This weekend, the Boston Globe suggested that the Chicago Cubs continued look at disgruntled Ranger Michael Young as a possible trade target, believing that Young would be an upgrade at second base over the anticipated Blake DeWitt/Jeff Baker platoon. I said then and will reiterate now: trading for Young is both highly unlikely and highly unpalatable. He’s set to make $48 million over the next three years, and the Rangers have suggested that, not only will they not eat much of that total in order to move Young, but they also want top young pitching talent in return. Neither suggestion makes Young any more attractive than he already isn’t – yes, isn’t: he does not produce outside of Arlington.
Last night, Phil Rogers tweeted the terrifying answer to just what the Rangers would have in mind by “top young pitching talent”: Andrew Cashner and/or Carlos Marmol. Naturally, some of that is Rogers doing his usual shooting from the hip when it comes to rumors; but he’s certainly right that the Rangers would ask for that caliber of talent in a Michael Young deal. If that’s not enough to make you run away screaming, allow me to reiterate Young’s road numbers: .279/.322/.411. That’s a .733 OPS. Care to pay through the nose in talent and cash to bring that to Wrigley?
For his part, Paul Sullivan also questions the likelihood of a Michael Young deal, but does go on to suggest that, if the Cubs remain displeased with Blake DeWitt’s performance, they may have to go outside of the organization to bring in a left-handed platoon-mate for Jeff Baker (DeWitt has an option left, so he can be sent to Iowa). Sullivan doesn’t suggest any names, but to my knowledge, the only left-handed hitting second baseman on the market right now is Luis Castillo – and the Cubs should want no part of his diminishing skill set.