(AP Photo)
Last season, Youkilis hit .235/.336/.409 between the Red Sox and White Sox. His BABIP fell dramatically during that time, so the Yankees are hoping that the signs of regression for the 33 year old are mostly a matter of bad luck. Over his career, the third baseman has a 128 wRC+, and his fielding at the hot corner is just about average according to UZR.
Losing Russell Martin, Nick Swisher, and Alex Rodriguez has left the Yankees with very few right handed bats to counter a left handed pitcher. Youkilis’ bat fits the Yankees needs, however he showed a tremendous platoon split last season.
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9 Responses to Yankees To Sign Kevin Youkilis
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I had doubts this deal would go through. Great move.
I too am glad they got him signed. I’m even gladder to see them finally open up that checkbook. I mean this 189M process is all about 2014, and I’ve been surprised that they let it impact the 2013 season so much. Like they did with Yuke, why not offer Russell Martin, Chavez, etc. a few extra mill to sign for just one year.
Not a bad move, can’t call it a great move because he’s clearly entered an area of decline where he won’t rebound to his All-Star form. Overall I expect a triple slash line very much similar to the one he had in his time with the White Sox, which will be just fine for a fill in at 3B until Alex makes it back hopefully in June.
I have one major concern about this move though, in 59 home games last year at home Youk hit .289/.369/.489 At Fenway and .323/.445/.617 at US Cellular Field. On the road however in 63 games over the course of the full season he hit .177/.266/.291. So in every park in baseball not named US Cellular or Fenway he was beyond awful, to the point of not being a major league player awful. Yankee Stadium isn’t exactly a hitters paradise for right handed bats, if he doesn’t enjoy the same kind of home field advantage this year as last this could become a very ugly signing very fast.
Other than that Youk has been pretty fragile while playing 3B, but I don’t find that all that concerning because hopefully he only has to stay healthy until June.
If you want to see those splits in simply Home/Road
59 games @ Home- .303/.413/.547
63 games on the Road- .177/.266/.291
How were his numbers at Yankee Stadium last year?
It’s not really a fair question, he only had 14 ABs at Yankee Stadium last year and he was facing pitchers like Sabathia, Kuroda, Robertson, and Soriano. To answer your question though he was 1-14, but as I said you can’t learn anything from that because the sample size is meaningless.
In comparison he had 90 ABs at Fenway and 133 at US Cellular, that’s a total of 201 ABs at home and 237 ABs on the road. So we honestly don’t get to big enough sample sizes until we split it up home and road, but a .266 OBP and .291 SLG in 237 ABs on the road is concerning.
I didn’t realise he had so few at bats at Yankee Stadium. Without a doubt that sample size is too small.
I agree his road numbers aren’t that great. But its not like the Yankees had any great options for a third baseman.
Yeah I have no real problem with the move, at one year it doesn’t hurt to find out what he can do. I just thought those were very interesting home/road splits, especially when he had two homes during the course of the year.
Interesting that as Youks skills have declined, his salary has gone up….3 mil in 08….declined in 09 but doubled to 6 mil, declined again in 2010 but went to 9 mil…declined even more and went over the 12 mil mark for 2011 further down in 2012. I’ll never understand how values are formulated.