Heyman: Youkilis Can Fill The White Sox's 'Black Hole' At Third Base
(WSCR) CBS Sports' Jon Heyman may have described the White Sox's third base woes best by calling it a "black hole."
Though 72 games this season, White Sox third baseman have combined to bat .168 with one home run, 18 RBIs and a .243 OBP. Looking at these stats, one can see why the team traded Brent Lillibridge and Zach Stewart for Kevin Youkilis.
Photos: Kevin Youkilis
"This is a chance the White Sox had to take," Heyman said. "There was really a black hole at third base like no other team - 30th in every category at third base.
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"It's definitely an improvement. There's no way it can't be an improvement. I think I saw a .168 (batting average) or something like that for White Sox third basemen with one home run. I think he's going to be better than that. I think he'll be better than he was in Boston. He's 33 years old, so he's on the decline, but I think he'll hit better than .230, which is what he was hitting in Boston."
Youkilis has struggled this season in limited playing time, recording a .233 batting average with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 42 games. The career .287 hitter has also spent time on the disabled list this season with a back injury, but Heyman thinks Youkilis is good to go for the White Sox.
In fact, a change of scenery may be exactly what the veteran third baseman needs.
"The end of last year and the year before he had injury issues, but I don't think there is anything over-riding right now that's going to affect him," Heyman said. "I think the main problem in Boston was the lack of a fit and the fact that he was unhappy. He clearly wanted out. He wasn't begging for it - he was professional enough not to say, 'Get me out of here.'"
