Retrospective: Kevin Youkilis & His Retirement

This past week, Kevin Youkilis announced his retirement from baseball after much futility over the past few seasons.

It was hard not to get excited about “Youk” when he first entered the Majors in the early 2000’s. Dubbed “The Greek G-d of Walks,” Youkilis was supposed to get on base every time he came to the plate via a free pass or a line-drive to some part of the field. He made his ML-debut with the Red Sox in 2004 and showed why he was talked about so much in the minor leagues. He even made the roster for the 2004 World Series, but didn’t play at all. Either way, he got his first ring as a MLB newbie.

His first full season didn’t occur until 2006, where he batted .279 with 13 homers and 72 RBI and solidified himself as one of the corner infielders for the near future in Boston. In addition, he was becoming a Jewish icon in sports, which basically means he was Jewish and actually on the field (I am of the tribe, I think I can make these comments?), How can one forget this great rant by Denis Leary in 2011?

Youkilis was becoming a fan favorite in Boston for his tough play and willingness to play through injury. Him and Dustin Pedroia seemed destined to play together until the end of time because of their similar attributes on and off the field. He won a Gold Glove in 2007, and was a huge part of that World Series team, giving him his second ring with the Red Sox. All-Star seasons in 2008 and 2009 had Youkilis on the path towards being cemented as one of the all-time greats for the Sox. It was even to the point that when he tussled with star Manny Ramirez in ’08, no one really batted an eye towards Youk.

The wheels began to fall off in 2010 as he was limited to just 102 games due to injury. He somewhat bounced back in 2011, but still only played in 122 games, and then in 2012, he was questioned by Bobby Valentine for his motivation and leadership abilities. At this point in his career, it seemed that Youk’s injuries were too much to overcome and his body wasn’t as durable as it was only three or four years ago.

After stints with the Chicago White Sox and (gulp) the New York Yankees, Youk tried playing overseas, but ultimately had to quit because of foot injuries.

For a time, he was one of my favorite Red Sox because of how hard he played and the determination he showed day in and day out. When Valentine made that statement about Youk, it was heartbreaking, but somewhat obvious to see on the field. Either way the man did more than his service to Red Sox Nation and should be remembered for his positive contributions to the club. So thank you Youk, not only for bringing two World Series titles to Boston, but for showing young baseball players the right way to play the game on the field for nearly a decade.