Youkilis makes another jump -- Series roster

He opened the season as a Red Sox prospect -- nothing more, nothing less, except for his celebrated distinction as "The Greek God of Walks" in the bestseller "Moneyball." So imagine how far Kevin Youkilis has come, from picking up some tips from the big leaguers in spring training to playing third base for Triple A Pawtucket to, well, the grandest stage in baseball.

The Sox added Youkilis yesterday to their World Series roster and dropped Ramiro Mendoza, effectively ending their relationship with the reliever who will become a free agent after the Fall Classic, though he remained with the team for the Series.

Youkilis will give manager Terry Francona another option if he needs to double-switch under National League rules in St. Louis or deploy an additional pinch hitter.

"It's been an unbelievable ride," Youkilis said. "It's a great first year, a year you probably can't top. Hopefully, it ends like a Cinderella story."

Francona indicated Mendoza became expendable when Bronson Arroyo returned to the pen and Derek Lowe became available as a reliever for the first two games of the series.

"The thinking was that with Derek being available and Bronson in the bullpen the whole time, we could take advantage of having the extra position player, especially when we go to the National League city," Francona said. "We can play a little bit more National League-style baseball."

The Sox also decided against keeping Mendoza because they were more confident Curt Schilling would be able to pitch deep into his start tonight since the quick-fix medical procedure he underwent before his final start in the American League Championship Series worked.

"Even though it may not be nine innings, it should be enough where we don't get in a spot," Francona said.

As for reports that Mendoza told the Sox he was not available in Game 3 of the ALCS and may have been hurt during the series, Francona dismissed them.

"That has a tendency of happening here, these legends," he said.

Youkilis, the team's eighth-round draft pick in 2001 out of the University of Cincinnati, won rookie of the month honors in May after the Sox called him up to fill in for the injured Bill Mueller. He later served as Mueller's backup and made the roster for the Division Series against the Angels, in which he appeared in one game and went 0 for 2.

"It's a great experience," Youkilis said, "but to get a chance to put on the spikes and play on the field, I'm just proud to be part of something so great."

Francona said the Sox opted for Youkilis over David McCarty because they already have sufficient depth at first base with David Ortiz, Kevin Millar, and Doug Mientkiewicz. The Sox made no other changes to the roster they used for the ALCS.

Team player
Millar took in stride losing his starting job at first base in St. Louis to Ortiz because NL rules ban the designated hitter.

"I know this is making our team better," Millar said. "If I didn't think this was making our team better, I'd be in [Francona's] office, like I was in Detroit. We're talking about David Ortiz. If they were going to put Ramiro Mendoza at first, I'd be in the office."

What's more, Millar believes the Sox may benefit more than the Cardinals from the different rules in each league. The Cardinals need to tap bench players to help adjust to using the DH in Boston, as they did last night by using So Taguchi in left field and Reggie Sanders as the DH.

"This team won't be affected as much as other American League teams might be because Ortiz can play first base," Millar said.

Millar can play first base, right field, or left field in a double-switch or after pinch hitting.

"Obviously, our team is better [with the DH]," he said, "but we won't skip a beat."

Smart answer
Asked for his impressions of Theo Epstein, Francona spoke highly of the GM, though he said he did not consider it his job to evaluate his boss. He did say, "I think our philosophies are really a lot similar. The one big difference is our SAT scores." Epstein went to Yale and Francona went to Arizona, where he suggested his batting average was higher than his grade point average . . . The Sox indicated they had little choice but to trade Tony Womack to the Cardinals in spring training. Womack, who has excelled for St. Louis, was returning from Tommy John surgery last year and the Sox were wary of rushing him, fearing he would suffer a setback. "We thought he was going to put himself in danger to play," Francona said. "We thought he would have been a heck of a utility guy, but in fairness to him we allowed him to go somewhere where they would give him opportunities and he made the most of it. He was exciting, that's why we had him in camp, but we were just not comfortable that he was ready to play.". . . The Sox were thrilled the Cardinals left Steve Kline off their roster since he has been particularly tough against lefthanders . . . Francona said the crush of ticket requests has been "ungodly." He also said he suddenly has received an avalanche of advice from long-lost friends . . . Though the Sox bid farewell for the season to Byung Hyun Kim, who remains under contract for next year, and Pedro Astacio, who will become a free agent, Lenny DiNardo and Adam Hyzdu will work out with the team during the Series and participated in the pregame introductions, though they are not on the active roster . . . Former Red Sox Jose Santiago, who pitched in three games against the Cardinals in the '67 Series, was on hand broadcasting to his native Puerto Rico . . . The Sox and Cardinals combined for 20 runs in the highest-scoring opening game in World Series history, topping the 18 the Yankees (12) and Cubs (6) scored Sept. 28, 1932 . . . Boston's 11 runs matched the most the Sox have scored in a World Series game, when Boston defeated Pittsburgh, 11-2, Oct. 7, 1903 . . . Mark Bellhorn has homered in each of Boston's last three postseason games. He scored three runs, the most by a Sox player in a World Series game . . . The Cardinals used six pitchers and the Sox used five, tying a World Series record for two teams in a nine-inning game. . . . Johnny Pesky received a rousing ovation during the pregame introductions, as did senior pitching adviser Tony Cloninger . . . Carl Yastrzemski strode in from left field and tossed a ceremonial first pitch. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler sang the national anthem and the Dropkick Murphys performed their remake of the rally song, "Tessie" . . . The Sox held a moment of silence for Victoria Snelgrove, 21, who died during a ruckus on Lansdowne Street when she was shot by police with a pepper-spray pellet.