Philadelphia general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. had nothing but good things to say about the newest Phillie Michael Young. Here's some of what he said.
What Young brings to the Phillies? "Clearly, this brings a wonderful package to what we're trying to do here in Philadelphia. One, he's a very, very good ballplayer. He has a tremendous track record. I know that last year was not his best year but after talking to the scouts and discussing it intently with the rest of our front office, we felt like this is an excellent person to bring to our club.
"He has all the elements we're looking for. First of all, the make-up is extraordinary. He's the ultimate team player. He knows how to play baseball. He's a winning baseball player. He's had the opportunity to be in big games in the playoffs and he just fits real well.
"The fact that he hits right-handed helps balance our line-up out a little bit as well. I just think all the elements he brings to the table for us are very, very positive."
On whether or not he can bounce back from 2012?
"I think that's just part of the process of being a Major League player. You don't have a great year every year. He's had some years where he hit .280 and others where he hit .330. But at the same time, even when his numbers aren't extraordinary - 2013 and they were still pretty darn good last year, maybe better than anybody we had on our club - 2013 but the fact of the matter is he's a professional hitter. He's a guy who we know will strive to be the best player he can be. And even when he's not having productive hits, I know he's the kind of guy who makes productive outs. So there's a lot of pluses to this guy."
