Youkilis in Boston dealing with a 'personal matter'
Kevin Youkilis is not with the Red Sox in Texas because of a “personal matter at home,” manager Terry Francona said in his office today. Youkilis did not play Tuesday or Wednesday with a sore back. Youkilis's absence will not be prolonged. “He’ll be in tomorrow,” Francona said.
There was doubt if Youkilis would play anyway because of his back. Had the personal matter not arose, Francona was asked, would Youkilis have played tonight?
“I think so,” he said. “Yeah, I think so.”
Youkilis came in for treatment yesterday, the Red Sox offday, but didn't travel with the team.
“His back is good,” Francona said. “When I say it’s good, it’s a lot better.”
As for some players who are with the Red Sox (and newly available), Sean Casey and Mike Lowell both spoke with reporters in the clubhouse before the game. Unsurprisingly, both were enthusiastic after a few weeks of watching their team in a playoff race. “Stir-crazy,” Casey describes himself. “Bored,” Lowell said.
Some comments from each:
“I feel great. I feel 100 percent. Oh, man. I was going stir-crazy. Especially when days, you’d wake up the next day and be fine, and then you’re not. Then you’d wake up and be, ‘I’m fine.’ But you’re not. This is what it’s all about. You’re playing the whole year to be in this spot in September. Being in this situation, in a pennant race down the stretch, we play Tampa Bay so many times. It’s a lot of fun. I’m excited just to be a part of it.”
“No, I don't want to do that because I think I'll be only trying to chase numbers that aren't attainable. I think it's foolish, anyway, because we're playing good. We're in a good position. I feel like if I can just play good baseball these last few weeks hopefully we're in the playoffs, we can get hot and see if we can do something special again. You've got to be realistic. What am I going to try to do, hit 10 home runs in 20 games? I'm going to end up hitting zero if I try that. I would try to definitely shy away from that.”
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Meet the Globe's Red Sox team (left to right): Nick Cafardo, Amalie
Benjamin, Adam Kilgore and Tony Massarotti
