue to piece together their outfield in 2013 or look for a trade.
So hold on to your seats and grab some popcorn, the Delmon Young Show starts tonight, and one thing is for sure, it should be a very interesting ride. The comedic portion of the show will begin in two days when the Phillies face an NL opponent, and we find out if Amaro made a smart move, or an epic blunder. Time will tell, but what do you think Young will produce this year for the Phillies?
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