Michael Young

In the past, I have made the mistake of not truly appreciating certain players until after they retired. For example, I more or less took for granted that Cal Ripken Jr. would always be there. Same with George Brett. I became so accustomed to seeing them play--every season, every game--that I never really considered the idea that someday I might not see them any more. I knew that they couldn't play forever, that eventually they would have to retire, but I didn't believe it. Then, suddenly, they weren't there, and I missed them.

Thankfully, I haven't made that mistake with Michael Young.

I first became aware of Michael in 2001, when he was an up-and-coming second baseman for the Rangers. That was Alex Rodriguez's first year in Texas, so of course he got all the publicity. Not much was said about Michael that season or the next, but he came into his own in 2003, batting .306 with 204 hits. The following season, Rodriguez left Texas for New York ("I never would have gone to Texas if they had told me, 'Alex, it's going to be you and 24 kids,'" he said), and Michael Young became the face of the Texas Rangers.

He was an All-Star six straight seasons (2004-09) and again in 2011, and won the All-Star Game MVP in 2006. Between 2003 and 2012 he averaged 198 hits per season with a .304 average. He also established himself as an elite major leaguer and the captain of the Rangers.

But the greatness of Michael Young goes beyond mere statistics. He has demonstrated a selfless attitude that seems to be sorely lacking in today's game. A shortstop by trade, he willingly moved to second base when the team acquired Rodriguez (shortstop to second is a bigger move than one may think). Upon Rodriguez's departure, Michael moved back to short and cleared the way for new Ranger Alfonso Soriano (remember when he was a second baseman?). Elvis Andrus became the Rangers' shortstop in 2009, moving Michael to third base. All was fine and dandy until the Rangers acquired All-Universe third baseman Adrian Beltre. Rangers brass asked Michael to take on a "super-utility" role, meaning that at various times he would play all four infield positions or be the designated hitter. Michael bristled at first (understandably) and asked to be traded. However, he soon relented and agreed to be the Michael of All Trades. That season was quite possibly his best campaign, as he finished with a .338 batting average, a league-high 213 hits and a career-best 106 runs batted in. All this while only striking out 78 times in 689 plate appearances. His willingness to be whatever the Rangers needed him to be was integral to the team's reaching the World Series for the first time ever.

"A hitter should have a solid plan at the plate and not give away at bats," Michael has said. "Honestly, I'm never looking to work a walk. I'm looking to go up and make hard contact every time." A simple approach. Make the most of every trip to the batter's box. Michael is not willing to take a game off, or even a single at bat. Six hundred eighty-nine plate appearances is a grind, yes, and especially in the Summertime Texas heat. But he knows that even one of those could make a difference in a game, and possibly the season. Twenty-four other players are counting on him to take his team-first mindset to the plate every single time. In addition to that approach, he has the quickest bat this side of Gary Sheffield. Michael has been a distinct pleasure to watch.

Michael was traded to the Phillies in December 2012 and then to the Dodgers in August 2013. He has become a little harder for me to follow since I never go to Phillies or Dodgers games and they're not shown on TV much where I live. I was able to watch him in the playoffs last season, however, and I checked the box scores every day and rooted for him in that way. 

At the time of this writing, Michael is thirty-seven and the clock is ticking on him. He was granted free agency by the Dodgers at the close of the 2013 season and is currently unsigned. Somebody will snatch him up soon, but he will more than likely have a limited role in the coming season. I'm not sure how much baseball Michael has left, but I think it's safe to say that his exemplary career will soon be coming to a close (two, maybe three more seasons at the most?). The shadow behind him is long. After that, then what? He certainly has the credentials to coach or manage if he would like. I'm sure that with his baseball acumen, he would be a great asset to any club's front office. But that's all speculation. As for right now, he's still a player. What about the Hall of Fame? Probably not. However, with 2,375 career hits and a career batting average of exactly .300, he certainly merits consideration. Regardless, I and the Texas Rangers fans for the last decade can be proud that we had the privilege of watching Michael Young grace The Ballpark.