Young and Dukes were teammates at Charleston in 2004 until Dukes was promoted (somewhat mysteriously, since he wasn't playing particularly well) to Bakersfield in mid-season. In 2005 they were teammates again at Montgomery; this time it was Young that was promoted in mid-season and Dukes who stayed behind even though Dukes was probably deserving of a promotion as well, certainly more so than a year earlier. In 2006 Young and Dukes were together again in Durham, along with BJ Upton, and on the field the three of them were (a) inseparable and (b) completely separated from the rest of their teammates. I attended about 30 games in Durham that year and it was obvious that Young, Dukes, and Upton were going their own way.

That is an interesting story. BJ has also obviously had his share of questions as well. To me Young's performance issues seem to spring from the same well as his off the field issues - it seems like it all just came so easily for him that he never had to make any adjustments. He never had to refine his approach (i.e. learn some plate discipline) because he was a good enough hitter naturally that he could always succeed just hacking away.

Tampa Bay's had its share of miscreants over the years, including Josh Hamilton back in his drug-haze days. They've acquired Matt Bush and Josh Lueke in recent years, and three guys in their lower minors got busted for meth last August.

Young would be, by far, the best outfielder on the Mets.


Lucas Duda has more offensive upside and is as bad on D. I'd prefer him to Delmon.

I fail to see how Duda is any WORSE than Delmon
If Kirk Nieuwenhuis is a real 90 OPS+ hitter he's a better MLB OF than Delmon

Do the still have Fred Lewis in their system?

Darin Ruf would surely, surely deserve playing time ahead of him

But think of all of the "Ruf is ready!" headlines Delmon will be saving us from!

But think of all of the "Ruf is ready!" headlines Delmon will be saving us from!

And surely we would have to update the "What, I shudda said DiMaggio?" joke.

so, _elm_n apparently has up to 600K in weight-related incentives.

I am astonished to see DY get a job w/a non DH team. He is a terrible OF; slow, takes awful routes, won't go near the warning track, etc. His arm, once good, is average at best, WS blooper film NWS. Going to RF to boot is ludicrous. His bat is, well, what you would expect from an average middle IF with a little pop. Delmon is the classic uncoachable loafer. He has all the God-given talent in the world and everything came easily. All his coaches and managers and even his brother told him that talent wasn't enough, that to make it as a big leaguer he would need to work. And he said right and poured himself another cold one. He hasn't done anything with his skills. He still swings at the first pitch constantly, close or not. He's out of shape, gives away ABs like crazy, and generally leaves you pulling your hair out. The Tigers saw him for two months in 2011 and then he turned it on in the playoffs, so they re-upped him for 2012. He was awful all year and then "bore down" again in the post-season. Detroit had seen enough. But to people who haven't had him he is the tease; he could get in shape, he's only 27, he can hit a pitch off his shoe tops 450 feet, WE could be the ones to reach him and get lightning in a bottle, etc. The trouble is it won't happen. To their credit the Phillies got him for cheap. To their discredit, they don't need him, even for free. Some Detroit fans are saying today that hey for 750 Gs we could have kept him for a platoon partner for Dirks. I'd rather have Dirks hit the lefties, thanks anyway.