Corner infielder Kevin Youkilis will hang up his spikes after a 14-year
professional career, according to a tweet from his representatives at Pro
Star Management. The 35-year-old will be remembered most fondly for his time
in Boston.
With the Red Sox, Youkilis emerged as one of the game’s most consistent
on-base threats. His ability to work counts and draw walks was so legendary
that it drew him the appellation “the Greek God of Walks,” a name
referenced in the famous Moneyball book and film.
Of course, he could do much more than that. Over his six full-time seasons
with the Red Sox, Youkilis slashed an outstanding .292/.392/.500 with 121
home runs. With solid defensive marks at third, he was worth 29.5 rWAR and
25.9 fWAR over that stretch, making him one of the very best position
players in the game.
That outstanding performance made Youkilis a key figure in the Boston
baseball revival. He did not see World Series action in 2004, his rookie
year — though he was on the roster — but was a major contributor during the
regular and post seasons in 2007. Over 125 career postseason plate
appearances, Youkilis slashed a healthy .306/.376/.568 with six long balls.
Youkilis was ultimately dealt from Boston to the White Sox in the summer of
2012 after struggling in the early going. (That led to one of the more
memorable mid-game trade acknowledgments; see photo.) He rebounded in Chicago,
putting up a strong second half (.236/.346/.425 with 15 home runs in 344 plate
appearances) and earning a $12MM free agent contract with the Yankees.
Issues with his back and plantar fasciitis ultimate marred the tail end of
Youkilis’s career. He was ineffective when on the field in New York, and did
not even make 100 trips to the plate this year after joining Rakuten of
Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.
Nevertheless, Youkilis’s excellence at his peak cannot be ignored. He
finished third in the AL MVP vote in 2008, and might have won were it not for
teammate Dustin Pedroia. He was named to three All-Star teams over his ten
MLB seasons.
光頭佬中就還是退了
活躍的時間短了點 27歲才站穩 33歲就走下坡