Ordonez's Role Diminishes With Young's Arrival
There's always fallout.
And in this case, the fallout from the Tigers' acquisition of Delmon Young falls squarely on Magglio Ordonez.
Manager Jim Leyland said Brennan Boesch, nearly recovered from his bruised left thumb, will be in Ordonez's right field spot for most of the remainder of the season. Young will take over in left field, and Austin Jackson remains in center.
"Obviously, we're not going to forget about Magglio," Leyland said. "I'm going to pick my spots. It won't be the steady playing time that he's had over his career, obviously, which was explained to him. That's been addressed. So that's pretty much where it stands."
More fallout fell on Will Rhymes, who was with the Tigers only for a day before being returned to Class AAA Toledo to make room for Young.
It could have been Andy Dirks who got sent out, but he remains to caddy for Boesch and Young.
The apparent surplus of outfielders gets somewhat thinned with Ryan Raburn inheriting most of the playing time at second base (again), occasionally spelled by Ramon Santiago or Don Kelly. Raburn also will play a little third base.
Ordonez is now reduced to part-time starter status, but more than likely he will do some pinch-hitting, a role in which he could thrive with his ability to hit with men on base and his reduced power potential.
"This is a dangerous lineup," Young said. "I've been on the shagging side of it for a slugfest. They always have guys on base. I don't know how it happens, but you always have Magglio, (Jhonny) Peralta, the big guys coming up with men on base."
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