You're 37, you've had a fine Major League career, one of the 250 best of all-time, according to Baseball-Reference.com. You've brought home to your family, your agent and your somewhat over-bearing Uncle $91 million.
As an above-average hitter playing middle infield, and then third base, you made All-Star games and got down-ballot MVP votes. As recently as three years ago you batted .338, with time at DH, third, first and second, and led your team to within an out of a World Championship.
But that was in a ballpark that gets Valentine's Day cards from batters, on a team pulsing with hitters. As a second baseman and shortstop with limited range, hitting .300 was real valuable, but now that you're a first baseman and DH whose range could be bronzed, you're barely a replacement level player.
Last year, you got shipped off to the geriatric ward in Philadelphia before getting rescued toward season's end by the Dodgers. You made $16 million, but no one is offering you more than a million or two this year to pinch hit, school the youngsters and bid adieu one road trip at a time.
It might have been tempting for Michael Young to discount his services to a contender in hopes of securing a ring and taking a run at 3,000 hits. But the odds of the former are long and the latter are astronomical considering he's 675 base knocks away. Moreover, Young is perched at .300 in the batting line and would almost certainly compromise his status.
So Michael Young has traded himself to his family with a batting title; a Gold Glove, however unearned; two 100+ RBI seasons; four seasons of 100+ runs and four seasons of 20+ homers. He led the league in hits twice, made seven All-Star appearances and conducted himself with class every day for 14 years.
That's not a bad resume. It's not a bad way to go out.
2 comments:
Smart exit strategy. If you can't make it on the 16mil from last year, then you are an idiot and an ego driven unrealistic loser
...which no one ever accused Michael Young of being.
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