Its Hard To Remember What All The Michael Young Pre-Season Fuss Was All About

Shortly after the Texas Rangers acquired 3rd basemen Adrian Beltre this past off season Michael Young openly questioned where he fit in with the Texas Rangers' future and requested a trade. Ron Washington assured Young, the media, and Ranger fans that he had a plan. Rangers' General Manager Jon Daniels maintained since the day the Rangers' acquired Beltre there was plan for Michael Young as a Texas Ranger. Things got really dicey between Young and Daniels. So much so that Young said he felt "manipulated and misled". Shortly after this Daniels and Young sat down and were able to clear the air. Young credited Daniels for initiating the meeting which Michael said he "laid out in detail what I was feeling, what my concerns were [and] gave him an opportunity to do the same". Daniels felt it was a productive meeting and said, "I feel very good about decisions we made as an organization. We like the way the club sets up, but hate the way it played out." Twenty games into the regular season it appears Washington and Daniels plan for Young and the Texas Rangers is working. The Rangers are in first place in the American League West and are tied for the best record in the American League. Michael Young leads the team in at bats with 82 and a 366 batting average which is third best in the American League. Adrian Beltre, whose signing sparked Young's issues with Daniels and the Rangers, leads the Rangers and American league in runs batted in with 19. He leads the Rangers in home runs and is tied for second in the American League with 6. It's early in the season but the Ranger's decision to pick up Beltre and keep Young has already paid dividends. With Josh Hamilton on injured reserve the Rangers have not missed a beat. They lead all of the Major League Baseball teams in extra base hits with 75 and they are currently tied for second with the Cincinnati Reds in home runs. With the starting pitching at 3.19 and 4th best in all of baseball it is no wonder Jon Daniels feels good about the decisions the organization has made. Twenty games into the MLB season it's hard to believe anyone ever questioned Michael Young's future with the Texas Rangers. I myself am guilty of thinking there was not enough room to keep everyone happy but I don't have the experience or the success Ron Washington has had as a Manager or Jon Daniels has had as a General Manager. When Washington and Daniels say they have a plan for the future it is time for the Ranger fans, media and myself to believe they do have a plan and it is a plan that gives the Rangers the best chance for success. There is still a long season ahead but Washington and Daniels' plan to upgrade the 3rd base position and keep Michael Young on as a productive part of the Texas Rangers appears to be yet another success. The Rangers have put everyone in Major League Baseball on notice that they are going to keep on getting better. Even given the short history that Washington and Daniels have with the Rangers it's time that the rest of us to believe whatever plan they have is going to be a good one.

Sources
espndallas.com: Richard Durrrett March 25th, 2011
espn.com