Kevin Youkilis News & Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

January 27

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis spent most of the winter in California, recovering from surgery to repair a sports hernia that sidelined him for the final two weeks of last season. But he couldn't escape the fallout from the Red Sox' epic September collapse. Youkilis, who held his annual fund-raiser last night at the State Room to benefit his children's charity, admitted the Sox' clubhouse "definitely didn't have the best vibe" for stretches of last season. But the third baseman also compared the ensuing chaos, including reports about the discord that painted him as a selfish malcontent, as a "witch hunt.""

Kevin Youkilis deals with pain

September 14

Boston Herald

"After the Red Sox play their last game of 2011, whenever that might be, Kevin Youkilis will undergo surgery to relieve him of the sports hernia that has existed for most of the season. Until then, the third baseman intends to keep playing. Youkilis was 0-for-3 with a hit by pitch and a strikeout upon his return to the lineup for last night's 18-6 rout of the Blue Jays at Fenway Park [map]. He missed the three-game weekend sweep by the Tampa Bay Rays while getting treatment in Boston for the hernia and bursitis in his left hip. "The bottom line for me is going out there and playing through it," said Youkilis, who was removed in the eighth inning last night. "There's a lot of guys banged up"

Off-season sports hernia surgery awaits Red Sox' Kevin Youkilis

September 13

Boston Herald

"After the Red Sox play their final game, whenever that may be, Kevin Youkilis will have to undergo surgery to relieve him of the sports hernia that has bothered him for most of the season. Until then, he intends to keep playing. "The bottom line for me is going out there and playing through it," Youkilis said today. "There's a lot of guys banged up here. I'm not the only individual here. In September, there are always a lot of guys hurting and feeling stuff." But Youkilis is banged up more than most."

Youk adds to injuries

September 11

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis remained in Boston yesterday in order to tend to a growing list of known ailments. In addition to his hip bursitis, the Red Sox third baseman is also dealing with a sports hernia. The bursitis flared up Thursday in Toronto and on Friday in Boston, the cleanup hitter received an injection to help with the discomfort. The thought was that if he felt better by yesterday morning he could rejoin the team for the last two games of the current series, but now he will stay home and receive further treatment before being re-evaluated on Tuesday. Yesterday, a source familiar with Youkilis' condition said he has been dealing with the sports hernia for some time and that it predated the"

New ailments for Youk, Bedard, Lackey

September 10

Boston Herald

"The Red Sox [team stats]' injury list continues to pile up. Yesterday, both Kevin Youkilis [stats] and Erik Bedard were in Boston receiving treatment on their new injuries, and then John Lackey was knocked out of his start early last night. Youkilis received an injection to alleviate discomfort from a case of bursitis he is experiencing in his left hip, a problem that flared up in Thursday night's series finale in Toronto. Depending on how Youkilis responds to the shot, he could wind up flying here before first pitch tonight if he and the Sox feel he could help the team, even if that's in a pinch-hitting role. Bedard was expected back here late last night, after he was examined for a"

10 things you don't know about Kevin Youkilis

September 6

Cincinnati Enquirer

"1. Cincinnati native and Boston Red Sox All-Star third baseman Kevin Youkilis was born on the Ides of March (the 15th), which is the name of an upcoming movie that was filmed in Cincinnati and stars Northern Kentuckian George Clooney. 2. While watching her son play in the 2000 Cape Cod League all-star game, Carolyn Youkilis won $4,000 in the split-the-pot raffle. After the winning ticket was announced, she screamed loudly enough to be heard throughout the sold-out ballpark. 3. Youkilis' brother, Scott, is the chef and co-owner of Maverick, an upscale restaurant in San Francisco. ..."

Youkilis stops post-DL drought

September 5

Boston Herald

"One of the few bright spots in the Red Sox' 11-4 loss to the Texas Rangers yesterday at Fenway Park was the performance of Kevin Youkilis, who was playing in just his third game following a 15-day stint on the disabled list with back woes. After going 0-for-8 with three strikeouts in first two games, the third baseman went 2-for-4 in yesterday's loss, including an eighth-inning double off Rangers reliever Mike Gonzalez. "It's a work in progress," Youkilis said. "I have to work on my timing and get my swing down. It'll come." Prior to being activated Friday, Youkilis had not played since Aug. 17, when he went 1-for-4 in a 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He was then placed on the DL because"

Kevin Youkilis: 'I'm ready to play'

September 2

Boston Globe

"Kevin Youkilis will be officially activated off the disabled list before the game tonight and will hit fourth. He missed 15 days with a strained lower back and received an epidural shot to help with the discomfort. "I definitely feel better. I wouldn't have come off if I didn't feel like I could play at a high level," Youkilis said. "I feel good. I can run, I can throw, I can hit — all the things that you need to do to play the game. For me, right now, it's just going out there and doing it." Terry Francona was happy to write Youkilis' name back on the lineup card. "Having him right smack in [middle of] the order is huge. … It's good. One big hitter in the middle makes everybody better,""

Kevin Youkilis healthy enough for Sox' stretch run

September 2

Boston Herald

"Savvy sports fans have heard the line a million times: Once you get late into the season, nobody is 100 percent healthy. But Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis, due to be activated today following a stint on the 15-day disabled list with a back injury, has a different take on this 100 percent business. "I'm definitely not 100 percent, but I'm 100 percent for September," he said yesterday at Fenway Park, after taking part in early batting practice prior to the Sox' series finale against the New York Yankees. He also took some grounders at third base. "To say I'm 100 percent for September is really the best way to put it," he said. "In September, we're all really at about 80 percent in"

Drew and Youkilis hit it off in the minors

August 31

Boston Globe

"Kevin Youkilis and J.D. Drew found themselves in a familiar situation last night: Playing for the Red Sox against a New York rival in the heat of a pennant race. But there was a twist to this tale. While Boston was taking on the Yankees at Fenway Park, Youkilis and Drew were six hours away in Western New York, trying to help another first-place Red Sox club inch toward the postseason. The two Boston stars began a short rehab stint for Pawtucket against the Rochester Red Wings, the Twins' top farm team, before a sellout crowd of 10,890 at Frontier Field. Rochester won, 8-6. Drew, batting second and playing right field, went 3 for 3 (all singles) before being removed in the bottom of the"

Drew to return Thursday, Youkilis on Friday

August 30

ESPN.com

"Outfielder J.D. Drew, who has been on the disabled list since July 26 (retroactive to July 20) with a left shoulder impingement, is expected to rejoin the Red Sox on Thursday, after playing two games this week for Triple-A Pawtucket, Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Tuesday. Third baseman Kevin Youkilis also is scheduled to play for Pawtucket on Tuesday and Wednesday, Francona said, and will be re-activated Friday, the first day he is eligible to come off the 15-day DL, which he was placed on Aug. 18 with a lower back strain."

Youkilis set for rehab Tuesday

August 28

Boston Globe

"His teammates took their time arriving at Fenway Park yesterday, most having crawled into bed at sunrise following an overnight flight from Texas. But Kevin Youkilis was at the park early with a full agenda. The third baseman, who is on the disabled list with a strained lower back, took batting practice in the cage and then hit the field for defensive drills. Youkilis is set to join Triple A Pawtucket in Rochester, N.Y., on Tuesday for a two-day rehabilitation assignment. "He's doing really well,'' manager Terry Francona said. "He's been making progress. He's doing fine.''"

Youkilis forced to DL

August 19

Boston Globe

"The Red Sox are hoping a cortisone shot and 15 days on the disabled list will allow Kevin Youkilis to return to the lineup in reasonable health for the remainder of the pennant race. The third baseman remained in Boston to have his sore back examined. According to the team, Youkilis has a lower back strain. Youkilis was placed on the DL, with catcher Ryan Lavarnway promoted from Pawtucket to take his spot on the active roster. "Structurally, I think he came out [of the examination] pretty sound,'' manager Terry Francona said before the Red Sox' 4-3 win. "Take some time to kind of let that recover. His body was so beat up anyway. This was like the last straw. It just kind of put him over"

Kevin Youkilis forced to DL with bad back

August 19

Boston Herald

"For the past week, Kevin Youkilis [stats]hoped the stiffness in his lower back would subside with rest. But with the pain still persisting after Wednesday's game at Fenway Park [map], the Red Sox [team stats] sent him to be examined. Sure enough, Youkilis has landed on the disabled list with a back strain. The move, made before last night's 4-3 win against the Royals, resulted in the call-up of prized catching prospect Ryan Lavarnway, who was the Red Sox' designated hitter in the opener of the four-game series at Kauffman Stadium. Youkilis, meanwhile, stayed in Boston and got a cortisone injection that is designed to aid in the healing process. The Red Sox are hopeful the All-Star third"

Kevin Youkilis headed for DL

August 18

ESPN.com

"The Boston Red Sox will place Kevin Youkilis on the 15-day disabled list with a sore back Thursday and call up Triple-A catcher Ryan Lavarnway to take his spot, manager Terry Francona said on Boston sports radio WEEI. Youkilis had missed several games over the last week with the nagging injury and was clearly laboring with it in Wednesday's game. "(Youkilis') lower back has been bothering him for a while," said Francona, who added that the first baseman stayed back in Boston to have tests done at Mass General Hospital and have an injection in his lower back. "Hopefully that will alleviate some of the symptoms. He's just been so beat up. When it got to the back part it just overwhelmed"

Youkilis back with a bang

August 15

Boston Globe

"Based on how he swung the bat in yesterday's 5-3 loss against Seattle, Kevin Youkilis's sore back is feeling much better. The third baseman hit the ball hard twice, the second time resulting in a two-run home run in the eighth inning. Youkilis played the entire game against the Twins Wednesday night in Minnesota, but he was unable to take the field after the Sox arrived in Seattle, missing the first two games of the series."

Youk, Scutaro back out

August 13

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis spent the Red Sox' off day walking the streets of Seattle, seeing some sights and soaking in the nice weather. Apparently, he overdid it. Youkilis arrived at Safeco Field yesterday with tightness in the left side of his back. It didn't loosen up when he began taking swings in the batting cage. So, after being included in the original lineup, he was scratched about 30 minutes before batting practice. "I guess off days are worse for me than playing," Youkilis said. Then, a half-hour before the game, shortstop Marco Scutaro was scratched with a stiff back. Jed Lowrie played shortstop and batted in the No. 2 spot, while Mike Aviles was added to the lineup at third base. Dustin"

Youkilis: If I were to go anywhere, I would want to go to Cincinnati

August 9

Cincinnati Enquirer

"How would you like to see Sycamore native Kevin Youkilis in a Cincinnati Reds uniform? There's at least one guy out there that could see it happening someday – Kevin Youkilis. Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston.com talked with Youkilis about his future in Boston. McDonald writes, "Since teammate Adrian Gonzalez is locked up as the club's first baseman until 2018, and there's a highly touted third base prospect in the organization, Will Middlebrooks, Youkilis doesn't know what his future holds in Boston. His contract expires at the end of 2012 with a club option for 2013, and no matter if he re-signs with Boston or ends up playing for another team, Youkilis seems to be content with either"

Kevin Youkilis limps off again

July 26

Boston Herald

"Two innings after his heel hit first base awkwardly as he tried to beat out a hit, Kevin Youkilis left last night's game with what the Red Sox called "right hamstring tightness." Youkilis isn't likely to play tonight, according to manager Terry Francona. "Exam was really good, full range of motion, so he should be OK," Francona said. "He's a little beat up in a lot of areas." Youkilis came up limping after grounding to Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar in the sixth inning. He huddled in the dugout with head athletic trainer Mike Reinold and spoke briefly to Francona before hobbling to third base for the top of the seventh, clearly favoring his right leg. Ultimately, Youkilis was replaced by"

Kevin Youkilis leaves game after seventh inning

July 26

Boston Globe

"Kevin Youkilis left after the seventh inning because of a tight right hamstring. The injury occurred in the bottom of the sixth when Youkilis tried to beat out an infield grounder."

Kevin Youkilis again a hidden gem among stars

July 15

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis has managed to stay in the shadows of the Red Sox' 2011 season so far. A lot of that has to do with the twin towers of production that hit ahead and behind his cleanup spot, Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz, as well as Jacoby Ellsbury having his breakout season atop the order. Youkilis, meanwhile, is perfectly content with staying out of the spotlight. "Flying under the radar is good for me, I'm happy with it," said Youkilis, who has knocked in 63 runs, 14 behind team leader Gonzalez. "David and Adrian can have the spotlight all they want, people can talk about them all day and that's good — good for us and good for our team. "David's the kind of guy, he's great, he's ready"

Youkilis eager for his star turn

July 10

Boston Globe

"A week ago, when he was not among the four Red Sox players selected to represent the team at the 2011 All-Star Game, third baseman Kevin Youkilis was looking forward to the time off to rest his battered body. So when Theo Epstein approached Youkilis after the Sox' 10-3 victory over the Orioles Friday and informed him that he had been selected to replace injured Yankee Alex Rodriguez, the first thing the general manager asked was if Youkilis was up to playing. Epstein didn't have to ask twice. "I said I was feeling better and I would love to,'' Youkilis said. "I would be honored, so I decided to go.''"

Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis fill void

July 7

Boston Herald

"Adrian Gonzalez missed his first game of the season last night, sitting out the series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park with a stiff neck. Thanks to Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis, the Sox hardly missed the American League leader in batting average and RBI. Ellsbury went 3-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and three RBI in a 6-4 win, which was delayed by rain for 40 minutes in the top of the eighth inning. The All-Star center fielder led off the first inning with his career-high 10th home run and capped a four-run, two-out rally in the fourth with a two-run double. "He's definitely driving the ball well and seeing the ball well. When he's driving the ball well he's"

Getting plunked not a big hit with Kevin Youkilis

July 6

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis will never get used to something that happens to him way too often. On Monday, the Red Sox third baseman was hit by a pitch for the ninth time this season, the second-highest total in the American League (trailing only the White Sox' Carlos Quentin, with 18). Youkilis was drilled between the shoulder blades by Toronto starter Brandon Morrow in the fourth inning of a 9-7 loss. "It's not fun. There is nothing fun about it, especially when it's up high," Youkilis said prior to last night's 3-2 victory over Toronto. Youkilis left Monday's game with stiffness in his upper back and a roaring headache after being hit for the 71st time in his career. He was scratched from last"

Sox hurtin' for certain

July 5

Boston Herald

"The frustrations continue to mount for Kevin Youkilis [stats] and Clay Buchholz. Youkilis has battled injuries to his hip and both ankles this season. The third baseman can add his upper back to the list after taking a Brandon Morrow fastball between the shoulder blades in the fourth inning of yesterday's 9-7 loss to the Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Youkilis was down in pain at the plate before leaving the field under his own power. "We got him out of there for precautionary reasons," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He's got a headache. We'll re-evaluate and see how he's doing (today)." Youkilis was replaced by Yamaico Navarro, who went 1-for-3 and had an Edwin Encarnacion grounder go"

Youkilis walks with pride

July 4

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis, usually among the leaders in pitches per plate appearance, was the chosen one yesterday. When Houston Astros manager Brad Mills opted to intentionally walk Red Sox hitter Adrian Gonzalez yesterday with two runners already aboard and two outs in the ninth inning of a 1-1 game, it was with the thought that reliever Mark Melancon would produce an out from Youkilis. The gambit failed, as Youkilis never took a swing at five pitches from Melancon, the fourth was a called strike and the fifth was ball No. 4, as Youkilis walked to force in the winning run. Just another patient plate appearance for Youkilis. "Same as always, just try to get good pitch to hit," said Youkilis about"

Youkilis back, but Ellsbury a late scratch

July 2

MLB.com

"One of these days, the Red Sox will get their full lineup back together. For now, they will take what they can get. For Friday night's opener of a three-game series against the Astros, cleanup man Kevin Youkilis returned after missing Thursday's game with a contusion on his left ankle. J.D. Drew, who has been nursing a heavily bruised left eye, was back in right field, making his first start in five days. But a couple of hours before the first pitch, leadoff man Jacoby Ellsbury was scratched due to illness. This caused a shuffle that moved Josh Reddick from left to center, and Drew Sutton into the lineup for his first start in left field since Sept. 5, 2009. "[Bench coach DeMarlo Hale]"

Kevin Youkilis to go for X-ray on left ankle

June 30

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis has fouled pitches off his feet before, so he didn't expect to wake up this morning and feel "throbbing" in his left ankle. As a result, he will undergo an MRI exam at noon today to make sure everything is OK. "Hopefully it's just one day, get some treatment and get it going for tomorrow," Youkilis said. "We're hoping that it's probably nothing. Hopefully, there's no bone damage, just swelling." Youkilis (Herald photo by Nancy Lane) fouled a pitch off the inside of his left foot in the fourth inning last night against Phillies starter Vance Worley. He remained in the game, finishing 0-for-3 with a walk. Youkilis said he felt soreness throughout the game, but it wasn't until"

Disadvantaged Kevin Youkilis

June 28

Boston Herald

columnist Gerry Callahan

"It's just not fair. In Pittsburgh over the weekend, the Red Sox were forced to keep David Ortiz, their $12?million a year designated hitter, on the bench, leaving them with just five players who make $10?million or more in the starting lineup. There are grave injustices in this world, and then there is this: Ortiz had just three plate appearances in the three-game series at PNC Park. He went 0-for-2 with a walk. The Sox lost 2-of-3 to the Pirates. They have lost four of their last six interleague games and 6-of-12 this season, and if you're sitting in Boston this morning, that can mean only one thing: It's that damn interleague play! It's just not fair! "Interleague play is an advantage to"

Youkilis leaves game due to stomach illness

June 18

Boston Globe

"Drew Sutton entered the game for Kevin Youkilis in the top of the fifth inning, a moment that caused a bit of concern since Carl Crawford had already exited the game due to an apparent leg injury. The good news is at least one of them seems to be OK. For Youkilis, it's a stomach illness, not an injury. You have to think that won't keep him out too long."

Rays' plunking of Kevin Youkilis was necessary

June 17

St. Petersburg Times

columnist John Romano

"The result mattered. No reason to pretend otherwise. The Red Sox won the game, won the series and expanded their lead on the Rays in the American League East. If you are a bottom-line person, that's as clear-cut as it gets. But if you believe there is more to a 162-game season than an avalanche of box scores, then you might have applauded a pitching performance that was less than ideal. For of the 106 pitches David Price threw in a laborious five-inning outing, there was one that was far more meaningful than the rest. Before any runs had crossed the plate and any words could be spoken, Price hit Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis in the shoulder with a fastball in the first inning."

Youkilis: Rays' Price hit him on purpose

June 17

Tampa Tribune

"Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis believes Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price hit him on purpose with a pitch in the first inning of Thursday's game. But he doesn't believe Price hit him for the reason that many others do. Though some, possibly including home plate umpire Gary Darling, believe Price threw at Youkilis as retaliation for Youkilis stepping on Rays first baseman Casey Kotchman's foot on Tuesday, Youkilis believes otherwise. "I don't understand the Kotchman thing,'' said Youkilis, who left a bruise on the back of Kotchman's ankle after he clipped him while crossing first base near the end of the Rays win on Tuesday. "That was an accident (from me) running and lunging"

Youkilis scratched

May 25

Boston Globe

"Kevin Youkilis has a sore left hand, the result of a fielding play last night, and is out of the lineup. Drew Sutton will play third base and hit ninth."

Youkilis was a big hit for the Sox, too

May 17

Boston Globe

"In the end, it was overshadowed by the two-run, walk-off double Adrian Gonzalez hit off the Wall in last night's 8-7 victory over the Orioles. But Kevin Youkilis's two-run double off the Monster proved a huge blow in a five-run, five-hit eruption in the sixth inning that helped the Red Sox erase nearly all of a 6-0 deficit. "Of course, obviously everyone's going to look at Adrian's hit as the big one,'' said Jed Lowrie. "But I don't think you can discount any other hits we got tonight, especially in those last three innings. They're all big. So you can't discount any one of them.'' Youkilis's hit chased reliever Michael Gonzalez (one-third of an inning, four runs, three hits) in the sixth,"

Sore hip hobbles Kevin Youkilis

April 29

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis jammed his hip on a first-inning slide during last night's 6-2 win against the Orioles and left the game seven innings later. The third baseman will be re-evaluated this afternoon, and the Red Sox then will decide if he'll be in the lineup for tonight's series opener against the Seattle Mariners. X-rays aren't expected to be needed. Youkilis slid into second base on a David Ortiz double play grounder with one out in the first inning but stayed in the game and came up to bat three more times (0-for-2, walk). He was replaced by Jed Lowrie in the bottom of the eighth. "I just slid, and it got a little locked up," Youkilis said. "As the game went on, it locked up a little bit"

Quick Kevin Youkilis sabbatical: Says he'll play tonight

April 23

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis' absence from the Red Sox lineup will be short-lived. Youkilis, who fouled a pitch off his left shin in the first inning Thursday night, didn't start last night against the Los Angeles Angels. But he said there's "no doubt" he will be able to play tonight when the Angels send right-hander Ervin Santana to the mound. "I'm doing better," said Youkilis, who was available to pinch-hit but stayed on the bench for the 4-3 victory over the Angels. "Basically, it's a lot better than it was (Thursday), so that's a good sign." Youkilis, the Red Sox' cleanup-hitting third baseman, left Thursday night's game in the second inning and went for X-rays, which came back negative. However,"

Injured shin leads to early exit for Kevin Youkilis

April 22

Boston Herald

"Kevin Youkilis had a rough first inning last night. Youkilis, the Red Sox' cleanup-hitting third baseman, bounced into a rally-killing double play against Angels starter Tyler Chatwood. And if that wasn't enough, he had fouled a pitch off his left shin and was forced to leave the game in the top of the second inning. The Red Sox didn't have an update on his status during last night's series opener. Youkilis is batting only .214, but he has reached base in 14 of his last 18 games. He has 10 hits in his last 36 at-bats and homered in Wednesday's series finale against the Oakland Athletics. Jed Lowrie moved to third base and Marco Scutaro came off the bench to play shortstop. It almost got"

Youkilis takes a turn at DH

April 13

Boston Globe

"When Red Sox manager Terry Francona posted his lineup for last night's game against the Rays, Kevin Youkilis was the designated hitter. "I don't think I've ever DHed,'' said Youkilis, who hit out of the cleanup spot. Francona gave David Ortiz the night off (although he pinch hit in the ninth) and went with Youkilis at DH to load the lineup with righthanded bats against lefthander David Price, against whom Ortiz is 2 for 12 for his career."

Heart of order still beat

April 10

Boston Herald

"The middle of the Red Sox batting order again lacked any firepower in yesterday's 9-4 loss to the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. And the team's free fall will be tough to stop unless its Nos. 3-4-5 hitters do better. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez, third baseman Kevin Youkilis and designated hitter David Ortiz went a combined 1-for-13 with a single, two walks and three strikeouts against the Yanks. Each expressed confidence that the team will recover from its 1-7 start. "Dire, I don't think it's dire .?.?. so we have a chance with a 150-something games to make up ground," said Youkilis, who's hitting .125. "These two teams have good offenses, and they are going to put together long games"

Kevin Youkilis turns corner

March 23

Boston Herald

"A year ago, any discussion of the Red Sox involved the use of advanced defensive metrics, little-known statistics like "ultimate zone rating" and "range factor." Flash forward to this year, and defense has hardly been talked about. That's just fine with third baseman Kevin Youkilis. "All that UZR stuff, if all those equations worked we'd all be going into the offseason studying equations and not going to the gym," Youkilis said yesterday. "All those equations are (garbage). All the stats, at the end of the year, yeah, you can make it all look good. But it's about wins and losses." To Youkilis, winning starts with strong pitching and defense. And his degree of success in moving back to"

Feeling no pain: Pedroia, Youkilis in good shape after their '10 seasons ended early

February 26

Boston Globe

"Dustin Pedroia said again yesterday that the broken navicular bone in his left foot has fully healed and there is no need to restrict his playing time in spring training. But Pedroia also insisted he was ready to play last August and limped through two games before giving into the pain and undergoing season-ending surgery. He is one of the players whose default setting is to say he feels great even when that isn't necessarily the case. The Red Sox appreciate that quality in their second baseman. But as they prepare for the season, the coaching staff trusts their eyes more than their ears. Infield coach Tim Bogar is one of those charged with watching Pedroia, and through seven full-squad"

On HR power points, Kevin Youkilis touches 'em all

February 25

Boston Herald

"In 2008, Kevin Youkilis hit 29 home runs. The next year, he hit 27 home runs. And last year, until his season was derailed by injuries, Youkilis seemed headed for his first season with 30-plus home runs. As it was, he ended up with 19 home runs in just 362 at-bats. But one thing about Youkilis has not changed: He still does not consider himself a home run hitter."

Tranquility base for Youkilis

February 16

Boston Globe

"Kevin Youkilis won a Gold Glove playing first base and twice made the All-Star team at that position. Only three Red Sox — Mo Vaughn, Jimmie Foxx, and George Scott — have hit more home runs while playing the position. But it's not where Youkilis wanted to be. He was a third baseman at the University of Cincinnati and played the position for five seasons in the minor leagues. Youkilis made the switch to first base when the Red Sox traded for third baseman Mike Lowell prior to the 2006 season because it made the most sense for the team at the time. Now Youkilis is back where he feels be belongs, shifting across the diamond to accommodate the arrival of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez."

Kevin Youkilis thinks Gold at 3rd

February 16

Boston Herald

"Having already won a Gold Glove as a first baseman, Kevin Youkilis isn't dismissing the possibility he could win one this year in his new role as the Red Sox' third baseman. "It would be cool if I could play just as well at third base and try to win a Gold Glove," said Youkilis, who will move across the diamond this season to make room for newly acquired first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. "There are a lot of great third basemen out there," he said. "But I'm not worried about the accolades and all that. I'm just worried about making the routine plays and trying to make a couple of great plays here and there and get our pitchers out of some jams." Though he was a third baseman when he arrived in"

Potential Rockies trade for Michael Young from Rangers not in the works, yet

February 5

Denver Post

"The Texas Rangers find themselves in a tough spot. All-star infielder Michael Young, arguably the most accomplished player in team history, has no role. Texas is expected to explore trading Young, but as of today had not reached out to the Colorado Rockies, according to a major league source. Colorado has no urgency in this situation, and will gladly sit back and see if the Rangers want to revisit the December talks between the clubs. ESPN's Buster Olney reported earlier today that Texas was again trying to move Young."

Red Sox' Kevin Youkilis flips switch

February 2

Boston Herald

"Like many players, Kevin Youkilis always heard that being able to field more than one position would hasten his path to the majors. So, during four seasons in the minor leagues, he played his natural third base and occasionally moved across the infield to first. Turns out, such versatility proved as valuable to the Red Sox as it did to Youkilis. If not for Youkilis' ability to transition smoothly back to third base after establishing himself as an All-Star at first, general manager Theo Epstein likely wouldn't have been able to trade for slugger Adrian Gonzalez two months ago. But Youkilis' comfort at both positions — and his willingness to move — were as central to the deal as the Red"

It's a nice position to be in

December 8

Boston Globe

"Kevin Youkilis won a Gold Glove playing first base in 2007 and has become one of the best players in baseball at that position. But in his heart, he has always been a third baseman. So the news that the Red Sox acquired Adrian Gonzalez to play first base was welcomed. "This is definitely a cool thing for me,'' said Youkilis. "I'm ready to play third base. I've wanted to play third base for a while."

Kevin Youkilis could switch corners

November 13

Boston Herald

columnist Michael Silverman

"They do not prefer the scenario to play out, but if the Red Sox [team stats] cannot re-sign free agent Adrian Beltre, they are prepared to move first baseman Kevin Youkilis [stats] to third base, general manager Theo Epstein said yesterday. "It's something we've had dialogue with him about over the years, including recently, and he sees himself as a third baseman even though he's played more first base than third base in his major league career," Epstein said during a conference call yesterday. "He's maintained a lot of the skills that are required to play the position. "He's got really good instincts over there, more than anything. He's played that position more by instinct than by pure"

Surgery will finish Kevin Youkilis' season

August 6

Boston Herald

"Just because the Red Sox knew the news was coming didn't make the latest dose of misery any easier to swallow. All-Star first baseman Kevin Youkilis will undergo thumb surgery this morning in Cleveland and miss the rest of the season, the latest casualty of the team's unprecedented injury epidemic. "It's a major hit," said designated hitter David Ortiz. "Things just got worse around here, huh?" Dr. Thomas Graham, a noted Cleveland specialist, will operate on Youkilis. He examined Youkilis yesterday and concurred with the initial diagnosis of team physician Dr. Thomas Gill that surgery would be the best option."