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If completely healthy, Morneau offers more upside than Youkilis.
Morneau has his season cut short by back problems and is 100% ready to start the season while Youkilis is solid, averaging 143 game a year for the past three seasons. He has position eligibility at two positions (1B-3B) a big plus especially when it looks like 3B is a weak position in your upcoming draft.
HOME RUNS: Morneau has averaged seven more homers a year over the last four seasons but Youkilis has hit three more homers the last two seasons (56-53). Both have power but a slight edge goes to Morneau . The unknown here is the Twins and Morneau switching from indoors to outdoors and how the new stadium will play.
RUNS: Over the last four seasons Youkilis has scored 375 runs to Morneau’s 363 or three more a season. You can count on both to score 90 or more runs a season and give a slight edge to Youkilis, though the lineup around him may be weaker this year.
RBI”S: Morneau gets the huge edge here driving in over 100 or more runs each of the last four years, while driving in 106 more than Youkilis over the four year period.
STOLEN BASES: Neither is a threat to steal a base but give Youkilis the edge here for at least stealing a couple of bases. He has stole 14 bases over the last three seasons to Morneau’s one.
BATTING AVERAGE: A career .290 hitter and his last two seasons over .300 give the edge to Youkilis. Morneau for his career has hit .280 and two of his last three seasons are .271 and .274.
X-FACTORS: Health is an issue for both and remember in looking at Youkilis the Red Sox may score less runs this year with players lost (Bay) and players gained (Cameron, Scutaro) so there will be less opportunities for RBI’s and runs scored. Morneau is switching from indoors to outdoors and turf to grass so we need to be aware that his numbers could be slightly affected.
FINAL DECISION: I am going to take Justin Morneau. He is younger and should be 100 % healthy to start the season. I think he will hit for more power, drive in more runs and both should score around the same amount of runs. I am not a Youkilis fan for this year. I think he and Morneau will have roughly the same average and score the same amount of runs. This is a decision that could be totally wrong and goes against this sites great projections. Call it a hunch (call it lucky if I am right) but I will be drafting Morneau ahead of Youkilis yet happy if Youkilis falls to me.