But surely, someone said to Kevin Youkilis after yesterday afternoon's 7-2 beating at the hands of the Oakland Athletics, who swept the Sox just as decisively as the Seattle Mariners did over the weekend, their fans will understand just how crippled this team has become. The casualties increased by one yesterday when center fielder Coco Crisp was a late scratch from the lineup because of a strained left shoulder still smarting from his diving catch the night before, leaving Francona with just one position player on the bench (catcher Javy Lopez) and a lineup with just four position players who were in Sox uniforms when the season began.
Youkilis sounded anything but sure.
``Are you dealing with rational people?" said the infielder by trade, the left fielder again by necessity. ``I don't know, they're Red Sox fans. If they want to boo, what are you going to do?
``People boo players when they come into a game trying to win a game. Some people will, some people won't. It depends on the radio, and what they're saying. Even our parking lot attendants listen to the radio."
Neither fans nor players will be eager to hear the summation of a trip in which the Sox, already down their captain, Jason Varitek, and key contributors Trot Nixon, Alex Gonzalez, and Tim Wakefield, lost David Ortiz, Manny Ramírez, Wily Mo Peña, rookie pitcher Jon Lester, and yesterday Crisp, who is scheduled to be examined by doctors in Boston today.
``I went out there to swing and it felt a little funky," said Crisp, who said it wasn't until the day after he robbed Jay Payton of a hit Tuesday night that his left shoulder began to hurt.
``It's sore to the touch, but it's more during movement. I won't be able to wash the right side of my back.
``But I don't think it will be anything more than day-to-day."
