Tim Brown heated up Twitter late Saturday with a Michael Young tweet:
Latest on MYoung: Rangers making calls, willing to eat about half of $48 mil remaining. Still asking for top-end prospects, still no takers.
With their regular season opener less than two weeks away, the fact that the Rangers are still seeking out trade partners is telling. They’re been looking for a destination for Young since the winter, but most expected the lack of a trade prior to spring training, along with Young’s .364/.488/.545 Cactus League line, to settle the situation. Instead, the Rangers are still looking.
There have been Phillies and Diamondbacks rumblings during spring training, but the Cubs still seem to be the most natural fit. The last Cubs rumblings, however, came about a week ago, with Nick Cafardo saying:
If the Cubs could get some salary relief from the Rangers, a Young deal could be made, with Chicago shifting him to second base. He’s not that good there (or anywhere in the field), but the Cubs don’t have a plethora of talent at the position in Blake DeWitt and Jeff Baker. The Cubs are waiting for D.J. LeMahieu to develop in a year or two.
and Phil Rogers’ series of tweets:
Scouts says #Rangers are eyeing Andrew Cashner in any Michael Young talk #Cubs. Feliz happy as starter could put Carlos Marmol in play.
Hard to see #Cubs trading Marmol but you never know. These teams are shaky fit but #Cubs are down on Blake DeWitt as answer at 2nd base.
To clarify, not saying #Cubs will do Cashner or Marmol. Just that they are guys #Rangers want if they take big $$ guy back or send $$ w/MY.
My basic read is the same as it’s been since early February. #Cubs would be good place for Young but will have hard time making it happen.
There are only a few safe assumptions in this situation. One is that Young is still angry with Jon Daniels for the way he perceives the GM has treated him. The other is that the real change in status from Daniels’ perspective is May – when Young’s 5/10 rights kick in and he is truly in control of the situation – not the start or end of spring training.