Interesting story about Dmitri Young in the Washington Times. Young, you’ll remember, was given one of baseball’s more, well, unexpected contract extensions when Jim Bowden gave him $10 million for 2008 and 2009 a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, he only played 50 games last season and has been completely MIA so far in 2009 due to back trouble and bereavement leave and general Dmitri Youngishness. He wants to play, of course, but there’s no room in Washington unless Nick Johnson is traded. Young wouldn’t mind being traded himself, but there’s a slight problem with that:
There isn’t anyone interested in a 35-year-old singles-and-doubles hitter who is a liability in the field and who has a history of trouble with his back and with diabetes. And who is owed $5 million this season.
Yeah, that kind of stuff tends to get in the way. Still the most gobsmacking part of the story comes with this passage:
In his mind, though, he believes he could have been playing in the majors months ago. Having shed 40 pounds from a 6-foot-2 frame that once weighed in at 330 and having successfully controlled his diabetes thanks to a strict diet, medicine and exercise regime, he said it has been four years since he has felt this well.
That’s pretty amazing if true. And a little sad, because given his contract situation, there’s no incentive for anyone to give Young a second look at this point. But if he were made available for the league minimum, wouldn’t it be worth it for some AL team to take a chance on him? Yes, he’s provided many unintentional laughs over the years, but he has also hit pretty damn well (he’s only two years removed from a .320/.378/.491 season). If he were released by the Nats tomorrow and could show that he’s reasonably healthy, couldn’t he be a Matt Stairs figure? Couldn’t he be useful making a spot start here and there and serving as a reasonably dangerous pinch hitter?
OK, maybe that’s a stretch. I’ve just always had a soft spot for Dmitri. He’s got his problems, but the guy is funny and passionate and smarter than he’s given credit for, and I’ll always hope that there’s a place for a guy like that in the game.
Hell, bench coaches don’t do anything. Maybe that would be a good place for him . . .
