The Texas Rangers went to the World Series last year for the first time ever. You can say it was Josh Hamilton's bat or Cliff Lee's arm that rode them to the final series of the baseball , and you no one could say you were wrong. Hamilton and Lee were both a big part of the monster success of the Rangers, but the key to the Rangers clubhouse was a guy named Michael Young. Young is the longest tenured Ranger on the team and he is the only player to survive the turnover of the Texas Rangers over the last decade. This is due to his hitting ability, his versatility in the infield, and his leadership. But over the years, Young has looked like management's mule as well.
Young was originally a second baseman. He made the Rangers team at second in 2000 and became the starter the following year. He only played second base until 2003 though. In 2004, the Rangers asked him to switch to short to make room for newly acquired Alfonso Soriano. Young accepted the move but little did he know he'd be on the move again 5 years later. In 2009, the Rangers asked him to move to third to make room for up-and-coming shortshop prospect Elvis Andrus. Young again accepted the move, begrudgingly at first, but he got over it and worked hard to be the best third baseman he can be. Young has always been known for his excellent fielding, no matter what position he plays. His stay at third was the shortest of all the changes though as this off-season the Rangers signed Adrian Beltre to play third. Young's new position you ask? He doesn't get one. The Rangers have now tabbed him as their DH/super utility man. Young's response to this new change was: "Please try your best to trade me."
Young has had enough with all the change. I would be too. Michael Young is indeed getting older, but his production as not decreased any. None of these changed were because of age, injury, or anything that prevented Young from playing the previous position. All of these changed were about replacing Michael Young with someone else and just moving him like he didn't mind learning a new position every few years. Most starters in the majors have one position throughout their career, maybe two. Michael Young has had 3 already, and will be moving into a 4th this year. The Rangers, knowing how loyal Young has been, tried to accommodate his trade requests, but either the demands were too high or no one wants a 34-year old infielder that gets paid 16 million dollars.
I think this problem can be solved easily. Young is unhappy because he doesn't have one position to play. Being a DH does not really bother him as much as having to play all four infield positions. I say four because he has been seeing action at first this spring training and will presumingly start at that position throughout the year as well as at 2nd, short, and 3rd. My suggestion is to just make him the outright starter at 1st. Right now the Rangers starting 1st baseman is Mitch Mooreland, a young first baseman who was decent in limited at-bats and then caught fire during the playoffs. Mooreland is only 25 and he will get his chance to be a full-time player. I think it is more important to give your veteran leader a specific role on the team rather than making him the DH/super utility player. This is why it makes more sense to put Young at first and have Mooreland either spot him or send him to Triple-A to get in at-bats. You let Young play first for the next 2 years, then you give him the DH/super utility role because at 36 his skills will be on the decline.
In reality, though, Young will have the DH/super utility role this year, whether he likes it or not. He is learning how to be ready to play any position and not let it effect his rhythm. He has been doing it his way as well. Young has said that he has not asked Andres Blanco or any other super utility player how to handle bouncing around the infield, citing that the reason being he wants to trust his own instincts. His own instincts have worked very well to this point, and so the Rangers brass probably has no problem hearing that from him. Rangers G.M. Jon Daniels has said that he will not trade Young this spring, but didn't rule out it out altogether. Another thing we can't rule out is that there is probably going to be more to this 'The Young and the Used' storyline.
References
http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/news/story?id=6255894
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=4566&type=batting&year=2001
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngmi02.shtml#contracts
http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/news/story?id=6227023
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