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Kevin Youkilis: The most consistent man in America (or Boston)

Boston Red Sox's Kevin Youkilis reacts after striking out against  Chicago White Sox starting pitcher John Danks during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

More photos » Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

5 months ago: Boston Red Sox's Kevin Youkilis reacts after striking out against Chicago White Sox starting pitcher John Danks during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

He has a fantastic beard,  a voluptuous bald head and a funky batting stance.

He is Kevin Youkilis (duh).

But even better than the beard, the baldness and the stance, is the fact that he is consistent. Actually, very consistent. A consistent that you might even want to say is a little freaky. But thankfully, it's all consistently good.

Star-divide

Kevin Youkilis' line right now is pretty solid. Take a look:


G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Kevin Youkilis 133 482 98 147 35 1 27 92 75 121 7 2 .305 .412 .550

For a lot of players, there are ups and downs over the course of a season. Someone might have a 2.90 ERA one month, but the next just blow up and have a 5.00 ERA. In the end, it tends to even out.

Not for Kevin Youkilis, though.

Youkilis has been doing virtually the same thing ... every ... single ... month:

Split AB HR RBI OPS
April/March 76 5 15 1.203
May 55 4 16 1.078
June 90 4 14 .860
July 95 5 16 .822
August 83 4 16 .982
Sept./Oct. 83 5 15 .908


Even in May, where Youk missed quite a bit of time due to an oblique injury, he put up solid numbers. Had he not been hurt, he may have broken that 5 home run plateau, or the 16 RBI plateau.

But looking at these numbers, could you ask for better consistency?

While his OPS did fluctuate (a .381 differential between his best and worst months), his low -- .822 -- isn't too far off his career average of .878. Youk has a .962 OPS on the season, better than his .958 of last season.

His consistency is obviously a good thing, but isn't every player supposed to hit a real big slump at some point in the season? Is that a myth, or is it fact? If it's a fact, should we be expecting the slump now? I hope not, because we really can't afford it with a plane ride to Anahiem all booked for Monday.

It sure is nice to know what we have in the No. 4 spot day in and day out, though. There's no doubt it's better than having this there on a daily basis (although No. 6 or so isn't too bad).

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I am curious on how his OBP has trended month to month

Alot more strikeouts this year then in previous but he walked alot more this year then last year too.

by drabidea on Oct 2, 2009 1:37 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Since you asked:

April – .505
May – .441
June – .393
July – .327
August – .440
September – .390

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Oct 2, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

What do you mean he didn't have a slump?

What do you call July? That .822 OPS was pathetic!

/NG

by RSNexile on Oct 2, 2009 2:30 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Let's DFA him NOW!

"That was a lot of fun… You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don’t want to do is hit a home run. That’s a rally-killer." Jeff Francoeur

by radiohix on Oct 2, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm not sure I understand the meaning behind comparing him to Papi, Randy.

I mean, obviously Youk’s surpassed him as one of the best bats on the team, but Papi’s been pretty damn good since the vision issues.

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Oct 3, 2009 1:05 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

agreed

The swipe at Papi seemed a bit gratuitous. (Esp. since, even with two dismal months to start the season, Papi’s power numbers are almost exactly the same as Youk’s.)

by RickD on Oct 3, 2009 1:54 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

RE:

My whole point is that Youk has been great from day one, not June 1. Papi has been very good since then, I’m just making it clear that Youk hasn’t had a mega-slump — let a lone a slump at all — this season, like Papi.

by Randy Booth on Oct 3, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ah.

Came off as you thinking Papi sucks. My bad.

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Oct 3, 2009 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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