Young trade a good sign

Maybe the Tampa Bay Rays are getting serious about this winning thing.

It’s one thing to trade Aubrey Huff, the most productive hitter in team history, at the end of a contract. That’s a salary dump. Same with Julio Lugo and Toby Hall.

But Delmon Young?

The guy was supposed to be the future. The guy you could run out to right field every day and expect all-star level play.

Never have the Rays made a trade as ambitious as the one that sent Young to Minnesota on Wednesday.

But give Rays GM Andrew Friedman credit. The team needs starting pitching, and an everyday shortstop with major league experience is never a bad thing, especially when the alternative is role players like Josh Wilson and Brendan Harris.

At some point, the Rays had to trade one of their talented young players to help speed the development at another pitcher.

Matt Garza, the right-hander they picked up from Minnesota as part of Wednesday’s six-player trade, is further along than any pitcher the Rays currently have.

Jason Bartlett is an upgrade at shortstop, despite his 26 errors last season.

It’s always a risk when you trade a young talent like Young, but taking risks is how you build a winner.