I didn’t write about Youk yesterday (or this morning) because, frankly, I didn’t want to write from a place of high emotions.  I’ve been in denial about Youk possibly getting traded because for a long time I just couldn’t see how it could benefit the team unless they got someone really good for him.  Well, the trade went through and it would be a complete misstatement to say they got anyone REALLY good for him (at least right now) and yet I’ve accepted it.  One of the local scribes tweeted that Youk looked like the happiest man in the world at his first press conference as a White Sox player. That for me sealed it. For whatever reasons, be they Bobby Valentine or Will Middlebrooks or just Kevin Youkilis himself, he’s happier where he is than where he was and I have to respect that. My feelings are different from others in the case of Youk.  I’ll admit to getting teary-eyed when he hugged Nick Punto as Punto took over for him at  third base yesterday.  I was downright stunned when he was blowing kisses to the fans as he left the field. Seeing him  hug Pedroia at the dugout [...]

read more: Goodbye Youk