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The inevitable has finally happened.The New York Yankees have decided to place third baseman Kevin Youkilis on the disabled list with a stiff lower back that has been bothering him for over a week, reports Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com. In his place, Corban Joseph has been called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It will be his first stint with a major league team.Because Youkilis was able to play on Saturday (he missed seven games before that date and missed two more afterwards), the Yankees will only be able to set his disabled list retroactive to the last game he played. This makes him eligible to return on Saturday, May 11 when the Yankees play the second game of a three-game series in Kansas City against the Royals.Youkilis had been hitting well in his first season with the Yankees. Signed as a free agent during the offseason, he's compiled a line of .279/.353/.443 ...

New York Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis has been out since last Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays (in Toronto) with a sore lower back. There were no initial plans to place him on the 15-day disabled list, though that could now become an option.Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports that manager Joe Girardi would consider placing Youkilis on the DL if he does not play by this Saturday's home game against the Blue Jays. Youkilis took swings in the batting cage Thursday, but the results did not warrant a comeback for that night's game.When asked about Youkilis' status, Girardi said: "He's not rotating the way he wants to rotate, which is kind of important for a hitter. He's just not ready to go."If Youkilis were to be placed on the disabled list this Saturday, then it would likely be retroactive to last Saturday's contest. This would already put him seven ...

New Red Sox manager John Farrell has his work cut out for him as he tries to pick up the pieces from last year's horrendous showing under Bobby Valentine. He's been tasked with patching up the leaking holes that led to the Red Sox' worst season in nearly 50 years—and then some.If he can take anything away from his predecessor, it's a long list of don'ts.When thinking about all of the things Farrell should approach differently this year than Valentine, the short answer is everything. But here are five crucial lessons to be learned for a guaranteed turnaround in 2013.Begin Slideshow

The American League East is the most competitive division in baseball. From this division, the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles made the playoffs last October. The Tampa Bay Rays came up just short in their playoff push, but have competed for the division crown in each of the past five seasons. With the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox improving their rosters dramatically this offseason, there's an argument that any of these five teams can win the division this season.  The Yankees enter the 2013 MLB season with a bunch of question marks. Amazingly, it's not just their pitching that should make them worried. It's the bottom of the lineup. Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson taking up the first five spots in the lineup is still an elite top of the order. After that, it gets ugly rather quickly.  Their biggest offseason acquisition, ...

It's been a quiet offseason so far for the New York Yankees. Brian Cashman and the front office only gave fans one new present for the holiday season in Kevin Youkilis (the rest, re-signing Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Hiroki Kuroda and Ichiro Suzuki, were recycled gifts).Yankees fans are going to have difficulty accepting the "Greek God of Walks" as part of Yankees Universe after his years as a member of Red Sox Nation. Here are three things Youk can do to endear himself to Yankees fans. 1. Come Up with a Good Roll Call GreetingOne of this Yankees fan's favorite parts of going to a game at the Stadium is participating or watching the Bleacher Creature's roll call of each player during the first inning. When Nick Swisher signed with the Indians over the weekend, the team lost the most enthusiastic roll call.The more flamboyant greetings generally come from outfielders, but ...

The New York Yankees have filled their void at third base—left by the ailing Alex Rodriguez—by signing free-agent infielder Kevin Youkilis on Tuesday, reported first by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.   Source: #Yankees sign Youkilis, one year, $12M. — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2012   Youkilis hit .235/.336/.409 with 19 home runs and 72 RBI last season between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox, but how will he fare in New York in 2013?The 33-year-old corner infielder has been a solid power option in the middle of the lineup in Boston and Chicago over the course of his career, hitting at least 17 home runs in each of the last six seasons. Youkilis will be going from two of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in baseball into one where there are short porches in both left and right field.Looking at Youkilis’ career numbers at Yankee Stadium, New York ...

The New York Yankees have found a new third baseman in former foe Kevin Youkilis. FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Yankees signed the free agent to a one-year deal worth $12 million. To clarify on Youkilis and #Yankees: Two sides in agreement, one year, $12M. Deal almost certainly pending physical.—Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2012   The story was subsequently confirmed by ESPNNewYork, who reported Youkilis will leave the Chicago White Sox for the Big Apple.Youkilis is a former Gold Glove winner, who can play either first or third. He has career 162-game averages of .283 batting with 23 home runs and 96 RBI. Youkilis is coming off a down year in 2012, hitting a combined .235 with 19 home runs and 60 RBI between stints with Chicago and the Boston Red Sox. However, he will play a major role with the Yankees in 2013. He's replacing Alex Rodriguez, who is ...

Kevin Youkilis is no longer a free agent, as he's agreed to a one-year, $12 million deal to become the newest member of the New York Yankees, as reported by Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal (via Twitter): To clarify on Youkilis and #Yankees: Two sides in agreement, one year, $12M. Deal almost certainly pending physical.— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2012 This was a move that the Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman, who have been widely lambasted by fans for their relative inaction during the Hot Stove League, needed to make.Youkilis will take over at third base in place of the injured Alex Rodriguez, who will be out four-to-six months after he undergoes surgery on his left hip next month, according to ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand.But that only begins to scratch the surface of why the nine-year major league veteran, who celebrates his 34th birthday at the end of March, will be ...

The New York Yankees reportedly have signed third baseman Kevin Youkilis to a one-year deal worth $12 million pending his physical, according to Fox Sports insider Ken Rosenthal.    Source: #Yankees sign Youkilis, one year, $12M.— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2012 The 33-year-old veteran will be the Opening Day starter at third for the Yankees as Alex Rodriguez continues to recover from an injury and surgery to his left hip.As a former member of the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees are quite familiar with his style of play and his ability to work pitchers deep into counts.He is also expected to DH from time to time and spell Mark Teixeira at first base. After a falling out last year with then-Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, Youkilis was shipped off to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Zach Stewart and outfielder Brent Lillibridge.In half a season on the South Side, Youkilis hit ...

If you're wondering what that sounds was, it was the collective groan coming out of Boston.Why?Kevin Youkilis is officially coming to the Bronx.After weeks of speculation, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports broke the news on Twitter that the Yankees have officially signed the former Red Sox infielder. Source: #Yankees sign Youkilis, one year, $12M.— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2012 It's for the one-year deal worth $12 million that the Yankees offered him last week just as the Baseball Winter Meetings ended in Nashville.Youkilis will take the spot of the injured Alex Rodriguez, who will be sidelined for the summer with hip surgery.And even if A-Rod comes back, there's a good possibility that he may be moved to the designated hitter spot with Youkilis already on the team.The 34-year-old split time between the Red Sox and White Sox in 2012 and was traded to Chicago back in June as part of the ...