There is a serious possibility that Kevin Youkilis could end up in pinstripes. Fans seem to be split on how they would handle his addition. There are those fans who are 100% opposed to the idea because he played so many years for the hated Red Sox and fueled the biggest rivalry in sports. Others realize third base options are limited and welcome him to the team if he can help the Yankees win. I was literally split down the middle because I hate him as much as any Yankee fan out there, but then I thought about it and realized... he would be the perfect fit for this team. Here's why.
With the news that Alex Rodriguez will be out until at least June with hip surgery, there is a glaring need at third base for the beginning of the season and possibly further. Yankees fans wanted a platoon of Eric Chavez and Jeff Keppinger but they both got taken off the board during the winter meetings (not that I'm all too upset about that but that's a different story). That left few options to pick from. So why is Kevin Youkilis the perfect fit? Well let's start with his ability to play both corner infield positions. Why is first base important you ask? Well Mark Teixeira is there but he always could use a day off and what if he gets banged up? Who plays first? Nick Swisher? He's unlikely to return. There is not a single player on the roster that can play first besides Tex. So Youkilis can play third base until Alex returns and then either DH or rotate in at third or first when Alex needs a day or if Tex needs one. Then there's the fact that the Yankees are overloaded with lefty bats. Youkilis can add balance to the order allowing Joe Girardi to mix his lineup around without stacking too many lefties together. Plus, Youkilis is great at using all parts of the field. What is Yankee Stadium known for? That's right, a short right field porch. Youkilis could absolutely abuse that ala Russell Martin. I know Youkilis had a down average year but he is an established hitter who has been in the dogfight that is the AL East and specifically he knows how intense the New York/Boston rivalry is.
I'm not going to tell you how to feel nor tell you who you think should be our opening day third baseman, but the addition of Kevin Youkilis truly couldn't be a better fit.
