The Rangers discussed a number of potential trades last week as they looked to ship Michael Young and as much of the $48MM they owe him as possible out of Texas for something valuable. GM Jon Daniels hasn't worked out a deal yet, but that doesn't mean he's short on options. ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Rangers still have some “potential threads to pull on to make a deal.” It remains possible that the Rangers won’t deal the infielder, however.
Olney suggested over the weekend that the Brewers could acquire Young and make him their starting shortstop. That's one possible alternate destination for Young, who can block trades to 21 clubs. Young drew little or no interest from the Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals, Twins, Mariners, Tigers, Astros and Angels and while the Rockies and Dodgers have had serious discussions about Young, they aren't close to acquiring him.
‘Rangers could explore alternate trades for young’
Trade him to the Rakuten Golden Eagles!
I’d say trade him to the Brockton Rox for Oil Can Boyd, but I see he doesn’t pitch for them anymore.
One that I heard was Young for Soriano with the Cubs eating one year of Sori’s contract. I am all for it.
Soriano has burned all of the bridges dealing with Texas once already… Combine that with the fact that he couldn’t make the OF rotation and this one is not happening.
Young and Webb for Soriano and Wells
more like young and webb for soriano and big Z(with the cubs eating a bunch of money)
If you’re the Brewers, since you’re going all in this year with the acquisition of Greinke and probably the last year with Prince Fielder, that would make sense.. Specially with the 2M KC gave you to buy out Yuneski after this year!
If the Brewers want to win this year, putting Michael Young at SS probably isn’t a good idea.
for his offense yes yes it is
For his imitation of a statue in the most important defensive position on the diamond it is not.
I just don’t see the Brewers taking on that contract or having the pieces Texas wants in return that would get them to agree to pay enough of Young’s contract.
I could see the Brewers having interest and the means if Weeks and Fielder leave via FA.
Texas does not have a lot of leverage in any Young trades though.
The usual speculation because of Doug Melvin’s connections to both teams. We also usually trade with the Cubs, so expect to hear that rumor again soon.
Not really a great fit for the Brewers, they Rangers would have to eat at least half of the 3/48 in my opinion – plus, what would the Brewers do with Yuni then? DFA him and flush his 5m salary down the toilet? Make him a bench player that can only play one position (poorly)?
The Rangers couldn’t have less leverage in this situation with Young wanting to be traded and at this time of year. I can’t believe they want significant salary relief AND decent players in return. They may get one or the other, but I doubt both.
I’m sure they’d settle for some scrubs and moving a good portion of that deal.
Agreed. Until the Rangers realize that Young has NO trade value at best, he will not be getting dealt anywhere.
negative trade value is what Young has.
but AA turned negative trade value in to salary relief frank francisco and juan rivera
so now every GM is trying to pull off miracles.
yeah, that’s why I said “at best”. Was just trying to avoid the “he can play multiple positions and hit .300” argument with the Ranger fans.
hahaha i know what you mean..
Versatility! Leadership! Loyalty! Woooopie!
I also hear he’s real scrappy, always hustles, “plays the game the right way,” “is going into Spring Training in the best shape of his life” after eating better, taking up yoga, etc……
You have it ALL wrong. The Rangers are NOT looking to trade Young for salary relief, otherwise they wouldn’t be looking to get much back for him. They just want fair value for a trade. For instance, if the Rangers were to trade Young for Yuniesky, and only had to eat like $5M, that would be a large quantity of salary relief, but if the Rangers made the same trade but had to eat $25M, where’s the benefit in that?
Well, what is ‘fair value’ in this case? Michael Young is clearly not worth his contract. If I were the Brewers, I would trade Yuni and Matt Gamel for Young and 20mm. The Rangers get rid of a player that obviously doesn’t want to play for them and they save ~20m over the next couple years, and get a replacement level player and an interesting prospect.
The big problem for this deal is Yuni, like I said before.
What’s an “alternative trade”? If a trade is a swap between two parties…is “alternative trade” one where the Rangers trade Young to themselves…for Michael Young?
a trade IS a swap between two parties, and in THIS specific case, it is a trade between the Rangers and one of the 8 teams Young will accept a trade to. An ALTERNATIVE trade would be a trade to a team NOT on his currently accepted list.
Brewers don’t want him!! Yuni might be bad defensively but Young at SS would be worse. The offensive upgrade is not worth the further defensive deterioration of the Brewers’ SS!
thats not really true, Young is a good bet to be close to a 2 WAR player even with his awful defense at SS. Yuni is a good bet to be under 1 WAR or even in the negative. It might not be a deal the Brewers want to make depending on what they have to give up and how much of Young’s contract they’d have to eat, but Young is certainly an upgrade over Yuni.
In a vacuum Brewers would want him no question. He’d give them a solid number 2 hitter in a lineup that really doesn’t have one. The number 2 options right now are Hart who’s better suited for the 5th or 6th spot where he can focus on being a power bat and Gomez/Dickerson CF combo that has speed but are not proven major league bats. But while they might be able to afford Young if and when Fielder and Weeks leave, they can’t afford him this year. Texas would have to agree to pick up like 75% of his 2011 salary and 25% or more of his remaining 2 years for it to work and take back Betancourt in the deal. Why would Texas do that?
Could the Jays be a match on Valentines day. Send Juan Rivera back to Texas with a minor leaguer. Toronto could use Young at third and let Bautista stay in right. Young would be great in the clubhouse and is still productive on the field with the bat and the glove. I know his $ is steep but the Jays have recently freed up some cash.
Riveria has no spot in the Rangers lineup and would not make it as the third option at DH.
I’d rather have Edwin ‘E5’ Encarnacion for 2 Million at 3rd than Michael Young at 48 million…
He also blocks, Lawrie at 3rd which also makes no sense..
If it were for a 1 year deal then maybe but Young has 3 years left which makes no sense to the Jays
The idea of Soriano for Young is not a bad idea, that would be the basic framework of a deal. Sori could slide into the DH slot and Young could be Cubs second baseman. Additionaly the Cubs could be upfront with Young and tell him they might move to third when ARams contract is up.
Texas is going to have to find some team that needs a powerless 1b/3B/DH and an equally abysmal contract type player the Rangers want in return it looks like and nobody is going to take Young on as a starting SS, the most important defensive position on the diamond anymore when he *might* have 2 step range now.
Like many have been saying, the Rangers FO seem to be expecting far more talent wise than could ever be expected and somebody like Zambrano would be perfect it seems, except the Cubs just signed Pena to a 1 year contract and have Ramirez locked up for 1 more, so they are not a match.
Better look at another possibility..
Why not the Cubs, it is a perfect marriage. The Rangers have a bloated contract with no place for him, and the Cubs have too many outfielders ( I am pretty sure the Cubs would want to give Colvin a starting job) and they have a bloated contract and the player is getting to that age where DH might do him good.
Nobody even knows if he can play the OF really. Taking on that contract and then trying to teach him the position over ST with 48M at stake? it would seem the Cubs would be better off hanging onto headache Zambrano and hoping he can retain some semblance of what he was prior to 2010 and even what he did the last 2 months of 2010 even.
Zambrano pitches effectively for the 1st 3 months of the season and with the lack of starting pitchers out there, the Cubs have -0- problems moving him AND his contract and getting a major piece, even a top prospect back at the deadline, which Young is neither of. It just sounds (to me) like a desperation move is all, but also the kind of move that hendry has been noted for since he took over the reins of the Cubs, so all bets are off with any move he makes.
“It remains possible that the Rangers won’t deal the infielder, however.” Shouldn’t that be “It remains likely..” since the Rangers don’t want to eat much of Young’s salary and still expect premium talent in return? Good luck with that, Daniels.
I know its a long shot, but how likely is a Soriano for Young deal? Cubs would have to throw something in or pay some money, but is it a long shot? I know Texas has some money to spend still since they couldn’t sign C. Lee.
On a scale of 1 to 10 of it happening, I give it about a 2.
The cubs still could do a trade for Fukudome though and they should.
Fukudome’s value on the trade market is somewhere between low and non-existent.
I suppose you could make that statement but combined with prospects, not so sure. And don’t know that because in this case because nothing has come out in the media that the Cubs have even attempted to make an offer.
They gotta do the Cubs trade, Fukodome and Baker for young. Cubs will be unstoppable
How about Chase Headley for Michael Young with the Rangers eating some of Young’s salary. I know, I know, the Padres don’t have the resources to pay Young any part of his large salary but that would be a win-win trade for the Padres.
Papelbon straight up for Young
Red Sox wouldn’t do that
Why not? Red Sox don’t need Papelbon, they have 3 closers or so in the bullpen already. This way the Rangers could move Neftali to starter Papelbon can close. Young could be a upgrade over Scutato and bat in the 2 hole. Move Ellesbury in the 9 so you have speed top with Crawford and bottom with jacoby.
because @ the contract Young is signed to, it wouldnt make sense to move out scutaro.. Sure young is an improvement with the bat, but he is a downgrade defensively. So when you factor that, is it really worth the extra 40 million and 2 year commitment?