Kevin Youkolis wins Gold Glove

[frankiesfly]

Kevin Youkolis has been named a gold glove winner for 1st base in the American league. Congrats to him.

 

[patsfanofNC12]

He deserves it, especially since he didn't get to go to the all-star game.

 

[scout]

Can we officially stop calling for a new first baseman (one that hits home runs) or moving Youk to third. If you look at the way Youkolis improves each year, he is going to be the one everyone is talking about as being one of the best.

 

[alexthered]

Youk needs to stay at 1st...He is a star on the rise!

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

Bah, gold gloves mean nothing. For example, three CFs not named Coco Crisp or Curtis Granderson won. Jeter finally lost, but OCab won in his place. An ancient Ivan Rodriguez won. If they're going to be considered a joke they aren't suddenly valid because Youk won.

Can we officially stop calling for a new first baseman (one that hits home runs) or moving Youk to third. If you look at the way Youkolis improves each year, he is going to be the one everyone is talking about as being one of the best.

Can you please let this go? Boston needs another power bat or two in the near future. 1B is a common position for power bats. No one wants to move Youk from first because they're unhappy with him there. Some of us just don't want Youk at first to block the acquisition of a power bat.

Youk needs to stay at 1st...He is a star on the rise!

No, he isn't. He's a good player. He's Trot Nixon with less power and more OBP. And he's that same player whether he's at 1B or 3B.

 

[mtbykr]

Congrats to Youk, he deserved it! With that said though the award is a joke...if Youk was terrible at the plate he wouldn't have won it despite his errorless season on the world series champs! If coco had some pop in his bat he would have won it...so sad!

 

[scout]

Bah, gold gloves mean nothing. For example, three CFs not named Coco Crisp or Curtis Granderson won. Jeter finally lost, but OCab won in his place. An ancient Ivan Rodriguez won. If they're going to be considered a joke they aren't suddenly valid because Youk won.



Can you please let this go? Boston needs another power bat or two in the near future. 1B is a common position for power bats. No one wants to move Youk from first because they're unhappy with him there. Some of us just don't want Youk at first to block the acquisition of a power bat.



No, he isn't. He's a good player. He's Trot Nixon with less power and more OBP. And he's that same player whether he's at 1B or 3B.

Just makes it more impressive that Youk won a Gold Glove. Its the same with the Pro Bowl in football (besides being a useless game), the name player usually hangs around getting the prize. When a younger player wins it, it means he's very deserving. Are you saying someone else played a better first base?
He's a Trot Nixon with less power? The only resemblance to Trot is that he is a dirt dog. Trot wishes he could bat like Youk. Who do you think was the most feared hitter in the playoffs? I'll give you a hint, he played first base.
I am sure you would drool over Giambi playing first for the Sox.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

Just makes it more impressive that Youk won a Gold Glove. Its the same with the Pro Bowl in football (besides being a useless game), the name player usually hangs around getting the prize. When a younger player wins it, it means he's very deserving. Are you saying someone else played a better first base?
He's a Trot Nixon with less power? The only resemblance to Trot is that he is a dirt dog. Trot wishes he could bat like Youk. Who do you think was the most feared hitter in the playoffs? I'll give you a hint, he played first base.
I am sure you would drool over Giambi playing first for the Sox.

True on the newer (Youk is 28, which I have a hard time calling young) player getting it. It was to be expected, though, because he had zero errors. The idiots who vote for the GG love low error totals and fielding%. Congrats to Youk.

As for the most feared guy in the playoffs, it was David Ortiz. You know, one of the best hitters in the entire game.

Yes Youk had a great October. He had a phenominal May. He had a horrible July. It doesn't make him a better player that October was a hot month for him. If he was always that good he'd be a star, but we've seen that from Youk for awhile now. He goes through hot stretches where he murders the ball and then experiences cold stretches where he looks lost.

As for Trot, the comparison wasn't perfect because Trot couldn't hit lefties but I think it points to the type of player Youk is (good player, might make an all-star game, definitely not a star).

In two full seasons Youk has OPS+s of 106 and 117. Trot, in Boston, had OPS+s of 107, 106, 128, 110, 149, 123, 109, 96. I really think you're, in combination, forgetting how good Trot was and overrating how good Youk is.

As for Giambi, what does he have to do with anything? No one is saying to put a glorified DH coming off of steroids at first (and pay him 20M to do so). No one with any sense is asking for Helton or Sexson either. What I'm saying is that Boston should try to swindle James Loney away from LA, sign Teixeira as a FA next year, or maybe kick the tires on Carlos Pena (TB is impossible to trade with so that won't happen, but it's an example of the kind of move I'm talking about). Maybe they could try a repeat of 2003, when they brought Millar, Ortiz, and Jeremy Giambi to fight over 1st/DH. They shouldn't limit themselves because Youk simply has to play 1B, especially if they have an opening at 3B.

 

[scout]

True on the newer (Youk is 28, which I have a hard time calling young) player getting it. It was to be expected, though, because he had zero errors. The idiots who vote for the GG love low error totals and fielding%. Congrats to Youk.

As for the most feared guy in the playoffs, it was David Ortiz. You know, one of the best hitters in the entire game.

Yes Youk had a great October. He had a phenominal May. He had a horrible July. It doesn't make him a better player that October was a hot month for him. If he was always that good he'd be a star, but we've seen that from Youk for awhile now. He goes through hot stretches where he murders the ball and then experiences cold stretches where he looks lost.

As for Trot, the comparison wasn't perfect because Trot couldn't hit lefties but I think it points to the type of player Youk is (good player, might make an all-star game, definitely not a star).

In two full seasons Youk has OPS+s of 106 and 117. Trot, in Boston, had OPS+s of 107, 106, 128, 110, 149, 123, 109, 96. I really think you're, in combination, forgetting how good Trot was and overrating how good Youk is.

As for Giambi, what does he have to do with anything? No one is saying to put a glorified DH coming off of steroids at first (and pay him 20M to do so). No one with any sense is asking for Helton or Sexson either. What I'm saying is that Boston should try to swindle James Loney away from LA, sign Teixeira as a FA next year, or maybe kick the tires on Carlos Pena (TB is impossible to trade with so that won't happen, but it's an example of the kind of move I'm talking about). Maybe they could try a repeat of 2003, when they brought Millar, Ortiz, and Jeremy Giambi to fight over 1st/DH. They shouldn't limit themselves because Youk simply has to play 1B, especially if they have an opening at 3B.

I never said "younger" player, I said newer player, which Youk is as he has played 3rd base and not too long ago played at Pawtucket.
What baseball series were you watching? Youk batted over 500 vs Cleveland. With the game on the line, he battled as no one else in the series, fouling off ball after ball until finally smashing a ball that did not fall. It wouldn't be fair to compare Youk and Pappi in the World Series as Youk was sat down. I never compared Youk and Pappi for the regular season.
The bottom line is, leave Youk at first where he is arguably the best fielding first baseman, not third where he would be adequate. We don't need a first baseman who hits massive home runs vs Youks production, thus my Giambi reference (someone said we could hide a terrible fielder who hits home runs).

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

I never said "younger" player, I said newer player, which Youk is as he has played 3rd base and not too long ago played at Pawtucket.
What baseball series were you watching? Youk batted over 500 vs Cleveland. With the game on the line, he battled as no one else in the series, fouling off ball after ball until finally smashing a ball that did not fall. It wouldn't be fair to compare Youk and Pappi in the World Series as Youk was sat down. I never compared Youk and Pappi for the regular season.
The bottom line is, leave Youk at first where he is arguably the best fielding first baseman, not third where he would be adequate. We don't need a first baseman who hits massive home runs vs Youks production, thus my Giambi reference (someone said we could hide a terrible fielder who hits home runs).

You did say younger:

When a younger player wins it

His nickname is Papi. We're supposed to take you seriously as a Sox fan when you don't even know Otiz's nickname. Senator Kerry, is that you?

I didn't realize "playoffs" meant "Cleveland series." Under that definition, Youk was definitely the best hitter in the playoffs. Considering his regular season production, postseason history, and the fact that he was coming of an LA series where he reached base 11 of 13 plate appearances, you could still argue Ortiz was the most feared.

And Giambi is still irrelevant to hiding a power hitter at first. Unless someone says "let's hide a power hitter who sucks at first" then they aren't talking about Jason freaking Giambi. Using that logic no one should ever sign a free agent pitcher again because Carl Pavano can't stay healthy.

And if they move Youk to 3B you don't compare the new 1B's production to Youk. You compare it to what they would have otherwise gotten from 3B. Youk's versatility allows them to find either a 1B or a 3B to fill the same whole.

 

[Omega Supreme]

Jason Giambi is the worst 1B in MLB. I'd much rather see Big Papi at 1B.

Having said that, if we end up not resigning Lowell, I think it would be a smart idea to move Youk back to 3B and find a power hitting 1B for cheap.