Daily Archives: June 25, 2012

Chemistry,  the start of what could be a busy trade season, some reality about ex Yankees, interleague mercifully over with and more as MLB’s season draws closer to the midway point.

Chemistry?

Yesterday afternoon at Fenway Park, Kevin Youkilis hit an RBI triple that marked the end of his Red Sox career. Once a key member of a feared Red Sox lineup, Youkilis’ batting average and OBP had taken steep declines in 2011 and 2012.   With a contract that expires at the end of this season, and having been replaced by rookie Will Middlebrooks as the Red Sox starting third baseman, it was inevitable that Youkilis would be traded for the best deal that Red Sox GM Ben Cherington could swing.

This trade was a no brainer for both clubs involved. The White Sox had a glaring need for a third baseman and even with Youkilis’ offensive production being down, one would have to think that he’ll still be an improvement at third base for the White Sox over Orlando Hudson.  With the Red Sox agreeing to pick up a little over 5.5 million of the 8 million dollars remaining on Youkilis’ contract, the White Sox traded two players with little realistic upside and are taking a small gamble that adding Youkilis can help them stay in contention in the AL Central.

Youkilis had reportedly had issues with some of his teammates off the field as well as a public clash with manager Bobby Valentine earlier this year.  Because of this, the media coverage of this trade in the last 20 hours has emphasized one of the most ridiculous clichés used in regards to baseball, chemistry.

The Red Sox historic collapse lead to the firing of manager Terry Francona after revelations of clubhouse clashes and pitchers playing video games while drinking beer and eating fried chicken.  As amusing as many found the jokes that followed, the bottom line is that poor play on the field in September was the reason that the Red Sox missed the playoffs, not clubhouse squabbles or Popeye’s fried chicken.

If the Red Sox had won two more games in September, it is very unlikely that any of the fried chicken jokes and reports of clubhouse squabbles ever would have seen the light of day.  It is also very unlikely that Youkilis would have been traded yesterday if his offensive production was at the level it had been prior to 2011.  Baseball is a game that is about talent and production.  Players who don’t produce are replaced by players who display more talent or production.  The guys who sit on the bench while you hit can’t help you hit a slider away or a fastball up.  Production in baseball is up to the individual player and can only be controlled by that player.

Professional athletes are paid millions of dollars to perform at the highest level and expected to perform as professionals. There are very few people alive, if any, who haven’t personally disliked some or many of the coworkers they have had to deal with at their jobs.  Their bosses still expect them to perform their duties to the best of their ability.  When you are being paid millions of dollars to pitch or hit a baseball, the excuse of not liking some teammates in the locker room rings very hollow.  The San Diego Padres could hold team sleepovers and make smores while holding hands and singing Kumbaya but it won’t help them hit or pitch the ball better.

Some Red Sox fans and  mainstream MLB media apparently expect the good times to roll now that Youkilis is gone.  Apparently “team chemistry” has been improved.  For those of us who stopped believing in fairy tales long ago, we’ll stick with the notion that the Red Sox season hinges on the return of  and production of some key injured players.

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