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Monday, June 25, 2012

Posnanski: Youk

And I’m not here today to argue with those labels and cliches. I’m just saying that there’s something about out percentage that cuts through all that, something base and blatant and beyond banality*. I’m just saying that when you talk about something as simple as HOW OFTEN YOU MAKE AN OUT there’s no tag to hide behind, no glory blanket to wrap up in, no well-timed hits to overvalue. What percentage of the time do you make an out? It’s simple and it’s naked.

*How about that series of Bs? My daughter had to do several alliteration poems for her class, and I’m still stuck on that.

And this bluntness is why I love Kevin Youkilis as a player.

His whole career, certainly as a hitter, has been built on one rule: DO NOT MAKE OUTS.

Thanks to Will.

Repoz Posted: June 25, 2012 at 12:27 PM | 12 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: history, red sox, sabermetrics, white sox

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1. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: June 25, 2012 at 01:03 PM (#4165713)

He was at the heart of two World Series championships

Well, one. He was there for the other one, but didn't play after the ALDS.

2. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: June 25, 2012 at 01:14 PM (#4165720)

Where do those differences come from? Talent, sure. Work ethic, sure. Desire? Passion? Hunger? Grit? I don’t know, I suspect those words are for us sportswriters. Maybe part of the difference comes from that little bit of extra concentration, the tiniest bit of sharpness that gets a player to lay off that pitch just off the plate, the patience that pushes a player to watch video and catch a tiny inconsistency in the pitcher’s delivery, the awareness that allows him to see that the third baseman is playing back or the second baseman is just a foot out of position. Whatever it is, Kevin Youkilis as much as anybody of his time made himself a great player by finding that tiny edge.

One might even call it the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill.

Godspeed, Youk.

3. Liver of blaspheming 'zop Posted: June 25, 2012 at 05:00 PM (#4165915)

How ironic. Jerry Sandusky's whole career was to find boys he could make outs with.

4. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: June 25, 2012 at 05:25 PM (#4165930)

Are you the biggest idiot ever?

5. TVerik Posted: June 25, 2012 at 06:18 PM (#4165965)

HE'S NOT DEAD!!!!!

6. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: June 25, 2012 at 06:39 PM (#4165986)

HE'S NOT DEAD!!!!!

...your point is?

7. TDF, situational idiot Posted: June 25, 2012 at 06:40 PM (#4165987)

Yeabut, I wonder if Poz will write a "Adam Dunn was more than just homers and strikeouts, he didn't make outs" article when the day comes?

Dunn has 3000 more (73% more) PA than Youk, yet his OBP is just 15 points lower; take out his disasterous '11 (he's been awfully consistant otherwise), and the difference is just 8 points.

8. TVerik Posted: June 25, 2012 at 06:44 PM (#4165993)

My point is that your #2 is more appropriate if a player suddenly dies, or retires. He'll be playing in the AL this year!

9. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: June 25, 2012 at 06:54 PM (#4166000)

My point is that your #2 is more appropriate if a player suddenly dies, or retires. He'll be playing in the AL this year!

1) I don't think you know what "Godspeed" means.

2) I quoted Updike's essay on Williams because what Pos was trying to convey in that passage reminded me of that part of Updike's.

3) Regardless, you're being obnoxious.

10. Marcel Posted: June 26, 2012 at 12:17 AM (#4166306)

Zop, are you sure you couldn't work in a swipe at Dave Cameron just to be a little more insufferable?

11. Greg (U)K Posted: June 26, 2012 at 05:09 AM (#4166341)

Yeabut, I wonder if Poz will write a "Adam Dunn was more than just homers and strikeouts, he didn't make outs" article when the day comes?

Does Posnanski have a history of under-appreciating Adam Dunn?

12. TDF, situational idiot Posted: June 26, 2012 at 08:19 AM (#4166382)

Does Posnanski have a history of under-appreciating Adam Dunn?

Does he have a history of underappreciating Youk?

I was just sayin'. Youk, if anything, is seen as a much better ballplayer than Dunn in the general public's eyes. The one thing that Poz thinks he does well, though, Dunn does equally well (and for almost twice as many PA).

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Monday, June 25, 2012

Posnanski: Youk

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