Kevin Youkilis could join the booth for Boston Red Sox games
Get ready to hear the voice of Kevin Youkilis during Boston Red Sox games this season. The former infielder joined NESN as a studio analyst last year but there has been talk of moving him into the booth for a portion of the schedule this year.
This will be the first season since 1987 without the iconic commentary of Jerry Remy, who tragically passed away last October following a battle with cancer. His absence creates an irreplaceable void that NESN will attempt to fill with a team effort.
Dennis Eckersley, who often worked in a three-man booth alongside Remy and Dave O’Brien, is expected to call the brunt of the games for NESN. The Hall of Famer has become a regular in the booth over the last several seasons and he’s endeared himself to Red Sox Nation with his witty commentary and wacky “Eck-isms.”
Others will need to pitch in, whether it’s to fill in when Eck isn’t available or to create a revamped three-man booth. According to Chad Finn of The Boston Globe, one name to keep an eye on is Youkilis, who could end up doing in the range of 50 games in the booth.
The Red Sox drafted Youkilis in the eighth round of the 2001 draft. He made his major league debut in 2004 and earned his first championship ring as part of the curse-breaking crew that ended an 86-year title drought. He spent parts of nine seasons in Boston, winning another World Series ring in 2007.
The three-time All-Star hit .287 with a .875 OPS and 133 home runs during his tenure with the Red Sox. The “Greek God of Walks” owned a strong .388 OBP over that span. He came up as a third baseman but had the versatility to cover multiple positions, earning a Gold Glove award at first base in 2007.
Youkilis was one of four former Red Sox players that NESN hired for studio shows last year, along with Ellis Burks, Jonathan Papelbon, and Mo Vaughn. We saw Burks fill in occasionally in the booth during games last year and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him invited back for more next season. Youkilis could be utilized in a similar fashion, although it sounds like the plan is for him to be even more involved than Burks was.
It’s possible that Papelbon or Vaughn could eventually join the rotation at some point. Papelbon could be highly entertaining in that role if he were interested. The former Red Sox closer has refused to acknowledge his playing career is over so he might not be willing to lock himself into a broadcasting gig in order to leave other doors open.
Youk should do fine in the booth. He has a high baseball IQ and can provide insightful analysis. He lacks the big personality of characters like Eck or Papelbon but Youk is a fan-favorite who will be a welcome addition to the booth.