TEXAS Gonzalez rejects a trade to Montreal

Last-place Texas is beginning a youth movement.
HOUSTON (AP) -- Texas slugger Juan Gonzalez rejected a trade to the Montreal Expos on Friday, exercising a no-trade clause in his contract three days after the teams agreed to a deal.
Rangers general manager John Hart made a deal Tuesday to send the two-time AL MVP to the Expos for prospects, possibly three, if the 33-year-old outfielder accepted the trade.
Montreal general manager Omar Minaya, who has a long history with the slugger, traveled to Texas on Wednesday in hopes of persuading Gonzalez to accept the deal.
But in a statement before Friday night's game against the Houston Astros, Gonzalez said he would remain with the Rangers.
"During my career, I've learned a lot," Gonzalez said. "I signed with Texas as a kid. Texas is a very special place to me. Also, Omar Minaya is a very special person in my life, and I want to thank Montreal and him for their interest. However, I have a no-trade clause and respectfully decline the trade to Montreal."
Pending free agent
Gonzalez, in the last year of his $24 million, two-year deal with Texas, had until this morning to invoke the no-trade clause.
Hart said the Rangers and manager Buck Showalter still would go forward with their youth movement and some Rangers veterans might have to share playing time with the youngsters.
"We still are going to compete and I think the key word here is if Buck feels the young players need to get at-bats and playing time, some of the veterans' playing time will be sacrificed," Hart said. "Our future is headed in that direction."
Showalter said he wouldn't change his plans to get playing time for the Texas youngsters.
"Any time you have young players up here, you wouldn't be keeping them here if you can't give them enough time with their development," Showalter said. "It doesn't mean they'll play every day though."
Benched
Gonzalez was not in the starting lineup for Friday night's game against the Astros.
Hart said he was disappointed the deal did not go through.
"This closes the chapter on the trade with Montreal," Hart said. "Juan is a part of this club and we will go forward. We are disappointed we won't be able to get some young players, but we knew this possibility existed."
Gonzalez is hitting .286 with 18 homers and 50 RBIs, but the Rangers have made it clear that he won't be re-signed after this season because of their commitment to using younger players.
Showalter said he talked with Gonzalez about the trade and tried to convince him it would be beneficial to him.
"We were hoping it would work out because it would be the best thing in everybody's interests," Showalter said. "I told him very frankly what our thinking is and what the positives would be on both sides, and then left it to him to make a decision."
Gonzalez originally signed with the Rangers in 1986 when he was just 16 years old, made his major league debut three years later and became an everyday player in 1991. He was the AL MVP in 1996 and 1998 and then was traded to Detroit in a nine-player deal in November 1999.
During his one season with the Tigers, he rejected a trade to the New York Yankees, and then went to Cleveland as a free agent for one year before returning to Texas.