I thought it was rather innocuous," Valentine added. I don't know why the swing is not where it wants to be and he's not banging as many helmets. "I don't know what the reason is because I haven't been here long enough. I should have answered that his swing is not where he wants it to be, his swing is frustrating, it affects the emotion." "I think that was the question I answered. "I think the question was 'It's not Youk-like the way he's playing,'" Valentine said in his pregame news conference. On Monday, Valentine said his answer to the question on WHDH was misinterpreted, and that his answer should have been more specific to Youkilis' swing. Youkilis' agent, Joe Bick, responding to Valentine's comments Sunday, said: "I will not dignify his quotes by responding to something that is so far off base on so many different levels." "But it seemed, you know, he's seeing the ball well, got those two walks, got his on-base percentage up higher than his batting average, which is always a good thing, and he'll move on from there." "I don't think he's as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason,'' Valentine said Sunday. Valentine said he would use Youkilis as a pinch hitter if needed, but that didn't happen.Įarlier Monday, Youkilis told reporters he was "surprised" and "confused" by Valentine's comments, which were made Sunday before Boston's win over the Rays and aired Sunday on WHDH-TV's "SportsXTra." Youkilis was not in Monday's starting lineup, replaced at third by Nick Punto, and did not enter the game. Valentine said he thought Youkilis had visited his office wanting to talk about his sore groin muscle, but instead brought up the comments. "The last thing in the world I would want him to think is that this was anything but an answer to a question that seemed like the question was jabbing at him. Valentine, speaking before Boston's Patriots Day game against Tampa Bay - a 1-0 Rays win - said Youkilis approached him Monday morning. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserīOSTON - Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said he has apologized to third baseman Kevin Youkilis for comments he made Sunday, in which he questioned Youkilis' physical and emotional commitment.
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