League suspends Young

Tigers outfielder to miss 7 days after hate crime charge

5/1/2012

DETROIT -- Delmon Young was suspended Monday by Major League Baseball for seven days without pay following his arrest on a hate crime harassment charge last week in New York.

The commissioner's office said the suspension is retroactive to Friday, when Young was arrested after a late-night tussle at his hotel during which police say he yelled anti-Semitic epithets.

"Those associated with our game should meet the responsibilities and standards that stem from our game's stature as a social institution," Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "An incident like this cannot and will not be tolerated. I understand that Mr. Young is regretful, and it is my expectation that he will learn from this unfortunate episode."

The statement from the commissioner's office also said Young will be required to participate in a treatment program.

Young is eligible for reinstatement from the restricted list May 4.

The suspension will cost Young approximately $257,240 of his $6,725,000 salary.

Speaking before the Tigers game against the Kansas City Royals was postponed by rain, Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said Young will not appeal the ruling and that he will not face additional discipline by the team.

"Under the [collective bargaining agreement], there's no dual discipline," he said. "He'll be activated and ready to play on Friday. If he's not in the lineup, that will be the manager's decision. He's been working out over the weekend and took batting practice today, so he'll be physically ready on Friday."

Around 2:30 a.m. Friday, Young was standing outside the team hotel in New York. Nearby, a group of about four Chicago tourists staying at the hotel were approached by a panhandler wearing a yarmulke and a Star of David around his neck, according to police.

Afterward, as the group walked up to the hotel doors, Young started yelling anti-Semitic epithets, police said. It was not clear whom Young was yelling at, but he got into a scuffle with the Chicago group, and a 32-year-old man was tackled and sustained scratches to his elbows, according to police.

Dombrowski did not know any of the details of the treatment program. It is not known if Young will undergo sensitivity training, treatment for alcohol and anger issues, or some combination.

"We have not been told those details, and we might never know all of them," he said. "When Miguel [Cabrera] was in a similar program last spring, I never saw the entire treatment program. The team is just told what they need to know to facilitate the player's work in the program."

Young is hitting .242 in 18 games, batting fifth in the order behind Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. He has one homer and five RBIs.

Tigers-Royals rainout to be made up Sept. 24

The Tigers' game against the Royals was postponed because of bad weather Monday night, Kansas City's second rainout in three days. This one will be made up at 7:05 p.m. on Sept. 24, which had been a mutual off day for both teams before playing each other the following day at Comerica Park.

"You don't want to wait until September, but that's a better option than sitting here for hours trying to wait out this rain," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "You don't want to sit here all night and still not be able to play."

Luke Hochevar had been slated to pitch for the Royals against Tigers left-hander Duane Below. Hochevar was pushed back a day, but Detroit will skip Below and start Rick Porcello as scheduled today at 7 p.m.

Play never started, and the game was called after a delay of about 40 minutes.

"If you looked at the forecast and the radar, you pretty much knew there wasn't going to be a chance of getting this one in," Yost said. "There was just way too much rain."

The Royals had won three in a row before Saturday's game in Minnesota was postponed, but Yost doesn't think the lack of action has hurt his team's momentum. Kansas City lost to the Twins 7-4 on Sunday.

"These guys are in here ready and raring to go," he said. "Obviously, they want to play baseball, but when you get to this level, you are used to things like this happening."

The rainout could help both teams on the mound.

The Royals will pitch Hochevar and Jonathan Sanchez in Detroit, then have Danny Duffy and Bruce Chen ready for the first two games of a home series against the Yankees. That will allow Kansas City to skip struggling Luis Mendoza.

The Tigers, already facing a shortage in the bullpen, were going to start Below against the Royals. The rainout not only gives Detroit's overworked relievers an extra day off, it lets manager Jim Leyland return Below to his role of long relief.

Doug Fister (strained ribcage) is scheduled for a rehab start Wednesday in Toledo, and the Tigers hope he'll be ready to pitch the next time his spot in the rotation comes up.

"If everything goes well on Wednesday, and I obviously don't know if it will, Fister would start next Monday in Seattle," Leyland said.

The Tigers' clubhouse was a fairly gloomy place for much of Monday afternoon, with the team having lost eight of 10 games, but things immediately brightened when injured designated hitter Victor Martinez limped into the clubhouse. Martinez, expected to miss most of the season after injuring his knee during offseason workouts, hadn't been to Comerica Park yet this year.

"It is really great to be back here," he said. "I can't tell you how much I miss this."