Delmon Young Gets Yanked for "Disrespecting the Game"

Nothing like a profanity-filled tirade to cap a season. Like the one Devil Rays outfielder Delmon Young launched yesterday after being pulled from a game by manager Joe Maddon.

Maddon accused Young of disrespecting the game by not running out a ground ball during yesterday's match-up against the Blue Jays. Young responded with a verbal carpet bombing, claiming he'd been unfairly singled out, and saying he was pulling himself out of today's season finale

"S---, everybody else is m-----f------ doing it," Young said. "S---, I'm the only one who m-----f------ gets in trouble for the s---. ... I play every day. I don't complain about going out there. So, I'll see you guys next year. I'm shut down for (today)."

Maddon stuck to his guns, explaining that The Game is bigger than even one of his team's best players.

"I'm not angry, I'm not upset, I'm disappointed," Maddon said. "That is my major rule among position players, just to run hard to first base. I believe this: when you run hard to first base every time you put the ball in play, that permeates your entire game. That makes you a better player. For us, for the Rays, we're going to run hard to first."

For a guy who seemed a sure contender for AL Rookie of the Year accolades, Young didn't do himself any favors with this outburst. It will be interesting to see how this bizarre finish to his 2007 season influences voters.