Youkilis named Red Sox's MVP!

Boston chapter of BBWAA bestows honor on slugger.


After another standout season at the plate and on the field, Kevin Youkilis was named the Red Sox's Most Valuable Player by the Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, which rewarded the versatile corner infielder with the 2009 Thomas A. Yawkey Memorial Award on Wednesday.

Youkilis made 63 appearances at third base this past season, but he played the majority of his games -- 78 -- at first base to become the club's first MVP at that position since Mo Vaughn in 1996.

Recent winners of the Thomas A. Yawkey Memorial Award include: Dustin Pedroia (2008), Mike Lowell ('07), David Ortiz ('04, '05 and '06) and Jason Varitek ('03).

While making the All-Star team for the second consecutive season, Youkilis batted .305 with 27 homers, 94 RBIs and 99 runs scored in 2009. He finished second in the American League in on-base percentage (.413) and OPS (.961) while ranking fifth in slugging percentage (.548).

Youkilis, who also won a Gold Glove Award in 2007, sports a .292 batting average throughout his six years with the Red Sox. Over the previous two seasons, the 30-year-old right-handed hitter has batted .309 with 56 homers and 209 RBIs.

"He's a true baseball player," Billy Gardner Jr., who managed Youkilis in 2002 with the Sarasota Red Sox in the Class A Advanced Florida State League, told MLB.com recently. "He's a winner."

As for next year, it's still unknown whether Youkilis -- signed through 2012, with a $13 million club option for 2013 -- will start at third or first base. That will depend on whether the Red Sox add another corner infielder or can successfully rekindle trade talks with other clubs regarding Lowell, who plans to undergo surgery on his right thumb shortly after Christmas and is expected to be ready to return by the early part of Spring Training.

On Tuesday, the Boston BBWAA announced that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had been selected Major League Baseball Executive of the Year.

The awards dinner will be held Jan. 14 at the Westin Waterfront Hotel in Boston. Tickets are $150 each and can be purchased by sending a check to Boston Chapter-BBWAA, P.O. Box 7346, Nashua, N.H. 03060.