Paul Lo Duca

At the start of each game, Paul writes the initials "LL" in the dirt behind home plate, in memory of his mother Luci. In the field, Young became an important part of the double play tandem of Young, Soriano and first baseman Mark Teixeira, assisting on 44 double plays by June 11. In an eight-year career, Lo Duca is a .286 hitter with 62 home runs and 326 RBI in 680 games. Batting primarily from the leadoff position, by June 11, Young had a .332 batting average with nine home runs and 37 RBI. However, the deal did not materialize (although the Diamondbacks did ultimately trade Johnson to the Yankees the subsequent offseason). In 2004, with many critics uncertain of the Rangers' future following the Rodriguez trade, the Rangers blossomed with their young talent and Young was no exception. Lo Duca was sent to the Florida Marlins at the 2004 trading deadline, a deal many speculated was a set up to a three-way trade involving the Marlins, the New York Yankees, and the Arizona Diamondbacks, with the centerpiece of the trading being left handed ace, Randy Johnson. Young, however, told manager Buck Showalter that he would defer his second base position to Soriano and Young made his move to shortstop.

But since 2002, he disappointed those expectations, and developed into, in some critics' eyes, nothing more than an average every day catcher (even though he actually performs significantly better than average, when catchers are looked at as a group). Now not only had Young's friend been taken away from the Rangers, Young was now in danger of losing his position on the field with another talented second baseman on the team. Lo Duca broke onto the scene with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2001, with a great season, which lead many to compare him to former Dodger Mike Piazza. However, during the off-season, the Rangers made the well-publicized trade of Rodriguez to the New York Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano. He bats and throws right handed. Young was batting .306 with 14 home runs and 72 RBI by 2003. Previously, Lo Duca played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1994-2004). Young and Rodriguez became fast friends in the infield.

Paul Anthony Lo Duca [Lah-Duke-uh] (born April 12, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York) is a catcher in Major League Baseball who plays with the Florida Marlins (2004-present). In 2001, Young became a regular with the Rangers at second base between shortstop Alex Rodriguez and first baseman Rafael Palmeiro. 3-time All-Star (2003-05). Originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth round in 1997, Young was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2000 along with Darwin Cubillán for Esteban Loaiza. Michael Brian Young (born October 19, 1976 in Covina, California) is a shortstop in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Texas Rangers.