Michael Young to Boston?

In the wake of this morning’s news that Rangers’ shortstop Michael Young wants out of Texas, a fan of a team with a gaping hole at shortstop can only wonder: What are the chances he could come to Boston?

It’s an interesting thought and there were reports shortly after the Sox failed to sign Mark Teixeira and were rebuffed in their efforts to pursue Hanley Ramirez that they inquired about Young. Those reports were later deemed false.

But now that it’s public that Young wants a trade (he doesn’t want to move to third base, which Texas wants to make room for Super SS Elvis Andrus) you must hope Theo Epstein does his due diligence here.

Boston has already been in talks with Texas since the winter meetings back in early December. While those talks centered on bringing one of two highly regarded catching prospects to Boston (either Tayler Teagarden or Jarrod Saltalamacchia) it would make sense to not only revisit those talks, but include Young in the discussion in some type of blockbuster.

The Sox still need a catcher. Texas still wants top prospects, some sort of package centered around Clay Buchholz. This deal can get done.

Look, I like Bucholtz as much as the next guy. And I realize the value of holding onto young pitching, But between the Penny and Smoltz signings as well as the surplus of arms in the bullpen, paving the way for a possible return to the rotation for Justin Masterson, it would seem the Sox are well-equipped to head into the season without Buchholz. This is no accident.

How this deal could probably work would be Bucholtz, Daniel Bard and Jed Lowrie/Julio Lugo for Young and Teagarden/Saltalamacchia. Lugo goes in the deal if you’d like to offset some of Young’s salary (he’s entering the first year of a 5-year, $80 million extension), although the Rangers may want Lowrie to come in and either play third, allowing them to have Andrus at shortstop, or just be some sort of supersub, like the Sox would use him if he stays.

You may also need to include Jacoby Ellsbury in this deal, a notion – sorry, ladies -- I’m completely fine with.

With Young, the Sox lineup would look something like this:

1. Ellsbury
2. Pedroia
3. Young
4. Ortiz
5. Youk
6. Lowell
7. Drew
8. Bay
9. Saltalamacchia/Tegarden/Josh Bard

That’s pretty crispy. If Ellsbury were included in the deal then you probably platoon Baldelli and Kotsay in center, Kotsay against righties and Baldelli vs. lefties and most likely let either of them lead off. Or you could just have Young lead off and have one of them hit eighth. It really doesn’t matter.

Plus, if you want to get really crazy with this, you could pitch Texas Buchholz, Bard, and Mike Lowell. This would give Texas the third baseman they need, while effectively replacing the bat of Young. They could pay a higher per year salary with Lowell, but only for this year and next – instead of the five years they would have been on the hook for with Young, with much of the money back loaded.

So outside of monetary reasons, why would the Sox trade a bat to get a bat? Easy. Three words. Sign Adam Dunn. Take a look:

1. Ellsbury
2. Pedroia
3. Ortiz
4. Youk
5. Dunn
6. Young
7. Drew
8. Bay
9. Catcher

Oh my, I think I just creamed myself.

---Nick