Delmon Young on the Road to Recovery/Ruining Everything

Delmon Young has yet to “run” or “hit” as Phillies training camp, but that hasn’t soiled the team’s enthusiasm toward their new every day right fielder!

Delmon will be visiting a doctor today to be discussing – no, not his weight problem yet – to be discussing – no, not his casual use of racial slurs, it’s not that kind of doctor – to be discussing the microfracture in his right ankle that is limiting his usefulness/movement/ability to turn the outfield competition into a landslide by standing on one side of it.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

According to Ruben Amaro, Delmon has dropped about ten pounds since his initial signing, which it feels like we were all freaking out about just yesterday.  It is a rare sign of progress from the “outfielder,” whose health would take a chunk of playing time away from hopefuls Domonic Brown, Darin Ruf, and/or John Mayberry.  Also Laynce Nix is there, but he is neither a young player clawing his way back from the fringe with an impressive spring, nor a former prospect being given a chance based on an incredible previous season, so nobody’s as concerned about him.

So, the Phillies are sending Delmon all the way to Los Angeles to meet with an ankle specialist who will speak very quickly so that Delmon can hop back on a red-eye flight and make it all the way back to training camp by tonight.  Which is the perfect plan, as Delmon Young is known for how quickly he can move.

Or perhaps there is no specialist.  Perhaps Delmon will arrive at the clinic, find the place cleared out, and a note from Ruben Amaro saying “This is the training,” assuming Delmon had just asked out loud “How will I get back to spring training?” to the cavernous empty warehouse that is very clearly not an ankle doctor’s office.

An innovative tactic for sure, designed to test both Delmon’s ability to get around and his dedication to making the team.

A team that will be blown up by day’s end, if the Phillies have any sense.