You like Youk

The “you” here being the Chicago White Sox and their fans.

Baseball Reflections posted this entry by Kevin Beese about what Youkilis has meant to the team since he came over in the June 24 trade from the Boston Red Sox.

Youkilis has been a stabilizing force at third base and the second spot in the batting order for the Sox. He has provided timely hitting, power and exceptional defense. But perhaps most importantly he gives a squad with a nice mix of veterans and young players an example of the how the game is supposed to be played day in and day out. His hustle on ground balls, his going from first to third on routine singles, his defensive prowess and his taking the extra base when a cutoff man is missed all put his baseball skills and smarts on display daily. His exceptional leadership is one of the reasons the White Sox continue to surprise in the AL Central.

Youkilis himself seems reborn as he takes the field daily for the White Sox. He is hitting a respectable .250 for the White Sox and his power numbers are up. He has 12 home runs in 54 games with the White Sox, eight more than he hit in his 43 games with Boston. He nearly tripled his runs batted in totals after changing Sox. The third baseman’s on-base percentage has climbed to .368 with the Pale Hose, up from .315 in Beantown.