Tampa Bay Devil Rays fans — both of 'em! Wee! — are all a a-twitter today, as they try to figure out just how long it's going to take top prospect Delmon Young to get to the big leagues now. In case you missed it, Young, after taking a called third strike last night, flipped his bat into the chest of an umpire last evening.
No one has found video of the incident yet, and the radio broadcasts describe a less violent attack that some of the newspaper reports have shown. But Raystalk has a firsthand, eyewitness account of the incident, and though it might not have been as violent as people feared, it's certainly going to warrant a healthy suspension.
Now I want you all to understand exactly what happened here. I saw it was a toss. He tossed the bat. He didn't hurl it. He didn't exactly throw it. He didn't fling it. He certainly didn't draw back and take a full cut at the umpire. It wasn't a violent act. It wasn't intended to cause harm, what Delmon did. But it was deliberate. It was calculated. And, although not violent, it was certainly malicious.
Young can expect a healthy suspension, which should delay his trip to the major leagues. Though, considering this is the Devil Rays, that could end up being a blessing.
Saw It With My Own Eyes [Raystalk]
Delmon Young Sticks Up For Striking Umps [Rays Index]
Delmon Young K's, Goes Crazy [Dan's Take]
(UPDATE: Here's audio of the broadcast.)