The Texas Rangers made headlines recently with the signing of Adrian Beltre. The next question they have to answer is concerning their former third baseman, Michael Young.
Young is not new to big league position changes, however. He’s had time at all infield positions besides first base, although it’s been some time since he’s had to consider a switch. In 2008 he spent time at SS, and back in 2003 Michael Young was primarily a second baseman.
One major hurdle remains. Michael Young won’t be a free agent until 2014, trading him might actually be harder then keeping him sparingly, or moving him to a different position. There has been talk about using him at DH, but for a guy like Young with plenty of years left as a solid defensive player, that might be somewhat of a downgrade as far as his rhythm goes.
In a recent ESPN article, I came across the notion of Young becoming a Lance Berkman, who was traded mid-season and became a DH for the Yankees. It was obvious that Berkman wouldn’t play first base, a position anchored by Teixeira. The idea of Berkman becoming bored came up, in which he referenced the sheer awkwardness of simply not trotting out to your normal position.
For Michael Young, it may be a good thing. A better thing would be if he could use utilize his talented defense in a city that would love to make him an everyday player. As for now, and according to the Rangers website, Michael Young is officially a DH. I guess the playoffs proved fatal in his campaign to man the hot corner, as he made a handful of crucial mistakes.
Let’s take a look at some reasons why he’d be perfect for San Francisco should his time with Texas in the DH role become unbearable.