He said all the right things and seemed truly relaxed in front of the hometown media. In fact, he actually welcomed it talking about the Yankees and how winning breeds coverage of the team.

 

Was this the same Delmon Young who was contemptuous of the press in his minor league days or was it someone impersonating him along the rail of the dugout just before the homestand opener Friday night?

 

Ever since he was the Rays' first overall selection in the 2003 June Draft, he has angered just about everyone including those who sign his paychecks and had done it with such panache he got more national sports coverage than some of the top big leaguers as they wind down their careers on their way to Cooperstown.

 

And speaking of baseball's shrine in upstate New York, ChiSox manager Ozzie Guillen has already anointed the Tampa Bay prize prospect as a future inductee even though his entire career spans all of three games with an aggregate eight hits and .727 average, the latter to fall in dramatic style once a few oh-fers are added in.

 

Be that as it may, it was finally time to play To Tell the Truth and ask "Would the real Delmon Young stand up please?"

 

To listen to manager Joe Maddon, Young is merely a 20-year old who had made his share of mistakes. Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman says he is really a likable guy. Up to this pre-game gathering, one would have suggested a rubber room for both.

 

Some local television people have suggested that Young just doesn't get it especially when he was asked about receiving the ball hit for his first home run. The right-fielder responded by saying that he has a high school championship ring that means more.

 

Maybe therein lies the clue into what drives the Rays first true home grown prodigy.

 

Now while he may eventually go looking for the ball that wins a World Series or his 3,000th hit and/or 500th homer if he should be around that long and mellows with age, the things that jump out at you is his confidence in the God-given talent, that the desire to win is more important than anything and he wants a little bling to show off during the off-season.

 

Nothing wrong with that.

 

It is very possible he thought he was just taking up roster space in the minors and every day he was there took away from his contribution to the Rays and whomever he would play for the day he is free-agent eligible.

 

Confidence can be a blessing and a curse at the same time.

 

Add that to a 20-year old's mind and it could be an explosive combination and Young was every bit of that.

 

Now he is making news of a different kind.

 

He was plunked in his first big league at-bat, which angered Maddon but not Young. Go figure. Was even one of the leads on ESPN.

 

Young misplayed a fly ball into a homer in that same contest and Young was disappointed. Not Maddon. Strange. The skipper pointed out that his player didn't know the fence and that won't happen again.

 

The Montgomery, AL native talks about between the white lines and is not very interested in outside stuff. If he gets booed, so be it. The kid just want to play ball.

 

And maybe that is what Rays fans will finally get to see.

 

Young has been barking about being in the bigs and now that he is here there is an ease to his talk, a smoothness to his stride and a menacing stare back out at the opposing pitcher.

 

If there is a bench-clearing brawl somewhere down the line Young has that "thing" where he could bring peace to the situation with a simple stare. That is, unless he wants to join in on the festivities and as Mr. T once said, "I pity the poor fool......"

 

If Young is an angry young man as some would suggest it wasn't there Friday night at Tropicana Field. It didn't last all that long either as it seemed to be over as fast as it began.

 

If there was one thing that stood out more than anything else it was his response to a question about apologizing to his new teammates for some of the comments that appeared in a recent magazine piece.

 

Young said he had not been able to talk to everyone which means he is doing it one by one, man to man.

 

In spring training Maddon called him, among others, a man-child. So far it appears he is ready to drop the word child and face the baseball world as a man.

 

The talent is there and Ozzie could be on to something. It could simply come down to where the only thing that stops Delmon Young from the Hall of Fame is Delmon Young himself.

 

Stay tuned.