| 18 February 2010
Last offseason we convinced Kevin Youkilis to answer some questions from the readers and he was kind enough to do so again this year... even though he was already working hard in Fort Myers.
There will be a number of new faces in Boston for the 2010 season. Can you give us your thoughts on the new additions to the team?
John Lackey: A top-flight starter and tough competitor. Glad to have him on our side. Has to be a plus.
Mike Cameron: Great defensive OF with good pop that should play well at Fenway.
Marco Scutaro: A gritty, hard-noser, and strong defensive SS. Will fit in well on our team.
Adrian Beltre: One of the top, all-around 3B in the game.
Mike Hall: A proven starter with speed. Should be a real asset off our bench.
The Red Sox have made a number of moves to become a better “run prevention” team, but some fans are still worried about a dip in production. Who do you think will step up in 2010 to replace the production lost with the departure of Jason Bay?
I think we'll all have to step up, and it will result in a very solid offensive club. I'm really not worried about our offense. We have a number of maturing hitters who are going to keep getting better.
The Yankees will probably score 900+ runs again in 2010… Do you feel this current Red Sox squad can compete for the AL East title, despite all that fire power in New York?
I think we've proven we can compete, and will compete, with anyone, and, we've added some proven guys. The object is to win the World Series, and I'm confident we'll be in the thick of the issue.
Many fans are still hoping the Red Sox will try and trade for Adrian Gonzalez in the near future. As the starting first baseman, how do you feel about A-Gon coming to Boston?
I don't really think Gonzalez is a current consideration with other things we've done, but I'll let Theo and the other guys upstairs worry about those things. They'll figure out what's best.
We polled our readers and they feel that trading both Clay Buchholz AND Jacoby Ellsbury would be too high a price for Adrian Gonzalez. Do you agree?
Again, not my territory. All three guys are outstanding players, but nothing has happened, so let's go play with what we've got and see how it works out.
Having played with Josh Beckett and Jon Lester and solid career numbers against John Lackey (5 for 17, .294 BA, 2 HR, 4 RBI)… if you had to guess, who do you think will be the “ace” of the staff in 2010?
The great thing is that all three guys will want to be the ace, and that kind of thing will make all of them even better.
Last season you logged 293 at-bats as the clean-up hitter and most of us expect you to hit in that spot for all of 2010. In the past, you’ve hit all over the lineup… do you take a different approach as a cleanup hitter, knowing that the team counts on you for run production?
Not really, no. I just always try to have good at bats, and make each one as productive as I can.
Last season you told us you tried to be more aggressive in certain situations and it resulted in your most productive season as a pro. But in 2009, you walked more and swung less that you did in 2008. Did opposing pitchers attack you differently in 2009 or was that an adjustment you made on your own?
I try to keep a consistent approach, and adjust to what I need to do in individual game situations. It's the same approach, but just try to get better at it every day.
Statistics show that pitchers did throw you more curveballs and change-ups and less fastballs in 2009 than they ever have before. Did you notice that over the course of the season? Can you talk about how you adjust to seeing more offspeed pitches?
I honestly didn't notice. And I'm always going to be looking for a fastball, and adjust to anything else.
Can you tell us about your hands at the top of your swing. Does the loose, right hand sliding down the handle keep your hands and wrist more relaxed and quicker or is it a trigger mechanism?
It's top secret. Let's leave it at that!
Last season, you missed some time due to back spasms. With Victor Martinez expected to share time at first base, do you find it helpful to get the occasional day off to stay fresh or would you prefer to play every day?
I'm not going to break Cal Ripken's record, so if a day off for any of us at a given point in time is best for the team in the long run, then I'm fine with it.
For all the aspiring pro athletes out there, can you give as example of a drill or exercise that you feel has helped you become a Gold Glove infielder?
There's no one thing, but I think the secret to staying quick and strong is good core strength. So the hips, stomach and back get a lot of work.
Who, in the Red Sox organization, would you say has been the most influential person in your career?
Terry Francona has been great to me. He's taught me a lot about playing the game right, handling individual game situations, a lot of stuff. He's been a great mentor, and I'm very thankful for his influence.
Lastly, you know we have some beard-related questions for you… Jake wants to know if you ever used your beard to smuggle food into a movie.
Stop it! Ha!
And Lisa really loved the Youk Man Chu mustache from your profile photo last season. She wants to know if there’s any chance of the Youk Man Chu making a comeback in 2010?
To be determined!
We'd like to thank Youk for taking the time to check in with us.
We'd also like you all to check out the outstanding Youk's Hits For Kids organization at www.youkskids.org.
Kevin Youkilis' Hits for Kids is a charitable organization founded by Boston Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis, dedicated to rallying local and corporate support for charities and organizations focused on the health and wellbeing of children. Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids teams up with existing community-based children's charities and medical research programs in New England and in Kevin's home town of Cincinnati, to help them raise money and awareness.
Click HERE to donate or volunteer.
Thank for reading guys!
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
