Youkilis responds to Valentine's statements

Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis responded this morning to criticism from manager Bobby Valentine on WHDH's Sports Xtra show Sunday night. "I was confused by those remarks," said Youkilis. "Everyone knows I play the game hard."
Like the team, Youkilis got off to a poor start this season, but he seemed to have turned a corner in Boston's last three games at Fenway Park. Despite the team's three-game win streak, Valentine publicly called out his cleanup hitter.

Bobby Valentine has a history of calling out his players. Some may even call it, "Throwing them under the bus." But when your de-facto captain, Dustin Pedroia, comes out and takes an open stance against you as the manager - then you need to re-think your ways.

Pedroia was quoted as,

"I don't know what Bobby's trying to do, but that's not the way we do things here," said Pedroia. "Maybe that stuff works in Japan."

Somewhere Curt Schilling is smiling in between firing split-fingered jelly-filled munchkins in to his mouth, because he's starting to look right. There weren't any grumblings by the players openly like this before. But that was before Valentine was calling his guys out to the the press, so it's completely understandable for Youkilis to be confused. Obviously, I would expect nothing less than for Pedroia to come to the defense of his teammate.

The Red Sox are starting to find a groove, and it would sure be a shame if they lost track of the goal by trying to reenact "Mutiny on the Bounty". Figure it out, Bobby. Your a long way from Japan. And as for Youk? Well they say girls weaken the knees. Maybe he should ask advice from his new brother in-law on how to balance married life and a career as a professional athlete.