Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reported in mid-February that the Diamondbacks were interested in Michael Young and today he writes that they “renewed their efforts to trade” for him last week only to balk when the Rangers “asked for a strong package of prospects and major leaguers.”
Rosenthal is probably the best national reporter in the business and I’m not doubting what the “one source” quoted in the article told him, but I’m highly skeptical that the Rangers wanted “a strong package of prospects and major leaguers” for a guy they’ve clearly been trying to trade for the past four months.
Perhaps the Rangers asked for that type of return for Young if they’re expected to eat the entire $48 million remaining on his contract, but short of that they seem likely to let him go for either a sizable chunk of money saved or a decent prospect. And if they’re truly holding out for the package Rosenthal describes ... well, then it’s no mystery why he hasn’t been traded in four months. Young just isn’t that valuable.
Of course, in this case the Diamondbacks are on the list of teams to which Young can veto a trade, so it may be a moot point anyway. He would be an upgrade on Melvin Mora at third base, though.
