Fine, We Admit It.

Kevin Youkilis a.k.a. The Most Important Player Ever

I’ve been reluctant to admit that Kevin Youkilis is more than a poor man’s Casey Blake for most of his career. Maybe it’s because the boys at the World Wide Leader were always telling us how great he is. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t look the part of an everyday major leaguer. Maybe it’s because the Red Sox shuffle him around from 3rd to 1st to the outfield. Maybe it’s because at the plate, he’s best known for his on-base percentage. In my head, he’s always been an over-glorified utility player.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the gritty utility guy. Youkilis is all hustle all of the time and full of p & v. The kind of guy local fans and his teammates love. Willing to play anywhere for the team, solid on D, he’s a likable player. It’s just that his likability is the sort that should be restricted to the Red Sox fanbase. Kind of like how I admire Casey Blake, or how they love Dmitri Young (Da Meat Hook is nothing like Blake or Youkilis, but you gotta love him) in Washington. Yet he’s constantly slurped at ESPN, and throughout the playoffs by Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Apparently he does all the little things. I have a name for players who “do all the little things,” it’s Alvaro Espinoza.

This year, however, Youkilis is living up to all the slurping he’s received over the years. To date this season, he’s batting .311 with 17 homers, 68 RBIs, a .932 OPS (I still don’t really understand what that stat means. Okay, I understand what it means, but I really couldn’t tell a good OPS from a bad OPS if it kicked me in the face), and as always, a sterling .381 on-base percentage. In light of the season he’s having (and watching him murder the Tribe this year) I’m ready to join the ESPN’ers, Buck and McCarver in anointing him the most important player ever. Rock on Mr. Most Important Player Ever, rock on.