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| ==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
| Youkilis, who is Jewish, was a 2-time All-American in four seasons for the ], where ] once also played baseball. He set Bearcats career records with 53 home runs, 206 walks, a .627 slugging percentage, and a .499 on base percentage | Youkilis, who is Jewish, was a member of the 1994 ] team that won the AAU National Championship. | ||
| In college, he was a 2-time All-American in four seasons for the ], where ] once also played baseball. He set Bearcats career records with 53 home runs, 206 walks, a .627 slugging percentage, and a .499 on base percentage | |||
| The Red Sox drafted him in the 8th round in ]. | The Red Sox drafted him in the 8th round in ]. | ||
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| In 2006 Youklis led the major leagues in both pitches per plate appearance (4.42) and sacrifice flies (11). He was 7th in the league in walks (91), 8th in doubles (42), and 10th in times on base (259). He also scored 100 runs. | In 2006 Youklis led the major leagues in both pitches per plate appearance (4.42) and sacrifice flies (11). He was 7th in the league in walks (91), 8th in doubles (42), and 10th in times on base (259). He also scored 100 runs. | ||
| ==Awards== | |||
| *American League Rookie of the Month - May 2004 | |||
| *2003 International League Post-Season All-Star | |||
| *2003 Futures Game All-Star | |||
| *2002 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year | |||
| *2001 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year | |||
| *2001 All-American Collegiate Player | |||
| *1999 All-American Collegiate Player | |||
| ==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
Revision as of 03:15, 5 October 2006
| Position | First Base/Left Field |
| Team | Boston Red Sox |
| Years of Experience | 2 years |
| Age | 27 |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight | 220 |
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| College | Cincinnati |
| 2006 Salary | $354,000 |
| Place of Birth | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Selection | 8th round amateur draft 2001 |
| Drafted by | Boston Red Sox |
| Major League Debut | May 15, 2004 |
Kevin Edmund Youkilis (born March 15, 1979 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American first baseman and right-handed batter who plays for the Boston Red Sox.
Prior to 2006, he primarily played third base, and has also seen innings at second base and left field.
Early life
Youkilis, who is Jewish, was a member of the 1994 Sycamore High School team that won the AAU National Championship.
In college, he was a 2-time All-American in four seasons for the University of Cincinnati, where Sandy Koufax once also played baseball. He set Bearcats career records with 53 home runs, 206 walks, a .627 slugging percentage, and a .499 on base percentage
The Red Sox drafted him in the 8th round in 2001.
He made his debut with the Class A Lowell Spinners, hitting .317 in 59 games while earning Player of the Year in the New York - Penn League. In only 183 at bats, he walked 70 times.
He climbed through three levels of the organization in 2002, going from Augusta to Sarasota to Trenton, where he hit .344 in 44 games. He was voted Boston Red Sox minor league player of the year.
In 2003, he tied Kevin Millar's minor-league record by reaching base in 71 consecutive games. He was voted onto the Eastern League all-star team.
In 2004, Youkilis was batting .258 with three home runs and a .347 on base percentage in 32 games with Triple-A Pawtucket when he got the call to the Red Sox.
Youkilis had a .441 career obp in the minor leagues. Along the way, Youkilis impressed by demonstrating a good knowledge of the strike zone. He collected 270 base on balls in his first 325 games, walking almost two times for every time he struck out.
Major League career
Youkilis went 2-for-4 in his big league debut, a 4-0 Red Sox win over the Toronto Blue Jays at SkyDome. In his second at-bat, he homered off of former Cy Young Award winner Pat Hentgen. In his first major league campaign in 2004, Youkilis hit .260 with 7 home runs and 35 runs batted in in 72 games.
After dipping in and out of the majors in 2004-05, due to an acquisition of Gold Glove third baseman Mike Lowell, the 2006 season saw Youkilis switch from his natural position at third base to be the starting first baseman for the Red Sox, replacing the departed Kevin Millar. Youkilis has also filled in at his natural position, third base, when necessary. Youkilis had no outfield experience but injuries forced him to left field for 18 games, where he did a fine job, playing error-less defense with 3 assists. Youkilis also demonstrated his versatility offensively by batting in every spot in the lineup except ninth. He was very valuable batting leadoff, due to his excellent ability to get on base.
In 2006 Youklis led the major leagues in both pitches per plate appearance (4.42) and sacrifice flies (11). He was 7th in the league in walks (91), 8th in doubles (42), and 10th in times on base (259). He also scored 100 runs.
Awards
- American League Rookie of the Month - May 2004
- 2003 International League Post-Season All-Star
- 2003 Futures Game All-Star
- 2002 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year
- 2001 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year
- 2001 All-American Collegiate Player
- 1999 All-American Collegiate Player
Trivia
- In May of 2004, a group of female Red Sox fans created the Yahoo! Groups message board "DOKY" or "Daughters of Kevin Youkilis". Originally started as a humorous take-off on the infamous "SoSH" or "Sons of Sam Horn" message board, it has turned into a place for Red Sox, baseball, and Youkilis fans to discuss the game and Kevin's playing, and friends and relatives of Youkilis, and Youkilis himself, often post messages there.
- While it may sound like he is being booed when Youkilis takes the plate, or has a big hit at Fenway Park, Boston fans are actually cheering "Yoooooouk!"
- Youkilis is one of two Jewish players on the Red Sox. The other is Gabe Kapler. The Red Sox also were the only team to have 4 Jewish players on their team at once when both Kapler, Youkilis, Adam Stern, and Craig Breslow were on the team.
- In August 2006, Rescue Me stars Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke discovered that Youkilis was Jewish on live television, and proceeded to make light of Mel Gibson's recent anti-semitic comments.
- Youkilis played his first major league game on May 15, 2004. After he hit a home run in his debut, his teammates, as a prank, remained seated on their dugout benches and ignored this feat. Youkilis proceeded to the dugout and hit imaginary high-fives until his teammates gave in and congratulated him.
- Attended Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- He had a prominent appearance in the book "Moneyball", receiving the nickname "Euclis, the Greek God of Walks" for his proficiency in getting on base.
- Asked about Youkilis' nickname of "Euclis, the Greek God of Walks", manager Terry Francona remarked: "I've seen Youkilis in the shower, and I wouldn't call him the Greek god of anything."
- Despite the "Euclis, the Greek God of Walks" nickname, Youkilis is not Greek. He is actually Romanian.
- Played on the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball league.
- Kevin looks a lot like his Dad, Mike, who has been known as "Tank" and "Bear" throughout his life in Cincinnati.
External links
- Daughters of Kevin Youkilis
- Baseball Reference (analysis and statistics)
- ESPN (profile and daily update)
- http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2004/08/08/cards_appear_to_be_stacked?pg=full
- SoSH Youkilis Wiki Page