The Red Sox and White Sox consummated a trade on Sunday night to send long-time Red Sox icon Kevin Youkilis to the south side of Chicago. Boston had a log jam at third base thanks to the emergence of Will Middlebrooks, and the White Sox are clinging to a tight lead in the surprisingly competitive AL Central and are hoping that Youkilis's bat will give them the push they need to take control of the division.
Dubbed "The Greek God of Walks" for his penchant for getting on base, Youkilis first rose to fame in Michael Lewis's book Moneyball as Athletics General Manager Billy Beane's coveted trade target. The Red Sox hung on to Youkilis, who turned into an on-base machine at the major league level and developed power that turned him into a perennial MVP candidate.
Adding Youkilis to the White Sox lineup is more than your typical boost for the playoff run. White Sox third basemen (primarily Brett Morel and Orlando Hudson) this season have created just 12 runs for the team in 2012, comfortably the lowest total at the position in all of baseball this year. Additionally, White Sox third basemen are tied with Pirate shortstops as the least productive position in all of baseball.
| Fewest Runs Created By Position |
| Position |
Team |
Runs Created |
| Catcher |
Padres |
16 |
| First Base |
Marlins |
18 |
| Second Base |
Giants |
19 |
| Third Base |
White Sox |
12 |
| Shortstop |
Pirates |
12 |
| Left Field |
Pirates |
21 |
| Center Field |
Cubs |
22 |
| Right Field |
Tigers |
26 |
Youkilis, who missed time during each of the past two seasons, still managed to create over 70 runs each year and has four seasons of 95 or more Runs Created during his career. Even if he doesn't match his production from his prime, he's a substantial upgrade over the White Sox in-house options.
To top it off, Youkilis has shown that he can hold his own in the field. After playing first base primarily for five seasons, the "Greek God of Walks" moved back to third before the 2011 season to accommodate Adrian Gonzalez. With 0 Runs Saved last year and again this year, Youkilis has played exactly average defense at the position. If the energized White Sox lineup does its job, that average defense will be more than enough.