Young, 32, told FOXSports.com on Sunday night that he has asked for a trade and given the Rangers a small list of teams for which he would waive his no-trade clause.

His request came in mid-December after Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and manager Ron Washington informed him that the team wanted him to play third to clear shortstop for Elvis Andrus, 20, one of the team's top prospects.

Young, an All-Star in each of his five years at short, received his first Gold Glove in voting by American League managers and coaches last season. He said he would consider returning to second base, his previous position, for another team.

The Rangers wanted Young to "buy into" the idea of moving to third, a club source said, but made it clear that the ultimate decision rested with the team.

Young, whom the Rangers acquired in a trade with the Blue Jays in July 2000, said Daniels and Washington left him with "no wiggle room" about changing positions.

"That's the thing that shocked me at first — I thought there would be more dialogue talking about a move like that," Young said.

"After spending the first eight years of my career here, being productive, making sure I was on the field, I didn't think I would be in position where I would be told exactly what was going to happen, where my job would be taken from me like it has been.

"They knew what they were going to do. If I was going to have a career with the Rangers, it was going to be at third base, effective immediately."

Young said he pondered the possibility for several days, then requested a trade through his agent, Dan Lozano.

"I didn't want to make any kneejerk reaction," Young said. "I went back, discussed it with my family, talked to my agent. I reached out to some of my teammates, some of my former teammates, veteran players around the league who I have great respect for.

"To a man, everyone was shocked it was going to happen. Once I knew I had all their support, I knew exactly what I was going to do and that I was doing the right thing."

Young changed positions with the Rangers once before, volunteering to move from second base to shortstop in 2004 to accommodate Alfonso Soriano, whom the Rangers had acquired from the Yankees in the Alex Rodriguez trade. Soriano was an established player. Andrus is not.

However, Daniels said that the Rangers did not want to ask Young to change positions at mid-season — a scenario that could arise if the team signed a stopgap at third base, started Andrus at Class AAA and then promoted him during the summer.

"The basic feeling was, let's get all of our championship-caliber players on the field at the same time," Daniels said. "We know Michael is one of them. We believe Elvis will be one of them. What is the best way?

New York Yankees News News » SS Young asks for trade from Rangers
SS Young asks for trade from Rangers
Rangers shortstop Michael Young wants to be traded rather than move to third base. MLB Hot Stove