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Valentine: Youkilis not as much into the game

Print | Comments () Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff April 15, 2012 10:24 PM

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By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff

This is sure to cause some issues.

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine was on WHDH's Sports Xtra show Sunday night and said this about Kevin Youkilis:

"I don't think he's as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason. But [on Saturday] it seemed, you know, he's seeing the ball well, got those two walks, got his on-base percentage up higher than his batting average, which is always a good thing, and he'll move on from there."

Youkilis is hitting .200/.265/.233 in the eight games he has played. But the remark seems curiously timed given that he is 6 of 18 with three walks in his last five games.

Youkilis was hampered by injuries in 2010 and 2011. But when he was healthy in 2010, he posted a career-best .975 OPS.

Youkilis, who turned 33 in March, is engaged to marry Julie Brady, the sister of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.