Yardbarker: Kevin Youkilis

Oh Boy, the Yankees are Coming

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:53:11 -0500

The second half is well upon us and it seems that the New York Yankees are looking to crash the party atop the AL East. After a mediocre first half of baseball, the Bronx Bombers have won seven-straight ball games, trailing the East leading Rays by just 3 games heading into the second game of a three-game weekend series with the Boston Red Sox. It seems as if the Yankees are preparing to make a strong run at the pennant, acquiring outfielder Xavier Nady and left handed reliever Damaso Marte from Pittsburgh in exchange for reliever Russ Ohlendorf and three minor leaguers. Of the minor leaguers, Jose Tabata, a highly-regarded outfielding prospect, is the most prominent name of the bunch. [...]

Red Sox lose a close one to the Yankees

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:02:41 -0500

I'm honestly at a loss for words after watching the Red Sox lose to the Yankees tonight by a score of 1-0. Ok, that's not true, I managed to squeak out enough words to shed some light on what I saw in the game.

Notes on Sox/Yanks Series Opener

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:48:21 -0500

-First, and foremost, the Sox get their feared number 3 hitter back in the line-up tonight, Big Papi. Papi is coming off the DL after a 53-day, 45 game absence, where the Sox were able to assemble a 26-19 record. The record, though, does not quantify the offense's struggles without him in the line-up. Without Papi hitting in that number 3 slot, the Sox offense has been out of the top 10 in all three Triple Crown categories, coincidently, with him in the line-up they are in the top 10 of all three. -However, the player who everyone seems to be bashing recently, and the number 4 hitter in the Sox powerful 1-2 punch, Manny Ramirez is questionable for tonight's game with a sore knee. Who knows if Manny is just pulling one of his many stunts to show the Sox front office how much they need him, or if his knee has really been bothering him. Ramirez is the only one who knows the answer to that question, and I'm sure he'll be keeping it that way.

Fine, We Admit It.

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:04:02 -0500

I've been reluctant to admit that Kevin Youkilis is more than a poor man's Casey Blake for most of his career. Maybe it's because the boys at the World Wide Leader were always telling us how great he is. Maybe it's because he doesn't look the part of an everyday major leaguer. Maybe it's because the Red Sox shuffle him around from 3rd to 1st to the outfield. Maybe it's because at the plate, he's best known for his on-base percentage. In my head, he's always been an over-glorified utility player.

Random Red Sox Video - The Batting Stance Guy

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:29:20 -0500

With a few off-day over the next few weeks The Bottom Line will be featuring Random Red Sox Videos... This week it's The Batting Stance Guy making us wonder how Mo Vaughn ever hit anything and who taught Kevin Youkilis how to hit...

Have a day Tulo

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:49:16 -0500

Everyone please stand up. OK. Now - put your hands together and start clapping. Why are you clapping? Because Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has finally arrived for the 2008 season. Last night - Tulo went 5-for-5 at the plate........

MIC'D UP! with YOUK

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:42:31 -0500

Dear Manny: Just because I'm bald like a baby doesn't mean I cry like one. Love, Youk!

Angels get to Beckett, drop Sox again

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:32:33 -0500

Angels 4, Sox 2 WP: Arredondo (4-0) LP: Beckett (9-6) SV: Rodriguez (39) HRs: BOS-Youkilis (17); LAA-Guerrero (16) Summary: Boston was cruising along with a 2-0 lead courtesy of a two-run jack by Kevin Youkilis until Josh Beckett, who had shut the Angels down all day, allowed four runs in the seventh inning, three coming on a pinch hit [...]

Red Sox Top 5 Keys to a Successful Second Half

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:37:10 -0500

Big Papi is coming...As the Boston Red Sox embark on their journey for a third championship in five years, many questions arise surrounding what needs have to be met in order to achieve the title, "2008 World Champions." What do the Boston Red Sox have to address heading into tonight's series against the Los Angeles Angles? We've compiled our top five list with the most important factors that will help the Red Sox reach another milestone. 5. Bullpen consistency... The World Champion Red Sox of a year ago had a team bullpen ERA of 3.10 and compiled a .226 batting average against, 1st in all of baseball in 2007. Switch gears to 2008 and we can see that things have seriously changed. Hideki Okamjima hasn't been the "Oki" of '07, Delcarmen and Hansen have experienced their ups and downs, Papelbon hasn't been as dominating(we're not knocking him, trust us), and Timlin's ERA is through the roof. In order for the Sox to make a serious run in the postseason, an addition to the bullpen needs to be addressed. Recently, the Sox have been searching for what they hope to be an acquisition that will help benefit the bullpen's recent lack of consistency. Names such as left-handers Brian Fuentes, Ron Mahay, and Demarso Marte have been in the mix. 4. Solidity at SS When the Red Sox signed Julio Lugo just before the 2007 season, they were looking for an average defensive player but an above average bat. Granted, Julio Lugo has cut down the errors drastically from earlier in the season, but his bat hasn't produced. $9 million dollars is a lot of money to be paying a mediocre shortstop who's on pace to drive in less than 45 RBI's. Has anyone forgotten that Lugo batted .237 last year? Jed Lowrie has stepped up to take Lugo's spot as the veteran shortstop is on the disabled list with a strained left-quad. Lugo won't be back for five-to-six weeks. Even if Lowrie shines in his place the next couple of months, it's almost certain Lugo will take his spot back solely based on his contract and the amount of money the Sox have invested into him. Boston should be looking for a shortstop who plays above-average defense with an average bat. That's all the Sox need from that position.

Jason Giamibi spends All-Star Break drunk

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:09:24 -0500

With thanks to WL and TMZ, we've been able to locate NY Yankees Slugger Jason Giambi getting his JD on in Vegas during the All-Star Break. Honestly though, these pictures are semi-weak. How are you in Vegas, getting drunk, without a couple pairs of plastic boobs around you? Isn't it the law or something? It's interesting though if you look closely, I was unaware they put HGH in bottles now. Oh, and the pinky off the bottle Jason, very nice touch. It says uber classy. The 'stache though says you enjoy your boyfriends broom up your caboose.

Red Sox [ I mean All-Star Game ] News

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:26:26 -0500

The Boston Red Sox had 7 players on the All-Star roster and a few of them made more than a few headlines over the past few days - including last night...

Bodog AL MVP Odds

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:52:52 -0500

On to Bodog's MVP odds. They're all listed prior to their write-ups, so I won't bother posting a table up top.

Josh Hamilton, +200
Last night certainly helped, although his odds haven't changed since Monday afternoon. The Triple Crown talk has fizzled, at least for the moment, as his average is down to .310. The MVP campaign is obviously still in full force though, as he has 25 more RBIs than anyone else in the league.

There are various concerns here. One is how his body will hold up. He played just 90 games last year, and only 26 after July 7. But the more important issue is the quality of his team. Thanks to a team ERA+ of 81, the Rangers are 7.5 games back in the West, and only fifth in the Wild Card race, six games behind Tampa. It's entirely possible that Hamilton wins the MVP, but he's got way too much going against him to be worth it at +200 in mid-July.

Justin Morneau, +400
Morneau is a former MVP, has 68 RBIs, and his team is overachieving. That is essentially his campaign at the moment. Considering the Twins' chances of making the playoffs are about +400, and it's highly unlikely he wins the award if they don't, this is certainly not a good price.

Ian Kinsler, +550
This number actually came out at +400. There is no doubt Kinsler's having a great year, hitting .337/.397/.548 with 23 steals in 24 attempts. The second baseman leads the league in VORP, at 52.4. But the MVP? Even with his first half, he hasn't received much hype at all. He runs into the same problem as Hamilton, of playing on a third place team, except Kinsler is miles behind him in terms of name recognition, public perception, and the ever-important RBIs (Kinsler has 58).

Alex Rodriguez, +750
He missed three weeks, which means his counting stats won't jump off the page at the end of the year, so the Yankees would have to make a run at the playoffs for him to have a shot. He does have a current line of .312/19/53, so it's not unreasonable to think he could end up at .310/40/115. The problem is that won't be good enough if the Yankees don't make the playoffs, and it's far from a lock if they do. He's got a shot, but it's probably more like 12-1.

Carlos Quentin, +1200
I'd say this is the best value on the board. Quentin is looking great in the HR (22) and RBI (70) categories, and his batting average isn't bad at .276 (his OBP is .375; he walks a lot, but I doubt that'll help his case too much). He has the added advantage of his team is the favorite to win their division. If he had more of a name, he'd probably be the second favorite after Hamilton.

As it stand, though, the fact that he was a relative unknown before this year will hinder his campaign. It also makes it unlikely he can sustain this pace--his PECOTA, pro-rated for 650 PAs, coming into the year was .263/17/77. Even considering that, I think we'll start hearing a lot more about him in the national media if the White Sox stay on top of the Central, and he's got a chance at winning the MVP.

Jermaine Dye, +1500
Manny Ramirez, +1500
Evan Longoria, +2000
J.D. Drew, +2000
Joe Mauer, +2000

Dye would have to catch up to Quentin--he only has 56 RBIs--to receive any serious consideration. Considering some of the years that Manny has had without ever even finishing second, he would have to have an absolutely enormous second half. Longoria has gotten a lot of attention recently, but he's still only at .275/16/53, and his team isn't exactly a lock to make the playoffs at this point. Drew is having a monster year--.302/.412/.572--but his counting stats aren't as impressive, and it's likely that his reputation precedes him with a loft of the writers. Most of Mauer's value is in his position, his defense, and his OBP, which aren't exactly in the forefront of the voters' minds.

Francisco Rodriguez, +2500
Grady Sizemore, +2500
Kevin Youkilis, +2500
Carl Crawford, +3000
Mariano Rivera, +3000
Milton Bradley, +3000
Miguel Cabrera, +5000

Did you know K-Rod has walked 26 guys in 42 innings? That certainly doesn't portend well for his ERA over the next 2.5 months. Thigpen in '90 isn't the great comparison, since he had a better ERA (1.83), but his team didn't make the playoffs (he finished 5th). In '03, when Gagne went 55/55 with three losses and a 1.20 ERA, the Dodgers missed the playoffs and he finished sixth, while winning the Cy Young. The best comparison is probably Smoltz in 2002; 55 saves, 3.25 ERA, Braves won the division by 19 games. He finished eighth.

Field, +550
The only hitters I can reasonably makes a case for here--and this is really stretching it--are Vlad, Curtis Granderson, Jim Thome, and Magglio. I guess you can throw Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay in the mix, and maybe some unlisted closers--Papelbon, Nathan, maybe Jenks. Regardless, I can't see there being any value in this. Those guys are all real longshots.

Random All Star Festivities Thoughts

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:32:56 -0500

You know me and my random thoughts that seem to go in many tangeants. Well it seems that I have a lot of things to talk about during the All-Star Break but unfortunately nothing of great substance. So here's a few quick hits to let you know what's going on at The BearDown during the slowest sports week of the year.

Trade Rumors July 15th

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:18:30 -0500

The Angels are willing to deal one of there Nick Adenhart in a deal that would include Matt Holliday Mark Teixeira. The A's are willing to move starter Joe Blanton who is locked up trough 2010. The Cubs contacted the Padres about aquiring Khalil Greene.The Braves reportedly offered a deal that would move Teixeira to Boston and in return the Braves would get Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hanson. The Pirates are interested in a Ross Olendorf in a trade that would most likley include Xavier Nady and/or Damasco Marte and other Yankees prospects.

All-Star Lineups

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:34:20 -0500

AL Lineup:

1. rf Ichiro Suzuki

2. ss Derek Jeter

3. cf Josh Hamilton

4. 3b Alex Rodriguez

5. lf Manny Ramirez

6. dh Milton Bradley

7. 1b Kevin Youkilis

8. c Joe Mauer

9. 2b Dustin Pedroia

P Cliff Lee

NL

1. ss Hanley Ramirez

2. 2b Chase Utley

3. 1b Lance Berkman

4. dh Albert Pujols

5. 3b Chipper Jones

6. rf Matt Holliday

7. lf Ryan Braun

8. cf Kosuke Fukudome

9. C Geovany Soto

P Ben Sheets