Devil Ray
Delmon Young is a gifted player, an attitude, a temper. Will his latest run-in with an International League ump make him a liability?
Mike Scandura
MinorLeagueNews.com
PAWTUCKET, R.I. – Durham Bulls outfielder and top Tampa Bay Devil Rays prospect Delmon Young was indefinitely suspended today by International League president Randy Mobley, pending a review of his actions, for an incident that occurred yesterday evening during the game between the Durham Bulls and the Pawtucket Red Sox (Pawsox).
Young was ranked No. 2 by MLN in the FAB50 Baseball 2005 rankings, was named the top player in minor league baseball midseason by both Baseball America and MiLB.com in 2005
The current suspension was not the first incident for the incendiary outfielder. Young was handed a three-game suspension last May by the Southern League for bumping home plate umpire Jeff Latter with his chest after being called out on strikes.
Wednesday night at McCoy Stadium, Young did something other than bump chests to express his "displeasure" after being called out on strikes.
Delmon took a called third strike on a 1-and-2 pitch in the first inning. After first refusing to leave the batter's box, Young started walking toward Durham's dugout, located on the first base side at McCoy. He could be seen speaking into the home plate umpire's right ear.
The umpire ejected Young. Delmon took about six steps, turned and flipped his bat under hand so hard that it rolled several feet away after striking the umpire on his right arm. (See the VIDEO)
"I saw after the called third strike he stood in the batter's box for what seemed like an eternity," said a National League scout, on condition of anonymity, who was sitting in the front row directly behind home plate. "As Young walked from the plate, he walked by the umpire very closely. It wasn't something you could hear but he obviously said something. It was right after that when the umpire threw him out."
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