Rangers can't let demand get old before dealing Young

The Texas Rangers are a drink that no longer needs stirring, and Michael Young a straw with nothing more to mix in Arlington.
A cold winter of rumors swirled toward its climax Monday when the Rangers confirmed the painfully obvious -- the face of their franchise, the backbone of their clubhouse, wants out.
"It's not our first choice," general manager Jon Daniels told reporters on a conference call.

Michael Young connects for one of the five hits he tallied in 20 at-bats in the 2010 World Series. (Getty Images)

On the same call, club president Nolan Ryan said, "We have to look at each opportunity that comes up."
Sigh.
Understand this about Michael Young: He is the epitome of class, the perfect teammate and a true professional. But it is no longer possible for him to be Cal Ripken, Alan Trammell, Derek Jeter. His time has run out with the only major-league team he's ever played for, and business being business, there is only one way this can play out.
A trade at the soonest possible moment is in the best interest of both the Rangers and Young.
The Super Bowl-week ice storm that nailed Dallas had nothing on the freeze-out Young has been feeling much of the winter.
When the Rangers signed free agent Adrian Beltre, it pulled third base right out from under Young. When they acquired Mike Napoli from Toronto, it yanked away future DH at-bats.
Part of the way they've handled this has been clumsy, yes. But coming off of their first-ever World Series, the Rangers recognize their window is now. And anybody who watched those ground balls bounce past Young in the World Series knows that third base was a weakness. Tough to admit, given everything Young has meant to Texas, but inarguable.
The Rangers shouldn't have told Young earlier this winter that they weren't trying to trade him, when rival clubs confirmed they were.
But Young is a big boy, and while the $48 million left on his contract makes trading him tricky, it also eventually will help soothe his emotional wounds. Just as some promises are made to be broken, unwieldy contracts eventually wear out their welcome.
Young has listed eight clubs to whom he will consider a trade, and the Rangers surely will have to pick up much of his contractual tab.
"For me to speculate that we would be willing to absorb some of the salary would be premature when I don't know what's out there," Ryan said.
Colorado makes the most sense. The Rockies would happily make Young their everyday second baseman. Young would play for a team with a great chance to win the NL West. But reports out of Denver say the Rockies would need about $20 million in salary relief.
Texas, your move.
"We are talking about one of the premier hitters in the game," Ryan said. "We expect proper compensation back."
Fine, but if it is the AL West-rival Angels offering, the Rangers should run the other way. Intra-divisional trades are not as taboo as in previous generations; in the modern game, economic reality often trumps everything. But the Angels could be one piece away from leap-frogging the Rangers, and it would be ludicrous if the Rangers even think about packaging Young to the Angels.
Daniels insisted Monday that "nothing is imminent." Though Young requested this trade a week ago, both sides may still be at the digesting stage.
It was only a few days back when manager Ron Washington told people at the Rangers' FanFest that "Michael Young is the straw that stirs the drink in Texas."
Ryan went a step further, saying, "He is going to be our DH on Opening Day."
There was a time when Young willingly changed positions to accommodate a newcomer named A-Rod. Two springs ago, he moved again to make room for then-rookie Elvis Andrus. Last spring, it was Young who stood in the clubhouse after Washington's tearful admission that he had tested positive for cocaine and said he had the manager's back, and he challenged the other Rangers to do the same.
Times change. Now Young is exposed. And they no longer have his back in Texas. At 34, Young does not wish to be pigeon-holed into some sort of Super-utility role.
"We understand his feelings and where he's at at this point in his career," Daniels said.
Now if Young is Texas' DH on Opening Day, it is a problem. In fact, if he's still around when the Rangers conduct their first full-squad workout a week from Sunday, it will be a major problem.
A far bigger problem than Christina Aguilera trying to get through the national anthem in that monstrosity of a stadium a few hundred yards up the street.