born march known american professional baseball baseman baseman native cincinnati ohio drafted boston_red_sox playing college baseball played major_league_baseball mlb chicago_white_sox new_york_yankees currently special assistant chicago_cubs known ability base minor nicknamed greek god walks best selling book art winning unfair game gold glove award winning baseman held baseball record consecutive games base later broken time mlb star time world series champion winner hank intense performer playing field known dirt stained home plate collisions strange batting stance excelled despite physique led observers athletic ability called high school coach college coach fat kid general manager thicker bodied guy scout recruited wrote boston_globe look like mvp candidate butcher man selling counter true value hardware store named list greatest current players baseball ranking list background early life jewish great great great grandfather native 19th century romania moved greece age avoid conscription hands anti semitic returned romania couple years changed surname avoid army jail born cincinnati son née wholesale father born jewish family mother native west_virginia converted judaism marriage described father known baseman fast pitch league jewish conservative age uncredited line speaking role romantic comedy film milk money attended northeastern suburbs cincinnati played base shortstop base outfield school team won player homer future teammate high school college graduated high school weighed pounds recruited division schools ultimate choice institution alma mater father longtime idol finished season coach spotted winter camp looked said need somebody said love tell saw better finance excelled player credit said coaches knows swing time said step ahead adjustments think smart guy great feel junior year second team american team conference usa set school records hitting home runs game season went kind square shaped body guy uniform didn look athletic said wasn tall prospect looking guy looked uniform wasn fat strong think body scare people away period junior senior years played finishing sixth league batting average senior year repeated second team american set career records home runs walks slugging percentage base percentage batting average great eye hardly struck looking said associate head coach knew missed noting driven succeed told father son going millionaire day don know baseball going money days later inducted asked liked boston scout said lot unorthodox extreme parallel ground heavier watched thought throw tools window guy play baseball urging boston_red_sox drafted eighth round overall hoped able draft later round espn reported questions defense power wood kept draft signed mere signing bonus kevin played pack beer father said teams didn appreciate performance observed player personnel years later college performance charts draft year sandwich pick performance good college cape teams appreciate means way long minor leagues professional debut baseman short season class franchise new_york went lead league runs walks strikeouts hitting batting average league games reached base safely hit walk consecutive games longest streak minor leagues wrote august remember resembles honored night said honor know promoted end season played games low class league named year appeared games games base games hit home runs rbis year voted player year base percentage fifth highest minors walks seventh recognition performance boston_red_sox named year season boston assistant general manager sent athletes performance institute arizona engaged intensive week training moved season home arizona attended institute seasons started season games led base percentage best time team league batting average second best time team later earned spot team team roster star game portland moved play boston_red_sox class aaa franchise time managed complete streak started portland reached base consecutive games tying future teammate minor league record consecutive games reaching base walks highest number recorded minors asked focus position playing baseball tool players don know tool writing espn evaluated follows base machine swings bad pitch adept working counts thinking pitcher unlike guys draw lots walks seldom strikes makes solid contact breaking pitches swing tailored line drive hit home run power hits balls gaps effectively develop home run power road good speed decent defense base draws mixed reviews arm range hands rate adequate average doesn kill defense base doesn help likely end base road spent winter mexico playing appeared games hitting home runs base percentage called minor league career batted playing games base base second base major leagues boston_red_sox regular starting baseman placed disabled list called time didn sleep said got hours sleep told night playing got man excited major league game toronto parents watching second row second bat young award winner seventh player team history hit home run game prank team initially gave silent treatment returned homer probably greatest day life said later swept team ritual annual wear outfits orange shorts tight white tank tops team trip canada customs florida walked locker room clothes gone said outfit shoes named american_league rookie month leading walks batting rbis runs games noting ways life suddenly changed said staying best hotel stayed mid july sent aaa room brought end season september year appeared uniform declined participate game religious holiday named club rookie year boston chapter season games saw average pitches plate appearance major plate appearances observed fighting pitches pitches laying pitches making opposing pitcher breathe job roster making sole appearance game anaheim angels unbelievable ride said great year year probably hopefully ends like story removed roster round roster play world series virtually knew broke toe spring training playing matter days said trying team roster time career found way april team needed activate happened minor league options told decided boston apartment season use options got prompted having batting practice august day game changing white pants wore boston home games packed car drove miles boston walked changed jersey ready play ultimately played games called permanently september fractured tip ring finger right hand fielding ground ball play october final day regular season boston hit base percentage bats games team saw average pitches plate appearance player bats appearances base base second batted spots batting order season majors regular baseman games time primarily baseman play games base games base minor league career played outfield time professional career games left field despite inexperience outfield commit error outfield commit errors playing infield tied major league lead sacrifice flies led pitches plate appearance hitting line drives time balls play year finished second pitches seen percent pitches taken 4th runners scoring position outs 7th bases balls players ahead averaged home runs intentional walks hit intentionally walked tied 7th bases taken advanced fly balls passed balls wild pitches etc 8th doubles batting average runners scoring position 9th walk percentage 10th times base scored runs hit batting average runners scoring position hit inning home runs despite struggling second half season problematic abdominal muscle career high game hitting streak starting ending june hit doubles rbis point hitting streak straight games hits tying record set red hitter hit inside park home run hitting streak hit shortest homer player season foot homer home run cleared fence baseball hit streak ended june walk times win yankees manager said taking pitchers field going work count good hitter baseball year got strike breaking ball swing miss year taking right field june yankees pitcher hit head pitch ejected game august yankees pitcher threw pair mph pitches head chamberlain ejected later suspended games inappropriate actions second time observed scott hit head coincidence don know doesn look good june played consecutive game base error breaking prior record set september played consecutive game base error broke prior record set september yankees pitcher struck right wrist pitch resulting deep kept september returned aid shot 6th hit pitch error streak end regular season games charged error sixth inning october playoff game cleveland indians postseason games included record said worried making error worried trying help team win trying way leading league perfect fielding percentage record error chances won gold glove award batted season men base hit 6th league pitches plate appearance inning game angels hit post season home run homer returning hit said wrist felt lot better days progressed think best thing playoff time adrenaline helps game indians hit home runs hits tying record jointly held scored runs record batting new record slugging percentage world series colorado start team away games faced dilemma playing park having bench rbi man rbi man choose play base base boston_globe called difficult decision american_league manager year history said doesn bother want play totally understand situation look wanted playing world series playing day happy want win seat way hit doubles game walks plate appearances game win colorado starting lineup away games dismissing questions upset games world series said team worried playing time think deserve play somebody selected recipient spirit determination boston chapter earned fourth lowest salary club february signed year contract million avoiding salary arbitration march role designated player representative known resolution player management dispute non payment coaches staff trip japan april game ending play oakland broke major_league record consecutive error games baseman previously held games game error april established new major league record fielded consecutive chance error passing old mark set streak started july snapped games fielding attempts june named week batting leading home runs tying american_league lead rbis early june game park camera reportedly showed taking swing separated teammates think exchanging views things manager said lot going tonight asked incident following year said different approaches game winning losing isn life death starter base star team played yankee stadium voted fans votes year ballot sixth red baseman start star game base following late july traded away took cleanup spot lineup led bats rbi 3rd slugging percentage sacrifice flies 4th rbis extra base hits 5th hit pitch 6th batting average base percentage 7th doubles times advanced single 8th total bases 10th bats home run 12th home runs 2nd extra base hit percentage plate appearances tied 7th times advanced single batted relief pitchers men base runners scoring position drew seven intentional walks season season garnered led batting average sixth inning modern major bat rbis season spent games base cleveland players accomplish feat finished mvp award receiving place votes dallas morning news teammate won came second named ballots game seven runs seventh inning scored winning run complete second largest comeback mlb postseason history game world series named winner hank best offensive performance season signed year million contract january deal included team option million million later year voted list greatest active baseball players voted panel included members batted cleanup world baseball classic tying lead players home runs runs tying second team rbis walks rounds leave team left ankle semifinals hit walk home run yankees april skills man said don know subsequently placed disabled list days later returned play frustrating able play said watching baseball like picked reserve star team manager coming second fan vote august suffering numerous injuries played left field time played games august played left field couple twists turns fly ball hit committing error august pitcher detroit_tigers hit mph pitch immediately charged mound threw helmet fast tackled went benches cleared players tossed game received game suspension hearing friend minor league teammate died cancer age late august dedicated game friend memory marker cap hit home runs game yankees driving runs times crossed home plate looked pointed sky said crazy things happened life feel like somebody pushing balls great things 2nd 4th hit pitch 5th slugging percentage batted overall runners scoring position led pitches plate appearance 6th batting average balls play 10th walk percentage consider case better player league time said players plate appearances seasons higher field split time primarily base base qualify fielding percentage title fielding percentage games matched league leader fielding percentage games base better league leader finished sixth receiving second place votes selected valuable player winner voting named list greatest current players baseball ranking list panel mlb executives polled arrive list hit 100th career home run august season cut short right thumb muscle tear played weeks time injury tied 3rd major leagues runs scored led major slugging percentage left handed pitchers 3rd base percentage tied 5th walks tied 7th extra base hits 8th slugging percentage 9th total bases surgery repair tear august injury limited games season fewest sophomore year slowed injury bats batted home runs rbis years ranked second major leagues offseason acquired baseman imminent departure agreed switch base named list greatest current players baseball ranking list panel mlb executives polled arrive list named reserve star game star break 3rd league doubles 4th base percentage 6th rbis 7th 9th walks season led fielding percentage batted lowest mlb season average career suffered collapse late season losing playoff positioning source claimed spent games pitch eating fried chicken drinking beer teammates speculated source information teammates april manager publicly questioned motivation physical ability succeed viewing rookie superior baseman valentine began play traded chicago_white_sox june pitcher utility man agreed pay million salary help close deal seventh inning day game manager informed valentine transaction pending hit triple bat received long standing ovation helmet crowd taken pinch runner chicago white rest day started playing went single loss hit home run member july texas_rangers went rbis game july named week batting home runs rbis span manager reported competitor mentality fit teammates free agent season new_york_yankees december accepted year contract worth million play base new_york_yankees popular members yankees fans publicly supported signing reached attempt smooth past differences deal official december diagnosed strain season began placed day disabled list april activated returned placed disabled list june underwent season ending surgery repair disk june golden eagles agreed year million contract season missed season games batted home run rbis life baseball october announced retirement baseball january said opening california brother february hired scout development consultant best seller art winning unfair game focuses general manager use tool evaluation potential prospects book lewis discusses prospect detail refers greek god walks moniker stuck stock evidence scouts care lewis book fat baseman couldn run throw field loved ability base helped small vision book brought minor national recognition lewis revealed repeatedly tried trade reached major leagues attempts blocked asked reporter thought nickname better greek god illegitimate children according dad kevin disliked greek god walks stuff fans actually rooted pitches frustrating hear fans walk said walk walk good hit don want hit home run religion community service career highlights jewish baseball player august playing took field 9th inning setting record jewish players field time history major_league_baseball history jewish players took field new_york_giants game featured hank 75th anniversary edition published affiliation commemorating jewish major joined jewish major jewish players star game joining jewish players world baseball classic team joining says says bases happy throw named beating fellow stars voted jewish baseball player decade online beating season batting average placed 6th career time list directly batting average jewish major home runs placed 8th rbis placed 9th jews baseball american love story documentary film narrated noted probably won realize career people cheering went great game fact represent lot jewish people lot jewish heritage struggles lot people expressed interest playing israel world baseball classic healthy regular season unable complete announced play team past qualifying round world baseball classic coach israel world baseball classic embarrassing noticed multiple baseball websites featuring affected sites automatic creating combined letters player surname letters following discovery sites manually adjusted remove philanthropy kids charitable organization established foundation focuses raising support awareness health advocacy safety medical healing children massachusetts hometown cincinnati rallying support volunteers local business heart kids teams existing community based children charities medical research efforts lack sufficient funding awareness organization hits kids works special sensitivity youth suicide college roommate close supportive friend high school committed suicide thanksgiving sophomore year day said sit night wonder religion jewish religion biggest things taught giving forming said taught kid giving charity supposed good charity year great thing kid smile going hard times life wish people athletes people little bit time doesn huge difference game shaved head good luck sign solidarity cancer patient following team world series victory shaved donation foundation profits charity wine released support hits kids family november held wedding ceremony cabo mexico couple wedding ceremony attended teammates newton massachusetts native ceo charity hits kids couple split february reported engaged sister quarterback months later couple quietly married new_york_city pregnancy rumored time months article infant son featured minute program popular culture tenure especially new_england area phrase commonplace term seen shirts advertising phrase represents nickname spelling low drawn cheer fans attendance greet walked batter box prior hitting successful play field appearance season episode travel channel man food episode recorded boston eagle featured host new_york_yankees fan eating challenge appeared music video song going style awards
Kevin Youkilis