Michael Young Not On Trade Block, Says Nolan Ryan

Tuesday evening, the baseball world caught wind of some developing Michael Young trade rumors, as it seemed possible the Rangers might be looking to shed some payroll. However, there's a very big difference between listening to offers for a player and actively trying to move that player, and team president Nolan Ryan has stated that the Rangers are most definitely not shopping Young around.

Michael Young's name has come up in conversations between the Rangers and other teams, but his name was not brought up by Rangers general manager Jon Daniels. And that's only natural, as pretty much every player in baseball ends up getting discussed in one way or another at the Winter Meetings. There's no sense in making anyone untouchable, as a front office should always be open to offers, but at the same time, listening to offers isn't the same as looking to trade.

It would make sense for the Rangers to consider moving Young, as he's signed to an expensive long-term contract and is on the wrong side of 30, but it's a lot more complicated than that. Young has off-the-field significance to the local area, and besides, he is a worse player than third baseman Adrian Beltre, who is currently available as a free agent. Young could be moved, but such a transaction should be considered highly unlikely.