Delmon Young is carrying the Twins
By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 07/21/2010
With the Twins missing former MVP and leading hitter Justin Morneau, who is out with a concussion, and starting pitching being inconsistent, outside of Carl Pavano they have had to lean heavily on Delmon Young. And deliver he has.
Young is having an outstanding season and has helped the Twins survive since giving up first place. He bats in the seventh spot and plays solid left field for the Twins. He is not a fan favorite, but the Twins would be in deep trouble with out him.
Over the last month, Young has been Mr. Clutch and the team's best player. The Twins were just 12-15 in June and are 6-8 currently in July, but they can't blame Young. So fans had better recognize Young; he's one of the American League's best players. In fact, he is so hot that he leads all MLB players with a .407 batting average with men in scoring position.
Fitz notes & quotes
So far in 2010 through the Chicago White Sox series, the Twins have the same record of 4-7 when Justin Morneau or Joe Mauer is not in the line-up.
Since the Twins moved to Minnesota in 1961, the pitchers with the most wins against them are Chicago's Mark Buehrle and Roger Clemens. Both pitchers have each beaten the Twins 24 times.
The Twins’ dramatic four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday to beat the first-place Chicago White Sox was huge. It was highlighted by a game-winning two-run single by red-hot Delmon Young. With the 7-6 win, the Twins won the big four-game series three games to one and closed to just one and a half games back of Chicago.
The White Sox had been 45-1 this season when leading going into the ninth inning. Young had four RBI's in the win and leads the team this season in RBI's with 64. Young is hitting .344 with seven home runs and 47 RBIs in his last 50 games.
The White Sox came into town the hottest team in baseball. Winners of 26 of 31 games after winning the opener 8-7, the first-place Sox had won nine straight games and led the Twins by four and a half games.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the White Sox, who trailed the Twins by nine and a half games on June 8, are only the third team after the 1975 Cincinnati Reds and the 1990 New York Mets to match the best record in Major League history (25-5) in the final 30 games before the All-Star break.
Ken Williams is only the third Black senior vice president/general manager in baseball and is the only African American general manager in Chicago sports history. He has done a remarkable job with the White Sox the last 10 years, highlighted by Chicago's 2005 World Series championship.
His ability to find talented players like Andrew Jones, Juan Pierre, Matt Thornton, Carlos Quentin, Bobby Jenks, Alexei Ramirez, J.J. Putz, Alex Rios and A.J. Pierzynski off waivers-trades or as free agents speaks to a keen eye for talent. He also hired Manager Ozzie Guillen, the only Latino to win a World Series as a manager.
Gillette Fusion curse?
So far, 2010 has been less than stellar for Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Derek Jeter. All three superstars took part in the Gillette Fusion TV marketing campaign a year ago. However, you might say all three stars have taken career hits since.
Tiger Woods’ well-documented, self-induced marriage turmoil and personal life scandal have hurt his game. He has not won a Major since the 2008 U.S. Open and has not won a golf tournament in this year. Last year he won six times.
Federer has lost his grip in tennis, failing to win his record seventh Wimbledon title. Previously he lost at the French Open, and he is no longer the world’s number-one male tennis player. In fact, he has fallen to number three in the world rankings for the first time since 2003.
Jeter's image took a hit last week when he failed to even attend the funeral services of legendary Yankee Stadium PA announcer Bob Sheppard. Sheppard, whose voice introductions are so famous that he was nicknamed “The Voice of God,” died last week at age 99. Jeter, the Yankees’ captain, is the only player who still uses the taped audio voice of Sheppard to introduce him at Yankee home games.
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:20 am, and on WDGY-AM 740 Monday & Saturday mornings at 7:50 am and Fridays at 3:50 pm; he also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Larry welcomes reader responses to lfitzgerald@spokesman-recorder.com , or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com .
