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Kevin Youkilis on trade possibilities: ‘I’m a paid employee here’ 06.23.12 at 4:10 pm ET
By Alex Speier
Kevin Youkilis has hit .219 since his return from the DL. (AP)

Kevin Youkilis addressed his uncertain situation with the Red Sox on Saturday . (AP)

For the first time in his career, Red Sox corner infielder Kevin Youkilis is out of the lineup for a third straight game while healthy, the result of his struggles this year and the outstanding performance by rookie Will Middlebrooks. Youkilis discussed his playing situation, denied that manager Bobby Valentine had ever discussed it with him before telling the media that he would be “[riding] the hot hand” with Middlebrooks and addressed the rumors of a possible trade after 11 years in the Red Sox organization, including nine in the major leagues.

Here is a transcript of his remarks.

On trade rumors:

I have no thoughts on anything. I haven’t been told anything. Until I’m told anything, I can’t really respond.

On being out of lineup for three straight days while healthy:

You want to play. I definitely want to play. You want to play the game, you want to enjoy it and have fun. I don’t know my situation. I never was told what’s going on here. Let’s put that straight.

Was there a conversation with Bobby Valentine?

There was no conversation. And I’ll leave it at that. I don’t want to start up anything. There was no conversation, that was it. It has been addressed.

What does that mean?

Other things, with the speculation of this and that, it’s been addressed that I’m not playing today. Other than that, basically there was no conversation about it. I’m just coming in here, getting my work done, if I need to pinch hit and play the game, I’ll come in and play.

Who addresses it? You? Agent Joe Bick?

I’ll leave it at what was said.

What has it been like to sort out where you might be going?

It’s definitely different. You’ve just got to go day to day. It’s definitely unknown waters, but all you can do is come to the field, do your work, try to improve with going in the cage or going on the field and taking groundballs. … I did some extra work today, trying to do whatever I can to keep fresh.

How would you describe your time with the Red Sox?

You definitely had all the ups and downs. I probably could describe it to you 10 years down the road better. When you’re in it, you can’t really describe the stuff you’re in. Somebody is going to have to remind me … You’ve seen it all. To be continued, shall we say.

When taking batting practice, do you think, ‘This could be it?’

No. I’m just trying to work on things, hit, stay fresh, get my work in. That’s my whole mindset coming to the field.

Are you getting closer offensively?

I don’t know. I went 2-for-3 my last time. But if you don’t play, I don’t know how much closer you can get. If you don’t hit, don’t play, you can’t put up many stats. I raked in the cage, if you want to know that. I was hitting missiles all over the plate, but you don’t get credit for that.

Is winning the World Series your highlight here?

Is this a goodbye thing? I’m just sitting here at my locker. I haven’t been told anything. Let’s talk about today. … I’m still here. I’m not dead.

Do you feel like your swing is where you want it?

I was hitting the ball good. In Chicago, too, I was hitting the ball good and had nothing to show for it. I’m definitely going in the right move. I’ve just got to keep working at it, keep grinding away.

What is the best-case scenario given how Will Middlebrooks has been playing?

I’m a paid employee here. They make the decisions with that. When you’re a paid employee and the boss tells you to do something, you do it. Until they tell me something, I’m here to play with the Red Sox.

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  • Toneinmonterey

    Love the Guy but gets hurt to easy. Goes out does his job but plays 3/4 of season.

  • Ezeeliph

    I’m extremly sad to hear the questions asked of Kevin Youkalis. So Sad

  • AndyP

    I agree. There are some real vultures in the Boston press.

  • Frustrated

    I’m in my early forties, and grew up watching the Red Sox. The curse was always in the back of our minds. Sox teams seldom seemed to have a shot to go all the way, but we rooted for them anyway. We appreciated their victories, we applauded their effort. We knew it was a hard game designed to be competitive. We were fans.

    I was very happy when Boston won the World Series. When they did it again, I was amazed. But now I feel like a significant portion of the media and fan base is spoiled. We expect to be champions every few years; anything else, and we start whining about John Henry having other investments, or superstars being overpaid (when that’s just how the market has valued them), etc. This Sox team is full of great stories – Cherington’s low-risk/high-reward acquisitions are doing amazingly well – but all we seem able to do is complain.

    I’m with Youk and Ortiz. Enough is enough.  To see Youk – who has been a patient, intelligent and exciting player, an All Star and an essential part of two World Series teams, who sacrificed his health to switch to third to make space for Gonzalez – run out of town with so little gratitude or respect makes me want to boycott Boston sports media.

    Give the guy a break, will you? He just got married, he might have to move to a random city, and no one seems to care, or have any faith in him. If he’s traded, I hope he makes us regret it.

  • Buddy

    I hate to say this about Youk, but he is one of the cancers on this team and if Pedroia doesn’t like seeing You go then he can join him on the trading block.  These players need to realize that they do not run the team and anyone is expendable to bring morale back into focus.  I can remember when I could expect something from Pedroia.  Now I look past him and Gonzalez and hope Ortiz through Aviles can get some runs.

  • Bruinslastfan

    thank you for everything youk…this a business and I get that.  I appreciate all ya did for the sox and will still be a fan no matter where ya end up.

  • AcieEarl

     I am absolutely with you.  I don’t expect to win it every year.  I hope that we are capable of at least being in the conversation with the better/best teams in the game each year.  You can’t just throw boatloads of cash out there and hope it works out.  Fans of Boston teams have become spoiled. 

    We are lucky to have a sports climate like we do in New England.  Winners all around.  What would the city/region be like if we were the Boston (Kansas City) Royals or the Boston (Pittsburgh) Pirates, or Boston (Columbus) Blue Jackets, or Boston (Sacramento) Kings, etc… We’d just go to the ballpark once a year and eat a hot dog and wish we had a team that paid players well, signed free agents, contended more often than not. 

    Fans need to realize we have it pretty good in Boston and can’t win it EVERY year…

  • Wayne

    the guy makes around 10mil/yr. he hasn’t played well or been healthy for years. What is there to feel sorry about ????? I just got finished working 50 hour week for chump change and I’m suppose to feel sorry for this guy ? NOT !  and I’m a huge sports fan. If you’re not the best player at the position right now ? step aside with some grace please.

  • Applevie

    Frustrated and Acie Earl, you are my kind of RS fans. I am in my 50s and hold dear all the years of hoping and believing. I remember going to RS games in college with my sister and being in that crowd, all of us yelling and cheering for the team until we were hoarse and then going back to the dorm and Yankees fans laughing at us saying — what are you cheering them for? Don’t you know they’re out of the race? Like winning it ALL is all that it’s about. That wasn’t what it was about for us RS fans. We LOVED our players.

    As you said, it was like a miracle the year they won. But now the fans have become less appreciative of the players and more demanding. I’d give anything to go back to the old RS days and truly feel sorry for those who do not know the exhilaration of just being a true fan. And there is plenty to love about our team this year and these great players. 

    Bring back the love for the home team. That is what baseball is all about. 

  • AL34

    Maybe if he produced for 13 million dollars this whole issue would be moot. the bottom line is that he has not, there has been a dramatic decrease in his production, he is not helping the team, and he is becoming a distraction about it.
    The thing that makes me laugh is these teams want you to pay him to play for another team, which is rediculous. You want us to pay him then you cough up a major prospect for the 7 million dollars he is owed. Taking notes Yung Ben?

  • Robert

    At least Youk is being professional about it,even though his comments seem to have some bitternesss.

  • Me

    Youk, please, shut up. It’s time to go – be graceful about it.

  • Chrisdaver

    it’s a business. He’s a paid employee that isn’t having the production he once was. Maybe time to move on.

  • Js Spam

    AB is great. I had to take back my initial impressions of him last year. He proved me wrong. He figured it out quickly.. and now much to my surprise he is looking better and better at running the point. He seems like a very quick learner.

  • mike

     BS. He didn’t answer the question because it was asked in a moronic manner and was not worthy of answering.

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