Good Start for D.Young

It is just A-Ball, but it is still promising.

Roger Clemens pitched a game at the same level earlier this season and gave up a home run. It's a good start for the oft-injured and recently troubled DH who is trying to work his way back to the big leagues. There is no comparison between Young and Clemens or between a DH and a pitcher, but, at the same time, it's better than going 0-3 with two strikeouts.

This is not to say that Young is ready for the big leagues tomorrow or anything. He will likely spend the maximum allotted time for his rehab assignment in the minor leagues, moving to Erie next week and then to Toledo after the minor league all-star break. If he can keep his batting average above .300, and (more importantly) show some pop in his bat, he will definately be called up after the assignment is over.

The Tigers all but have to call him up, anyway. Otherwise, what do they do? Give him his outright release? It would be all but their only option come the end of July. He's untradeable because of his recent domestic troubles, and he's out of minor league options. If the Tigers left him in the minors, he'd invariably be picked up by someone (likely the Yankees -- no offense to Aaron Guiel).

Here's what is going to happen: Young will finish his rehab assignment and get called up to the bigs. The Tigers will send one of their bench players to the minors, and he may or may not shuffle to and from Detroit with other bench players depending on Leyland's needs throughout August (barring injury). If Young can prove his worth, he will get about 50-75 at bats between his call up date and the end of August. If he can't, he will get 25-50, most as a pinch hitter in late innings. September first will roll around, and the Tigers will expand their roster as all major league teams are allowed to do, and Young will either play or he won't depending on performance. If the performance is good, the Tigers will decide what to do with him in the winter. If the performance is bad, they will look to dump him. The Tigers will not trade for anyone, as the team looks to be just as good if not better the way it is next season.

There you have it. You can now sleep until next spring training without worrying about the Dmitri Young saga. There is really not much else that could happen (barring an injury, which would likely just mean Young would be called up and no one would be sent down).

Now, what do the Tigers do when Maroth is available?