Orioles announce the passing of Mike Young

[SteveA]

He was 63 years old.

His 1985 season was one of the better seasons ever by an Orioles outfielder.

 

[SemperFi]

I loved Mike Young, good outfielder great power.  Thought of him yesterday and promises not realized, his '85 was one of the best half seasons in Oriole's history.  

[Greenpastures23]

RIP

He had a lot of natural talent 

[Greenpastures23]

One of the first Orioles players I remember as a toddler

[Tony-OH]

Really ashamed. Way too young. 

I remember thinking Young was the next Eddie Murray as a hitter after that rookie year. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

6 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Really ashamed. Way too young. 

I remember thinking Young was the next Eddie Murray as a hitter after that rookie year. 

The 1985 Orioles had a really formidable lineup with Ripken, Murray and Young in the heart of the order. It looked like they would anchor the lineup the remainder of the decade.

Alas, Young faded after his breakout 1985 season, Murray's relationship with team started to fade in 1986 for the dumbest of reasons and Cal ended up having some uneven offensive seasons to close out the 1980's.

 

 

Edited May 30, 2023 by OsFanSinceThe80s

[Jagwar]

13 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Really ashamed. Way too young. 

I remember thinking Young was the next Eddie Murray as a hitter after that rookie year. 

Was just going to post the exact same thing. 

I seem to remember a game where we were sitting in the LF seats, he was batting left handed, hit a HR to right center that CLEARED the bleachers and hit the hill behind them. An absolute shot.

[IllinoisOsFan]

Well… damn 

I was in high school and in the outfield seats with some friends at Memorial Stadium. There was a drunk guy a few rows away who kept yelling at the top of his lungs-“Heyyyyy Miiiiiiike!!!“ EVERY DAMN TIME the Orioles played defense. Young ignored him the whole game, until the top of the ninth. He caught a fly ball, turned around, pointed to the dude and tossed him the ball.

The “Hey Mike!” bellow became an inside joke amongst my buds. Weird how a goofy memory can be so vivid when you read news like this.

RIP

[Gurgi]

3 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Really ashamed. Way too young. 

I remember thinking Young was the next Eddie Murray as a hitter after that rookie year. 

Switch hitter.......power.  I thought he was indeed the next Murray.  

[SemperFi]

11 hours ago, Jagwar said:

Was just going to post the exact same thing. 

I seem to remember a game where we were sitting in the LF seats, he was batting left handed, hit a HR to right center that CLEARED the bleachers and hit the hill behind them. An absolute shot.

He's one of those guys that need to be included when there is a discussion on Orioles with the most pure power.  Not sure of the majors but I remember some 500 ft plus bombs in the minors.

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/mike-young/

Edited May 30, 2023 by SemperFi

[Number5]

RIP.

[Frobby]

I remembered that Young had one crazy hot month as an Oriole.  Turns out that was August 1985, when he hit .298/.374/.702, with 11 homers and 32 RBI.

Condolences to his family, who I’m sure remember him for a lot more than anything that happened on a baseball field.  

[LA2]

I browsed YouTube looking for Mike Young games and only found a full broadcast of the 1986 Opening Day game in which Young was the DH. I figured that watching it was one proper way for an old fan to honor his passing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEthiXD0REw&t=2195s

At 1:32 of the opening ceremony, Chuck Thompson introduces Young over the P.A. system as "an outstanding young man who came into his own last year" (22 homers in the 2nd half of '85!). Crowded by photographers, Pres. Reagan throws two short pitches. Mike Flanagan starts on the mound. Batting sixth behind Ripken, Murray, and Fred Lynn, Mike's ABs are at 36:30, 1:15:15, 1:41:15, and 2:13:04; in the last one he turns around to hit right-handed and draws a 4-pitch walk. I don't remember noticing before how much his stance, especially when batting left-handed, resembled that of Murray, hitting clean-up that day.

The Indians, 60-102 the previous season, win 6-4, but I must say this video is full of rich voices and nostalgic moments for oldtime fans. It begins with Earl Weaver, who had come out of retirement 2/3 of the way through the previous season, getting a fine ovation and then shaking the hand of each player in the starting lineup when he trots out to take his place along the foul line. At 2:10, it's interesting to hear the then record-large crowd roar for 36-years-old Rick Dempsey more than for Cal or Eddie. Four switch-hitters in the starting lineup--Alan Wiggins, Murray, Young, and John Shelby. Fred Lynn's typically beautiful swing during his first AB. The O's Rich Bordi contributes six relief innings yielding just one run after Flanny's weak two-inning start (5 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 0 K).

The bottom of the 5th is the fun offensive inning: comically bad Cleveland defense (3 errors) beginning at 1:28:17 with Wiggins' bunt and speedy base-running causing havoc.

At 1:47:57, Lynn in CF "ever so easily" (the great PBP announcer Jon Miller's description) leaps to rob Brook Jacoby of a HR at the fence. The video is replayed into the next half-inning.

At several points, paper airplanes land on the infield in fair territory, which apparently was fairly common at the time, according to Miller, who warns of the danger they pose should they hit someone in the eye. The best one is at 1:40:14 landing right in front of Lynn mid-at-bat.

It's a WMAR telecast featuring Miller's entrancingly smooth PBP and effortlessly delivered background facts and anecdotes. Miller alternates with Tom Marr in a seamless way that MASN has often had trouble achieving.

It was a quiet, enjoyable watch despite the loss. Maybe someone can find a clip somewhere of Young hitting one of his mighty home runs. In this game, he went 0 for 3 plus the walk, but that's what most of us do in this life. I've tended to remember Mike Young as one among several young Memorial Stadium hitters, all deceased now, who didn't seem to reach their expected potential despite great seasons at Rochester or a promising one with the Orioles, such as Sam Bowens (22-HR rookie 1965), Roger Freed (130 RBIs with the Red Wings in '70), and Dave May, who had one very good season after he was traded for almost nothing to the Brewers, who later traded him and a PTBNL for the final two seasons of Hank Aaron.

One blazing half-season during which Mike Young terrorized opposing pitchers on a team, managed by the legendary Earl, that led the league in home runs and scoring, in a lineup that had two eventual Hall of Famers and a third player who, like Ripken, had won both MVP and RoY (Lynn '75). It must have been quite an indelible thrill. Rest in Peace.

Edited May 31, 2023 by LA2

[eddie83]

3 hours ago, LA2 said:

I browsed YouTube looking for Mike Young games and only found a full broadcast of the 1986 Opening Day game in which Young was the DH. I figured that watching it was one proper way for an old fan to honor his passing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEthiXD0REw&t=2195s

At 1:32 of the opening ceremony, Chuck Thompson introduces Young over the P.A. system as "an outstanding young man who came into his own last year" (22 homers in the 2nd half of '85!). Crowded by photographers, Pres. Reagan throws two short pitches. Mike Flanagan starts on the mound. Batting sixth behind Ripken, Murray, and Fred Lynn, Mike's ABs are at 36:30, 1:15:15, 1:41:15, and 2:13:04; in the last one he turns around to hit right-handed and draws a 4-pitch walk. I don't remember noticing before how much his stance, especially when batting left-handed, resembled that of Murray, hitting clean-up that day.

I must say this video is full of rich voices and nostalgic moments for oldtime fans. it begins with Earl Weaver, who had come out of retirement 2/3 of the way through the previous season, getting a fine ovation and then shaking the hand of each player in the starting lineup when he trots out to take his place along the foul line. At 2:10, it's interesting to hear the then record-large crowd roar for 36-years-old Rick Dempsey more than for Cal or Eddie. Four switch-hitters in the starting lineup--Alan Wiggins, Murray, Young, and John Shelby. Fred Lynn's typically beautiful swing during his first AB. The O's Rich Bordi contributes six relief innings yielding just one run after Flanny's weak two-inning appearance (5 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 0 K).

The bottom of the 5th is the fun offensive inning: comically bad Cleveland D (3 errors) beginning at 1:28:17 with Wiggins' bunt and speedy base-running causing havoc.

At 1:47:57, Lynn in CF "ever so easily" leaps to rob Brook Jacoby of a HR at the fence (the video is replayed into the next half-inning).

At several points, paper airplanes land on the infield in fair territory, which apparently was fairly common at the time, according to Miller, who warns of the danger they pose should they hit someone in the eye. The best one is at 1:40:14 landing right in front of Lynn mid-at-bat.

It's a WMAR telecast featuring Jon Miller's peerless PBP and effortlessly delivered background facts and anecdotes. Miller alternates with Tom Marr in a seamless way that MASN has often had trouble achieving.

It was a quiet enjoyable watch despite the loss. Maybe someone can find a clip somewhere of Young hitting one of his mighty home runs. In this game, he went 0 for 3 plus the walk, but that's what most of us do in this life. I've tended to remember Mike Young as one among several young Memorial Stadium hitters, all deceased now, who didn't seem to reach their expected potential despite great seasons at Rochester or a promising one with the Orioles, such as Sam Bowens (22-HR rookie 1965), Roger Freed (130 RBIs with the Red Wings in '70), and Dave May, who had one very good season after he was traded for almost nothing to the Brewers, who later traded him and a PTBNL for the final two seasons of Hank Aaron.

One blazing half-season during which Mike Young terrorized opposing pitchers on a team, managed by the legendary Earl, that led the league in home runs and scoring, in a lineup that had two eventual Hall of Famers and a third player who, like Ripken, had won both MVP and RoY (Lynn '75). It must have been quite an indelible thrill. Rest in Peace.

Must have been the radio broadcast over the TV announcers. 

[foxfield]

Hate to lose folks, but Mike Young will be remembered.  Condolences to his family.  @LA2 your piece above is outstanding work.  Thank you!