Burn531
03-02-2007, 01:41 AM
DALLAS -- Shortstop Michael Young has agreed to a contract extension worth about $80 million over five seasons with the Texas Rangers.
"We accomplished a great deal over the past four days," Young said after spring training workouts Thursday in Surprise, Ariz. "This puts me here through the 2013 season and represents a great leap of faith on their part."
Young didn't discuss the finances of the deal, which is for 2009-13. The $80 million figure was disclosed by a person familiar with the negotiations and who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.
The Rangers were expected to announce the deal Friday, when they play their spring training opener in Surprise.
"There is a strong possibility of that," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Thursday. "That's all I can say at this point."
Young is a bargain for the Rangers at about $3.5 million this season, the last of a $10 million, four-year contract for the three-time All-Star. The Rangers will pick up a team option for $5 million next season before the extension begins.
By agreeing to an extension, Young will bypass a chance for free agency in 2008.
"I'm sure it's great to see what's out there," Young said. "I did not want to go somewhere else and then see that Texas is in the World Series. We have a great core here and we're all committed. I want to be here and help promote a winner."
The current deal was signed in 2004, the same spring Young switched from second base to shortstop after AL MVP Alex Rodriguez was traded to the New York Yankees. Young has been an All-Star every season since moving back to the position he played in the minor leagues.
Young's extension will be the second-largest contract in Rangers history. The biggest was the $252 million, 10-year deal Rodriguez got in December 2000.
Rangers owner Tom Hicks deferred comment until Friday, but said last week during a visit to spring training that he was "pretty optimistic" about getting a deal done.
"Michael's the kind of guy that I think should be the face of this franchise," Hicks said last week. "He has been and he should be."
Hicks was previously scheduled to be back in Surprise on Friday for the spring opener.
Young has four straight 200-hit seasons, and his 858 hits in that span are second to Ichiro Suzuki's 904. Young hit .373 (166-for-445) with runners in scoring position during that stretch, a mark bettered only by Barry Bonds (.394, 63-for-160).
"You're talking about one of the premier players in the game," Rangers rookie manager Ron Washington said. "If we get this done in the next 24-48 hours, I'm very relaxed."
A .300 career hitter, Young was the AL batting champion in 2005 at .331, and was the All-Star game MVP last summer. Young hit .314 with 52 doubles, 14 homers and 103 RBIs last season.
If Young stays in Texas the length of the extension, he will be 36 at the end of the 2013 regular season. He played a full 162-game season for the first time in 2006, but took only 13 games off the four seasons before that.
"I have been durable for the past years, and I think they recognized that," Young said. "There's no doubt I can be healthy and productive over the course of the contract."
The Rangers last made the playoffs in 1999. They have had only one winning season since and haven't finished above third place in the AL West, but this winter hired Washington, the longtime Oakland assistant, to replace Buck Showalter.
"This team is ready to start winning," Young said.
Texas acquired Young from Toronto midway through the 2000 season, when he was a minor league second baseman and the second player the Rangers got behind pitcher Darwin Cubillan when they traded right-hander Esteban Loaiza.
Young made his major league debut by playing in two games for the Rangers at the end of 2000. He has been a regular in the lineup since he was recalled in late May 2001 and started 104 games at second base.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2784537
"We accomplished a great deal over the past four days," Young said after spring training workouts Thursday in Surprise, Ariz. "This puts me here through the 2013 season and represents a great leap of faith on their part."
Young didn't discuss the finances of the deal, which is for 2009-13. The $80 million figure was disclosed by a person familiar with the negotiations and who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.
The Rangers were expected to announce the deal Friday, when they play their spring training opener in Surprise.
"There is a strong possibility of that," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Thursday. "That's all I can say at this point."
Young is a bargain for the Rangers at about $3.5 million this season, the last of a $10 million, four-year contract for the three-time All-Star. The Rangers will pick up a team option for $5 million next season before the extension begins.
By agreeing to an extension, Young will bypass a chance for free agency in 2008.
"I'm sure it's great to see what's out there," Young said. "I did not want to go somewhere else and then see that Texas is in the World Series. We have a great core here and we're all committed. I want to be here and help promote a winner."
The current deal was signed in 2004, the same spring Young switched from second base to shortstop after AL MVP Alex Rodriguez was traded to the New York Yankees. Young has been an All-Star every season since moving back to the position he played in the minor leagues.
Young's extension will be the second-largest contract in Rangers history. The biggest was the $252 million, 10-year deal Rodriguez got in December 2000.
Rangers owner Tom Hicks deferred comment until Friday, but said last week during a visit to spring training that he was "pretty optimistic" about getting a deal done.
"Michael's the kind of guy that I think should be the face of this franchise," Hicks said last week. "He has been and he should be."
Hicks was previously scheduled to be back in Surprise on Friday for the spring opener.
Young has four straight 200-hit seasons, and his 858 hits in that span are second to Ichiro Suzuki's 904. Young hit .373 (166-for-445) with runners in scoring position during that stretch, a mark bettered only by Barry Bonds (.394, 63-for-160).
"You're talking about one of the premier players in the game," Rangers rookie manager Ron Washington said. "If we get this done in the next 24-48 hours, I'm very relaxed."
A .300 career hitter, Young was the AL batting champion in 2005 at .331, and was the All-Star game MVP last summer. Young hit .314 with 52 doubles, 14 homers and 103 RBIs last season.
If Young stays in Texas the length of the extension, he will be 36 at the end of the 2013 regular season. He played a full 162-game season for the first time in 2006, but took only 13 games off the four seasons before that.
"I have been durable for the past years, and I think they recognized that," Young said. "There's no doubt I can be healthy and productive over the course of the contract."
The Rangers last made the playoffs in 1999. They have had only one winning season since and haven't finished above third place in the AL West, but this winter hired Washington, the longtime Oakland assistant, to replace Buck Showalter.
"This team is ready to start winning," Young said.
Texas acquired Young from Toronto midway through the 2000 season, when he was a minor league second baseman and the second player the Rangers got behind pitcher Darwin Cubillan when they traded right-hander Esteban Loaiza.
Young made his major league debut by playing in two games for the Rangers at the end of 2000. He has been a regular in the lineup since he was recalled in late May 2001 and started 104 games at second base.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2784537