Walter

Young

Young emerged as a solid first-base prospect with a .333-25-103 season at Single-A Hickory last year. He’s batting .222 with three homers and 10 RBI in 13 games this year.

Despite the fact that he broke Calvin Pickering’s team record of 31 homers, and was selected as the organizational Player of the Month for August, Young will not be a September call up. He will likely start next season as the starter at first base in Triple-A Ottawa.

Young, claimed off waivers from the Pirates a year ago, hit .274/.343/.539 for Double-A Bowie this season. He’ll need to do just as well in Triple-A next year if he wants to be taken seriously as a potential regular. Since he turns 25 in Feburary, he doesn’t have time to waste.

Young struggled over the first two months, but he’s now batting .273/.340/.542 for Bowie. There’s a chance that he could be Baltimore’s first baseman or DH in 2006.

Still no official at-bat for Young, who was recalled on September 1. We thought Young would get some playing time for the Orioles with Rafael Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa out, but he’s not likely to have any value given how little they’ve played him to date.

One of the outs was hit pretty well, too. The Orioles should start playing Young against some right-handers. Maybe he’s not going to have a place in their long-term plans, but there’s no reason not to see what he can do.

The Orioles should play Young over Alejandro Freire when Rafael Palmeiro sits and see if the big slugger has any place in their 2006 plans. He might have some fantasy value in AL-only leagues. Castro won’t.

After a fast start for Ottawa, Young was a disappointment, finishing at .288/.334/.438 with 13 HR in 123 games for Ottawa. He’ll need so show much better power to put himself into Baltimore’s plans. The Orioles should give him at least a few starts per week, at least until Sammy Sosa gets back or Rafael Palmeiro resumes hitting. He might have a little value in AL-only leagues.

It may be tough for Young to see time in this series because Toronto is starting three left-handers. Young was on deck yesterday when B.J. Surhoff popped out to end the game.

He was replaced by Eddie Rogers after his single in the ninth and the pinch-runner came around to score the go-ahead run. Young has earned himself additional at-bats. He still might be worth using in AL-only leagues.