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* 2007 American League Gold Glove (1B)
* 2007 American League Gold Glove (1B)
* Most consecutive errorless games by a first baseman
* Most consecutive errorless games by a first baseman
* Most helmets thrown after striking out
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Revision as of 01:04, 7 June 2008

Kevin Youkilis
Boston Red Sox – No. 20
First baseman
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
May 15, 2004, for the Boston Red Sox
Career statistics
(through May 19,2008)
Batting average.285
Home runs46
Runs batted in234
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Kevin Edmund Youkilis (Template:PronEng) (born March 15, 1979, in Cincinnati, Ohio), nicknamed "Youk" and "The Greek God of Walks", is an American Major League Baseball player. Youkilis is a Gold Glove award winning[1] first baseman and right-handed batter who plays for the Boston Red Sox.

Prior to 2006, when he took over as the team's first baseman, he primarily played third base. He has also played second base and left field. He is also the team's players' representative.[2]

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.[3]

Jewish heritage

On August 8, 2005, while playing for the Red Sox, Youkilis took the field in the 9th inning along with Adam Stern and Gabe Kapler, setting a "record" for the most Jewish players on the field at one time in American League history, and the most in Major League Baseball history since four Jewish players took the field for the New York Giants in a game in 1941. [4]

Early baseball career

Youkilis, the son of a jewelry wholesaler, [5]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."

Later, in college, he was a second team All-American in 2000 and 2001 at the University of Cincinnati. He set the school records for home runs (53), walks (206), slugging percentage (.627), and on base percentage (.499). [6]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 the New 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 the Augusta GreenJackets of the South Atlantic League, a Low-A Class league.

In 2002, Youkilis appeared in 15 games for Augusta, in 76 games for the Sarasota Sox,[7] and in 44 games for the Trenton Thunder.[8] Youkilis hit for a .310 batting average with 8 home runs and 80 RBI 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 the Pawtucket 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 teammate Kevin Millar's minor league record for consecutive games reaching base.[9]

In 2004, Youkilis appeared in 32 games for Pawtucket, hit for a .258 batting average, hit three home runs, 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

On May 15, 2004, Red Sox regular starting third baseman Bill Mueller landed on the disabled list giving way for Youkilis to be called up from AAA Pawtucket, appearing in his first major league game, starting at third base. In that game, Youkilis got 2 hits in four at-bats. In his second at-bat, he hit a home run off of 1996 Cy Young Award winner Pat Hentgen.[10] Later in the year, Youkilis decided not to participate in a game that fell on Yom Kippur, the most important Jewish holiday.[11]

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 the outfield.[12] 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%),[13] and times on base (259). Meanwhile, he scored 100 runs, hit for a .325 batting average with runners in scoring position, and a .375 Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position with two out.[14]

2007

Starting on May 5th, 2007 and ending on June 2nd, 2007, Youkilis had a career high 23-game hitting streak in which he hit .426 (43-101) with 13 doubles, 6 HR, 21 RBI, and a .468 OBP.[15] At one point during the hitting streak, he had 9 straight games with at least 2 hits (tying a Red Sox record set by Jim Rice in 1978) and became the first Red Sox hitter since Trot Nixon to hit an inside-the-park home run.[16] Although the hit streak ended on June 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.[17]

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 mph fastball thrown by Yankees pitcher Scott Proctor. Proctor was ejected from the game for the incident. On August 8 New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain was ejected following a pair of pitches thrown over Kevin Youkilis' head. Chamberlain was later suspended two games for his actions. On September 15, Youkilis was struck on the right wrist by a pitch thrown by Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang. Youkilis left the game, and did not play until September 25, pinch-hitting for Eric 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.[18] 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. [19]

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.[20] The dispute was later resolved.

Consecutive Games at First Base Without an Error

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 by Stuffy McInnis.[21] On September 7, he played in his 179th consecutive game at first base without an error, which broke the prior American League record set in 1973 by Mike Hegan.[22] 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 the Cleveland Indians, postseason games are not included in the record.

On April 2, 2008, Youkilis set the Major League record of 194 consecutive error-free games, breaking the previous record held by Steve Garvey.[23]

Philanthropy

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 of Red 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 the Joslin Diabetes Center's Pediatric Health Services.

"In my religion, the Jewish religion, that's one of the biggest things that's taught, is giving a mitzvah, 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." [24]

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.

Kevin Youkilis' charity wine SauvignYooouuuk Blanc released in 2008 support Hits for Kits in entirety.

Moneyball

Main article: Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game

In the year 2003, author Michael Lewis wrote the book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. The book focused on Oakland Athletics' General Manager Billy Beane and his use of Sabermetrics as an integral part of evaluation process for a prospect's potential. In the book, Lewis mentions 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.

Awards and Distinctions

Career statistics

See also

References & notes

  1. ^ Silva, Steve (November 6, 2007). "Youk wins Gold Glove". Boston.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/wires/03/19/2010.ap.bba.red.sox.boycott.13th.ld.writethru.0765/
  3. ^ http://www.fenwayfanatics.com/content/2008/04/02/youkilis-sets-new-consecutive-error-free-games-record/
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ Shanahan, Mark (December 12, 2007). "Confessions of a future baseball wife". Boston.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "The Official Site of The Boston Red Sox: Team: Player Information : Biography and Career Highlights". Major League Baseball. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ In 2002, Trenton was a minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox organization. In 2003, Trenton singed with the New York Yankees. As a result, the Red Sox affiliated themselves with the Portland Sea Dogs, another Eastern League franchise.
  9. ^ "Youkilis Streak". enquirer.com. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
  10. ^ "Youkilis Debut". espn.go.com. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
  11. ^ "Green playing on Yom Kippur". cjnews.com. Retrieved 2007-06-10.
  12. ^ "Minor League Stats". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
  13. ^ "Fangraph Leaders". Retrieved 2007-06-10. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |Work= ignored (|work= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ "CBS Player Splits". sportsline.com. Retrieved 2007-06-10.
  15. ^ "Only winning streak matters to Youkilis". mlb.com. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  16. ^ "Youkilis' Inside the Park". mlb.com. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
  17. ^ http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2007/12/30/fan_with_a_one_track_mind/?page=2
  18. ^ For Youkilis, money is secondary to winning | Boston Red Sox | projo.com | The Providence Journal
  19. ^ Benjamin, Amalie (February 11, 2008). "Youkilis signs for $3 million". Boston.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/wires/03/19/2010.ap.bba.red.sox.boycott.13th.ld.writethru.0765/
  21. ^ "Kevin Youkilis archive". mlb.com and Boston Herald. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
  22. ^ "Youkilis' Defense as Good as Gold". redsox.com. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
  23. ^ "Error Records by First Basemen". baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
  24. ^ http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080302&content_id=2400390&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb]
  25. ^ "Kevin Youkilis". ESPN.com. 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
Template:S-awards
Preceded by AL Gold Glove; First Base
2007 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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