Silverman: Youkilis Trade May Allow Chicago To Get Some Retribution Against Boston

By Steve Silverman-

(CBS) "YOUK!"

The acquisition of the sweaty Kevin Youkilis will give the White Sox a third baseman who can field his position and get clutch hits throughout the rest of the season.

At least in theory.

Youkilis was a great player for the Red Sox when he was in the prime of his career. He hit 56 home runs and drove in 209 runs in 2008 and 2009, but there's been a bit of a downturn since then. The thick-bodied Youkilis has been troubled by injuries and he was limited to 102 games in 2010 and 120 games last year.

This season has also been a struggle, but it doesn't mean things won't get better. He was not in the best frame of mind with Bobby Valentine as his manager. The Red Sox situation was clearly screaming out for a trade from the moment that minor-league call-up Will Middlebrooks started playing third base and hitting the ball hard on an every-game basis.

But even with Youkilis struggling to regain his form, this appears to be a trade that Kenny Williams will win by a wide margin. The White Sox sent the home-run gifting Zach Stewart to the Red Sox and utility man Brent Lillibridge to Boston. Lillibridge can chase the ball down in the outfield, but he has hit only .215 in parts of five seasons with the White Sox and Braves.

Once Youkilis starts feeling comfortable with his new teammates and knows that he is playing regularly in Robin Ventura's lineup, he should start producing. Then all he'll have to do is avoid injuries, which could be an issue.

Trades between the Red Sox and Chicago's baseball teams have not always worked out so well for the locals. The last notable trade was between the Cubs and the Red Sox.

In 2004, the Red Sox sent former all-star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and Matt Murton to the Cubs. The trade also involved the Minnesota Twins and the late, lamented Montreal Expos, and the Red Sox ended up with Doug Mientkiewicz and Orlando Cabrera. Mientkiewicz ended up playing first base to close the final game of the 2004 World Series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals and Cabrera played shortstop. Garciaparra was not missed by the Red Sox and he really gave the Cubs very little.

In 1999, the Cubs sent closer Rod Beck and pitcher Mark Guthrie to the Red Sox and the Cubs got a forgotten third baseman named Cole Liniak in return. In 1987, Lee Smith was sent to the Red Sox for Al Nipper.

Three years prior to that, one of the most fateful trades in Red Sox history was made when they acquired first baseman Bill Buckner from the Cubs for pitcher Dennis Eckersley and infielder Mike Brumley. Buckner was a sensational player for the Dodgers, Cubs and Red Sox, but he is remembered best for a Mookie Wilson ground ball that went under his glove and between his legs in the 1986 World Series. Of the many awful moments in Red Sox history, that is the most painful.

The White Sox made their share of goofs as well. They traded Hall of Fame pitcher (albeit over-the-hill) Tom Seaver to Boston for resident idiot/outfielder Steve Lyons.

The White Sox traded legendary shortstop Luis Aparicio to the Red Sox in 1970 and second baseman Jerry Adair to Boston in 1967. Adair is not well-known, but he played a key role in Boston's famous "Impossible Dream" season in which they won the American League pennant by beating out the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and, of course, the White Sox in a scintillating pennant race.

If you go back 100 years ago, you will see that the White Sox acquired a tremendous pitcher by the name of Ed Cicotte from the Red Sox. Cicotte would go on to become one of the key figures on the 1919 White Sox team that threw the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.

So, there's quite a bit of payback that's needed for Chicago teams. Youkilis would appear to be in a position where he can help the White Sox and they may find themselves on the winning end of a Boston-Chicago trade.

Adam is the Sports Editor for CBSChicago.com and specializes in coverage of the Bears, White Sox and college sports. He was born and raised in Lincoln Park and attended St. Ignatius College Prep before going off to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned a Journalism degree. Follow him on Twitter @AdamHogeCBS and read more of his columns here.