Youkilis cleared for baseball activities : Red Sox 3B Kevin Youkilis has been cleared to resume full baseball activities, according to the Boston Herald. Youkilis had sports hernia surgery back on Oct. 4, 2011, and has been focusing on his flexibility this offseason instead of his strength. “For the past two weeks, I’ve felt great,” Youkilis said. “There are little things here and there, this time of year, you have to get going and ramp it up. I’ve started ramping up as much as I can, and I feel great, healthy, lifting, with no restrictions.” (Updated 01/26/2012)
Injury Report
Hip, hernia - Probable for start of spring training (Updated - 1/5/12)
Fantasy Analysis
Youkilis was limited to 120 games in 2011 as he dealt with a few injuries -- sports hernia and bursitis in his hip. He had trouble finding his stroke last spring, so he's hoping this offseason's plan pans out for him. His injury risk might even make him something of a bargain pick in the fourth or fifth round of Fantasy drafts this year. Fantasy owners should keep tabs on him to see how he looks entering the season. (Updated 01/26/2012).
02/10/2012 13:27 2012 Draft Prep: 12-team, mixed H2H draft
Which picks stood out in our initial 12-team Head-to-Head mock draft for 2012? Check out the results and read what Scott White has to say about some of the more interesting selections.
02/10/2012 09:03 2012 Fantasy outlooks: Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox didn't make much noise this winter after a disasterous end to their 2011 season. Our Al Melchior examines the revamped roster for owners in advance of Draft Day.
02/07/2012 09:19 2012 Draft Prep: Head-to-Head strategies
Understanding the subtle differences between Head-to-Head and Rotisserie formats leading up to Draft Day can make all the difference. Our Scott White shares some of his battle-tested draft strategies.
02/02/2012 12:21 2012 Draft Prep: Our 12-team, mixed Rotisserie draft
It's time for owners to start looking ahead to Draft Day. We get you off and running with our 12-team Rotisserie mock draft. Check out the results!
Injuries have plagued Kevin Youkilis in recent years, and 2011 was no exception. The Red Sox third baseman missed several games down the stretch with back and hip injuries and a sports hernia, and he was limited to just 120 games on the season. When he did play, Youkilis displayed a lot less punch than usual, posting the highest ground ball rate of his career by far. The result was his lowest home run total (17) since 2007, and his fewest runs scored since he became a regular in 2006. Youkilis had sports hernia surgery last October, but it remains to be seen if he can return to playing 140 games and hitting 25 home runs, as he did a few seasons back. The good news is that most of Youkilis' power dropoff occurred late last season, when he was clearly nowhere close to healthy. Even if he continues his pattern of injury and missed time, he should have enough in the tank to rank among the top five third basemen in Fantasy. (Updated 1/27/12)
Actual 
AccuScore Projections) Note: Points are rounded down.
