MLB: Young not happy with his situation

If Michael Young has to play for the Texas Rangers instead of being traded as he requested, he'll make the best of it.

If Carlos Beltran has to play right field instead of center field because of his surgically repaired knees, he's OK with it.

Those were two of the major story lines as spring training camps began to fill up Saturday.

Young's arrival to Rangers camp at Surprise, Ariz., was one of the more anticipated around baseball. The All-Star infielder asked to be traded after Texas signed two-time Gold Glove third baseman Adrian Beltre, supplanting Young at third base.

The Rangers plan for Young to be their primary designated hitter and have him fill in at every infield position. It is the third time in eight springs Young's role with the team has changed.

He called the situation "less than ideal."

"I have nothing to hide. I have nothing to be ashamed of. There's not a thing I would change. So I'm not uncomfortable," Young said. "If I had a horrible relationship with guys in that room or my manager, I would be uncomfortable, but I don't. I love my teammates. I love my manager."

Young, the team's career hits leader, has said he was "misled" and "manipulated" by the team. He hasn't elaborated on how that happened.

"The unfortunate part about this is probably a handful of people know the details," Young said. "The rest of the details are not going to come from me."

Young said he had a "couple of candid and truthful conversations" with team president and co-owner Nolan Ryan and that he was appreciative of that. But Young said he didn't anticipate sitting down with general manager Jon Daniels.

"There is no need to. I've made my feelings clear to people I think I need to," Young said. "It is not on my priority list at all. I'll leave it at that. ... One thing that has been misrepresented is that all of a sudden I just didn't like my role anymore. I agreed to do it and two weeks before camp and just magically said, 'I changed my mind.' That's not the case."

Young said "a lot of things led up to this point," but again he didn't elaborate.

Ryan and Daniels both said the Rangers are better with Young. They anticipate him being on the team when the season opens April 1 against Boston.

"From the conversations I've had with Michael, he does not feel he's at the point in his career that he wants to be a DH," Ryan said. "But I don't think he's of the mindset that he's demanding to us that we have to move him. That hasn't been discussed. I think at this point and time his mindset has changed to getting ready for the season."

Daniels has repeatedly said that, while trying to accommodate Young's request, he won't make a deal unless it makes the team better.

At Port St. Lucie, Fla., Beltran arrived in Mets camp and promptly met with general manager Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins to talk about what position the former All-Star center fielder will play this season.

He could end up moving to right field, with Angel Pagan sliding over to center.

After the meeting, Alderson announced that Beltran will do a baseball-related running program over the next seven to 10 days to measure the health of his surgically repaired knee and whether it is strong enough to play center field.

"This is not about Carlos, this is about the team and what's best for the team," Beltran said. "I told them, 'Don't worry.'

"I'm a professional. I want to play this game as long as I can. I want to help this team win ballgames. If it's best for Carlos and the team to move to right field, then I will."

In Scottsdale, Ariz., the Rockies signed reliever Matt Belisle to a deal that runs through 2012. Belisle worked 92 innings in 2010, compiling a 2.93 ERA.