Sox and Youk agree to four year, $40 mil deal

[italstallianion]

Yeah, although his walk numbers are down and swing and miss numbers are up, I'll take the increase in power and OPS. Looks like he's swinging at his pitch instead of letting it go by. Plus he seems to have the quintessential Red Sox attitude and persona, so he seemed important to the core to lockup. Ditto Pedroia, and ditto Lester (soon enough). Perhaps Papelbon as well etc...

[BSN07]

Youkilis, Red Sox agree on $41M dealComment Email Print Associated Press

BOSTON -- Kevin Youkilis and the Boston Red Sox agreed Friday to a four-year contract that guarantees the infielder $41,125,000.

 

The deal includes Youkilis' last two years of arbitration eligibility and delays his chance to become a free agent by at least two years. Boston has a club option for 2013.

 

 

Youkilis

"It's a great thing knowing that I'll be here for hopefully the next five years," the 29-year-old said. "My wife is from Boston and her family's from here and that's a major factor in us staying here."

 

Youkilis gets a $1 million signing bonus, $6 million this year, $9,125,000 in 2010 and $12 million in each of the following two seasons. Boston has a $13 million option for 2013 with a $1 million buyout.

 

He hit .312 with 29 homers and 115 RBIs last season, but his most impressive work might have been in the field. The five-year veteran made just four errors in 125 games at first base, where he won a Gold Glove in 2007, then switched to third when Mike Lowell was injured.

 

Youkilis holds the major league record of 238 straight games at first base without an error, a streak that ended last June.

 

He finished third in AL MVP voting in 2008, behind Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia and Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau.

 

Youkilis is a career .289 hitter with 66 homers and 314 RBI. His .997 career fielding percentage at first base is tops in Red Sox history.

 

"Kevin has been a mainstay for us and a big part of our major league club through a lot of successful seasons and a big part of our future and we solidified that with this move today," general manager Theo Epstein said.

 

The Red Sox have not gone to arbitration since Epstein took over as GM. Closer Jonathan Papelbon and reliever Javier Lopez also filed for arbitration Thursday and will swap figures with the Red Sox if they don't settle by Tuesday. Hearings take place in February.

 

Pedroia, who wouldn't have been eligible for free agency until after the 2012 season, agreed last month to a $40.5 million, six-year deal.

[Dojji]

Great defense at 1B is easy to underestimate. A lot of the touches a 1Bman gets are on routine plays, but other than the pitcher and catcher the 1B gets the most touches by a lot of any other player.

 

Our infeild has been very good each year Youkilis has been playing first for us. He makes Pedroia and Lowell better and makes Lugo tolerable. All things being equal great defense at 1B can really make a huge difference.

 

I'm glad he'll be sticking around.

[italstallianion]

Plus the fact that he can play a good 3B makes him all the more useful to our team. We can mix and match with righties and lefties or give players days off easier. I'm definitely glad to have him locked up for a few more years.

[Dojji]

I think you've hit on the biggest issue why this is good news Italian. If you look at our minor league system we are very, very weak at 3B so if Lowrie's the starting SS the ability to replace there is pretty dependent on Youk and will be the next few years..

[Redguitar985]

I think you've hit on the biggest issue why this is good news Italian. If you look at our minor league system we are very' date=' [b']very[/b] weak at 3B so if Lowrie's the starting SS the ability to replace there is pretty dependent on Youk and will be the next few years..

 

No kidding, it looks like our top prospect is Michael Almanzar, who only started in single A last year.

[italstallianion]

Although in all fairness Almanzar is our 6th ranked prospect according to soxprospects.com. It's no baseballamerica or baseballprospectus or anything but it's all right.

 

Anyway, I think Almanzar is that high because of his cieling or whatever. Our 24th prospect overall (Middlebrooks) is also a 3B and is in Lowell, but we do have Jorge Jimenez who's ranked 34th, and Oscar Tejeda (17th-formerly 9th) has also gotten time at SS.

 

And Lowrie can play third as well, so there are many possibilities of fine tuning and micromanaging the defense and offense.

 

I wasn't trying to argue against your point that we are weak at 3B in terms of our younger players, but I'd be surprised if we produced a great 3rd-baseman in the next set of years.

[italstallianion]

If only we had that many decent catchers in our system.

[Dojji]

If only we had that many decent catchers in our system.

 

Define "decent." Kottaras, Brown, Wagner, Exposito, Lavarnway, and until they formally change his position, Jon Still round out our catching prospect corps and run the gamut from nearly MLB ready guys with interesting utility to high ceiling A ballers to 1Bmen getting playing time at an alternate position.

[Dipre]

If only we had that many decent catchers in our system.

 

To be fair, i think no one has more than 3 decent catchers in their Minors system, since the C position is usually scarce around the league.

[italstallianion]

I'm not sure how to exactly define decent, but compare the previous rankings I gave for 3rd basemen to the fact that only 1 catcher is in our top 20, being Exposito at 12th. Wagner is 23rd, Lavarnway is 31st, and Kottaras at 33rd. I guess it's not that much different, but keep in mind that we had recently graduated Lowrie who would have helped the 3rd baseman cause given his versatility.

 

I guess it's also not seen as that much depth since it's not necessarily ready for the majors, and given the lack of depth in the major league level for catching it would make our system look that less stacked. In other words, I think the lack of depth in our catcher prospects is highlighted by the fact that there is a drought of elite catchers overall and the drought of a great catcher on our team.

 

Although in all fairness that point doesn't really mean that much, but it's a point nonetheless.

[JimEdHOF2009]

Still waiting for that myopic ninny JacksonianMarch to accept my challenge.. Should I just assume he is a twat? I understand this is a safe assumption...but the bet is still there. Sox make it farther than the Yankees (which they will) Jax leaves this site forever and Mods delete his screenname and ban his IP if they like. If I lose...I am gone.

[BSN07]

Jacko has his moments, but overall he is liked poster here. If anything he makes for a good read:D

[jacksonianmarch]

Still waiting for that myopic ninny JacksonianMarch to accept my challenge.. Should I just assume he is a twat? I understand this is a safe assumption...but the bet is still there. Sox make it farther than the Yankees (which they will) Jax leaves this site forever and Mods delete his screenname and ban his IP if they like. If I lose...I am gone.

 

I have said all along that I think the sox are a good team going into 2009. Injuries and bouncebacks from them will determine 2009. And I wont get into a petty squabble with you about being banned or placing a bet. You arent worth my time.

[italstallianion]

Plus what would we do without our Token Yankee fan?

[jacksonianmarch]

there are others, I do think I am the most active one.

[BSN07]

there are others' date=' I do think I am the most active one.[/quote']

 

Isn't it some "right of passage" for new posters to try and get you band?

[jacksonianmarch]

yeah, happens all the time. Dumbasses never learn

[italstallianion]

For the record, I'm not trying to get jackson banned or anything. He's nice to me as far as I'm concerned and I've got nothing against anyone here. I was just interested in the concept of a Token Yankee fan in most Red Sox fan message boards.

[BSN07]

For the record' date=' I'm not trying to get jackson banned or anything. He's nice to me as far as I'm concerned and I've got nothing against anyone here. I was just interested in the concept of a Token Yankee fan in most Red Sox fan message boards.[/quote']

 

Just wait until GOM get's back from vacation:lol:

[italstallianion]

Why is he/she a Yankee fan that you think may bother me, or a Red Sox fan that makes a living trying to oust the Token Yankee fan? Remember I haven't been here that long so you should teach me the ropes around here....

[BSN07]

Why is he/she a Yankee fan that you think may bother me' date=' or a Red Sox fan that makes a living trying to oust the Token Yankee fan? Remember I haven't been here that long so you should teach me the ropes around here....[/quote']

 

He's a Yankees fan. One of the more obnoxious ones, but he like Jacko, is fun to have around.

[JimEdHOF2009]

I have said all along that I think the sox are a good team going into 2009. Injuries and bouncebacks from them will determine 2009. And I wont get into a petty squabble with you about being banned or placing a bet. You arent worth my time.

 

Translation: I am like you said, a twat.. I value this message board community over my entire family. Losing this board would be like Heather Brooke losing her Hoover-like cock suction....I would be left with nothing. ...sorry JimEd, though I cannot stand you...the risk is just too great.

 

Well, since you put it that way...far be it for me to remove such a vital part of your life.. It will actually be funnier watching you twist and twitch as the Yankees fail..yet again.

[yeszir]

Youk was awesome on Man v Food. Did anyone see his performance?

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Translation: I am like you said' date=' a twat.. I value this message board community over my entire family. Losing this board would be like Heather Brooke losing her Hoover-like cock suction....I would be left with nothing. ...sorry JimEd, though I cannot stand you...the risk is just too great.[/i']

 

Well, since you put it that way...far be it for me to remove such a vital part of your life.. It will actually be funnier watching you twist and twitch as the Yankees fail..yet again.

I agree with Jacko. You are a waste of everyone's time and space here.

 

 

*prepares for incendiary, senseless cussing storm*

[italstallianion]

Translation: I am like you said' date=' a twat.. I value this message board community over my entire family. Losing this board would be like Heather Brooke losing her Hoover-like cock suction....I would be left with nothing. ...sorry JimEd, though I cannot stand you...the risk is just too great.[/i']

 

Well, since you put it that way...far be it for me to remove such a vital part of your life.. It will actually be funnier watching you twist and twitch as the Yankees fail..yet again.

 

 

I hate to stick up for a Yankee fan here, but your post just wasn't kosher. Who are you to "translate" what the other dude says anyway. That's not cool bro...that's just not cool.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

He's the village idiot... let him have his fun. He already said he doesn't care that the entire rest of the board laughs at him and thinks he has Downs syndrome.

[italstallianion]

Youk was awesome on Man v Food. Did anyone see his performance?

 

I didn't see it personally but I read about it. Youk's a TV-star now. I bet he could have done that challenge....

[BSN07]

Translation: I am like you said' date=' a twat.. I value this message board community over my entire family. Losing this board would be like Heather Brooke losing her Hoover-like cock suction....I would be left with nothing. ...sorry JimEd, though I cannot stand you...the risk is just too great.[/i']

 

Well, since you put it that way...far be it for me to remove such a vital part of your life.. It will actually be funnier watching you twist and twitch as the Yankees fail..yet again.

 

Take it down a notch Jim. Neither of you is going anywhere. Let's not make this into some message board Crusades.

[Redguitar985]

Youk was awesome on Man v Food. Did anyone see his performance?

 

I saw it on SurvivingGrady.com. God, those people were fat. Youk is stylin' now with his shades and suit.