M. Young returns to Phils after health scare with son

PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Young feels fortunate to be back with the Phillies in a relatively clear state of mind.

He got a big scare last Tuesday at Fenway Park, where he received a serious phone call about 30 minutes before a game against the Red Sox regarding a health issue concerning his 9-month-old son, Antonio. Young went on the bereavement list Wednesday to return home to Texas before returning to Philadelphia to be activated before Monday's series opener against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.

"That's what I've been doing, tending to my little boy," said Young, who declined to discuss specifics regarding his son's health issue. "A hospital bed is no place for a 9-month-old baby boy. They're home now. Better. Awaiting some results from some tests, but he's home now and isn't stuck to an IV, which is a good thing to see from a father's standpoint. He's home with my family and he's comfortable."

The Phillies optioned light-hitting infielder Michael Martinez to make room for Young on the roster. They instead kept Cesar Hernandez, who replaced Young on the roster last week. The Phillies trumpeted Martinez's defensive versatility when he replaced Chase Utley on the roster on May 24, but while Hernandez is primarily a second baseman, he simply is a better baseball player than Martinez. Hernandez entered Monday hitting .263 (5-for-19) with one double in five games. Martinez has a career .509 OPS in 358 plate appearances over parts of three seasons with the Phillies.

But the good news is Young's son is feeling better.

"I'm OK," Young said. "We got a lot of potentially bad things ruled out, which is great news. The fact that some really horrible things were ruled out was great news for my family. I'm just happy my son's home."

Young is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday. He said he is ready to play.

"I could always count on baseball to be kind of my sanctuary, another place where I can be me and cut it loose and go out and compete at the highest level, which is who I am and what I do and what I love to do the most," he said. "If anything, I can count on baseball for that."