Michael Young did what he's always done on Monday during a "goodbye" press conference that officially ended his era as "Mr. Ranger" — he was honest.
Young talked about his love for his Texas Rangers teammates, his excitement of getting a new opportunity with the Philadelphia Phillies and gave a big, hearty "thank you" to the Rangers fans for years of support.
"We love it here in large part because of the people we get to be around," Young said at the press conference. "Just a massive ‘thank you’ to the fans here from me and my family for everything they’ve given us. It was my pleasure and my honor to go out there and play ball for them on a daily basis.”
He didn't have such cheery thoughts on the club's front office, which he was also honest about. After all, since the offseason leading up to 2011, Young hasn't had much of a relationship with Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniels. That's when the Rangers signed Adrian Beltre, pushing Young to a utility/DH role after he'd been moved from second base, to shortstop and then to third.
"I can't say there's a relationship there or a good relationship there," Young said. "Well, no there's no relationship there, but that's fine with me. My relationship is with the guys in uniform and what they've meant to me."
Despite his public disagreements with the front office in the offseasons, Young always let it go once the season started and put them in the back of his mind, like a consumate professional.
