NewsTwins welcome Young back to clubhouse
Teammates plan to support slugger after mother's passing
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
05/24/09 9:35 PM ET
MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins catcher Mike Redmond has never forgotten the phone call he received a couple of days before the start of the 2000 season informing him that his father had passed away. The year following his father's death was one of the most difficult times in Redmond's life, but he said something that helped him to get through that period was baseball. |
"For me, the only time I was really happy and not thinking of my dad was when I was at the ballpark and with my teammates," said Redmond, who was playing for the Marlins at the time. "When I was there, we were always joking around or talking about the game or playing in the game. The hardest part was the minute that I left the clubhouse."
Redmond's hope is that the ballpark can be the same place of refuge for his teammate, Delmon Young, who rejoined the club on Sunday following the passing of his mother, Bonnie. "It's obviously going to be a tough go for him this whole year," Redmond said. "The great thing is that he's got 25 guys here who love him. Not all of us understand what he's going through, but we're here for him. Like any teammate, we're going to help him get through it. There are going to be good days and bad days, but we'll try to help him the most we can. It might just be a pat on the back or a talk. But we're going to be there for him." Young returned after being away from the team for more than a week, having traveled back to California to spend some time with his mother before she passed away following a battle with pancreatic and liver cancer. The funeral for Bonnie Young took place on Saturday in Vicksburg, Miss., and Young was back in uniform on Sunday night for the series finale against the Brewers. All of the players were eager to welcome Young back and there were plenty of hugs and smiles exchanged around the clubhouse. Although he wasn't originally slotted in the lineup, Young got the start in left field after Denard Span was scratched due to feeling light-headed and lethargic. For manager Ron Gardenhire, it was just good to see Young back with the club again. "We all know it's been a tough go," Gardenhire said. "I think if you look back at the whole situation when he had the migraine headaches before he left here, that was probably all part of what was going on. It's his personal life and it's been real hard, obviously. ... But it's good to have him back, and he seems excited to be here." Like Redmond, Gardenhire also has a better understanding of what Young is going through as the skipper lost his brother, Mike, during the 2008 season. Gardenhire spent some time away from the team following the passing of his brother, and he said returning to the team afterward gave him a place to let those thoughts disappear for a short time. "It doesn't go away," Gardenhire said of the loss. "But for the period of the game, and the time at the ballpark, at least you get your mind somewhere else. That's what he needs at this point right now. You need your mind to kind of relax a little bit. ... Your sanctuary here is the ballpark."Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
