Michael Young (baseball player)
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| Position | Shortstop |
| Team | Texas Rangers |
| Years of Experience | 5 years |
| Age | 30 |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight | 190 lb. |
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| College | University of California, Santa Barbara |
| Place of Birth | Covina, California |
| Selection | 5th round amateur draft, 1997 |
| Drafted by | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Major League Debut | 9-29-2000 |
Michael Brian Young (born October 19, 1976 in Covina, California) is a Mexican-American shortstop in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Texas Rangers.
Originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth round in 1997, Young was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2000 along with Darwin Cubillán for Esteban Loaiza. In 2001, Young became a regular with the Rangers at second base between shortstop Alex Rodriguez and first baseman Rafael Palmeiro. Young and Rodríguez became fast friends in the infield. Following Rodriguez's trade to the Yankees, Michael Young was then moved to the shortstop position.
Young hit .306 with 14 home runs and 72 RBI during the 2003 season. However, during the off-season, the Rangers made the well-publicized trade of Rodríguez to the New York Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano. Now not only had Young's friend been taken away from the Rangers, Young was now in danger of losing his position on the field with another talented second baseman on the team. Young, however, told manager Buck Showalter that he would defer his second base position to Soriano and Young made his move to shortstop.
In 2004, with many critics uncertain of the Rangers' future following the Rodríguez trade, the Rangers blossomed with their young talent and Young was no exception. Batting primarily from the leadoff position, by June 11, Young had a .332 batting average with nine home runs and 37 RBI. In the field, Young became an important part of the double play tandem of himself, Soriano, and first baseman Mark Teixeira, assisting on 44 double plays by June 11.
Young had a stellar 2005 campaign with Texas, finishing the year with a .331 average. This was good enough to make him the American League batting champion, becoming only the second Ranger to accomplish the feat (the first being Julio Franco in 1991). Young also hit 221 hits in 2005 which led the American League.
Young was elected as a member of 2006 World Baseball Classic roster.
In the 2006 MLB All-Star Game held at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Young was rewarded with the Ted Williams All-Star Game MVP award after hitting a clutch triple in the top of the ninth inning with two outs, two strikes, and runners on second and third base against National League closer Trevor Hoffman. The triple put the American League ahead for good, 3-2. In addition to his clinching hit, Young also made a backpedaling catch in shallow right field to record the final out of the game.
In 2006 Young collected 200 hits for the fourth consecutive season, joining Wade Boggs, Kirby Puckett and Ichiro Suzuki as the only players since 1980 to accomplish the feat. The Texas Rangers, however, missed the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season, leading Young to question his future with the team after his current contract.
[edit] Consecutive Games Started
(Updated as of October 3, 2006)
254
[edit] Career Statistics
| Games | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 905 | 3676 | 561 | 1104 | 202 | 38 | 94 | 476 | 46 | .300 |
[edit] External links
- ESPN - profile and daily updates
- ESPN - Rangers follow Young's lead
- Baseball Reference - statistics and analysis
| Preceded by: Ichiro Suzuki |
American League Batting Champion 2005 |
Succeeded by: Joe Mauer |
| Preceded by: Miguel Tejada |
Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player 2006 |
Succeeded by: incumbent |
Categories: Living people | Major league players from California | Major league second basemen | Major league shortstops | People from Los Angeles County | Texas Rangers players | University of California, Santa Barbara alumni | 1976 births | 2004 American League All-Stars | 2005 American League All-Stars | 2006 American League All-Stars | 2006 World Baseball Classic players of the United States | American League batting champions | MLB All-Star Game MVPs
