Tigers#1
01-06-2003, 08:13 PM
NASHVILLE -- Dmitri Young vowed Saturday to have a comeback season in 2003.
He didn't vow to have it for the Detroit Tigers. Three months after labeling the 2002 season "a disaster" when he left the team with two weeks to go, Young stopped by baseball's winter meetings and let it be known that he's still not the world's happiest Tiger.
Just as in September, Young didn't ask to be traded. Just as in September, he said he hoped things would work out in Detroit.
Even more than in September, he emphasized that he won't be happy unless the Tigers give him back the first-base job he lost when the team traded for Carlos Pena.
"If I'm going to be the leader of this team, well, the leader should have his own position," Young said. "And not be a floater. . . . I don't feel I should have lost my position, due to a freakish injury like a hernia."
Young even suggested that the Tigers should move Pena to the outfield, which is the one possibility that they absolutely won't consider. First base belongs to Pena; Young will play somewhere else.
"We'll make a spot for him," manager Alan Trammell said.
Young and Trammell met briefly Saturday, the first time the two had spoken since Trammell became the Tiger manager in October. They didn't discuss where Young will play, but Trammell insisted it won't be a problem and that he can keep Young happy.
"That's my job," Trammell said. "We'll deal with that."
Saturday, Trammell preferred to deal with the positive, which is that Young appears to be in better shape than ever. He's been working out, and working with a nutritionist. He has lost weight, although he won't say how much.
"He looked fantastic," Trammell said.
"He looked fantastic," president and general manager Dave Dombrowski echoed.
And how did he sound?
"We were all just ecstatic to see him and the way he looked," Trammell said. "I don't have any doubts (about keeping him happy). He's an asset. We need him."
That was the idea when the Tigers traded for Young at last year's winter meetings, and when they signed him to a four-year, $28.5 million contract shortly thereafter. But Young played in just 54 games, batted just .284 and drove in just 27 runs.
"I'm going to hit .300 next year," Young said Saturday. "For somebody."
It seems virtually impossible for the Tigers to trade Young, because of the contract and baseball's current tight economics. But it's even less likely that they'll play him at first base, unless Pena gets hurt.
Eventually, they'll figure it out. Eventually, they'll talk to him about figuring it out.
For now, they'll have to settle on being happy that he's in shape.
"When (people) see me in shape, they're going to see I'm serious," Young said. "That'll be good for our team - or for one of the other 29."
Former Tiger bench coach Felipe Alou, the new manager of the San Francisco Giants, insisted Saturday that Dombrowski will be successful in Detroit.
"He's going to turn it around," Alou said. "He signed for five years, right? He's going to turn it. It's not going to happen in two or three years. But he will."
Young was at the winter meetings with his younger brother Delmon, who was presented with a Baseball America award as the national youth player of the year. By late afternoon Saturday, the Tigers hadn't yet had a single formal trade meeting with any other team. That's not unusual at this year's meetings. "The only meeting we've had in our suite was with the guys delivering food," one American League scout said. The Tigers are looking at free agents, but only those who will sign minor-league contracts with a chance to make the team in spring training. They've already signed infielder Warren Morris. They'd consider giving the same type of deal to Brian Moehler, if he can't find a guaranteed big-league job. Free agent outfielder John Vander Wal is hoping to make a deal with the Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers.
He didn't vow to have it for the Detroit Tigers. Three months after labeling the 2002 season "a disaster" when he left the team with two weeks to go, Young stopped by baseball's winter meetings and let it be known that he's still not the world's happiest Tiger.
Just as in September, Young didn't ask to be traded. Just as in September, he said he hoped things would work out in Detroit.
Even more than in September, he emphasized that he won't be happy unless the Tigers give him back the first-base job he lost when the team traded for Carlos Pena.
"If I'm going to be the leader of this team, well, the leader should have his own position," Young said. "And not be a floater. . . . I don't feel I should have lost my position, due to a freakish injury like a hernia."
Young even suggested that the Tigers should move Pena to the outfield, which is the one possibility that they absolutely won't consider. First base belongs to Pena; Young will play somewhere else.
"We'll make a spot for him," manager Alan Trammell said.
Young and Trammell met briefly Saturday, the first time the two had spoken since Trammell became the Tiger manager in October. They didn't discuss where Young will play, but Trammell insisted it won't be a problem and that he can keep Young happy.
"That's my job," Trammell said. "We'll deal with that."
Saturday, Trammell preferred to deal with the positive, which is that Young appears to be in better shape than ever. He's been working out, and working with a nutritionist. He has lost weight, although he won't say how much.
"He looked fantastic," Trammell said.
"He looked fantastic," president and general manager Dave Dombrowski echoed.
And how did he sound?
"We were all just ecstatic to see him and the way he looked," Trammell said. "I don't have any doubts (about keeping him happy). He's an asset. We need him."
That was the idea when the Tigers traded for Young at last year's winter meetings, and when they signed him to a four-year, $28.5 million contract shortly thereafter. But Young played in just 54 games, batted just .284 and drove in just 27 runs.
"I'm going to hit .300 next year," Young said Saturday. "For somebody."
It seems virtually impossible for the Tigers to trade Young, because of the contract and baseball's current tight economics. But it's even less likely that they'll play him at first base, unless Pena gets hurt.
Eventually, they'll figure it out. Eventually, they'll talk to him about figuring it out.
For now, they'll have to settle on being happy that he's in shape.
"When (people) see me in shape, they're going to see I'm serious," Young said. "That'll be good for our team - or for one of the other 29."
Former Tiger bench coach Felipe Alou, the new manager of the San Francisco Giants, insisted Saturday that Dombrowski will be successful in Detroit.
"He's going to turn it around," Alou said. "He signed for five years, right? He's going to turn it. It's not going to happen in two or three years. But he will."
Young was at the winter meetings with his younger brother Delmon, who was presented with a Baseball America award as the national youth player of the year. By late afternoon Saturday, the Tigers hadn't yet had a single formal trade meeting with any other team. That's not unusual at this year's meetings. "The only meeting we've had in our suite was with the guys delivering food," one American League scout said. The Tigers are looking at free agents, but only those who will sign minor-league contracts with a chance to make the team in spring training. They've already signed infielder Warren Morris. They'd consider giving the same type of deal to Brian Moehler, if he can't find a guaranteed big-league job. Free agent outfielder John Vander Wal is hoping to make a deal with the Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers.