Trade Reaction: Kevin Youkilis traded to the White Sox

Kevin Youkilis and cash(rumored to be $5.5 million) has been traded to the White Sox for UT Brent Lillibridge and RHP Zack Stewart.

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The White Sox have acquired what might be our answer to third base for the year. Orlando Hudson and Brent Morel have been largely ineffective the whole year and the production the Sox have taken from them is dismissible.  The Sox only had to trade away our utility man and one of our pitchers that seems to not be able to put it together for more than one start in a row.

The main piece the Red Sox have acquired in this deal is the utility man, Brent Lillibridge. He can play pretty much every position and has shown flashes of power, hitting 13 homers in 216 PA last year. Zack Stewart has been very bad this year and will spend time at AAA working on his sinker until he can get back onto the Red Sox rotation or bullpen. They may have been looking for prospects, but it is most likely this is easily the best package they could obtain for Youkilis, who is having the worst season of his career. I personally think they moved him quickly so they did not have to bench him, to allow Adrian Gonzalez a move back to first base so they do not have to suffer through his terrible defense in right and open up space for outfielders coming off the disabled list.

Overall Verdict: Tied as of Now

The White Sox have acquired a third basemen that will give them more production and good defense. They do not have to pay him much because the Red Sox are picking up a good chunk off his tab. They had to give up a super utility man  in Lillibridge and lost the main player they acquired in the Edwin Jackson trade at the deadline last year. The Red Sox are showing that they are trying to win and not keep the team together for past seasons. They have lost a longtime rock from their lineup, but acquired two players to fill and and help them compete. If Zack Stewart comes back and pitches like he was showing at the end of last year, the Red Sox might win this deal. If Youkilis goes back to his old production and plays solid defense, the White Sox will win this trade. The Red Sox do not miss out a whole bunch on Youkilis because he was suffering in the clubhouse and had no spot in the starting lineup.