So many times this season, Cubs manager Don Baylor has intended to give Eric Young the day off. But when the lineup card is posted, Young’s name invariably appears in the leadoff spot.
“I’ve pushed the envelope with him to get a `W’ here or a `W’ there,” Baylor said. “He has been a catalyst for us, but I know how far I can push him health-wise.”
He certainly should know. Young has been Baylor’s second baseman in all but one of his seven seasons as a manager, the first six coming at Colorado.
So when Baylor decided Sunday to rest Young and his sore knees, the 33-year-old second baseman didn’t fight it.
“I had a little swelling,” Young said, “but nothing to get excited about. I should come back with fresh legs Tuesday.”
The Cubs will need Young Tuesday for their series opener in Pittsburgh, just as Young will need the at-bats to reach one of his personal goals for the season–200 hits.
“That’s an incredible feat,” he said. “You think about how it was a normal thing for guys like Wade Boggs. That has been a goal of mine and I came close in ’96. I had 184.”
Young has 95 hits in 74 games this season, which puts him on pace for 208.
But that productivity still might not be enough for Young to earn his second career All-Star berth. The reason? The National League could field an All-Star lineup with second basemen alone.
Florida’s Luis Castillo (.367, 32 stolen bases) could lead off, followed by Young (.321, 5 homers, 26 RBIs, 25 steals), New York’s Edgardo Alfonzo (.342, 12 homers, 51 RBIs), Montreal’s Jose Vidro (371, 12, 52), San Francisco’s Jeff Kent (.343, 19, 71), Cincinnati’s Pokey Reese (.275, 5, 25), Arizona’s Jay Bell (.282, 8, 27), Atlanta’s Quilvio Veras (.312, 4, 31) and San Diego’s Bret Boone (.258, 12, 47).
One problem with the lineup: It excludes Houston’s Craig Biggio (.263, 4, 23), who actually leads the balloting with 452,863 votes. Alfonzo is second at 387,893.
Young already has Baylor’s vote, but the only one that counts belongs to Atlanta manager Bobby Cox, who will select the reserves.
“EY’s taking pride in his defense again,” Baylor said. “When he had his All-Star year, it was like that.”
Young also is making his hits count. Although Castillo has more stolen bases, Young has almost nine times as many RBIs.
Castillo somehow has driven in just three runs this season despite having 79 hits in 215 at-bats.
“We were looking at that stat,” Young said. “The only way a leadoff guy can get a lot of RBIs is if your No. 8 hitter is on a lot and gives you that opportunity to [drive him in]. Damon [Buford] and Joe [Girardi] have done that.”
Glad he’s here: A few days before shortstop Ricky Gutierrez was activated from the disabled list, infielder Jeff Huson asked Baylor a simple question: Should I find a new line of work?
“He told me I was safe,” Huson said.
It was the second time Baylor had held the keys to Huson’s future. The first came in spring training before the 1997 season when Baylor cut Huson from Colorado’s Opening Day roster but persuaded him not to retire.
This time, Baylor decided to keep Huson, 35, instead of fan favorite Augie Ojeda. The decision paid off Sunday, when Huson lined a two-run triple to right field and reached first on a ninth-inning bunt.
“Jeff makes things happen,” Baylor said. “He sits on the bench and pays attention. And when he gets a chance to play, he always finds a way to do something.”
That’s the ticket: The Brewers announced that plenty of seats are still available for the Cubs series this weekend at County Stadium. Call 800-933-7890 for information.
