Long time Ranger, Michael Young, wants a trade. Can you blame him? I sure don't. Let's look back on his career with the Rangers. Young is the all-time team leader in hits, a record he set last season. He was originally their shortstop but moved to second base after the Rangers acquired A-Rod. When the team acquired Ian Kinsler, Young moved from second base to third base. Now that the Rangers acquired Adrian Beltre, Michael Young was projected to be the DH and utility infielder. Oh, but wait, the Rangers traded for a guy named Mike Napoli who can also be DH. See the pattern? Young has been as loyal an employee as anyone could ask for. What do the Rangers offer in return? A crowded clubhouse that seems ready to move on without him as a key piece. Young doesn't deserve this.
So what team could Young potentially end up at? There have already been talks about the Rockies acquiring him but there are other teams with need for his talents. The Angels, Marlins, and Diamondbacks all seem like reasonable places for him to go. The Angels have question marks with Brandon Wood and Alberto Callaspo. The Marlins will have to see if prospect Matt Dominguez is ready to go. And, the D-Backs, I believe also have question marks with Geoff Blum and an aging Melvin Mora. The biggest problem is the dollars. Young has $48 million still owed to him and the Rockies have already said they want the Rangers to pay $20 million of that. If the right package comes together, I think the Angles could acquire him; however, I think the D-Backs don't have much to offer and the Marlins won't want to acquire such a large contract giving either of those teams outside shots.
Young is 34 years old and is a veteran leader for any team. Who's going to pick him up? It's anyone's guess but the proverbial clock is ticking.
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