Kevin Youkilis is confused. He's always considered himself a hard worker. He's needed to be a hard worker. He wasn't blessed with the physical tools of some other baseball players, and he busts his butt to make up for it.
If anything, Youkilis has been criticized for caring too much in the past. For working too hard.
Then Bobby Valentine goes and says this? This morningbefore the Red Sox' Patriots Day matinee against the Rays, Youkilis said he was "confused" when he heard Valentine questioned his commitment.
"Everyone here knows I go out and play with emotion," Youkilis said this morning at Fenway Park. "The only time there has ever been a question is because I've been too emotional.''
That emotion has perhaps rubbed some of his teammates the wrong way from time to time over the years. He's never really been the most popular guy in the clubhouse, but Dustin Pedroia says Youkilis' teammates are all behind him in this instance.
I really dont know what Bobby is trying to do, Pedroia said. Thats not the way we go about our stuff around here. Hell figure that out. The whole team is behind Youk. We have each others backs here.
A reporter asked if Valentine's techniques -- namely, calling out one of your best players in public in the middle of a winning streak -- might be motivational.
"Maybe in Japan," Pedroia said.
Youkilis is out of the starting lineup for today's game. Nick Punto will start at third base.