Youkilis has been cleaning up lately

Kevin Youkilis has taken advantage of Manny Ramírez's absence. Then again, it wasn't like he wasn't hitting before the trading deadline. But now that Youkilis has been a regular batting cleanup, he's producing big time.

In 15 games this season in the No. 4 hole, Youkilis is hitting .339 with three home runs, 13 RBIs, an OPS of 1.019, and 13 runs scored. Not bad protection for David Ortiz in the lineup, especially in the just-completed series against Texas, in which Youkilis went 7 for 13 (.538) with 4 doubles, 2 homers, and 7 RBIs.

"I think every year he's gathered confidence," said Red Sox batting coach Dave Magadan. "He just kind of realizes now what he can do with the bat. He's learning himself. He's strong as hell. He's always had it in him. When he's getting in those hitter's counts, he's looking to do some damage. Maybe in the past he looked for that perfect pitch, take the 3-1 pitch. Now he's getting the pitch; if he's in a hitter's count, he's looking to do some damage."

And the numbers support that. In 2006, Youkilis had 45 plate appearances in which he faced a 3-and-1 count, according to baseball-reference.com. He had five hits and 25 walks in what is considered a hitter's count. In 2007, Youkilis had 36 plate appearances in the same situation, collecting five hits and 23 walks. This year, however, Youkilis has 25 plate appearances with that count, and has 6 hits, including 3 home runs, and 8 RBIs with 13 walks.

Youkilis is walking less than he did in the past, though he's hitting far better. In July, for example, a month in which he typically slumps (.252 career batting average), Youkilis hit .300. He also had just nine walks in 105 plate appearances, after 14 walks in 89 July plate appearances in 2007, and 15 in 127 July plate appearances in 2006.

"His walks are down, but when his walks are down and he's doing what he's doing when he's swinging the bat, I don't mind that at all," Magadan said. "He's driving in runs, he's driving in big runs for us. He's a guy that, I think, all of us are very comfortable having him in there, whatever the situation is. If we need a run driven in, we like having him up there."

Sign 'em up

With yesterday marking the final day to sign draft picks from the 2008 draft, the Sox inked two big names.

Fifth-round pick Ryan Westmoreland, out of Portsmouth (R.I.) High School, got a $2 million signing bonus spread over five years, well over his slot value of $150,000 a season. The 18-year-old outfielder was also considering a scholarship to Vanderbilt.

Fourth-rounder Peter Hissey, out of Unionville High School in West Chester, Pa., got a $1 million signing bonus. The Sox signed every player they selected in the top 14 rounds of the draft, except 13th-rounder Tyler Wilson, a righthanded high school pitcher from Rome, Ga., with whom they were in negotiations last night. Alex Meyer, a highly touted righthander from Indiana, chose instead to attend the University of Kentucky. Meyer was a 20th-round pick.

Line 'em up

It might not have been a vintage Sox lineup - no Ortiz-Ramírez combination, after all - but Francona seemed pleased with the names he was able to write on the lineup card before last night's series opener against the Blue Jays was rained out. He called it "balanced," citing the presence of Jed Lowrie batting seventh and Sean Casey eighth as a good way to deal with injuries to Mike Lowell and Julio Lugo. "We've had struggles from time to time and I don't know that it's necessarily been when somebody's been out," Francona said. "I think when people have been out, we have a bench - Casey, [Alex] Cora - that we can play a lineup that we think we can win. So, I don't think there's ever been any point where there's been a discomfort or anything. I think we really believe in the guys that are playing." . . . Lowell will not be traveling with the team for next week's series in Baltimore. He will stay home for at least the first leg of the road trip to rehab his strained right oblique. "I think there's less tenderness," Francona said. Lowell will be reexamined when the team heads to Toronto next weekend, and will rejoin the team in Toronto or New York . . . Tim Wakefield will play catch today for the first time since going on the disabled list Tuesday to get him back in his routine. Once he's back in what Francona called "throwing mode," the manager and Farrell will map out a plan, setting a target date for him to return to pitching in a game . . . Jacoby Ellsbury was slated to be back in the lineup last night after not starting since Monday, when he was hit by a pitch by the White Sox' John Danks, bruising his tailbone . . . Bartolo Colon lasted just one inning for Pawtucket last night because of illness, allowing two hits. He threw just 17 pitches (nine for strikes) before being replaced by Jose Vaquedano . . . Lugo will accompany the team on its upcoming trip because he is able to participate in baseball activities as he recovers from a left quadriceps tear . . . The Sox took their team picture yesterday, getting it in before the rain started. Ortiz was one of the last players to head out to the field, joking to reporters that, "I'm trying to be like Pedro." Pedro Martínez, of course, wasn't exactly known for being front and center in team photos.

Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com.