Tigers Response to Dmitri Young appropriate
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by user Sparty
The Detroit Tigers let go of Dmitri Young late last season after Dmitri played in a paltry 48 games. He largely missed the season due to personal issues that the Tigers were well documented in being supportive of him throughout his issues.
I was disappointed, like Dombrowski and Leyland, that Young was frustrated with how he perceived he was treated in Detroit. I don't think anyone during the 2004 and 2005 seasons was as decent a guy there or was given the opportunities to be the face of the Tigers. I remember the absolute adulation he received after going yard 3 times in the same game to open the 2005 season!
I get the feeling that perhaps the problem isn't the way the Tigers handled the situation, but the expectations that Dmitri had for himself. It's easier to scapegoat than accept any personal responsibility which is exactly what is going on in this situation. Detroit didn't land top talent in the last 3 years by being uncaring towards their players after all.
I cannot mention Dmitri without, of course, mentioning his little brother Delmon who has played for the local Durham Bulls club (Tampa Bay AAA). Delmon's exploits are also well documented. Delmon did not take any responsibility for the outburst merely playing it off as a bad choice fueled by off the field frustrations.
In both cases, I am compelled to wonder whether the Young brothers are clubhouse and franchise risks despite their huge upside. Certainly their stats suggest the power and potential for Delmon, while Dmitri has proven himself in the bigs already. That said, are two players with a past pattern of erratic behavior the best way to invest in the future of a club or shore up an existing hole?
