The trade chatter surrounding Kevin Youkilis picked up a ton of steam yesterday as the White Sox, Pirates, Indians, and Dodgers all seem to have interest in the third baseman. As of late last night, it appeared that the White Sox were the frontrunner for the veteran with Pittsburgh in second. Here's the latest on Youkilis with the most recent news up top..
- Rob Bradford of WEEI.com tweets that a clubhouse source says Youkilis has been traded to the White Sox and his nameplate has been removed from his locker.
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com tweets the White Sox appear to be the most likely destination for Youkilis and, as of yesterday, the two teams were haggling over money. Knobler adds in a separate tweet that Youkilis is not headed to the Dodgers.
- A deal for Youkilis is in the works, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Heyman adds late talks involved the White Sox, but new team is not yet confirmed. In a separate tweet, Heyman says the Indians are out of the running.
- Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com tweets a source has confirmed that a deal for Youkilis is in the works, but "not complete." Youkilis was removed, to a standing ovation, in the 7th inning as a precaution.
- Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers confirmed that he is not in on Youkilis, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- McAdam hears from a major league source that the Dodgers, White Sox, Indians, Braves, and a fifth team are in on Youkilis. A second source says that the Pirates and Diamondbacks are no longer involved. A source with knowledge of the talks indicated that Boston is focused on getting the best return available, whether its in the form of prospects or current major leaguers.
- Youkilis is in today's lineup and a team source tells Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe (via Twitter) that it's not indicative of one thing or another and a trade remains still in play.
- The White Sox, Dodgers, and Indians are likely going to be amongst the final five teams for Youkilis, tweets Heyman.
- The White Sox’s pursuit of Youkilis is more advanced than any other club’s and could be approaching the final stages, a major league source tells Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Sources say Boston is willing to include about $5MM of the nearly $8MM remaining on Youkilis’ contract in the trade. As of late last night, the Indians appeared to be a “longshot,” the Dodgers’ talks were minimal, and the Pirates pulled out of the discussions, according to sources.
i’m not sure if i want the Dodgers to make this trade happen because Youk will make the team better or because I want to see the new owners make some sort of splash.
I don’t know if Youk would go to LA and make a huge difference but I like the chances. For what it would cost the Dodgers(not much) for the potential reward(a healthy, slugging Youkilis), I think it would be a very good trade, even if it didn’t work out.
Trades that don’t work out aren’t usually seen as being very good. In fact in Dodger-land, the downsides of any trade (real or imagined) seems to be what gets dwelled on.
The results may not be very good. But for where the Dodgers are, their needs, and what they’d have to give up…..This will be a very good trade for LA if they pull it off.
But we don’t know what they’d have to give up. If it wasn’t much then I believe the deal would be done already. Since money should no longer be a big issue for the Dodgers, the BoSox are probably trying to score a top prospect for him.
“trying to score a top prospect for him.”
If they had moved him much earlier perhaps. Only way it happens now, is if he is packaged with others. Boston has a overloaded BP and needs to move multiple pieces soon and then add prospect(s).
I said it before. A wise team would scoop this guy up. He has been a pure hitter his entire career. A few week’s of a slump does not mean that this guys suddenly forgets how to hit. An AL team that can give him a day or two a week at DH would seem a great fit.
“few weeks of slump”
I would like to know your definition of “few weeks”
Can I borrow $200? I’ll pay ya back in a “few weeks”
You’re so right man, coming off an injury and not getting full playing time privileges, I mean, come on, if Youk can’t get it figured out by now, then he’s just total garbage. I mean, look at Ortiz’s past slumps, or Pujols’ slump. Would anyone ever really want to invest in these players?
Never, ever, EVER, look at a guy’s career stats. Even though he has a career 29.4 WAR, the guy is garbage, total garbage.
Putting sarcasm aside, any team would be crazy not to try and trade for this guy. He’s as low as his price will ever be, and I guarantee once he gets out of Boston he’ll eventually get things back together.
People are getting too hung up on his career numbers. He wasn’t exactly brilliant last year either though. I’m sure his injury and inconsistent playing time can account for some of his issues THIS YEAR, but that doesn’t explain last year’s decline. Not saying he’s a terrible player, but I wouldn’t want to pay him $13M next year.
I’m sure any team will make the Sox eat most of his salary, which I’m sure they’re probably fairly willing to do.
Youk was hurt plenty last year as well, and he ended up finishing his last games on a pretty bad stretch, bringing down his numbers. All that considered, he still put up solid numbers despite playing only 120 games. Look, injury concerns are understandable, but you’re looking at a guy that can put up a .370+ OBP and hit for decent power when things simmer down.
he was very good last year, just like every year before that. what people are too hung up on is 40 games this year
Well he hit 259 last season so you could tell a decline was on its way not this much though
He was worth ~4 WAR last year, that’s an easy $15-20M. Even if the best he can do now is reproduce last year $13M is still a deal.
Yeah, in the lineup at the expense of David Ortiz…unbelievable….he is gonna get a standing O
Ortiz has only had (I think) one day off this year, and Youkilis hasn’t play the last few day (or much in general lately), so I really don’t have a problem with it. I’d have left Middlebrooks at 3B and played Youkilis at DH so the defense would be as good as possible because Cook is starting, but if they are showcasing him one more time for the White Sox (who want him for a 3B) they don’t have much choice but to play him and to play him at 3B.
We cannot keep blocking Lonnie Chisenhall if he really is our third baseman of the future, I do not want Youkilis.
He’d play first base for you, and be a huge upgrade..
He has definately done a better job than some guy named Hafner the Indians gave well over 60m to over the last 5 years and couldn’t keep on the field (youk averaged a ton more games) and Youk also put up better numbers and plays better “D” at 1b and a decent 3b as well even.. With Hafner on the DL (again) can’t hurt to have a proven winner in Youk on the team, who plays as hard as anyone in the game.. grinds out every AB and gives nothing away can it??
When was the last time Hafner played first base? I believe he hasnt played the field since 2007. The more I think about it, and the fact that we put guys like jose lopez at dh, I am fine with Yuk as a DH and backup corner infielder. Still, I feel like we need an outfielder and another starter significantly more than we need a corner infielder.
Bummed that Cleveland seems to no be one of the front runners, along with the orioles. Cleveland, because had vague hopes of getting Masterson back in some kind of nice package including Morales, Youk and prospects and Youk to the Orioles just to help their chances at dethroning the NYY this season.
Orioles only have a couple of holes and 3b is one. Wish Cherrington would go back to the old ways and use the “always beat the NYY philosophy” like the teams in the AL used to abide by when deciding to make deals.
What is it with people that think a team is going to want Youk(which means they are obviously in contention since he is a rental) but they are going to be willing to give up part of their starting rotation? It didn’t make sense when someone mentioned the White Sox and Dodgers doing it and it still doesn’t make sense for the Indians to do it.
Did you notice the word “vague hopes” and also add Franklin Morales in the deal, who has started 2 games and done fair, then Boston would also add some more people as well would imagine..
Please read it all.. “vague” means vague..
I hope the Cardinals trade the Red Sox Skip Schumaker, Kyle Lohse, and Jake Westbrook for Jon Lester. But that would make no sense for the Red Sox and there is no chance of that happening. So there’s no reason to mention it. Just like there is no reason to mention the Indians giving up Masterson in any deal where they are BUYING.
I hardly ever mention deals for just this very purpose.. the outright garbage that often follows it up.. Am going to play along this time for a bit though..
Just what does franklin Morales.. 26YO and at least upside and a good FB and secondary stuff, plus more prospects have in common with 3 NL only garbage throwers who are way past their prime and grossly over paid anyway??
SKip Schumaker isn’t a pitcher but we could substitute him with Joe Kell! He has a couple decent starts! Anyway, it’s just not realistic to expect a team in contention to give up part of their rotation. It isn’t happening and it’s not even worth discussing.
But I’ll just let you continue your conversation now…..
Edit: I like you trying to take a cheap shot by saying “NL only garbage throwers”. It might work if in every thread on MLBTR you didn’t say something about “NL pitchers”
Dude RS fans are delusional. Youk has not just been bad this year BUT HE WAS HORRIBLE 2nd half last year. I’m so sick of hearing about 3 years ago.
dude, he had around .900 ops the first half of last year and then injured his back. If he gets healthy he’ll be an upgrade to almost any team and it appears it’s not going to cost that much.
Show me a group of fans from any team and I can guarantee you they’ll be a handful of delusional people who can get something for a player who is currently more reputation than results.
What I’m sick of is the automatic attack on someone who said he had “vague hopes” of getting a good player. If you hear a rumor that the Rangers are talking to another team, let’s say the Mariners, do you have for a moment a vauge hope that you might actually be getting someone like Felix Hernandez? Of course you do. Do you believe it in reality? Of course you don’t. That’s why it’s called vague hope and not delusion.
I didn’t once mention JohnSliver in my post. I didn’t attack the man in any form. RS fans(not one single person!) in general when it comes to Youk are indeed delusional
But a Youkilis lead package for Masterson is absurd,
sorry.
Yes I would have a vague hope of getting Felix. Difference is I’m a realist and know it would take Profar(#1 prospect in game), Olt, Harrison/Holland, ++ to net him.
I’ve seen RS fans on MLBTR say they wouldn’t trade Ellsbury straight up for Felix Hernandez.. Insane
I see two links to reports suggesting the Pirates have taken themselves out of the hunt, yet the lead summation paragraph says they’re likely the second most interested.
Question for Boston fans: would the team be interested in any of the Dodgers’ corner infielders? IOW, do you think they are looking for a roster player or a prospect in trade for Youkilis?
Don’t think so, the only reason they are moving Youkilis is because they don’t have enough room to play all of their corner infielders, so adding another one wouldn’t make any sense. They could for either a ML roster guy or a prospect, but I don’t think it would be a corner infielder (at least not a ML roster one, a corner infield prospect I’m sure they would take).
Uribe can play at least two infield positions, so he might be attractive to a team in need of a utility infielder.
Uribe might make a little more sense, but with Punto already in that role (and Aviles likely being in that role when/if Iglesias comes up) I don’t know that that makes a ton of sense either.
Makes it that much tougher for the two teams to do a deal, at least a two-team deal, because he probably has to bump somebody off the roster. Dealing a top level prospect could also be a major sticking point.
I quite seriously doubt the Braves are in on Youk. Nor should they be.
I don’t know why everyone keeps laughing at sox fans for thinking they’re going to get a decent return for Youk. It appears 5 teams are in on him. Clearly someone wants him.
it was pretty obvious that all the players in that clubhouse hate him, wasn’t it. so much dysfunction!
Truly toxic if you ask me. They should start winning games now though because Youkilis was clearly causing problem.
Seriously though, say what you want about Middlebrooks and how Youkilis has played this year, but if that was it, this is still a sad day for Boston fans.
I wanted Middlebrooks to play more than youkilis and I am not a big “youk” fan but what he done hear was incredible I wish him the best after his red sox career
Youk traded to White Sox according to tweets – Involves Zach Stewart
Edit: Bowden is also saying that a utility player is part of package.
I’ll take that trade because Zach Stewart is crap.
I don’t think there was much value with Youk anyway. If they can get anything and pay as little as possible, it was a win.
This definitely is.
I hope to god that this is true. Stewart is horrible buy very well could have just been rushed to the bigs maybe a change of scenery could help
Him. And youk is a huge upgrade over orlando “I’m hitting .170” Hudson and Brent “I have Joe credes back” morell
I think both sides will be disappointed because of what the perception of Youkilis is. Fans in Boston, for some weird reason, thought Youkilis was still an elite hitter who could garner top return.
Hopefully White Sox fans realize that the return isn’t that top player. An upgrade, sure – but he’s far from the Youkilis of old.
Healthy and playing regularly (and preferably back at 1B, but oh well) I think Youk could still put up the numbers he put up last year which, while not elite anymore, would make him an above average player.
Healthy is a big question mark lately, which may be the ultimate reason why he’s been playing poorly.
But it’s obvious from an eye test that he isn’t the same – Chasing more, slower bat speed, seems to be behind most fastballs now.