< Back to front page Text size – +

Young wouldn't come cheaply

Print | Comments () Posted by Tony Massarotti, Globe Staff January 12, 2009 12:02 PM

Tweet
E-mail

Michael Young's unwillingness to move to third base has inspired him to request a trade from the Texas Rangers, but there are lots of issues to address before a move to a team like the Red Sox could become a reality. For starters, Young is set to enter the first year of a five-year, $80 million contract extension, a deal that now looks terribly overpriced given the downturn in the market and the player's recent performance.

While Young remains one of the better offensive shortstops in baseball, he batted .284 with 12 home runs and 82 RBI last year, numbers that do not warrant the kind of salary he currently possesses. Further, Young's OPS has dropped in each of the last four years, down to .741 from the .898 he posted in 2005, when he batted .331 with 24 home runs, 91 RBI, 114 runs scored and 40 doubles.

Young turned 32 in October, meaning he will play the final year of his current deal at age 36. If the Rangers are serious about moving him, they made need to eat a significant portion of Young's salary to make a deal work.

One final thing: Though Young has requested a trade, he has no right to demand one under the terms of baseball's collective bargaining agreement.