Comments on: Confirmed: Michael Young wants out of Texas

By: spudchukar

spudchukar — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:36:05 +0000

There is nothing “gentlemanly” in Luke Scott’s inane opinions.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:45:21 +0000

The comments aren’t racist, they are observations are race and the Cardinals. And “reverse racism” would be a lack of racism, as racism is a general phenomenon and not restricted to bias associated with one group (except in the perception of white Americans, again, that isn’t a racist observation, it is just an observation about race). Anyway, look at the Cardinal team over the last several years, the pattern of “whiteness” is so overwhelming that you can’t really ignore ignore it. No, I don’t think it is a conscience effort, it simply reflects LaRussa’s perception of players (which is very subjective). Tony has been very influential in roster composition for quite some time. Right now the Cardinals are Pujols, Molina, Garcia, Salas (if he makes the team), and 21 (or 22) white guys…..just like last year, and the years before that….
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Besides, you should know only white players are scrappy, black players are athletic.

By: Mike Luna

Mike Luna — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 07:30:27 +0000

Young wants to be traded. What are they supposed to do about that?

They could just tell him to sit down, shutup, and be happy they’re paying him all that money, but that’s even more disrespectful than asking him to change positions three times.

By: mtner77

mtner77 — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 07:14:50 +0000

“Is he scrappy? He’s white enough and old for LaRussa to want him, he must be scrappy and “play the game the right way”, right?”

Hmmmm. I guess if he was the exact same player, but black, you would be saying he is “dark” enough for a black manager?? Of course you wouldn’t. But since racism is NOT ALLOWED HERE but since reverse racism is (typical of NBC) your statements are not only allowed they are the norm. (I am sure La Russa does NOT want Pujols back. He is not “white and scrappy”.)

Your statements are laughable. But, of course, they are allowed. (Luke Scott’s are NOT!)

Gentlemen.

By: cur68

cur68 — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 05:38:32 +0000

Sorry? What? Get rid of the one manager that has taken (finally!) the Rangers somewhere; getting past divisional opponents all the way to the pennant, all the way to the world series? And did you actually type a phrase that indicates Mr. Texas Baseball, Nolan Ryan, is, in your opinion, not a great baseball man? ROFLMAO! Clearly you think others should be in those roles. Ok. Who? And in the name of all that’s holy, why? Why would you take a winning formula and wreck it? Do you enjoy futility? Do you like watching a franchise you clearly care about struggle? I can’t tell you how often I watched my Oilers fall short of the Stanley Cup in the 80′s, or my Blue Jays crap out of the playoffs in the early 90′s. But the head coaches and GMs, they tweaked the formula with slightly better players and slight changes in game plan. They knew they were on to something. You should know it too. Washington and Ryan are on to something and they work well together. If MY goes then those 2 guys will likely find a way to make something better out of the situation. They’ve done well enough to win where no one, not even a guy who went on to become president of the USA, did before. Why would you do anything other than urge them on? And as for the coke snorting business; you do realize that guy who went on to be president has a certain history with substance abuse? Just like Joe Namath getting drunk and making a fool of himself with a pretty reporter on live TV or Favre texting his junk for all the world to see, or even Hugh Grant and a hooker; relatively decent people screw up real bad sometimes. For these celebrities its in front of the whole world. Some admit it, are sorry for it and try to do better. Other’s lie their oily behinds off and try to get away with it. Imagine if just one of your own epic screw ups (and come on, admit it, you surely have had ‘em, just like me and everyone else) was live on TV with the whole world watching. Ron Washington showed exactly the kind of guy he was. Which kind of guy would you be?

By: gt929

gt929 — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 05:12:46 +0000

Daniels and Washington have improved the Rangers’ record for the last 4 seasons, culminating in their first AL pennant. That’s a pretty long run of ‘lucky’ and ‘no clue.’ Nothing against Ryan, I truly have faith in him, but look up the dates of and the names in the trades that brought the Rangers Hamilton, Murphy, Andrus & Feliz, then look up the date Ryan was hired. Yup, that Daniels is some idiot.

By: Jeremiah Graves

Jeremiah Graves — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 05:06:43 +0000

Texas would have to eat A LOT of the salary to make that deal work with the Twins. They've got some money to spend nowadays, but they've still got limits and spending anymore than $10 million/year on someone like Young just doesn't make any sense, especially if the Rangers want any sort of worthwhile return in the deal.

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 04:31:15 +0000

Not a chance. Heard of Pujols, Votto and the actual good players in the NL?

He MIGHT crack the Top 5 hitters on the Rockies if he’s traded there.

By: gt929

gt929 — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 04:17:48 +0000

The Rangers have ‘jerked’ Young around for over $90m in contract money. My opinion- he needs to shut up, show up, and play ball. If he is hitting at his lifetime average of .300, he’ll be in the line-up somewhere, for sure. If he’s hitting .262, like he did after the AS break last year, he may not get as many ABs, but he’ll still get his $48m for the next three years.

By: benjipants

benjipants — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 23:41:29 +0000

I wonder if he could be of value to the Twins, of the Rangers picked up some salary. Another bat couldn’t hurt, especially since I’m starting to wonder if Morneau has had a Pucket experience with that plunking.

By: baseballisboring

baseballisboring — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:45:42 +0000

which was universally panned

By: cowhawkfan

cowhawkfan — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:37:09 +0000

If the Texas Rangers trade Michael Young they are idiots and will have lost me as a fan (and yes I realize they could care less). Michael Young has been a class act his entire team with the
Rangers. He moved from 2nd to SS at their request, knowing his range wasn’t great, but the Ranger knew that as well. He then moved from SS to 3rd at their request, knowing it was a tough switch. He is the undisputed leader in the club house. When players come to Texas they always talke about the great clubhouse. Michael Young is the tone setter for that clubhouse. Yes, he could have better range at SS and 3rd base, but he is not horrible. He is 12 among active players in fielding percentage at SS with more than 500 games at the position. That’s better than Derek Jeter (also not great) and puts him about in the middle of the pack. His hitting has been solid throughout his career. And everyone wants to blame it on the ballpark, but most hitters hit better at home. And with that logic, you could also blame is Texas lousy pitching over the years for his poor fielding percentage. It tough to catch rockets!! Yes, I fully acknowledge tha Michael Young is not hitting or fielding as well as in the past. Yet, I believe he still has enough game to be a productive Texas Ranger and his locker room presence is much needed. As someone else pointed out, Kinsler is a great player, but always seems to have at least one long DL stay each season. And Young may be the best option at 1st base since they still have no one that has proven they can play the position for an extended period. If Nolan Ryan is the baseball man he’s being credit for being (and personally I don’t think he is), he’ll keep Michael Young. Jon Daniels, the GM, is still an idiot in my book and one lucky season does not a genius make. The Rangers are back to signing injured pitchers hoping they can make a comeback. The Rangers have a long history of failure in that regard. Letting Michael Young go a season or two early would be another failure in the Jon Daniels era. Oh…and I still say…fire that coke snorting manager who has no clue how to utilze a pitching staff, particuarlly the bullpen!!!

By: Mike Luna

Mike Luna — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:03:40 +0000

He only won one Gold Glove [at SS] in 2008.

By: henryd3rd

henryd3rd — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:54:05 +0000

The Rangers are beginning to act like they are the Yankees with some of their front offices decisions. Why would you sign Beltre knowing full well that you are going to have eat some of MY’s contract in order to sign him. If they are trying to copying the Big Boys, i.e., the Yankees, Boston and Angels you had better have some deep pockets and not those fair weather fans that attend the games in Texas. Plus how well has Beltre played when it is not his contract year? They may have wanted to talk to some of the folks in LA & Seattle before making that trade. Time will tell.

By: proudlycanadian

proudlycanadian — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:45:24 +0000

The Rangers have jerked him around from second base to short to third to DH. His best friend (Vernon Wells) now plays for the Angels. They became buddies in the minors. The Angels could use a third baseman, but Texas would obviously have to eat part of his contract in any trade to the Angels.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:39:35 +0000

I’m not sure why any Ranger fans would be sorry to see him go, Young has never been the player they think he is.
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Is he scrappy? He’s white enough and old for LaRussa to want him, he must be scrappy and “play the game the right way”, right?

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:36:13 +0000

Do people (including Young) really not realize that Young owes all of his perceived greatness to his home ballpark? He has a career road OBP of .322 and career road wOBA of .325; he has a career OPS+ of 105, and he has never been a good defender.
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Everyone says he is such a great leader and clubhouse guy, but all he does is whine when they ask him to play a different position. If he could actually field well, or hit well outside of Arlington, TX wouldn’t be looking for upgrades so often….and he’s doing all of this whining while making at least twice as much money as he’s worth.

By: Drew Silva

Drew Silva — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:31:51 +0000

Since when does a Gold Glove represent actual defensive skill? Young has really poor range:

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1286&position=2B/SS

By: senorbueno

senorbueno — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:25:04 +0000

Crap, 2nd and SS, sorry

By: senorbueno

senorbueno — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:24:09 +0000

MY has “never been great defensively ” may be the most ignorant thing I’ve ever read. He had a rough year at third base, but won gold gloves at 2nd and 3rd. Hard to take a guy seriously that would say something like that.

By: Jeremiah Graves

Jeremiah Graves — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:22:07 +0000

Tough situation here if you’re the Rangers. You don’t want a malcontent, but there’s no way you can expect to get anything even remotely resembling fair value back in a trade, especially if you’ve got to eat a bunch of the salary.

I’d say keep him and see how things shake out. Kinsler figures to have (at minimum) one moderately lengthy stint on the DL, Mitch Moreland and Elvis Andrus are both going to have growing pains and need days off to shake out of funks and whatnot. Hamilton figures to miss some time. There’s playing time in the mix, they just have to get creative.

It just seems that you’d be better off with him around as an option rather than to trade him off for pennies on the dollar and still pay a bunch of his salary.

By: Drew Silva

Drew Silva — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:20:15 +0000

Word up.

By: tbdevilrayfan

tbdevilrayfan — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:17:36 +0000

What a shame…. The Rangers will miss more then his bat once he’s gone.
The way this guy hits, he could be a MVP hitting 61 games at Coors Field.

By: spudchukar

spudchukar — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 20:55:26 +0000

“only one more week..until November.” Blissful Ode.

By: Mike Luna

Mike Luna — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 20:55:15 +0000

Sad to see him go, but at least he will handle this [as he has most everything else] with dignity and respect.

By: baseballstars

baseballstars — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 20:54:30 +0000

Maybe the Yankees could get him for all those All Stars they signed from 1995.

By: bigtrav425

bigtrav425 — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 20:51:59 +0000

I agree ,i dont blame Young either.He has been a pretty good player and teammate thru out his career.Id take him anyday of the week over Beltre.Young has been a lot more consistent then Beltre in there careers…Funny i thought the Rangers were on there way to being a good team fora long time with all there young players etc.But the moves they have made over this winter make me think otherwise

By: Drew Silva

Drew Silva — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 20:49:39 +0000

Poetry?

By: spudchukar

spudchukar — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 20:48:13 +0000

Drew, when did you learn to write such beautiful poetry?

By: spudchukar

spudchukar — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 20:46:44 +0000

I don’t blame Young. He has stuck with the Rangers during the good and the bad, of which there has been plenty more of. Hope he lands somewhere he likes, and gets to play on a regular basis. He will make some fans and management happy somewhere.