Young wouldn't come cheaply

Clutch player, Michael Young, has won two All-Star games for the AL.

wow, this could be a nice 'surprise' addition, keeping an eye on this rumor

Rice sooo deserves enshrinement today : )

and oh yea, sign Jason Bay

GO Sox !!!

I'm not so interested in Young...but what i think the Sox should do is be creative and do a blockbuster 3 way trade with texas and florida. In which the sox would get Hanley Ramirez & Saltalamacchia or Teagarden , Rangers get Lugo, Masterson, Bucholtz, Anderson, Florida would get Young, Ellsbury. Or something to that extent.

I'm not in favor of trading for Young, but it does make you wonder if a deal could be expanded to include a catcher AND clear a path for persuing Prince Fielder. Young + a Catcher for Lowell and prospects would solve our catching need and add a little more pop at SS. Moving Youkilis to 3rd would make room for a deal to acquire Fielder. Again, just throwing it out there. I'm not thrilled about a weakened all-around defense, but it would definitely add a little pop to the line up. I could see Fielder sliding to DH to make room for Lars Anderson in 2 years. It'll never happen, just not a lot of options left to daydream about.

As Tony pointed out, his OPS has dropped in the past 4 years and is widely overpaid. I hope the Sox don't trade for him

young would be a significant upgrade for sox . we have the ability to pay his salary and he is by all accounts the kind of guy we would want in our clubhouse. texas needs pitching we need offense and a catcher (WHICH THEY ALSO HAVE) the sox need to do a deal with texas ! lets get young and one of their backstops for some of our pitching like bucholz and a prospect etc.

Here is a good trade idea that may be worth pursuing:

Rangers get: Clay Buccholz, Jed Lowrie, Josh Bard, Manny Delcarmen OR Edgar Martinez

Red Sox get: Jarrod Saltalamacchia OR Taylor Teagarden, Michael Young

I say we pass on Young. I can't be the only one who thinks that Jed Lowrie is ready to play SS full time, can I? What'll we do with Lugo?

I say you wrap up Clay B., Lugo, & Josh Bard for Michael Young and Salty. Clay goes back home; Texas gets an experienced back up ss in case the rookie Elvis Andrus falters; and the Rangers get a quality veteran catcher. The Sox get a really good former all-star and gives Lowery time to develop and if/when the sign Tek; they get the apprentice (in Salty) they are looking for.

We all know there have been budget cuts and layoffs across the board, but one would think the Globe could at least retain an editor or two. The grammar in this blog is atrocious! P.S. - Just Say NO to Michael Young.

Tony, as you have indicated before - if the cost is "only money", the Sox have plenty of it to burn. Gaining offense at SS would be a coup, as that position and catcher are really the open positions - any other position would create an issue with whomever already plays there (no, I don't see worrying about Lugo sits on the bench as an issue). Could the Sox be willing to take on Young's salary in exchange for not having to give up too much in young arms in a trade?

Remember a few years back when the Sox REALLY wanted Josh Beckett and had to eat some salary to take that old washed up (ha, ha) 3B Mike Lowell to make the deal happen. We did the Marlins a favor (ha, ha) and took poor old decrepid Mike Lowell off their hands - and won a World Series with him knocking in runs like crazy.

Time for the Sox to great creative - make taking Michael Young's salary (or some of it) off of the Rangers' hands a key part of a deal to get Saltamaccia - plug him in behind the plate and Michael Young (who still has plenty left and is a clutch hitter - anyone remember the '06 All-Star Game??) becomes a slighlty overpaid, but very solid offensive shortstop - and all of a sudden the Sox are looking darn competitive for '09. This is the weak spot in the line-up. Sox can use their money to make this happen. Go get 'em!

Why can't the Red Sox trade one bad contract (Lugo) for another (Michael Young)? Typically, the Red Sox have to eat contracts (Renteria, Manny), so this could be an opportunity to get rid of one bad contract, at the cost of picking up another one.

young and salty for bucholtz and lugo........dumps off our problem child for a allstar expensive ss and gets us a catcher.....remember phil hughes ....bet the Yankers wish they dum ped him for santana now and bucholtz can get us the catcher we need who wants to be in Boston

Frankly, I also don't like the fact that he's demanding a trade merely because he does not want to play third. Not the mindset I'd want to bring into the clubhouse. If the Sox did trade for him, I'd suspect their real purpose would be in taking another run at Florida's Ramirez. With Young in hand, the Sox could offer a 'star' shortstop as part of a package. I don't think the Sox have given up on getting him, but they are either waiting for Florida's weaknesses to become more painfully evident (forcing them into the trade market), or waiting until they can acquire players they know Florida wants, or both.

The fact is, the fans don't flock to see a weak team with one or two star players, and that's more or less what Florida has right now.

At this point you have to wonder if a Lowrie/Lugo combo at shortstop would be much worse than giving up what they would have to for Young - unless the Rangers would take Lugo as part of the package in return.

At this point you have to wonder if a Lowrie/Lugo combo at shortstop would be much worse than giving up what they would have to for Young - unless the Rangers would take Lugo as part of the package in return.

puhleeze, are you serious tony? "they need to eat a significant portion of Young's salary"... WE need to eat a significant portion of our shortstop's salary to get him moved, and i would throw in JD as a bonus (except prince Theo gave him a no-trade clause so we're stuck with him for the next 3 years)

Perhaps the Red Sox' willingness to take on a bit more salary here would lead to a thaw in the talks regarding Salty? Also a means of dumping Lugo? Young is solid and as I recall anecdotally, has hit well versus the Yankees in the clutch over the years.

NO to trading for Young (32 yrs old) and that Albatross of a contract for 5 years.

Agreed. Young is over-priced and not getting any younger. The Red Sox should go young, as in filling gaps with the best available phenom talent on other teams' farm clubs. The club has a strong enough base to compete for the playoffs again this year. Theo Epstein will do his job well again. Have no fear.

he's a bad - way bad defensive short stop. Stay away!

$80 million over 5 years for Michael Young? Yikes! The Rangers could do the same thing as the Sox did to Manny, and waive him... at $16 million per year I would expect he'd be back in a Rangers uniform after the other 29 teams say no thanks. How did the price for a mediocre SS ever get that high? Is it just because he's made a few all star teams?

why can't he demand a trade? Manny did that every year for 7 years. "Under the terms of baseball's collective bargaining agreement", Tony does that mean no player in baseball can demand a trade? Fill in me, please.

Tony, may I disagree with the title of this article? To the contrary, I think Michael Young WILL come cheaply, if a deal is struck. Unless the Rangers are willing to eat a lot of his contract.

But, I think the more likely scenario is that they would trade him as a salary dump first and foremost, and take a modest package back in return.

We don't need yet another shortstop. We need a starting pitcher, a catcher and a corner infielder.

Hmmmm.... I don't disagree with Tony's comments concerning Young's offensive numbers, but I have to think given his average stats over the last five years that 2007 was more the exception than the rule. And he IS a Gold Glove winning shortstop. I don't know about how much money he's worth and if the Rangers would have to pay some of his salary, but the idea of a Youkilis-Pedroia-Young-Lowell infield (an all-Gold infield!!!) with at least Bay and Ellsbury defensively in the outfield would surely help the 2008 Sox, given their offense will be in question for a while. That infield would be a HUGE asset to the pitching staff and their offense would be on par with quite a few in baseball. And having Lowrie as one of your versatile bench players is another asset. I say really see what it would take to get Young.

If I'm Epstein I try to talk Texas who is really pitching starved into this:
Give us Young and Salty. We give you Buchholz, Bard and Lugo. You get a SP with top-of-the-rotation stuff who could be your ace for several years. You get Bard with definite closer potential who may be ready this season. Lugo can play a decent 3B (he's done it) for 2 years, gives you some speed which your lineup lacks and you save about $60 million on the Young-Lugo contract exchange with Buchholz and Bard costing you virtually nothing over the next 4-5 years. Lowrie then becomes the Red Sox utility IF for which he is perfect (he's played all 3 positions) and will get plenty of ABs.

Michael Young is a very good (and highly underrated) player. But if bringing him to Boston means trading prized prospects or paying $80 million, then we'll be better off with Jed Lowrie at short. Jed might not put up the number that Young puts up, but his defense is good and with the veterans with have on the team I'm sure he's gonna get better.

I like the three-way trade that brings Hanley and Salty to Boston. Giving up Buchholz wouldn't break my heart too much---we still have Bowden and Masterson.

I've been thinking Young would solidify their lineup for some time so this is good news. I agree that $80 million over 5 years/$16 million per year is a lot of dough but it beats the obligation they would have had with Texiera of $180 million over 8 years/$22.5 million per!!! I agree with some earlier writers that unloading Lugo's remaining $16 million over 2 years would have to part of it. Then if you threw in Delcarmen who looks like odd man out in the revamped bullpen anyway and Buckholz whose value may never be greater, you should be able to also get Saltamachia or Teagarden and solve your long term catching needs to boot.
That trade would all but erase that Playoff hole from last year of the 7 through 9 spots without a defensive sacrifice. With Baldelli, Kotsay and Josh Bard, keeping Lowrie would make for a versatile bench of a righty, lefty and 2 switch-hitters.

First off, Young has about 60-65 mil left on the deal due to signing bonus and front loaded payments. If it is Bucholz, Lugo, and a lower level prospect than perhaps, but no problems here in letting Lowrie blossom and staying away from this one.

Some of these posts are getting a little silly - let's trade Buccholz and anybody else we don't want for Young and Salty? Nobody wants Lugo at his salary. Nobody wants Josh Bard as their starting catcher. Sox will have to give up something else of value in their system to get Young and Salty, but taking Young's salary means they would have to give up less.

And when can Sox fans give it up on Hanley Ramirez??? He is Florida's prized asset - maybe one of the 5 or 6 best young players in all of baseball. They are not going to trade him for ANYBODY. Read it again. ANYBODY. That ship has sailed, and we've won a WS with Beckett. Get over it.

Young is due $80M over the next 5 years and his defense, according to many metrics, is Jeter-esque (for those of you who don't know, that means "very bad"). He'll be 36 by the time his contract's up, he's not really that patient of a hitter, and his numbers have gone down each of the last three years.

No thanks.

COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER - THESE "DREAM" TRADES THAT ARE PURE FICTION. PUT THE BONG DOWN FOLKS!

Some of these posts are getting a little silly - let's trade Buccholz and anybody else we don't want for Young and Salty? Nobody wants Lugo at his salary. Nobody wants Josh Bard as their starting catcher. Sox will have to give up something else of value in their system to get Young and Salty, but taking Young's salary means they would have to give up less.

And when can Sox fans give it up on Hanley Ramirez??? He is Florida's prized asset - maybe one of the 5 or 6 best young players in all of baseball. They are not going to trade him for ANYBODY. Read it again. ANYBODY. That ship has sailed, and we've won a WS with Beckett. Get over it.

NO THANK YOU

Pick any defensive metric you like, he's not good with the glove anymore. He is 32 with an AWFUL contract. His offensive numbers have been periodicly declining. To me, he is a prime suspect for PED's.

Don't the Sox already have a horribly overpriced shortstop on the roster?
O.K. all you G.M. wannabes, lets give up young talent for another one in Young (shortstop), and ty up roughly $80 million left in contracts for crummy play at one position and sit Lowrie. Brilliant!!! Start typing those resumes all you promising General Managers!!!

Absolutely not on Young. The Red Sox don't need him and Texas would probably want a 3rd baseman and pitching in return. And why would Theo spend the off-season collecting question-mark guys then trade away prospects? Doesn't make sense. Texas already has someone they want at SS and certainly would not want Lugo in any case. Is Young exhibiting the eventual Texas frustration that seems to get everyone down there or is he not a team guy? He's at the age where at SS might be losing a step. A-Rod moved for Jeter when he was arguably the best, why not Young?
No, no, a thousand times no on Prince Fielder.

Can we just give Lowrie the ball and say "it's yours for this year" and see how it goes? They don't need an all-star at every single position. That hasn't worked so well for the Yankees for the last 8 years.

Besides, wasn't there a whole big thing about how the Red Sox wouldn't go an extra $10 mill for Teixeira (sp)? You don't want to give a guy like that an extra $10 per, but you want to give Michael Young $80 million? That contract looks ridiculous because it IS ridiculous in ANY economy.

Plus, let's check out the Red Sox record on decisions with shortstops: Get rid of Nomar for Cabrera and then let him walk because he's too expensive. Then let's get Renteria who makes like 1,000 errors and let's get rid of him and eat a lot of money on his contract and then let's sign Julio Lugo to big bucks. Except he's been terrible, so they're paying Lugo and Renteria and they both stunk to the point where your big free agent is sat down routinely in favor of Cora & Lowrie.

Oh, and let's get rid of Hanley Ramirez and Freddy Garcia.

So now let's axe Lowrie in favor of yet another high priced guy who's older and doesn't justify his salary?

Um, nahhh....Let's stay where we are.

what are the rangers thinkiing? he's a gold-glove winner at shortstop. if the rangers want to win, then why do they want to move young away from his position? morons.

take salty. he wasn't a patch on gerald laird's uniform.

it's frustrating being a rangers fan.

Dont do anything unless the Sox can somehow pry Hanley away from the Marlins....stop with the silly posts, this is MLB the Show

I've always liked Michael Young, though he a down year this year. If the Sox can move Lugo plus a couple of mid-level prospects (i.e. not Ellsbury, Bowden, Buchholz, Masterson, or Lars Anderson), that would be a deal worth while. I doubt the Rangers would be interested, but perhaps the idea of saving $60 million would be appealing.

Those of you who want to trade Lars Anderson need to get a grip. In two years he and Jason Bay may be the only power threats on this team. He is the only power hitter in the farm system and the Sox can't afford to lose him with no real power threats on the team. (I'm accounting for the decline in Ortiz's bat and Mike Lowell no longer being a member of the Sox after his current contract expires, and his numbers will decline as well due to aging).

No, no no, a thousand times NO! I do not see Young, at 32 and seemingly on the downside, good enough at this stage as to give up top young talent. I honestly don't think he's that much better than the infinitely cheaper, younger Lowry. Not interested!! And, in terms of his 'Gold Glove' defense, check out what Bill James says about that. Absolutely NO!

actually and to the contrary (to someone up above), hanley ramirez could very well be moved. it's evident just listening to the florida-based media these days (yes, it does exist!), what with talk of the pedro martinez circus nearing, it's "star" enough for 'em.
young could, and possibly should, end up at second with the yankees, who've sorta had it with cano ("lackadaisical like a daisy" is got to be one of the best worse lines ever uttered in pro-sports, even for new york, no?).
after all, he (young) IS overpayed, overhyped, overrated, over the top and pretty soon... over the hill.

Hmm... With that massive contract, could the Sox take Young and a catcher for less than a catcher alone would cost? What kind of payroll pressure is Texas under?

it all makes sense, if you dont give up the farm. stay away from anderson, bowden, and masterson. if u can dump lugo's contract and mid-level prospects i am all for it. but what doesnt make sense, is you wouldnt throw in an extra 10 million a year for teix, but you will pay an aging shortstop 16 a season. doesnt make to much sense to me.

p.s..i can see this deal getting done, and swinging young, bucholoz, and a few other prospects to the marlins for ramirez. and whoever made the comment about florida not tradeing ramirez, you dont know what ur talking about, they were a player away from getting it done, a month ago, you dont know a thing about anything ur talking about...