Michael Young for President…er, Manager!

Michael Young, looking managerial. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Young…ahh yes, Michael “Ranger Man” Young. Who better to be the manager of your Texas Rangers than a guy nicknamed “Ranger Man”? He of the 2,230 Rangers hits, the 647 Rangers extra-base hits, and 7 All-Star appearances as a Texas Ranger. Oh wait; did I mention his batting title and Gold Glove?

Okay, okay, I’m clearly a Michael Young fan. I think you probably knew that as there’s plenty of supporting evidence. But I think we all also know that being a fan of the way a guy plays baseball is different than assuming he’d be a good manager.

Since Ron Washington’s resignation on September 5^th, there’s been a whole lotta talk gossip surrounding why he left, followed by a 10-second press conference that only kind of addressed the situation.

But more recently, there’s also been a lot of talk, about who will be Wash’s permanent successor. One of the names thrown into the ring, of course, has been Michael Young, the newly retired Rangers great.

So let’s cut to the chase.

Do I think Michael Young was an awesome player? Heck yes. (Okay that one was obvious, I just like saying it.)
Do I think Michael Young would be an effective and winning Big League manager? Heck yes. (The guy practically co-managed the Rangers throughout the Wash era.)

(Meanwhile, Tim Bogar’s over here like, “What’s a guy gotta do to keep a job?”, as our Rangers are now 10-6 under his interim leadership.)

Do I think Michael Young will be the Texas Rangers next manager? No, unfortunately.

While there have been a rash of former Big Leaguers jumping into the managerial seat in recent years and while Young would make an easy-to-relate-to manager for the players, (and the media), I don’t think he’ll be sitting in the dugout anytime soon.

My first thought when I heard the initial Young – managerial talk was that he and Jon Daniels are oil and water. I remember how Young left the Rangers, how everyone and their mama spoke at Young’s retirement ceremony at the Ballpark in Arlington (Globe Life, whatever), EXCEPT JD. Well…and Ian Kinsler. He wasn’t even on the video board clip despite the fact that he and Young have been BFFs for years. But, again, I’m calling JD spite on that one too.

I am, however, over this reasoning. I think MY and JD are both professional enough to get past this for the sake of baseball and opportunity, and the word on the street is that they’ve hugged it out.

What I can’t get past though is that Young just retired. He retired to be with his young kids and wife…only a few months ago. He had opportunities to continue his career as a player with a couple of different clubs and he declined because the schedule was too much.

Well, I gotta newsflash for ya, Walter Cronkite: the season is still long, the travel is still intense, and MY’s kids are still young. I doubt one season off was enough for him and his family.

Now I’m not saying that Young will never manage, I just don’t think it will be next season.

Of course, if he is hired, feel free to say I told you so. But, I probably won’t hear you because I’ll be drinking a brew with this guy:

#MYForPresident

’14 is almost over y’all.

156 down, only 6 to go.

Your Texas Rangers will NOT lose 100 games. WHOOP!

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