- Kevin Youkilis
Infobox MLB player
name = Kevin Youkilis
width = 300
caption =
team = Boston Red Sox
number = 20
position = First baseman
birthdate = birth date and age|1979|3|15
birthplace = city-state|Cincinnati|Ohio
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = May 15
debutyear = 2004
debutteam = Boston Red Sox
statyear = 2008
stat1label =Batting average
stat1value = .289
stat2label =Home run s
stat2value = 66
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 314
stat4label =On base percentage
stat4value = .385
stat5label =Slugging percentage
stat5value = .472
teams =
*Boston Red Sox (by|2004-present)
awards =
* 2007 Gold Glove (1B)
*All-Star selection (by|2008)
* 2xWorld Series Champion (2004 ,2007 )Kevin Edmund Youkilis (pronEng|ˈjuːkəlɪs) (born
March 15 ,1979 inCincinnati, Ohio ), nicknamed "Youk" and "The Greek God of Walks," is an AmericanAll Star Major League Baseball player for theBoston Red Sox .A Gold Glove award winning fielder [cite web| last = Silva| first = Steve| title = Youk wins Gold Glove| publisher = Boston.com| date = November 6, 2007| url = http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2007/11/youk_wins_gold.html| accessmonthday = November 6 | accessyear=2007] , Youkilis holds baseball's all-time record for most consecutive errorless games at
first base . [ [http://www.fenwayfanatics.com/content/2008/04/02/youkilis-sets-new-consecutive-error-free-games-record/ Boston Red Sox @ fenwayfanatics.com » Youkilis Sets New Consecutive Error-Free Games Record ] ] He is also the team's players' representative.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/wires/03/19/2010.ap.bba.red.sox.boycott.13th.ld.writethru.0765/]Amateur baseball career
Youkilis, the son of a jewelry wholesaler, was a member of the
1994 Sycamore High School team that won the AAU National Championship. On the side, Youkilis had one line in the 1994 romantic comedy "Milk Money ," starring Melanie Griffith and filmed in Youkilis' hometown of Cincinnati. He was 14 at the time.Later, in college, he was a second-team All-American in 2000 and 2001 at the
University of Cincinnati . He set the school records forhome run s (53), walks (206),slugging percentage (.627), andon base percentage (.499). [cite web|publisher = Major League Baseball| url= http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=425903|title=The Official Site of The Boston Red Sox: Team: Player Information : Biography and Career Highlights| accessmonthday = April 6 | accessyear=2008] In 2001, the Boston Red Sox drafted Youkilis in the 8th round (243rd overall).Minor league career
In 2001, Youkilis made his professional debut as a catcher with the
Lowell Spinners , a Short-Season A Class franchise in theNew York - Penn League . He went on to hit for a .317 batting average and scored 58 runs in 59 games. After leaving Lowell, he played five games with theAugusta GreenJackets of theSouth Atlantic League , a Low-A Class league.In 2002, Youkilis appeared in 15 games for Augusta, in 76 games for the Sarasota Sox, [The Sarasota Red Sox are no longer an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox organization. In 2005, the franchise signed on as an affiliate of the
Cincinnati Reds ] and in 44 games for theTrenton Thunder . [In 2002, Trenton was a minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox organization. In 2003, Trenton singed with theNew York Yankees . As a result, the Red Sox affiliated themselves with thePortland Sea Dogs , another Eastern League franchise.] Youkilis hit for a .310 batting average with 8 home runs and 80 RBIs for the year. In recognition of his performance on the field, the Boston Red Sox named Youkilis their 2002 Minor League Player of the Year.In 2003, Youkilis started the season with the
Portland Sea Dogs . In 94 games, he had a .487 on base percentage. Later, he earned a spot on the Eastern League All-Star team. After Portland, Youkilis moved up to play for thePawtucket Red Sox , the Boston Red Sox Class-AAA franchise. During his time with Pawtucket, Youkilis managed to complete a streak he started while in Portland; he reached base in 71 consecutive games, tying future teammateKevin Millar 's minor league record for consecutive games reaching base. [cite web| title = Youkilis Streak | work = enquirer.com | url=http://reds.enquirer.com/2003/08/07/Youkilis07.html | accessdate = 2007-06-04 ]In 2004, Youkilis appeared in 32 games for Pawtucket, hit for a .258 batting average, hit three
home run s, and hit for a .347 on base percentage. He then played in 72 games for the Boston Red Sox. The following year, Youkilis split his time between Pawtucket and Boston, where he played in 43 games and 44 games respectively.Major League career
2004
On May 15, 2004, Red Sox (going to win World Series again)regular starting third baseman
Bill Mueller landed on thedisabled list leading to Youkilis being called up from AAA Pawtucket, appearing in his first major league game, starting at third base. In that game, Youkilis had 2 hits in 4 at bats. In his second at bat, he hit a home run off of 1996 Cy Young Award winnerPat Hentgen . [cite web | title=Youkilis Debut | work=espn.go.com | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=240515114 | accessdate=2007-06-04] Later in the year, Youkilis did not participate in a game that fell onYom Kippur , September 24, the most importantJewish holiday , though he did suit up and sit in the dugout [ [http://www.jewishsports.com/profiles/kevinyoukilis.htm from an interview with Youkilis] ] .2005
In 2005, Youkilis hit for a .278 batting average with a .400 on base percentage in 79 at bats while with the Boston Red Sox.
2006
In
2006 , Youkilis played most of his games at first base. Until that time, Youkilis had played more games at third base than he had played at any other position. However, he did appear at first base in 56 games throughout his minor league career. That season, he also played 18 games in left field. It was the first time in his professional career that he had appeared in theoutfield . [cite web | title=Minor League Stats | work=thebaseballcube.com | url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/Y/Kevin-Youkilis.shtml | accessdate=2007-06-04] Despite his inexperience in the outfield, Youkilis did not commit a defensive error while in the field. However, he did commit a total of eight errors while at first base and at third base.Youkilis tied for the major league lead in sacrifice flies (11) and saw 4.42 pitches per plate appearance, a figure very close to
Bobby Abreu 's major league leading 4.45. Also that year, Youkilis ranked in the American League's top ten in bases on balls (91), doubles (42), walk percentage (13.8%),cite web | title=Fangraph Leaders | Work=fangraphs.com | url=http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2006 | accessdate=2007-06-10] and times on base (259). Meanwhile, he scored 100 runs, hit for a .325 batting average with runners in scoring position, and a .375Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position with two out. [cite web| title=CBS Player Splits | work=sportsline.com | url=http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/players/player/splits/2006/390828 | accessdate=2007-06-10]2007
Starting on
May 5 th, 2007 and ending onJune 2 nd, 2007, Youkilis had a career-high 23-game hitting streak in which he hit .426 (43-101) with 13 doubles, 6 HR, 21 RBIs, and a .468 OBP. [cite web | title = Only winning streak matters to Youkilis | work = mlb.com | url=http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070602&content_id=2001808&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | accessdate = 2007-06-18 ] . At one point during the hitting streak, he had 9 straight games with at least 2 hits (tying a Red Sox record set byJim Rice in 1978) and became the first Red Sox hitter sinceTrot Nixon to hit an inside-the-park home run. [cite web | title = Youkilis' Inside the Park | work = mlb.com | url=http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070528&content_id=1991576&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | accessdate = 2007-06-04 ] Although the hit streak ended onJune 2 , he did walk 3 times in an 11-6 win over the Yankees.During the streak, on May 20th, he hit what was to be the shortest homer by a Sox player during the season -- a 321-foot homer around the Pesky Pole. The home run would not have cleared the fence at any of the other 29 ballparks in baseball. [ [http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2007/12/30/fan_with_a_one_track_mind/?page=2 Baseball fan brings home run measurement to new heights - The Boston Globe ] ]
In 2007, Youkilis was 6th in the American League with 15 HBP (hit by pitch). On
June 1 , Youkilis was struck on his helmet by a 94 mphfastball thrown by Yankees pitcherScott Proctor . Proctor was ejected from the game for the incident. OnAugust 8 New York Yankees pitcherJoba Chamberlain was ejected following a pair of pitches thrown over Kevin Youkilis' head. Chamberlain was later suspended two games for his actions. OnSeptember 15 , Youkilis was struck on the right wrist by a pitch thrown by Yankees pitcherChien-Ming Wang . Youkilis left the game, and did not play untilSeptember 25 , pinch-hitting forEric Hinske in the 5th inning.He was 6th in the league in pitches per plate appearance (4.27), and led the league with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Following the season, Youkilis won the 2007 AL
Gold Glove award for first basemen.Youkilis made $424,500, the fourth-lowest salary on the club. [ [http://www.projo.com/redsox/content/sp_bb_rsoxjo26_07-26-07_7K6GOLD.34b8cc1.html For Youkilis, money is secondary to winning | Boston Red Sox | projo.com | The Providence Journal ] ] Youkilis's first career postseason hit was a solo home run, in the first inning of Game 1 of the ALDS.
2008
In February 2008, Youkilis signed a one-year contract for $3 million, avoiding arbitration. [cite web| last = Benjamin| first = Amalie | title = Youkilis signs for $3 million| publisher = Boston.com| date = February 11, 2008| url = http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/02/11/youkilis_signs_for_3_million| accessmonthday = April 6 | accessyear=2008]
In March 2008, his role as the designated player representative of the Red Sox became known during a dispute regarding non-payment of coaches and staff for the Red Sox trip to Japan. The dispute was later resolved.
All-Star. Youkilis was voted a starter on the 2008 AL All Star Team.
MVP? Youkilis has been mentioned as a possible MVP candidate by reporters for MLB, [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080911&content_id=3455992&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb] ,
The Sporting News , [http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=455337]The New York Times , [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/sports/baseball/27curry.html?em] , theSan Francisco Chronicle , [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/09/07/SPOJ12OLJO.DTL] , theFort Worth Star-Telegram , [http://www.star-telegram.com/284/story/939161.html] and theBoston Herald . [http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view/2008_08_17_Kevin_Youkilis_can_finish_with_a_flourish_/srvc=home&position=also]Season Statistics. In 2008, Youkilis was 3rd in the AL in slugging percentage (.569) and sacrifice flies (9), 4th in RBIs (115), extra base hits (76), and OPS (.958); 5th in hit by pitch (12); 6th in batting average (.312) and on-base percentage (.390); 7th in doubles (43); 8th in total bases (306), 10th in at-bats per home run (18.6), and 12th in home runs (29).
Youkilis also batted .374 with runners in scoring position. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/bsplit.cgi?n1=youklke01&year=2008]
Fielding Prowess
A third baseman when he arrived in the Major Leagues, Youkilis took over as the team's first baseman in 2006. He has also played second base and left field.
On
June 25 ,2007 , Youkilis played in his 120th consecutive game at first base without an error, breaking the prior Red Sox record set in 1921 byStuffy McInnis . [cite web | title = Kevin Youkilis archive | work = mlb.com and Boston Herald| url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/features/briefingroom?playerId=5375 | accessdate = 2007-06-26 ] OnSeptember 7 , he played in his 179th consecutive game at first base without an error, which broke the priorAmerican League record set in 1973 byMike Hegan . [cite web | title = Youkilis' Defense as Good as Gold | work = redsox.com | url=http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070907&content_id=2194889&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | accessdate = 2007-09-08 ]Youkilis' streak at the end of the regular season was 190 games; while he was charged with a fielding error in the sixth inning of an
October 16 ,2007 , playoff game against theCleveland Indians , postseason games are not included in the record.Youkilis said, "I’m not worried about making the error. I’m worried about trying to help the team win and trying to get an out any way we can." [ [http://braves.scout.com/a.z?s=248&p=2&c=714172 Scout.com: Red Sox Quotes Of The Year (Part One) ] ]
On April 2, 2008, on an unassisted game-ending play against the Oakland A's, Youkilis broke the Major League record for most consecutive errorless games by a first baseman, at 194 games, breaking the previous record held by
Steve Garvey . [cite web | title = Error Records by First Basemen | work = baseball-almanac.com| url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_1ber.shtml | accessdate = 2007-09-17 ]The streak, which started on July 4, 2006, was snapped at 238 games (2,002 fielding attempts) on
June 7 ,2008 against theSeattle Mariners . [cite web | title = Youk's late error halts streak | work = redsox.com | url=http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080607&content_id=2863362&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos | accessdate = 2008-06-08 ]Moneyball
In the year
2003 ,author Michael Lewis wrote the book "". The book focused onOakland Athletics ' General ManagerBilly Beane and his use ofSabermetrics as an integral part of evaluation process for a prospect's potential. In the book, Lewis Youkilis and referred to him as "Euclis, the Greek God of Walks."Lewis also revealed that Beane repeatedly tried to trade for Youkilis before Youkilis reached the major-league level.
Jewish heritage
Although his
family name is derived from the Greek culture, Youkilis is Jewish. [cite web | title=God of Walks | work=sfgate.com | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/05/27/SPGQS6SHQ01.DTL | accessdate=2007-06-10]On
August 8 , 2005, while playing for theRed Sox , Youkilis took the field in the 9th inning along withAdam Stern andGabe Kapler , setting a "record" for the most Jewish players on the field at one time inAmerican League history, and the most inMajor League Baseball history since four Jewish players took the field for the New York Giants in a game in 1941. [ [http://www.jewishtribune.ca/tribune/jt-050929-21.html jt-050929-21 ] ]Youkilis was featured in the 2008 Hank Greenberg 75th Anniversary edition of Jewish Major Leaguers Baseball Cards, published in affiliation with
Fleer Trading Cards and theAmerican Jewish Historical Society , commemorating the Jewish Major Leaguers from 1871 through 2008. [http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x1192322494/Shedding-light-on-baseballs-Jewish-history "Shedding light on baseball's Jewish history," The MetroWest Daily News, 5/19/08, accessed 6/16/08] He joins, among other Jewish major leaguers,Brad Ausmus ,Ian Kinsler ,Ryan Braun ,Brian Horwitz ,Gabe Kapler ,Jason Marquis ,Jason Hirsh ,John Grabow ,Craig Breslow , andScott Schoeneweis . Youkilis was one of three Jewish players in the 2008 All-Star Game, joining Kinsler and Braun. Kinsler says that "Youkilis will always says something to me on the bases "'Happy Passover" he'll throw something at me." [http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/07/15/pedroia_has_taken_to_scene/?page=2]In an oddity, it was noticed in 2007 that various baseball websites had been using "youkike" as part of their
url s for Youkilis' statistical webpages. "Kike " is a slur for a Jewish person. This unforeseen formatting occurred on sites that employ an automatic url-creating program which combine the first five letters of a player's surname with the first two letters of his first name.Baseball-Reference.com had already changed its Youkilis reference to "youklke" before the quirk was noticed, andBaseball Prospectus subsequently changed its reference to "youki________ke." [http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/newsstand/discussion/out_sports/]Philanthropy
[http://www.youkskids.org/ Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids] is a
charitable organization established in 2007. Youkilis' foundation focuses on raising support and awareness for the health, advocacy, safety, and medical healing of children across Massachusetts and beyond. Rallying the support of volunteers, local business, and the heart ofRed Sox Nation , Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids teams with existing, community-based children's charities and medical research efforts that lack sufficient funding and awareness. One organization that Hits for Kids works with is theJoslin Diabetes Center 's Pediatric Health Services."In my religion, the
Jewish religion, that's one of the biggest things that's taught, is giving amitzvah , forming a mitzvah," said Youkilis. "I was always taught as a kid giving to charity. You're supposed to give a good amount of charity each and every year.... It's just a great thing when you can make a kid smile that's going through some hard times in life.... I wish more people, not just athletes, would give people just a little bit of their time. It doesn't take much.... It can make a huge difference." [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080302&content_id=2400390&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb Intensity is Youkilis' trademark | MLB.com: News ] ]After the first game of the ALDS, Youkilis re-shaved his head for good luck in a sign of solidarity with cancer patient Mitt Campbell. Following the team's 2007 World Series victory, Youkilis shaved his goatee for a $5,000 donation by
Gillette to his foundation.His charity wine SauvignYooouuuk Blanc released in 2008 supports Hits for Kids in entirety.
Awards and Distinctions
* 1999
All-American Collegiate Player
* 2000Conference USA All-Star IF
* 2001 2nd team College All-American 3B
* 2001 Conference USA All-Star IF
* 2001 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year
* 2002 Trenton Player of the Year
* 2002 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year
* 2003 Futures Game All-Star
* 2003 Eastern League All-Star Utility
* 2003International League Post-Season All-Star
* 2004 American League Rookie of the Month - May
* 2004 World Series Champion (Boston Red Sox)
* 2007 World Series Champion (Boston Red Sox)
* 2007 American League Gold Glove (1B)
* Most consecutive errorless games by a first baseman (238 games)
* 2008 American League All-Star Starter (1B)Statistics
References & notes
External links
*
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5375 ESPN]
* [http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/hardball-questions-kevin-youkilis/ Interview, 5/2/05]
* [http://kevinyoukilis.mlblogs.com/kevinyoukilis/ Official Blog]
* [http://www.youkskids.org/ Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids]
* [http://www.jewishledger.com/articles/2008/03/05/news/news03.txt "Warming up for the Jewish Boys of Summer," 3/5/08]###@@@KEYEND@@@###
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