Sports : Baseball - Young: DHing isn't factor in trade request Veteran Rangers infielder says he feels 'manipulated and misled'

ARLINGTON -- The impending divorce between the Rangers and infielder Michael Young appears to be inevitable.

Young confirmed Monday night that he has asked for a trade, but he said it was not because he has had second thoughts about being a designated hitter, which he's been projected to be since the team's signing of third baseman Adrian Beltre last month.

"The suggestion that I've had a change of heart and asked for a trade is a manipulation of the truth," Young said Monday night. "I want to be traded because I have been manipulated and misled in this process and I'm not going to take it anymore."

While confirming Young's trade request on Monday afternoon, general manager Jon Daniels and club president Nolan Ryan said the Rangers would try to accommodate him but in doing so, a deal would have to be in the best interests of the ballclub.

"He doesn't view himself as a designated hitter at this point in his career," Ryan said. "At this point, he still views himself as an everyday player. I understand the way he feels. ... I tried to assure him that from a career perspective, I didn't think it was a step down. Michael's feeling is that once you go to DH, you're going to be considered a DH. He feels that limits him as far as his career."

However, Young said it's what has transpired behind the scenes that has him upset but said he did not want to get into the details. A source said Young was upset that the Rangers were still trying to trade him while publicly saying that wasn't the case.

"That's unproductive," Young said in declining to elaborate. "Throughout the process I think I've handled myself with integrity. I don't regret any decision that I've made. I've been up front in the things I believe in. Out of respect for the fans, my teammates and the coaching staff, I have not said anything to this point. Everybody should be focused on Spring Training.

"I'm disappointed this came to light. I would have rather this be handled behind closed doors but I feel I need to straighten some things out. I think it's important to address the inaccurate portrayal that is being given."

Young said he did not see a way in which things could be worked out amicably so that he would remain with the Rangers.

"I don't think so," Young said. "I think a trade is going to happen. The shame of this is I have a great group of teammates that I have grown to love. It's a shame this has come up when we should be focused on getting ready for the season."

Young has a partial no-trade clause that allows him to designate eight teams that he can be traded to. He declined to comment on them but sources said the teams are the Yankees, Twins, Astros, Cardinals, Padres, Dodgers, Rockies and the Angels.

The Rockies have shown the most interest, but a deal is not imminent. Daniels said that the club is dealing exclusively with teams on the list even though other clubs have approached the Rangers. Young is due $48 million over the next three years and that will likely be at least one major obstacle in the way of a trade.

Young, 34, spent the past two years as the Rangers third baseman. That came to an end when they signed free agent Beltre to a six-year, $96 million contract on Jan. 5. At the time Young agreed to become the Rangers primary designated hitter and "super-utility" infielder.

That is no longer the case. But he made it clear that he would have still been willing to do that if not for what has transpired behind the scenes.

"I'm fine ... I have peace of mind," Young said. "I'm still going through my workout routine and getting ready for Spring Training. I don't regret anything I've done to this point. It's been frustrating at times but I feel I have been straight up with the team.

"I just don't like what has transpired behind the scenes."

Sports : Yanks prez: Rangers owner 'delusional'

NEW YORK -- Yankees president Randy Levine has fired back at Texas Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg, calling him "delusional."

The message was direct: Mind your business and keep your team off "welfare."

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Levine made his comments in response to Greenberg's opinion that the Rangers kept the chase for Cliff Lee going long enough for the Phillies to sneak in and take Lee from the clutches of New York to the National League.

"I think Chuck is delusional," Levine told ESPNewYork.com. "He has been running the Rangers for a few minutes and seems to believe he's mastered what everyone else is thinking. I think he should let Cliff Lee speak for himself. I'll be impressed when he demonstrates he can keep the Rangers off welfare. What I mean is make them not be a revenue-sharing recipient for three years in a row, without taking financing from baseball or advance money from television networks. Then I'll be impressed."

The Yankees and Rangers have been going at it in the board room and in the media ever since the Rangers beat the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. The Yankees were chapped that Greenberg said Lee might not want to play in New York because of how the fans acted toward Lee's wife.

The Yankees, including part-owner Hal Steinbrenner, went to the airwaves and responded, calling out Greenberg. Now, Levine is taking on Greenberg again because the Rangers' owner said he was glad that Lee ended up in the NL and not with the Yankees.

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"We didn't know specifically that Philadelphia was in on Cliff until the day he agreed to terms with Philadelphia," Greenberg said Sunday at Rangers Fan Fest. "But all along we thought if a mystery team would come forward that there was a pretty good chance that it would be Philadelphia.

"We had three different meetings with Cliff and his wife and his agent in Little Rock. At the very first meeting he spoke very highly of the experience he had pitching for the Phillies. And it was clear that pitching here and in Philadelphia were the two most enjoyable experiences of his career. Even though Philadelphia was probably not in, they were always in the back of our mind.

"I think if we wouldn't have gone to Arkansas that last time, I think he was going to sign with the Yankees. We pried the door open a little bit to give ourselves another opportunity. And ultimately the Phillies were able to take advantage of that opportunity that we created. While we would have preferred that he would have chosen to go with us, we're real pleased that he's going to the other league."

Greenberg, along with Nolan Ryan, completed the purchase of the Rangers this year, but the transaction was held up for quite some time, leading to Major League Baseball coming in to help the franchise pay its bills.

Baseball : Beltre goes to Texas to finalize six-year deal

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers' big free-agent purchase of the offseason is all but officially done. Adrian Beltre is ready to take over for Michael Young as the Rangers' third baseman.

According to industry sources, the negotiations have reached a point where Beltre arrived in Texas on Tuesday to have his required physical. His agent, Scott Boras, planned to fly to Texas on Tuesday night in preparation to close the deal and hold a news conference.

All that is left is for Beltre to complete his physical, and that should complete an agreement on a six-year, $96 million contract, the second largest in Rangers history. An announcement is expected on Wednesday.

The Rangers and Boras have worked out the framework of the contract after extensive negotiations over the past two days. The final hurdles were some additional clauses and the overall language of the contract. That is all but wrapped up.

The contract is also expected to have a clause that will allow the Rangers to void the last year of the deal if Beltre fails to reach a certain number of plate appearances in the fourth and/or fifth years of the contract. The Rangers negotiated a similar clause in Kevin Millwood's contract five years ago.

But this will be the largest single free-agent contract handed out by the Rangers since they signed Alex Rodriguez to a 10-year, $252 million deal 10 years ago. The Rangers are willing to make a significant commitment to the 31-year-old third baseman, who has won two Gold Gloves and is coming off one of his best offensive seasons.

One hurdle in the situation was cleared when Young told the Rangers he would be willing to move to designated hitter and a "super utility" role if the club was able to sign Beltre. Young has been the Rangers' starting third baseman for the past two years, but the club views Beltre as a significant upgrade defensively for a pitching staff that adheres to a philosophy of "pitching to contact" and making opponents put the ball in play.

Rangers pitchers had the third-highest percentage of ground balls in the American League last season, which reinforces the premium they need to place on infield defense.

Beltre batted .321 with 28 home runs and 102 RBIs for the Red Sox in 2010. He had a .365 on-base percentage and a .553 slugging percentage, which was his second best in both categories for his 12-year career.

He and Young tied with 19 errors, the most by AL third basemen. But Beltre had the second-highest range factor of any third baseman and was second in double plays. He won a Gold Glove at third base while with the Mariners in 2007-08.

Signing Beltre will most likely drop the Rangers out of the running to re-sign free-agent designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero.

The Angels are the other team that had been closely linked as far as interest in Beltre.