Kevin Youkilis signs with the New York Yankees
Yep, the Kevin Youkilis waiting game is over. According to Ken Rosenthal, Kevin Youkilis signed with the Yankees for a one-year, $12 Million contract, marking this the first signing of the offseason for the Yankees that wasn’t a re-signing (Yankees signed Hiroki Kuroda, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Brett Gardner all on one year deals). Here’s the tweet from Rosenthal:
Source: #Yankees sign Youkilis, one year, $12M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2012
Posted on December 11, 2012, in Hot Stove, Signings, Transactions and tagged Kevin Youkilis, New York Yankees. Bookmark the permalink. 50 Comments.
Brian D.
fishjam25
jimmytoucan
Matthew B
Delia E.
Dan H.
Matthew S.
Michael P.
Mike D.
I was beginning to have my doubts whether Youkilis wanted to play for NY. But I guess he was just seeing if Cleveland would make him a solid offer. this is a good deal. he fills several needs, namely a 3B and a strong RH bat. He gives them a hitter with similar strengths and production as the departed Nick Swisher. The bonus is Youk has excelled in the post-season where Swish always tightened up (I know, smaller samples – but 4 yrs is a trend with Swish).
Youk had an injury-slowed poor season last yr but he should rebound in 2013. If I had to estimate I’d say he could hit around .260-.275 with an OBP/SLG around .370/.450, 20 HRs- 85 RBI.
He’s always been a very good hitter in every clutch situation one can encounter. His career line with RISP is .318/.429/.543 with a .971 OPS. With the team as currently constructed I think he hits anywhere from 3rd thru 6th….maybe 4th vs LHP and 6th vs RHP.
NOW! ….there’s the old positive fishjam25, that everyone loves. It is our start, only the first building block. Twasp is too quick right now. I’m sticking with you.
It’s a solid move. There are still moves to be made. Sounds like Ichiro will be the RF. After that they need to find a good RH hitting OF like Scott Hairston. I’d like to see them get a Catcher but I have a feeling they won’t make a significant pickup there. I still have hope that Cashman has a blockbuster move in him. Whether it’s somehow signing Josh hamilton (sounds very unlikely) or pulling off a trade with some of his impending 2014 FAs, I’d like to see a power move that will add an impact piece to the team for this year and beyond. There will be a ton of holes next yr so let’s get something back for some of these FAs.
Fish…Ichiro in RF full time is a mistake. Why?
1. little power
2. Doesn’t walk – which leads to low OBP
3. Has lost a step or 2. Which will effect his base stealing and defense.
I talk baseball….TWASP: …Ichiro is a major plus. If he wanted to, he could hit 30HRS. He is that good. Did you see him go from 1-3rd last year? The legs were a blurr. Almost Gardner like, only with corrected eyes. Walks?..why walk, when you can hit.
Gardner must get the eye correction. Ichy, like to watch him play, but he’s a shadow of his former self. Give him a full time position and you’ll see the flaws that seattle saw the last two seasons.
I really don’t care too much about 1 or 2….there are many different ways for a player to contribute to a team and be productive. ichiro is the opposite of the Yankee way of patience and power…..and i think that is good. I think a diversified lineup is much more dangerous and effective than a lineup with many guys of similar styles, strengths and weaknesses. IMO, the advent of Moneyball and sabermetrics has actually led OBP to go from severley underrated to a bit overrated. Walks are helpful but despite what they say in Little league, a walk is not as good as a hit.
#3 is important and he clearly has lost a step. hopefully he won’t lose another step this yr. I still think it’s VERY important to sign a strong RH bat for the OF.
If we can get a real RH OF and not a platoon guy than they should have enough to be in contention with our pitching. But needs to be a legit RH OF bat. I don’t see why they don’t sign Pierzynski either.
Pierzynski and Youklis on the Yankees? Just shoot TWASP now and get it over with.
twasp…why? If you now have one, why not the other? He, and Cervelli…great combo.
He did hit 27HRS last year. He must of been tested. So, maybe he has found his mojo?
It’s not about the numbers with these guys. No matter how manynhrs they hit….I don’t like them. Similar to no matter how many bad posts you write….I will like you.
Disregard the previous comment …..too mushy.
Now that’s a COWGIRL…..”too mushy”.
YeeHah!
Here’s my concern with Ichy ….if he bats .270 with few walks and just doesn’t get on base enough. I dont think he is a great fielder anymore. We lose 20hrs in RF. And with Gardner in LF…the corner OFs have little power.
Valid concerns. I know it was only 62 games as a Yankee but Ichiro performed as well as Swisher last yr. Swish had a 126 OPS+ with mediocre defense and no speed. Ichiro had a 114 OPS+ with good defense and good speed. I don’t expect the 2009 MVP-like Ichiro but he’ll get a natural boost playing a full season in a great LH hitters from perhaps the worst hitting park in baseball in Seattle. Ichiro isn’t a great fielder anymore but he is still good and much better than Swisher range-wise and arm-wise. Pairing Ichiro with a strong RH bat will be fine.
They won’t lose 20 HRs in RF. Swish hit 24 last yr. Ichiro will hit 10 and a RH hitter like Hairston will hit another 5-7 at each corner spot. The yanks get 75 HRs from 2B & CF which is by FAR more than any team in MLB – so it’s OK to only get 25 (Gardner 5, Ichiro 10, RH bat 10) from LF/RF. Still comes out to 100 HRs for 4 positions.
Yeah I don’t mind Ichy in a platoon with a strong hitting RH.
Did you see like I saw Ichy misplay at least 3 balls last season?
Yeah, he didn’t look great in LF. RF is his natural position though. And no doubt he’s lost a step out there….but he could lose a leg and be better than Swisher in RF….Swisher looks like a retard humping a door-knob out there.
Dodgeball reference nice lol
CHECK MY PULSE!…. fishjam25 has awakened! That’s the fire in the belly. How about Cody Ross? Catcher?…sign the Polish guy. Hamilton? a happy hour, and off we go. Blockbusters!…What has happened to you?
Youklis is a very good player Fish, and it’s angood pickup…….BUT it’s Youklis…….remember?
He is not a Yankee…..never will be a Yankee….until he leads us to a championship ….like Damon did.
Open the HOF doors now for Damon!
I’ve always hated Youkilis. Not as much as Pedro, Manny or Beckett but I never liked him. That said, the fans care about the rivalry stuff a lot more than the players do. To us fans, it’s emotional but to the players it’s a business. Joba and Youkilis might not like each other but the rest of the players don’t care….and neither do I. I care what Youk can do for our team. I suspect he will be a good addition but unless he plays poorly, I’ll root for him like I do anyone wearing the Pinstripes. I’m a Yankees fan more than I am a fan for any individual player.
Fish …don’t forget Papelbon…..
I forgot about him…….hat a complete Doucher!! A true Ass-Clown!
Fish – do you know what Yankee third baseman had the highest vertical leap?
Don’t know……Charlie Hayes?
Fish – the answer is:
That OBP with RISP is sick.
TWASP………..”That OBP with RISP is sick.” You mean that’s good? bad?
Looks good to me, but I never talk bas….., never mind.
P-man…… Sick means very good in today’s lingo.
How much you guys want to bet that somehow Kevin Youkilis gets plunked by his own teammates this season, whether by accident or on purpose?
Yeah Delia , I hope Joba plunks him for old times sake.
But in all seriousness, Joba and Kevin do have to get over this rivalry between them. Now one rivalry I am looking forward to…Mark Teixeira and Vicente Padilla basically because Teixeira OWNS him.
Yes Delia that rIvalry is the best. Sleazy Padilla against Captain America Texiera.
Ha ha Fish……you know that downward practice swing that Jeter does in the on deck circle? Youklis has said he copied it from Jeter. Interesting homage.
Look at what Indians got for Choo on a one year deal. They got a lot. Yankees could do similar or better for Grandy
Matthew B………..our net can get more. Put Cano, Granderson, Hughes, and the killer flies in the chum-pot…….and haul it in.
Matthew B – is the Choo trade official? From what i’ve read they will get Stubbs and a pitcher from Arizona for Choo. is that correct? If it is, it all depends on who the pitcher they get back to decide if it was a good haul. if they get Trevor Baur or Tyler Skaggs then it’s a good move…if it’s Patrick Corbin……meh.
The Mets got Zack Wheeler for 2.5 months of Carlos beltran….if Cleveland gets Bauer or Skaggs for Choo, the Yankees should be able to get 1 potential blue-chip prospect and 1 lesser player for Granderson. Julio Teheran could be a possibility from Atlanta.
It says Bauer, Skaggs or Corbin so no official word on which one yet
Indians are getting Bauer
For one year of Choo that is a huge win for Cleveland. Granderson has at minimum the same value as Choo.
The Indians gave up more than Choo but i agree….a big win for Cleveland, a nice move for Cincy too. What i don’t understand is Arizona’s perspective. Giving up a pitcher like Bauer for a no-hit, minor-lg ShortStop like Gregorious? They obviously like the guy and I have never seen him play, but on paper it looks like a mistake. Then again, they seemed eager to unload Bauer after some alleged attitude issues.
Let’s look at what Cleveland gave up and compare it to a similar Yankee package…
1) Choo, GStrong offensive OF with 1 yr til FA = Granderson
2) Tony Sipp, decent LH reliever = Boone Logan
3) Jason Donald, Utility IF = Jason Nix
4) Lars Andersen, former prospect = maybe Melky Mesa
So Granderson, Logan, Nix & Mesa for Bauer, Drew Stubbs, Matt Albers & Bryan Shaw. I’d have to do more homework on bauer but to get on eof the top 5 pitching prospects in baseball sounds like its worth it for 1-yr of granderson. Slide Gardner to CF, Stubbs becomes your RH OF (career .821 OPS vs LHP) and sign Josh Hamilton!! Or worse case scenario, sign Cody Ross
Fish…let’s not underrate what we can get for Grandy. GMs don’t care about Ks anymore like fans do. He has an impressive resume leading the league
In runs and rbis….leading in hrs over the lasl 3 years. And if you didn’t watch him everyday and the routesnhe takes, you would think he was a plus outfielder.
It’s all about # of years though. 1 year of a player gets a limited return. He’s similar in value to Choo & Beltran give or take.
Choo’s better than Grandy.
Delia E…..you will be sainted, if you can hang with this group long enough.
If the Yankees don’t sign Hamilton , then we the yankee fans , who pay the highest ticlket and merchandising prices ae being shafted.
One can fight a loosing war with the way Yankees are being managed on the business side and have a bad day, if one so chooses! Me, I choose to have better things to think about, and there are more than enough to keep one busy.
Why worry about the small stuff, it is a big waste of time…worry about the fish that got away!
Braves still involved in multiple trade talks—-still hope for something……..
True dat……Youngyankee07…. It would be nice if the Yankees went all out and got the players needed to get another championship.