Dewan: Youkilis goes to Chicago
From SABR member John Dewan at ACTA Sports on June 27, 2012:
The Red Sox and White Sox consummated a trade on Sunday night to send long-time Red Sox icon Kevin Youkilis to the south side of Chicago. Boston had a log jam at third base thanks to the emergence of Will Middlebrooks, and the White Sox are clinging to a tight lead in the surprisingly competitive AL Central and are hoping that Youkilis’s bat will give them the push they need to take control of the division.
Dubbed “The Greek God of Walks” for his penchant for getting on base, Youkilis first rose to fame in Michael Lewis’s book Moneyball as Athletics General Manager Billy Beane’s coveted trade target. The Red Sox hung on to Youkilis, who turned into an on-base machine at the major league level and developed power that turned him into a perennial MVP candidate.
Adding Youkilis to the White Sox lineup is more than your typical boost for the playoff run. White Sox third basemen (primarily Brett Morel and Orlando Hudson) this season have created just 12 runs for the team in 2012, comfortably the lowest total at the position in all of baseball this year. Additionally, White Sox third basemen are tied with Pirate shortstops as the least productive position in all of baseball.
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Originally published: July 5, 2012. Last Updated: July 5, 2012.