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Bulls’ Delmon Young Discusses Suspension
Devil Rays Issue Reaction |
Durham Bulls outfielder Delmon Young received the longest suspension in International League history for a bat throwing incident on April 26th. The following is a transcript of a press conference held after the announcement he would be suspended without pay for 50 games and complete 50 hours of community service.
Bulls outfielder Delmon Young has received the International League’s longest ever suspension for an on field incident. |
DELMON YOUNG: (Durham Bulls Outfielder)
DY: I’d like to say I’m sorry for this incident ever happening. It should have never came to this. I’d like to just get on with this and to let everyone know that I do regret the situation and I’ll try to get through it and I’m going to get through it. Today is just a new day and I’m going to get started today.
Q: 50 too many?
DY: He did his job, and that was his job to make a suspension. I can’t go 50, 100, 25, you know. You just have to let him do his job, you know. Fifty is a fair amount and I’m going to serve it and then I’ll be back on the ball field.
Q: How concerned are you about this following you around?
DY: I’m concerned about it just a little bit. But you know, I’m just out here to play baseball and everything. I’m just going to hope everything dies down with my development.
Q: Can you in your words tell us what happened and why it happened?
DY: You’ve seen the video and everything. I’m just here to get on with this situation right now. I’m just getting through it and everything.
Q: Greg Norton said it didn’t look as bad as the video. Is that your take too?
DY: It’s going to get old. But I’m getting through this. I’m not really going to elaborate on everything right now. That’s going to be about it.
Q: In light of your incident last year with the other umpire. Do you think you have an anger management issue?
DY: No I don’t really think I have anger management issues. I’m competitive. I try and go out there and do the best I can so I can help my team win. I just let my emotions get the best of me sometimes. But you know I’ve got to control that. And I’ve got to try and get back out on the ball field.
Q: Did you talk to the umpire, send him any kind of message?
DY: No, we tried to get in contact, but the league doesn’t allow that kind of stuff to happen so I haven’t been in contact with him. I still plan to. It’s just the way everything has gone.
Q: What do you hope to gain out of serving your time?
DY: Just let other people know that you can’t get away with stuff like this . In professional sports or life in general. Teach young kids to play the game the right way. Respect the game.
Q: You plan to talk about it with the kids?
DY: If they ask the question, I’m just going to try and steer them in the right direction. Because there’s a lot of things that happen out on the ballfield that people get in trouble for. Just you know, teach them the right way to play the game and, you know, don’t veer far from it.
Q: How does this change your outlook on possibly getting to the Majors this year?
DY: I’m just working on my game right now. I’m not thinking about anything, the Major League right now. I wouldn’t mind being there. But I have to pay my time. So I’m just looking to get back on the ball field at Durham and help the team win down there.
Q: You’ll be able to work out here? Do you think this will offset you missing the 50 games?
DY: You can get better by not playing games. You can get better by playing games. You can get worse by not playing games. You can get worse by not playing. I’m just going to use this time to mentally get prepared for the games again.
Q: Do you know what you’ll do (as far as community service)?
DY: I’ll just go there and work with the team and everything. whatever they need me to do. But I really don’t know the details of what my situation is. So I can’t give you that answer.
Q: You’ve been pretty roundly criticized for this around this country. Has that stung you in any way? Have you paid much attention to what’s been said?
DY: I haven’t really paid much attention to it. But everyone’s going to have their day with this, so you can’t really look at it and get mad about it. You need to look at it and take it for what it is. Get through the situation and make sure that it never happens again.
Q: You talked to your brother at all? What advice had he given you?
DY: He just told me to keep my head up and get through it.
Q: What would you have thought if you had seen this video of someone else throwing a bat at an umpire?
DY: Probably the same thing ya’ll are thinking.
Q: It has been suggested this might help you grow? Do you see any positives coming out of it?
DY: There’s a positive for everything you do. It’s a great time for me to learn about myself and how to play the game to a different extent. So I’ll strive to get better as a person and a player.
Q: Any kind of counseling off the field?
DY: I have a support system and everything. I’m getting through the situation. I just have a guy I talk to to help me get through the situation. I’m not really going to elaborate on all these questions. I’m just going to take it for what it is.
Q: Have you thought about what June 19th might be like and the reaction from the fans?
DY: Not really thinking about that situation. Just thinking about coming back and playing baseball.
Q: Now you have a label, any concerns about that?
DY: I’m just going to come out and keep playing baseball. And be positive. People can think about a person one way but until they get to know the person, it’s a different story.
Q: Not a bad guy?
DY: I’m not really such a bad person. I may act up a little bit every once in a while. But I’m really not a bad person.
ANDREW FRIEDMAN: (Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations – Tampa Bay Devils Rays)
Q: Reaction?
AF: We fully support the International League with the suspension that was levied. We think that’s one important part of this but that also the community service aspect is important in this. It’s something that he’s really welcomed. I think it’s going to be important for him to get the most out of this and to really turn this into a positive.
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Statement from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on the Suspension of Delmon Young
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays fully support the decision of International League President Randy Mobley to suspend Delmon Young for 50 games. We thank Randy for his thoroughness and professionalism during the inquiry.
As stated before, we do not tolerate this type of conduct from anyone in the Devil Rays organization.
During this investigation, the Rays worked closely with the Delmon and the International League on the community service component of Delmon’s suspension. The Devil Rays believe this is an integral part of Delmon’s suspension. We will work with Delmon to facilitate his community service in both St. Petersburg, Fla., and Durham, N.C.
We expect Delmon will resume his training at our minor league complex later this week.
The Devil Rays organization will continue to provide all necessary support and assistance to Delmon during his suspension.
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As I’ve said, we wish this incident wouldn’t have happened, but it has. Now it’s about turing it into a positive and I think he’s fully committed to taking the necessary steps to turn this into a positive.
Q: Do you think he has an anger management problem?
AF: I really don’t. I think one of the things that works for him and one of the things that works against him is his competitiveness. I don’t think he knows how to draw that line like some others do. And it’s something he has to learn how to channel in the right way and get the most out of it. Because it can be a positive. Right now it’s both a positive and a negative. And he needs to learn how to handle success and failure in the right way.
Q: What about a reputation?
AF: I think that this is definitely going to have some lingering effect with the umpires. And it’s going to be something that he’s going to have to battle. And you hope with him treating them with the requisite respect, it slowly goes away over time. It’s hard to say how long it will last. But it will definitely be there in the near term.
Thanks to DBBC’s Matt DeMargel for this capcom story & photo.
