Michael Young Goes Nuclear
Joey MatschulatAnd so it turns out that the Michael-Young-is-forcing-his-way-out theory I presented Sunday morning struck far closer to the truth than what some -- including myself -- wanted to believe, as this story has gone full-fledged nuclear in the last 24 hours, and appears to be careening towards the dissolution of a decade-long marriage between the Rangers and their putative face of the franchise. Here's the current scorecard, as of 12:30 a.m. Tuesday morning:
● The Rangers confirmed during a Monday afternoon conference call that Young had officially requested a trade (due to Young's perception that accepting a full-time designated hitter role would adversely affect his future earning potential), but emphasized that they were still hoping to mend fences, and suggested that they would only pull the trigger on a deal if it improved the 2011 ballclub; one question that was not answered was what would happen if Young remained angry with the ballclub, but was also not traded (T.R. Sullivan, MLB.com)
● Late Monday evening, Young went on the defensive, telling FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal: "The suggestion that I had a change of heart and asked for a trade is a manipulation of the truth. I asked for a trade because I've been misled and manipulated and I'm sick of it. Other than that, I'm not going to reveal any details about how this process unfolded. It's not my nature to start blasting people publicly when I don't think it's necessary. I don't think it's fair or productive for anybody, particularly my teammates and coaching staff. But at the end of the day, I know the truth. And so does JD (Jon Daniels)."
"To suggest that there was just a couple of weeks off and I had a change of heart in terms of what position I wanted to play is inaccurate. I'll be the first to admit that I was not particularly keen on the idea of being a DH. But I did agree to do it. I wanted to put the team first. I wanted to be a Ranger. But in light of events that happened in the process, I got pushed into a corner one too many times. I couldn't take it any more.
That's [referring to being moved from shortstop to third base to make room for Elvis Andrus two years ago] not going to happen again. That was about baseball. That was a situation where I looked around ... and moved on. This has been a long time coming based on things that occurred off the field. I'm sick of it. It hit a point where I felt it was unfair to me and my family. [...] Yeah, I [think a trade is going to happen.] It’s disappointing that it came to this. I would have hoped for this thing to have been hammered out behind closed doors. But in light of today's events, it wasn't going to happen."
● There are eight -- and ONLY eight -- teams to which Michael Young will accept a trade (presumably because they are the same eight teams that are absent from his limited no-trade clause, which permits him to block a trade to 22 different teams), and they are the Rockies, Astros, Angels, Padres, Dodgers, Twins, Yankees, and Cardinals; Young is currently refusing to expand the list of potential landing spots beyond those eight teams, although a later report indicated that Young would consider other teams on a "case-by-case basis" (Richard Durrett, ESPNDallas.com; Jayson Stark, ESPN.com)
Reader Comments (85)
EIGHT! heh
Sad to see him go, but it will be nice not having the league leading double play hitter... A DH platoon will have his stats easy AND be better in the field.
I think you meant to say that "Late Monday evening Young went on the offensive."
Just curious, does it have to be a "Trade?" Young is a good player but way over paid, is it possible that it could become a situation of "Give;" trade him for furture considerations if the other team takes the salary?
I like MY. I just think he is going to be difficult to deal
The big question I have in all this, is this holding up JD's extension? Let's face it, a lot of this situation was created by JD's moves.
1) Overpaying MY at a Superstar level at a time he was a fairly mediocre SS.
2) Moving MY to 3B, where, as it turned out, MY was extremely illsuited due to slow reaction times.
3) After MY turned himself into a fairly average 3B (better bat than average, worse glove than Average) JD decides to upgrade the team by overpaying for a superstar 3B.
4) Suggests MY and his superstar salary play DH/utility infielder.
It's kind of like overpaying an average salesman to be VP of Sales, and then when he does an average job, you go outside the company for a better VP of Sales, and then telling the original guy you'll still cover his salary, but his job is in the custodial department. If anyone is really surprised that the guy is circulating his resume, they aren't paying much attention to human nature.
This situation isn't going to end well, and JD pretty much brought it on himself. If, for whatever reason, regression of the offense, a rash of injuries to players, lack of pitcher development, whatever reason, this team didn't win, the spin is going to be that the team lost because JD ran off MY. As we saw with the Weather and the Super Bowl, it isn't the details of the facts that matter, it's the perception and the results.
He gets paid to play for the Texas Rangers, not shortstop/2B/3B/whatever. He has every right to be concerned about his career, but the truth is obvious. He is placing his career above the needs of the Rangers as a team. I think it is fine and the right thing to do, but can we now drop this whole "poor MY!" meme?
If St Louis and Pujols are far apart, does this make sense for both sides?
Pujols and Rasmus; for Hamilton, Young and Borbon(or Moreland if necessary).
Sign Pujols to an eight year, 232 million extension.(I know, crazy numbers, but.)
I miss him already..
Well, I'm really not sure what to think. I like Michael Young, but he's pretty hard to take seriously here. He doesn't want to start blasted people publicly when it isn't necessary, then he blasts people publicly when it really doesn't seem necessary. It all has to do with this other bad stuff that nobody knows about, and he's not going to tell us what it is.
I don't know. Thanks for the memories Mike, but every player has his time to move on. I think this little display pretty much assures it's your time, if it's the best thing for you or not.
I am so happy this is working out the way it is. We are a better team without MY. Whatever value JD can get that is potentially above what we might have gotten from Young would be a real bonus -- but do whatever it takes to improve the team. The truth is MY was, at most, going to be depth and a hedge against injury to one of the guys who deserved to be on the field ahead of him. There are cheaper options on the waiver wire that can fill that role, and we'll have more flexibility to obtain REAL talent once we know more about how guys like Borbon, Moreland, Holland, Webb, and Lowe are going to work out.
To the fans who want MY to stay, and think it will hurt a lot to not see him on the field in upcoming seasons, I know how you feel. I worried what it would be like when guys like Gonzalez and Pudge and Aroid left. I soon figured out the team is a lot more than one or two players, and as much as I wished those guys well (except for AFraud), I hoped they struck out 5 straight times whenever they played the Rangers.
I am, however, no longer a fan of MY (used to be my favorite palyer), who has in multiple off-seasons now gone on record as saying the front office should take his wishes over their own evaluation of what is best for the team. I have ZERO tolerance for a guy who is getting paid $80M to put himself above the team, and criticize someone with no hidden agendas -- why would JD be held to some unrealistic standard of always laying his cards on the table? He can't run a team when he's got to work through everybody's feelings each time before he decides to pull the trigger on a deal.
JD isn't slashing payroll to improve profit margins or save the team from bankruptcy; he's improving the team's chances at winning a ring. I say, "Keep up the good work, JD!" Again, MY has a guaranteed contract paying him $80M, and if JD, who is paid to produce a winner(s), decides to keep irons in the fire at all times in looking for ways to improve the team, then who is MY to believe he's justified in blasting him for doing his job properly?
Michael Young. You ARE the Weakest Link. Goodbye. What a Diva.
JD just pulled a Jedi Mind Trick on Michael Young. JD just got Michael Young to ask for JD to do him what JD's been wanting to do to him for 2 years (since the rift over moving to 3B), but couldn't for public relations reasons. Not only that, he got Young to do it in a way that much of the public will view JD as he victem of unfair attacks, not as the guy who ran Young out of town, and, bonus, Young has now effectively prevented Ryan or Greenberg from vetoing the move.
The money savings alone will be well worth it, but perhaps the biggest benefit is getting rid of an aging, declining player who doesn't see himself slipping, feels entitled to playing time and special treatment, and is prone to hystrionics when he doesn't get his way.
If St Louis and Pujols are far apart, does this make sense for both sides?
Pujols and Rasmus; for Hamilton, Young and Borbon(or Moreland if necessary).
No.
The big question I have in all this, is this holding up JD's extension? Let's face it, a lot of this situation was created by JD's moves.
1) Overpaying MY at a Superstar level at a time he was a fairly mediocre SS;
But was that solely JD's decision to extend Young, with no material influence from Hicks? In hindsight (and especially right now), the extension looks like something between a disappointment and a nightmare, and I get that the GM is accountable for all transactions, but I'm trying to think back and remember if the perception at the time was that Hicks and Co. were really pushing to get Young locked in regardless of cost. I doubt it was a Cashman/R. Soriano-type situation, but I'm also not sure that Hicks didn't play a meaningful role in the contract coming into existence, and at that salary/duration level.
Very selfish Mike. Especially this close to spring training.
In hindsight (and especially right now), the extension looks like something between a disappointment and a nightmare, and I get that the GM is accountable for all transactions, but I'm trying to think back and remember if the perception at the time was that Hicks and Co. were really pushing to get Young locked in regardless of cost.
I've asked this before, too, and I've read a couple of articles about the extension. There was no overt mention of a Hicks-ish over-reaction. I'm going to dig some more, see what I can find. Rob Neyer called it out as a bad deal at the time, though.
The press and bloggers like Newberg can cry and whine and call MY the "team leader" but he's shown time and time again to the astute that he is no team leader.
And now he's a festering sore.
At the time, there was no mention of Hicks pushing the deal. They also offered Teixeira something like 8/140 around the same time, and moved him when he didn't accept. So I'm not sure Hicks was pushing for a deal at all costs.
As far as I know, this was just JD digging his own grave, kind of like he did in the San Diego Eaton/Young/ AGon deal or the Chicago Danks McCarthy deal.
So far, JD is quite the high variance white knuckle ride as a GM. An E ticket ride, not for the faint of heart.
BTW @Scooby Dude - great analysis. I think you pegged it. JD really is the smartest GM in baseball and perhaps this proves it.
I went back and read Mr. Reeves' writeup ... and after doing so, I offer the following observations (admittedly, the swamp's particularly gassy this morning ...):
1) the observation that former GM John Hart was not, initially, a Michael Young fan, speaks for itself ... Hart was already on the downside of his days in Cleveland, and I was never impressed with his personnel decisions once he got here ... fortunately, at the time, Michael was able to play his way into the lineup and onto the field ...
2) Michael's personality drove him to be the type of player he ultimately became ... his drive, his determination, his "fire" ... helped him elevate his over-all game to a point above "serviceable" and "average" ... he became a viable option at 2B ... and then SS ... and last year, at 3B ... in large part each time because there was no one else. Early on, he was a solid player at 2B ... not necessarily an All-Star ... but you could do worse. At SS, he was average ... serviceable ... but not an All-Star ... and certainly not a Gold Glove-caliber player. It was as much out of respect for the emerging persona of Michael as a team-first, selfless individual as for anything he had done in the field that got him the GG Award ...
Last year, his play at 3B was marginally serviceable ... he did enough to help the team reach its potential ... but his play in the field left a lot to be desired ... and his long-time trademark ... his bat ... began to show signs of betraying him ...
2) Reeve's shots at Daniels and Ryan are little more than an unveiled attempt to garner favor, for the future, with the players ... to Michael's credit, he had become the go-to guy when the media needed to tap into the "pulse of the team" ... need a quote after a tough loss, or a big win ... go to Michael. And this became the fine line that the Rangers FO had to walk ... how do we replace the "voice" of the team in the field, and not end up looking like complete jerks? Could Daniels and Ryan maybe handled things better? Could they have been more subtle in their maneuverings? Perhaps ... but today's business of baseball is anything but subtle ... what with the internet and Twitter, we know things many times before they're little more than a discussion that's overheard by an eager "reporter" ...
But what Reeves, and others, fail to articulate, is that any smart "baseball" guy is always looking to the future ... yes, the Rangers were very good last year ... perhaps even better than they should have been ... but the smart "baseball' guy always has their eye on how to take that success and build on it ... "hey, we're a good team ... what can we do now to make ourselves even better?"
That the Rangers brain-trust recognized that, to win consistantly in Arlington, they were going to need to place a premium on pitching and defense is long overdue ... that it motivated them to go out and sign Adrian Beltre to give them one of the best defensive infields in the game is astute and laudable ...
that it has ultimately pissed off Michael Young is unfortunate ... but the Rangers are a better defensive team with Beltre at 3B ... and with his bat in their lineup ... than they would be going forward with the status quo from last season.
So now, Michael wants out ... he apparently feels that he's been mislead and lied to ... so be it. I do not fault the Rangers brain-trust for doing their jobs ... constantly looking for ways to improve and upgrade the team ... that's what they're supposed to do ...
I can appreciate that Michael feels that he's been short-changed, and that his pride is hurt ... that's the drive that he's used throughout his playing career to elevate himself to the highest levels that he's achieved ... it's what enables an otherwise average talent to gain near-elite status. His teammates love him ... respect him ... and want him around ... and why not. His presence, and willingness to take on the mantel of "team leader" has made their jobs easier ... perhaps to his ultimate detriment ... it can't be easy to be "the guy" day in and day out ... but that's what he's been ... he's been one of the handful of players that has been their at team news conferences when we signed a new player, or traded for one ... one of the few players that it's fallen on to make sure that the "new guys" understood "how we do things here" ... and that can not be taken lightly ...
But when all is said and done ... its about building a team that can play at a high level today ... and sustain it into tomorrow. And there was evidence that, with Michael Young playing in the field going forward, the need to consider an "upgrade" was upon us ... it was "time".
So Michael ... "Bona Fortuna" to you, Sir ... you have played the game the way many of us would want our kids to play it ... all out, leaving nothing on the field, always working to get better ... and seeking to improve not only yourself, but your team as well ... setting the right example ... that this is indeed a "team game" ... and that, whatever we can do to contribute to our team's ultimate success, that was what's most important ...
Michael ... do not now allow personal feelings to tarnish an otherwise admirable and laudable career ... do not become another example of the "me first" attitude that so many other athletes portray ... instead, try and stand for what those of us who've followed your career have always admired about you most ... CLASS
One thing I heard a couple of months ago really stuck with me. I don't remember who said it, but essentially their argument was "in today's baseball, teams have to accept that they have gotten the best out of a player, and sometimes cut ties." I guess that is what is happening now. I try to look at it objectively from both sides, but it is hard. MY didn't reluctantly agree to move to SS years ago like has been talked about. I am almost certain I read that he approached the FO about moving to short. There is just too much airing of dirty laundry right now and it hurts our ability to trade MY which is now ultimately what both parties want. At this point we might be best served taking whatever deal is on the table and getting ready for ST.
Scooby,
I'll be the first to admit that I thought you were a MY basher who wanted him gone. Turns out you were spot on, and have been for some time on this issue. Sorry for doubting you.
My 30 minutes of research shows...not much of a sense of Hicksian over-reaction. Most stories quote either JD or TH, and MY, of course. Nothing from the proles in the comments sections blasting Hicks for ruining the team or forcing JD into something he didn't want to do. There's a fairly even split between "good deal" and "bad deal."
It's pretty disappointing to search for stories from 2007 and find a whole hell of a lot of news stories behind pay walls or blogs that are dead. There was no Twitter at that time, and I wonder how much Tweeting is going to be archived for posterity's sake, when we're all bitching about Adrian Beltre's deal in three years. Nevertheless, it's a good reminder of how ephemeral all of this angst is. I remember I was crushed when they traded Jim Sundberg. But The Game is The Game, and we need to keep that in perspective. Or, you know, not...
Guess what? We are "sick of it" too.
Scott,
There may not be documented evidence that Hicks forced this, that is just an assumption that many of us have made. IMO signing MY to that contract was also a PR stunt. I think the FO wanted to please the fan base that just lost one of their favorites in Tex. I know I was one of the fans who was happy we could at least lock down one of "our guys."
There is no doubt that angst amongst fans is ephemeral, which always makes me laugh when I hear that a club is "forced to sign someone because of fan reaction". Are you kidding me? 20 minutes after being pissed about a player not being signed, most fans see something else and say "ooh, shiny".
Make decisions for a franchise to win. As long as you win, you will be forgiven for everything else. If you don't win, you will be in the line for food stamps and unemployment, regardless of how many fan favorites you sign.
LFloyd,
If you do go read the stories from the time, there was a lot of that sentiment ("locking up one of our guys") from every quarter. There's a lot of linkage to Texeira and other FAs who were moved/moving. It's very clear that a significant part of it was for PR purposes.
Which just goes to show you (IMHO) that PR is over-rated, and making the moves that make the team better on the field are the way to run your team. Winning is the best PR. I'm fairly sure JD gets that, but it might have taken him a couple of years to really grasp it. I think Greenberg and Ryan grasp it, too. If we're in 1st place at the All-Star break, it's going to be "Michael who?" all over the land, even from the folks who are ready to induct him into the HoF today for his "pro's pro" attitude.
DJ,
I agree with you. I was simply stating I believe the FO overreacted. Of course I have the ability to look back on the contract knowing now what I didn't know then. JD made plenty of mistakes early on, but he has done plenty to rectify them lately IMO.
I totally understand that MY has the right and obligation to make enough money to feed his family. Although I would argue that his current contract does that already, I can get that he wants more. Most of us do.
But has he stopped to think that after this contract is due, he will have made about $90 million over his career through his age 36 season? I just have to wonder how much more he wants.
If you can't take care of your family by making $16 million per season then no other deal will due. And if the player in question is the best in the game (ala Pujols) I can see the need for $25 million. But at some point Young has to look at his own skills and realize that $16 million for these last three years is a ridiculously bad deal for Texas. He isn't quite stealing the money. But he certainly isn't good enough to warrant it at a time when his skills are diminishing.
Again, I understand that he wants to set his family up. But he's already done that. Time to accept that your role is changing, MY.
Wow, disappointing that it has come to this. Time to move on, though. Work your magic, JD. Work your magic.
Rangers nation mourns the loss of Mikey Baseball. Apparently the only thing the baby nuke took out was Young himself.
I lost every ounce of respect for Mike Young today, I loved u man. Im sick of players that make obsurded amounts of money crying about their role. MIKE YOU ARE A DH, dont be offended by it and dont take shots walking out the door it makes you look really bad. You have alienated alot of people and Im sick of your whining. You stunk at 3rd in the postseason that is not Ranger managements fault. They want you here and you are being a chump. See ya
I would have liked for JD, "in his infinite wisdom" to have worked a way to use MY to help pay for Cliff Lee's 7th year
I don't think MY went nuclear, I think that title was inflammatory and another minipulation of the truth
Read the story again.
When the old lead wolf is wounded, the young stud wolves eat his a-- up. I'll reserve my judgement of how brilliant JD is until the end of the year. He is better than John Hart, other than that I'll wait.
.
So JD told MY that he would have a full time role (or said that was the plan) at DH all along shopping for a player the acquisition of which would cut into his full time role at DH?
I think one needs to be more honest and upfront than that. Your players are not opposing GM's and deserve to be treated with respect, especially those who have a whole lot invested in the franchise.
JD should have just told him what he was thinking and he would have asked for a trade fair and square.
The idea that you can treat players like shit and mislead them because they make a lot of money is ridiculous.
Being dishonest and misleading is bad when you are dealing with a rich person or a poor person alike.
The key is that you are dealing with human beings that deserve respect.
I will start by saying that I've always given Young credit where I thought credit was due. I gave him credit for surviving the Showalter/Hart/Hicks era intact, for dutifully changing positions when called upon, for assuming leadership after A-Rod left town, and for buying into the logical rebuild plan in place since '07. So I want to be as fair as possible here.
But he's off his rocker now if he expects to levy these kind of charges and not support them with any evidence. Real fans don't have blind faith. If you're gonna go nuclear, go all the way. As it stands now, my perception is that he's trying to win a PR battle while also forcing a trade. A poor approach.
I will say that this passive-aggressive behavior from Young reminds me of a couple of his old pals, A-Rod and Teixeira. With A-Rod, it was "I'm doing you a favor by signing this mega-deal so don't inconvenience me with details like being the face of this franchise." With Tex, it was "I'm not going to fully commit to you until I get my money." I really hoped Young would end up rising above that kind of thing.
I guess I was wrong.
Da Blade,
I think the motivation for Young coming forward is two fold.
He really wants out of Texas and JD and Nolan are talking about possibly not trading him.
AND
He wants to set the record straight that he didn't just change his mind, that he was manipulated by JD not being upfront with him.
I think it is pretty obvious that JD told MY that he would have a full time role (or said that was the plan) at DH all along shopping for a player the acquisition of which would cut into his full time role at DH.
I think that is dishonest at worst or misleading at best.
At the very least MY was not treated with the respect he deserves.
Da Blade,
I will say that MY coming forward and refusing to give at least some details is annoying. He is trying to have his cake and eat it too in that sense, trying to set the record straight without giving the information necessary to set the record straight.
I wish he would come out and say he was just upset about the fact that they told him he would be the DH while all along shopping for a DH.
JD could come out and apologize for not being upfront with him and maybe you can move on with or without him.
As it stands it is a shit show of monumental proportions. And don't imagine that the sentiment of fans on BBTiA is reflected generally in the average Ranger fan. The average Ranger fan is going to be pissed and confused, and I think we deserve more explanation from both sides.
Joe
Joe, I understand your points. But that fact is, Young is forcing us to read between his lines here. If he's going to throw JD under the bus, then he at least should be more specific with his issues. It also would be easy for me to surmise that he was simply angered over the Napoli acquisition and wants out because he feels threatened (even though there have been repeated assertions by the manager and others that his ABs won't suffer too greatly). Again, some clarity from MY would be appreciated here and I don't know if that's forthcoming.
Let's not forget that baseball is a business and MY was probably lied to... but he needs to man up and either accept his new role or shut up and be happy he's making $16M a year to bat... and stop being such a baby.
He has always given me the impression he's a real diva... and while I know deep down he's probably a good dude, this is NOT the way to conduct business.
NOW comes the question of who wants him and what can we get for him. I think his stance of "trade me now" just made things a whole lot easier on JD...
Joe, I hit my reply before I saw your next post. Yes, I will agree that both sides being more forthcoming would be a welcome thing. This game of shadows doesn't do anyone any good.
This is hilarious now...
"He came to us and was adamant about how strongly he felt about staying with the Rangers and being a part of our collective success and embracing whatever role he could in that journey," Greenberg said. "I'm sure if he had his druthers he would be at third base every day, but you can't say enough about his professionalism and his willingness to put the organization first. Because at the end of the day we all have a singular goal and commitment, and that's to win. The fact that he felt so strongly about being a part of that says a great deal about Michael and a great deal about his belief about the path that we're on."
After reading, Nuclear is a bit misleading. MY was never my favorite Ranger. He wasn't flashy but he brought a sense of steadiness to the club. I always took him for granted. When the Wash/Cocaine fiasco went down last Spring, MY had his back and challenged his teammates to rally around him. Thats MY's primary role to this club, Leadership. It can't be quantified by saber-metrics. I know his ability is in decline and he is overpaid, but I wish this wasn't happening.
At this point, there is no going back. I'm fine with it. Players come and go. I have zero confidence in Beltre. Its more than his "contract years." He seems aloof much of the time. I really hope it works out and my gut is wrong about him. I have a strange feeling the same will be said about his contract in a few years. This team won't stay healthy and this worries me. I loved the idea of MY in the super-utility role.
I think MY will be missed more than the stats lead one to believe.
If MY never wanted his name mentioned in trade talks, he should have demanded a full no trade clause in his contract. I am sorry this is happening. I love MY, but if he doesn't want to be a DH, won't play OF, and can't be the starter at any position in the infield, what does he want? The Rangers signed a bad contract and they are trying to honor it while still improving the team. MY's feelings do not come before the overall success of the franchise. Is there anyone who believes we would be a better club with MY at 3rd rather than Beltre? I understand it is best for his career to play in the field, but at this point it is best for our team if the field he is playing in isn't our infield.
1. I think this was the order of events:
2. JD signs Beltre to improve the team
3. MY agrees to move to DH role
4. JD does not tell MY that he is planning on getting a bat that will cut into his playing time at DH, and
MY agrees to the DH role with the impression he will be a full time or almost full time player
5. JD goes after Thome then Manny and then finally Napoli
6. Napoli is acquired in a trade, and JD and Wash take to the air waves saying MY will be taking
"days off" and that he will have to compete for playing time at DH.
7. MY realizes that his time is not guaranteed as he thought it was when he agreed to the role.
8. MY become angry and feels manipulated because he thought the FO had planned to make him the
full time DH, something that they continued to say even after it became clear that MY would have
to compete with Napoli for playing time and that he would like lose a lot of at bats.
9. JD and Nolan pretend that the reason why MY wants a trade is because he doesn't want the DH
role when in fact MY wants a trade because his DH role will only be part time, and further, MY
feels that JD was not upfront with him in that he told him he would be the full time DH all along
shopping for a bat that would cut into his time at DH.
10. MY vents his frustration in the media, attempting to set the record straight while not giving the
details necessary to set the record straight.
11. And that leaves us in a shit storm.
It does seem that JD perhaps should have been more upfront with MY but that would have resulted in MY asking for a trade and JD wanted to keep Young (which entailed not telling him the whole truth) in case he wasn't able to land the DH bat he was looking for.
Joe, that's a pretty good timeline of events. I will take slight exception with #6 - in everything I heard, Wash & Co. talked pretty extensively about giving "days off" not just to Young but to almost all of the everyday players. By having parts to mix and match, it made perfect sense to me to have a well-rested team (hopefully) entering the post-season.
Also, I'm not sure Young has ever said he wanted to be the full-time DH. I know his 1st preference was 3B starter, but I thought they sold him on playing multiple infield positions as part of this whole thing. In reviewing and re-reviewing all of this, it all logically points to one thing - his consternation over how he'll be viewed as a FA after '13 (despite his stated denial of such).
MY needs to grow up and understand that this situation was the best for the team. If he is complaining about them searching for a DH-type and then getting Napoli, he must realize that the weakness of the Rangers last year was their bench. That trade strengthen their bench and allowed them flexibility for PH during games and replacements due to lack of production or injury. MY needs to look at the picture, something he refuses to do right now. That is the shame. The trade proposal that was suggested on the Baseball Network on Sirius was Scott Baker & Denard Spann for Young. I would like that trade a lot. Depth @ CF and another experience pitcher for about the same $.
@Joe - So JD should have told MY, "You're going to be our full time DH unless the Angels trade Napoli to Toronto and then I can swing a deal to bring him here."? Or maybe since JD told MY he was going to get full time player at bats, he should ignore shopping for any players that might take away at bats from Face, even if those aquisitions would make the team better?
I don't think JD straight up lied to MY. I think he fully envisioned a full time role for MY at the time but circumstances changed and in the process of doing his job (always looking to make the team better) he ended up bringing in a player that threatens Mikes at bats. JD didn't KNOW that he would get Napoli and didn't KNOW if we would get Vlad or Manny at the time of the Beltre deal. Stuff happens, things change. Playing time should be earned by performance not reputation.
The Ryan Express is notably silent.
@Joe - what if JD tells MY he IS shopping for another DH bat but doesn't get one? Shopping for another bat does not guarante that you will get one.
from mlbtraderumors.com
TUESDAY, 12:10am: Young feels a breach of trust occurred with the Rangers in part because they told him they were not trying to trade him when they actually were, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark. Stark adds that Young would be willing to consider expanding his eight-team list on a "case-to-case basis."
So it seems like maybe JD wanted to trade MY all along but told him that he would be the full time DH. JD was all along trying to get MY to ask for a trade. I find that quite dishonest.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that there was disagreement in the FO. While JD was all along trying to trade MY or trying to get him to ask for a trade Nolan and Wash were trying to reign in JD and pretend like the FO wanted to keep MY at DH. The official line was that MY would be the DH while all along JD tried to get Young to ask for a trade by going after hitters who would cut into his playing time.
The more I think about it the more I think that JD really was not upfront with MY and that a lot of this was caused by disagreement in the FO.
I really wish the egos could get together and get reconciled. This stinks like a pile of rotting shit.
It seems like JD could find some kind of way to apologize and maybe Chuck could say there wasn't sufficient unity in team management and that was his fault. I don't know, but the way it stands is ridiculous.
If JD was using his "jedi mind trick", then he isn't smart enough to use it. If he was going to use it he should have done it while there was a good DH on the market. Now the chemistry is screwed and we have no DH. Great plan.
Reading Josh's comments on the situation I wouldn't be surprised if he walks in 2 years.
TR Sullivan
"A source said Young was upset that the Rangers were still trying to trade him while publicly saying that wasn't the case."
Which explains all the rumors after the move to DH was accepted by MY.
Hope this works it's self out because it is looking like this season could become a disaster. But hey I'm a Ranger fan I'm used to it.
The idea that JD "misled" MY seems misplaced. When Texas signed Beltre, I'm guessing that JD anticipated MY transitioning into a full-time DH role. Once Napoli was traded to Toronto, JD probably saw an opportunity to improve the team. When it appeared that Thome might be a good fit on the cheap, JD saw an opportunity to improve the team.
Should JD not pursue these options because he had originally told MY that he would be a full-time DH?
In addition, Kinsler rarely plays a full season. When he misses 65 games, Young will slide into the second-base role and then who DHs (before the acquisition of Napoli)? Borbon? Chris Davis?
If Young would be realistic about the situation, he would realize that he is going to get plenty of playing time at second-base, will play 1st base against lefties (while Napoli DHs), and will start at DH throughout the rest of the season.
Sorry, but team guys that are all about winning don't demand trades after making a postseason run for the first time in 10 years.