The Philadelphia Phillies may be getting close to filling their hole at third base, and it's from a source you may have not expected: the Texas Rangers. The Rangers and Phillies are apparently discussing a trade that would send long-time Ranger (and classy, professional hitter) Michael Young to Philly in exchange for a "young major league reliever and a low level prospect". This trade is (of course) contingent on Young waiving his ten and five rights and the Rangers eating at least half of Young's $16 million contract for 2013.
Young, who turned 36 last month, turned into a pumpkin last season with the Rangers. He posted a .682 OPS in 156 games, homering just eight times and playing all four infield positions (albeit below average at all four of those positions). Young has been a brutal defender at third base for his entire career, and you'd have to expet that he won't exactly be getting any better with age. 2012 was also the first season since Young's rookie year of 2001 where he posted a BABIP below .300, potentially indicating that he's running out of steam after he posted a career-high 53.2% groundball rate, not a good sign for an aging, slow hitter.
The Phillies would definitely be gambling with Young, especially with their inability to hide him at DH like the Rangers could when dealing with nagging injuries. Young's placement on the roster would necessitate a defensive replacement for late innings, which the Phillies already have in Freddy Galvis. Given the way that the free agent market has played out this winter for the Phillies, acquiring someone like Young might be their last remaining, rational option, and that's not a position you want to be in as a contender. Adding yet another aging veteran to this old team is a move for 2013, and absolutely not beyond.
