John Lackey is the Red Sox' highest-paid player this season. (AP)

NEW YORK — Early on in the offseason, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said on WEEI that his team would have one of the highest payrolls in baseball when the 2013 season kicked off.

He was right.

According to a report from USA Today, the Red Sox are entering the new season with the fourth-highest payroll, coming in at $150,655, 500. The only teams that have a higher price tag are the Yankees ($228,835,490), Dodgers ($216,597,577) and Phillies ($165,385,714). The Tigers reside just behind the Sox at $148,414,500.

The Red Sox’ payroll falls well short of where they stood on Opening Day 2012, when their number came in at $173,186,617, only behind teh Yankees and Phillies.

Alex Rodriguez enters ’13 with the highest salary, being paid $29 million, with Cliff Lee ($25 million) and Johan Santana ($24,644,708) directly behind him. John Lackey is the Red Sox’ highest-paid player, making $15,950,000, followed by David Ortiz ($14,500,00). The Red Sox do, however, have eight players making $9 million or better, compared to the seven they totaled a year ago.

The Astros easily won the prize for lowest payroll, totaling a number of $22,062,600.

To see the entire report, click here.

Kevin Youkilis

Kevin Youkilis might reside in New York now, but he hasn’t surrendered his loyalty to Boston.

“To negate all the years I played for the Boston Red Sox, and all the tradition, you look at all the stuff I have piled up at my house, to say I’d just throw it out the window, that’s not true,” Youkilis told the New York media after his arrival Thursday at Yankees camp in Tampa, Fla.. “I’ll always be a Red Sock.”

Added Youkilis: Guys play on different teams and that’s a part of your history; that’s a part of your life and you can’t change that. It was great years in Boston. One bad half-year doesn’t take away from all the great years I had there and all the good things I’ve been able to do along the way and accomplish as a team, as an individual. It was great.”

Youkilis, who shaved his facial hair to meet Yankees standards, was signed to fill in at third base for the recuperating Alex Rodriguez. The 33-year-old, who hit a career-low .235 last year with the Red Sox and White Sox, said he’s not expecting to replace A-Rod’s production.

“You can’t be thinking about shoes to fill, because I’ll never be Alex Rodriguez,” Youkilis said. “I mean, Alex Rodriguez is one of the best hitters of all time. I’m not going to be that same guy. But I can be a good major league player who can help the team win, and that’s all you’ve got to do.”

Youkilis greeted some of his new teammates in the clubhouse, but he did not meet face to face with former rival Joba Chamberlain, who threw a number of pitches at Youkilis’ head over the years.

“You guys have written a lot about it, and I think it’s just something you guys keep going on and on about,” Youkilis said. “But we’re here at spring training as a team and ready to play. I hope the only drama this year we create is walk-off home runs and hits.”

Added Youkilis: “At some time, we’ll all sit down and talk, but things all are going to be OK. Don’t worry.”

Curt Schilling

Curt Schilling, in a Wednesday interview on ESPN Radio, said toward the end of his tenure with the Red Sox he was encouraged to use performance-enhancing drugs by “members of the organization.”

“At the end of my career, in 2008 when I had gotten hurt, there was a conversation that I was involved in in which it was brought to my attention that this is a potential path I might want to pursue,” Schilling told Colin Cowherd.

Asked for more details, Schilling said the conversation occurred in the clubhouse and involved “former members of the organization — they’re no longer there. It was an incredibly uncomfortable conversation. Because it came up in the midst of a group of people. The other people weren’t in the conversation but they could clearly hear the conversation. And it was suggested to me that at my age and in my situation, why not? What did I have to lose? Because if I wasn’t going to get healthy, it didn’t matter. And if I did get healthy, great.

“It caught me off guard, to say the least. That was an awkward situation.”

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is in the middle of another PED controversy, this one involving a reputed HGH-peddler in Florida, and Schilling said it’s likely to spell the end of A-Rod’s career.

“I don’t think he’s going to be able to play physically this year anyway [after offseason hip surgery]. I really don’t,” Schilling said. “But I would be shocked if he [ever played again] — not shocked, I’d be surprised. I think he’s done. I think he’s done because I think everybody that has a say in him coming back wants him to be done.”

Schilling said there were always questions about Rodriguez shortly after he broke into the big leagues as a teenager.

“Given where he came from, from a college perspective, and given all the stuff that’s coming out, and it seems that Florida is a hotbed for a lot of this stuff — I know there were always questions,” Schilling said. “There were a couple of guys that were in the conversation well before this became a topic of conversation. There were a couple of guys that guys wondered early in their careers, that were in the conversation.”

Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun also was linked to the controversial Florida adviser, Anthony Bosch, but Braun has insisted that the relationship consisted of a legal consultation between Bosch and the player’s agent.

“This is getting to a point where you almost have to treat every player under the same blanket,” Schilling said. “I want to believe that Ryan Braun didn’t. I want to believe that his explanation is legit. [But] this guy [Bosch], clearly he’s not a doctor. I think they made it very clear in the article that he’s not a doctor. So why would [Braun's] agents be using him as an expert witness to testify to the T/E ratios and the possibilities of tampering with samples?”

Added Schilling: “This is one of those things that we make it a lot more complicated than it is. If you’re associating with the guy and you’re doing business with the guy, the guy’s business is HGH and performance-enhancing drugs, right? Unless there’s something else there I don’t know about. But that’s what I know he does. So, why else would you be associating with the guy?”

Schilling also made news last week, when he weighed in on the controversy regarding gay athletes. Tweeted Schilling last Friday:

I’ve never understood this ‘issue’ with gay players? Who cares? I know I played with some, their sexual orientation never had much to do with how they hit with RISP, or pitched in late and close situations, why the hell would what they do in the bedroom ever matter?

Alex Rodriguez

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will have surgery on his left hip, according to New York Post writer Joel Sherman. Rodriguez, who previously had surgery on his right hip, is expected to miss to the first two months of the 2013 season.

Rodriguez apparently was playing in the playoffs with a torn labrum. Mark Feisand of the New York Daily News tweeted that Rodriguez’ surgery will take place in January.

With Rodriguez facing rehab and shortstop Derek Jeter still on the mend from his surgery, the Yankees are likely to make a move to shore up the left side of the infield. Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports indicated that candidates include former Red Sox shortstop Marco Scutaro, who played 2012 for the Rockies before being traded to the Giants and helping them win the World Series, and Jeff Keppinger, who played for the Rays in 2012 and is on his way back from a broken right fibula.

Alex Rodriguez

FoxSports.com Ken Rosenthal reports that the Yankees may be looking for alternatives to Alex Rodriguez at third base, with free agent Jeff Keppinger on New York’s radar. Eric Chavez, who played 50 games at third for the Yanks in 2012, is a free agent.

Rosenthal points out that Cashman has insisted Rodriguez is still entrenched at third base, recently saying, “There is no discussion whatsoever about Alex transitioning from third base to DH, part-time DH, first base or any other position on the field. .. As we approach anyone in the free-agent market or anyone in trades, we’re making sure we have insurance policies, (asking) our what-ifs?”

The 37-year-old Rodriguez played 81 games at third base in ’12 and a career-high 38 games at designated hitter.

Keppinger, 32, played 41 games at third for Tampa Bay in ’12. CBSSports.com also reported the Yankees have interest in free agent infielder Stephen Drew. Rosenthal also raises free agent Marco Scutaro and Detroit shortstop Jhonny Peralta as possible New York targets.

To read the entire report, click here.

Manager Bobby Valentine said that the Red Sox do not think that surgery is inevitable for Carl Crawford. (AP)

NEW YORK — With Carl Crawford back in the lineup after sitting on Saturday against left-handed starter CC Sabathia, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine suggested that he was comfortable with the four-day plan that has been outlined for the outfielder’s usage. Valentine also said that, if his playing time is managed properly, that the injured ulnar collateral ligament in Crawford’s left elbow could improve.

“It’s a very simple thing. It bothers him and you don’t want it to get to the point where it’s intolerable. It made sense to me,” Valentine said of the idea of managing Crawford’s playing time. “And we’re hoping that it’s going to hurt less and bother him less and that’s why we have a prescribed program.”

Given that the Sox are hopeful that Crawford’s elbow will improve, Valentine suggested that Crawford’s pronouncement that he will need Tommy John surgery may not prove accurate.

“I heard what Carl said,” said Valentine. “I’ve never been told that he needs an operation. I don’t think that’s a definitive situation.”

Even so, Valentine did check in with his outfielder to make sure that the two remained on the same page after what appeared to be confusion about his usage and playing time on Saturday.

“I said, hey, if I do anything to confuse you or make you anything more than as comfortable as possible, you’ve just got to let me know. I guess when everyone came to him at his locker, he got uncomfortable,” said Valentine. “He says he’s fine.”

OTHER NOTES

• Valentine suggested that the fact that former Red Sox manager Terry Francona held court in the Red Sox clubhouse on Saturday with a number of his former players was a non-issue.”I didn’t think it was any big deal. I didn’t see it,” Valentine said. “I wasn’t there partaking in the conversation but what’s the big deal?” Read the rest of this entry »

Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez‘s injury has pushed Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to watch the market for a third baseman, the New York Post reported.

Rodriguez, who broke his hand Tuesday night after being hit by a Felix Hernandez changeup in New York’s 4-2 loss to the Mariners, is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks.

“I think price tag will be the only issue,” Cashman said. “If something makes sense, we will do it.”

MLB analyst Buster Olney said the Yankees are considering all options, including Detroit’s Chase Headley.

Headley is batting .268 with 50 RBIs and 11 home runs through 98 games this season.

“I think we will get Alex back,” Cashman said. “Nevertheless, I will go through the motions [of finding out what is available]. It will all come down to price tags. My initial thought is that we will do nothing. But a week ago I didn’t think we would get Ichiro [Suzuki] and we did that. We will see what is available and what the cost is and move from there.”

Even if the 36-year-old comes back this season, the Yankees may search the thin third-baseman market for a replacement long term. Rodriguez is hitting .276 with 44 RBIs and 15 home runs this season.