Kevin Youkilis

I wonder if Billy Beane came calling about the Greek God of Walks.

Kevin Youkilis has been traded.  Everyone on Earth new it was coming, but it's still kinda sad.  What's even sadder is what we got in return.

I have to confess something.  I have not watched or listened to a Red Sox game in at least two weeks.  Life is pretty hectic right now and the Sox have taken a back seat.  I still try and catch the scores, and I still pay attention to the standings (hello 4th place!  WooHoo!) but I haven't been watching games and I haven't been following the story lines, although I know David Ortiz got pissed at the press the other day.  Good for him.

Kevin Youkilis, to me represents, all of the things that were bad about the Red Sox prior to 2004.  Hold on, let me finish.  The reason I say that is because he was the polar opposite of the prototypical Red Sox player.  Over my life there have been 100s of Sox players who gave the impression (accurately or not) that they did the bear minimum and cared more about their own stats than the team's success.  I'm not saying all of them were like that.  Nomar wasn't, in his prime. Yaz certainly wasn't either.  Most of the players though seemed that way. 

Not Youk.  Never Youk.  Youkilis was not the kinda guy who made it to the majors on talent and then did only enough work to keep his job.  To me, he seemed to be 10% raw talent and 90% hard work and determination.  If we had had a few more guys like Kevin Youkilis back in the 70's and 80's the curse of the bambino (urgh, I am so sorry about mentioning the retarded "curse" that was complete bullshit written up by a hack of a columnist and then bought hook line and sinker by the masses) would never have lasted for as long as it did.

The press had been implying that there was a certain lack of warm and fuzzy feelings between Youk and Schmucko the Clown Valentine.  I fall squarely on team Youk in this matter.  Valentine is a joke.  I don't blame Youkilis for any ill will that there may have been, in fact I sympathize. 

So the Sox had a less than completely healthy third baseman in the last year of his contract, who didn't get along with the new douche bag of a manager, and they had a young, up and coming star of a third baseman who was ready to take the reigns.  The result is that Kevin Youkilis has been traded to the Chicago White Sox for a bag of pucks.

I wish you the best, Youk.  You are a hell of a player and it was a joy to watch you playing for my team for all of these years.  Good luck in Chicago.  I hope you put them over the top.