What to do with Delmon Young?

This is tough question to answer. The Detroit Tigers do not need what happened to the Detroit Lions this NFL off season. After repeated problems with Miguel Cabrera the time may have come from a point to be made. Or, the Tigers could simply let it be and continue on. There are some reports that Delmon Young was already on the trade block due to his slow start in 2012. He is hitting just .242 with 1 home run and 5 RBI. However, this latest incident has certainly hurt his trade value. Since he is due to make over 6 million dollars this year his contract is not exactly an easy thing to move anyway.

Since coming to Detroit Young has hit .265, with 9 home runs, and 37 RBI. Those are ok numbers over parts of two seasons. Of course he did bat over .300 in the post season last year before an injury became an obstacle for him. So Delmon has some value for this team, but how much value is still to be determined.

I would like him a lot more if he were to embrace the DH role, granted Brad Eldred, recently called up for the Toledo Mud Hens, has a lot of potential in that spot. However, in three games we have failed to see that transfer to at the plate success this team needs in a full time DH. Young’s often questionable defense will always be a sticking point for me and in my mind at least hurts his overall value.

The Tigers can keep him, release him, or work a trade for him. Those are the options right now. If they could get another arm, starter or reliever, for him I would say that that would be good value in return for him. However, I do think the Tigers starting rotation will start to figure it all out and Drew Smyly has done quite well. The bullpen is still an issue and if trading Young retuned a reliable reliever I would do that trade in a minute.

What I do know is this, the Tiger cut ties with Brandon Inge to remove a situation that was becoming a distraction, and they do not need Young to become a distraction. He is simply not a good enough player for all that. I would like to see him released and for the courts to really give him a slap that he may need personally. Furthermore the seven game suspension for a guy who has now had multiple incidents seems a little weak. Granted it is hard to punish a guy who has not yet been found guilty of anything. In the end I would not allow him to return to the team, much like his brother Dmitri, his off the field issues are always going to hang over his on the field success.