The man previously known for his on-base percentage and errorless play is now putting balls in the seats at a rate equal to the team's master blasters, David Ortiz and Manny Ramírez, all of whom have seven home runs. Which persona does he prefer?
"Depends on what you're trying to do," said Youkilis, who still holds the record for most career home runs at the University of Cincinnati (53 in four years, a season-best 19 in 2000). "If you're looking to get paid, you hit more home runs.
"I just play. I just try to get hits. It's not like I'm trying to hit home runs, trying to do this or that. I'm just trying to take a good swing at the ball. It's just happening."
Tigers manager Jim Leyland last night sat slumping slugger Gary Sheffield and the Tigers managed six hits, all singles, off Josh Beckett in seven innings.
Sox manager Terry Francona sat Ramírez, who on Tuesday night had become just the 13th visiting player to hit a ball over the center-field fence here, and Youkilis, batting cleanup, hit a home run. Sunday, when Francona gave his other big bopper, Ortiz, a day off, Youkilis batted third and hit a home run then, too. That one came in Fenway, which means Youkilis has five home runs in his last five games.
When Mike Lowell said earlier in the week that Youkilis might hit more home runs than he has in the past - he hit a career-best 16 last season - Francona tried to pooh-pooh the notion.
"My point is, hitters go through periods," said Francona, whose team has now won 8 of its last 10 and heads for Minnesota for four against the Twins. "And then you have guys like David and Manny, who have gone through years. I don't want Youks to say, 'I'm going to try to do this because the Red Sox want me to do this.'
"He's a good hitter. We already appreciate his approach. As he grows into a veteran, where that takes him, if he keeps this approach, we'll be happy wherever he goes."
