Kevin Youkilis, the Chicago White Sox and the Fountain of Youth

The Chicago White Sox desperately needed some production out of their third basemen. With Saturday's trade, the White Sox could have it.

The Sox traded backup infielder Brent Lillibridge and relief pitcher Zach Stewart to Boston for Kevin Youkilis. Statistically, it isn't much of an upgrade, but it may just be the spark that Youkilis needs to get his season back on track.

For the first time in recent memory, the White Sox clubhouse might be less of a circus than the Red Sox clubhouse. Any time a player is immersed in the whirlwind of reports and criticism that is the Red Sox clubhouse, it can make being off the field tough. When you add in on-field struggles, the ballpark becomes a black hole for positive emotion.

Youkilis may have found his answer in the form of different color Sox. The White Sox are in first place, in a much weaker division, the American League Central, than the Red Sox in the A.L. East.

The White Sox have potential to make a strong postseason run, not that the Red Sox are out of contention by any means, but the White Sox have a far easier battle.

Any time a player joins a division-leading team, it is a confidence boost. Any time a player gets a confidence boost, they typically relax a little more and when that happens, typically, stats improve.

Youkilis could join the likes of other chance pick-ups that have turned out well for the White Sox. Consider the guy that "welcomed" Youkilis to the clubhouse on Sunday, Adam Dunn.

Dunn, a player many teams considered to be too risky with his high strikeout numbers (199K in 2010 with Washington), was given a chance by the White Sox. That has turned out fairly well for both parties.

Currently, Dunn has 23 home runs and 53 RBI as a designated hitter, first baseman and left fielder. Dunn, who had back-to-back 30+ home run seasons in 2009 and 2010, hit just 11 in his first season with the Sox. That is history now. Dunn has 23 home runs in 72 games this season.

Now, you bring in the struggling Youkilis, apply the similar results, and the Sox could have some dangerous bats in the middle of their lineup.

Youkilis has never been a true power threat but he is a scrappy hitter. He is a career .287 hitter and had three consecutive seasons in Boston hitting over .300. The White Sox know what he CAN do, but will he?

Currently, Youkilis is in a downward spiral. Last season, he hit .258, the lowest since his Major League career began in 2004. This year, he is hitting .233 in just 42 games and has a meager 14 RBI.

Look at a White Sox lineup with strong bats in Dunn, Youkilis, a resurgent Gordan Beckham, and A.J. Pierzynski. Add speed from Alejandro De Aza, Alexei Ramirez and Orlando Hudson, the holes in the Chicago lineup just became a whole.

Youkilis could be the answer the White Sox are looking for, if he can even be an average Kevin Youkilis. The addition of Youkilis coupled with a player's manager in Robin Ventura, Chicago could become a tougher team in a fairly weak division.

Youkilis is a consistent fixture in the lineup. He has played in over 100 games in every season since 2004.

If he can find his fountain of youth, like Dunn and even like Pierzynski, he can be a force for the Sox, a welcomed force.

Even as a Cubs fan, I, personally, will be rooting for him.