Former Rockies Star Now Managing In Women's Professional Baseball League

Eric Young's life after Major League Baseball has now taken him to a little bit different version of the game that made him an All-Star in Colorado

Eric Young, as a coach for Colorado | Credit: Isaiah J. Downing | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Former Major Leaguer Eric Young, Sr., had a pretty special career in baseball, and many of his best moments happened in Denver.

The man affectionately known as 'EY' was a clutch performer and an All-Star in 1996 for the Colorado Rockies, who is still considered a fan favorite by the faithful. His hustle, determination, and effervescent smile made him a perfect fit in the clubhouse and the community.

Young hit .283, with 79 home runs, 543 RBI, and 465 stolen bases for 15 seasons, appearing for seven different franchises. Aside from the Rockies, EY played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, and San Diego Padres. Notably, he was actually a member of Colorado's inaugural team when the franchise began play in 1993. Later, he was a coach for the Rox and the Atlanta Braves.

Today, Young is involved in an exciting new diamond endeavor, one that involves helping along some ladies who now have a league of their own. The Women's Professional Baseball League threw out the first pitches of its inaugural season on Aug. 1. Young manages the Los Angeles Queens franchise, and he spoke recently about the process of becoming LA's leader.

“The first question I asked (the Queens) in the first meeting was, ‘Do you want me to coach you like I coach the Atlanta Braves, or do you want me to coach you as young ladies?'” Young recalled, according to the Denver Post. “I told them they didn’t have to answer, because I was going to coach them the same way, because that’s all I know. I told them, ‘I would be fake if I gave you anything other than my real coaching style.’ They said, ‘That’s exactly what we want.'”

Why It's a Good Fit

Detailed view of a baseball bat and glove | Credit: Mark J. Rebilas | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It may seem like a far cry from th bright lights of the big leagues, but Young feels like, based on his career, he's a perfect fit for the female league. With the odds stacked against them, the Queens have an experienced and noted star who had to answer a lot of questions and prove the doubters wrong to fulfill his diamond destiny.

“I know how it feels to be the underdog,” Young explained. “And now these ladies right here are giving that same fight. I see it in their eyes. I see it in the way they come and practice. I see it in the way they get ready for the game.

“It’s like déjà vu. They’ve got that same energy, that same spark as I did when I was a young player, because these ladies feel like the odds are against them. That’s what makes this so enjoyable for me. And that’s why I’m trying to give them everything I’ve got to make them better ballplayers and to convince the world that women can play baseball.”