Sometimes when a ball player is called “consistent,” it’s a backhanded compliment. Michael Young wears that word like a badge of honor. No one in baseball works harder at the little things than the Texas Rangers shortstop, who already has amassed three straight 200-hit seasons while playing stellar defense at two different infield positions. Michael used to be the “guy who replaced A-Rod.” Now he is the leader of a history-making infield. This is his story…

GROWING UP

Michael Brian Young was born on October 19, 1976 in Covina, California to Anna and Fred Young. Michael’s mom called him B as a boy (from his middle name) and his dad called him Mikey. Michael’s parents were both U.S.-born, but his mother’s family was from Mexico. English was spoken in the Young home, although Michael picked up Spanish over the years. Today, he can converse with his Latino teammates in the majors.

Baseball was Michael’s favorite sport as a child. From the age of four, he planned to become a pro player. The talent was there and so was the teaching. Fred would talk technique and strategy as long as his son would listen.

A construction worker who put in a day's labor for a decent wage, Fred never made a big deal about what he did for a living. Michael admired his father, and over the years he went from mischief-maker to a kid with an incredible work ethic. On the dimaond, Michael was one of those players who loved practice as much as the games, and he was always in motion, always hustling. That impressed youth coach Garth Daniels, who spent extra time tutoring Michael on the fine points of hitting, and building his confidence overall.

Michael was a boxing fan as a child—two of his cousins were pro fighters—and also rooted for the Los Angels Lakers and Dodgers. His favorite athlete, however, was Don Mattingly. There weren’t many "Donnie Baseball" fans in Southern California, and the All-Star first baseman didn’t play Michael’s position. But he just liked the way the Yankee MVP handled himself at the plate and around the bag. He was a pro in every sense of the word.

Michael distinguished himself in the local baseball leagues, and enrolled in Bishop Amat High School in nearby La Puente in 1990. He starred for the baseball team along with future major leaguer Mike Lamb. Michael played centerfield and Lamb manned the hot corner. He also met his future wife, Cristina, at Bishop Amat. Like his mom, she also traces her heritage back to Mexico. They were married in 2000.

Michael moved from the leadoff slot to the three-hole as a senior in 1994 and drew interest from both college scouts and big-league teams. He was offered a scholarship by the University of California-Santa Barbara and was also drafted by the Baltimore Orioles. Feeling he was not ready physically or emotionally to turn pro, he swallowed hard, put off his lifelong dream, and packed his bags for UCSB.

Michael logged his first two seasons for the Gauchos as a centerfielder, then moved to shortstop as a junior. After laboring through a sub-.500 season his freshman year, Michael blossomed into the hitting star of 32-win team as a sophomore, finishing with a .373 average. As a junior, he added power to his game, belting 12 homers and driving in 55 runs. Unfortunately, UCSB’s record dipped below .500 again. When Michael learned he had been selected in the 5th round by the Toronto Blue Jays that spring, he decided it was the right time to move on.

ON THE RISE

The Jays signed Michael and sent him to finish the year with St. Catherines. a low-level club in their farm system. His teammates on the short-season Stompers included Cesar Izturis and Vernon Wells. Hit .308 in in 74 games at second and short.

In 1998, his first full year as a pro, Michael batted .282 for Hagerstown, and clubbed 16 home runs to open a lot of eyes in the organization. The Jays were still grooming him as a potential leadoff man, and in 1999, he brought smiles to their faces with 36 doubles and 30 steals to go with a .313 batting average. Among the Toronto coaches whom Michael credits with his maturation as a hitter was George Bell.

The 2000 season found Michael with the Tennessee Smokies of the Southern League. Prior to the trading deadline, the Blue Jays went shopping for a pitcher. They fixed their sights on Estaban Loiaza of the Texas Rangers, who asked for a middle infielder in return. Toronto—stacked at the position with Cesar Izturis and Felipe Lopez—offered Mike and Texas accepted. After finishing the year at Tulsa with a .319 average, he joined the Rangers and got into a couple of games. The team hoped he would someday become their leadoff hitter.

The following March, in 2001, Michael made the club out of spring training, and shared second base with Randy Velarde until the veteran was traded mid-season. Michael ended up appearing in 106 games and was only one of seven AL second basemen to reach double figures in homers, with 12. He batted .249, but slugged .402—not bad for a first-year second sacker. By the time Michael was anointed the everyday guy, the Rangers had drifted out of contention and manager Johnny Oates was gone. Jerry Narron guided the team the rest of the way, and the Rangers ended up with a 73-89 record.

The team’s last-place finish was bitter pill for Texas fans to swallow. Michael’s double-play partner was none other than Alex Rodriguez, who had been inked to a long-term deal for a budget-busting $25 million a year. A-Rod led the league with 52 homers, and Rafael Palmeiro chipped in 47, but the rest of the Rangers were either injured or had off-years.

Things did not improve in 2002. A-Rod and Raffy had terrific seasons, but the pitching staff was a disaster from top to bottom, and the Rangers lost 90 games. Michael’s sophomore campaign was one of the lone bright spots. He batted .262 with 26 doubles and nine homers, and played solid defense all year.

The Rangers fired Narron and hired Buck Showalter to lead the team in 2003, but he could do no better, finishing the year with 91 losses and a fourth straight last-place finish. Again, Michael was one of the team’s few high notes, coming into his own as a hitter with 204 hits and a .306 average. An unrepentant free-swinger, Michael had learned to adjust from at-bat to at-bat, and usually won the mind games with pitchers and got something he could handle. He also upped his homers to 14 and his steals to 13.

After the season, during which he also played Gold Glove level defense at second, Michael was asked to move to shortstop. The Rangers, desperate to move Rodriguez, traded him to the Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano. Michael wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of a new position, but he wrapped his mind around the idea in spring training and told Showalter not to worry—he would be fine. Before Rodriguez left, he made sure the team knew what a gem they had.

MAKING HIS MARK

Michael was more than fine. After booting a couple of balls in the home opener, he distinguished himself as one of the most dependable defensive shortstops in the league. His hitting, meanwhile, continued to improve. He was hitting homers and driving in baserunners from the leadoff spot, using the entire field and getting good wood on the ball several times a game. In July, with his average up in the .330s, he was named to his first All-Star squad.

Despite the loss of A-Rod and a less-than-formidable pitching staff, the Rangers won with surprising frequency. They were in the AL West hunt until the last week with 89 wins, finishing third behind the the Anaheim Angels by three games and the Oakland A’s by two.

Michael had another excellent year at the plate, reaching the 200-hit plateau again. He batted .313 with 22 homers and was one of four young Rangers to drive in 90-plus runs. Along with Mark Teixeira, Alfonso Soriano, and Hank Blalock, Michael made up the best all-around infield Texas fans had ever seen.

Michael is a tinkerer. At the plate, he will alter his strategy and his swing from at-bat to at-bat, and sometimes even from pitch to pitch. His comfort with experimentation has thus far enabled him to avoid prolonged slumps. He also is unafraid to hit with two strikes, so he usually gets several good swings a game.

Michael makes constant adjustments in the field, as well. He studies hitters before games, and can move a step here or there depending on the pitcher, count and batter’s past history. He reacts quickly when the ball comes off the bat, his footwork is good, and he has a strong arm. Michael is also very entertaining to watch at shortstop. He likes to make plays and will rarely eat a ball when he’s got a chance to throw a guy out.

The bottom line on Michael is his consistency. It is something he strives for and works hard to achieve. That comes with knowing what the little things are, and then doing them right.