Behind the Youkilis-Ramírez fight..

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Multiple Red Sox players confirmed yesterday that Thursday night's dugout altercation between Manny Ramírez and Kevin Youkilis resulted from Ramírez objecting to what he believed was excessive - and chronic - complaining about the strike zone by Youkilis in the dugout, as well as the first baseman's penchant for throwing equipment after at-bats.

Both Ramírez and Youkilis downplayed the incident.

"That was a misunderstanding," Ramírez said. "Even in the best family, you fight and stuff like that. But it's done, it's over with. We've got everything straightened out."

"The whole thing was basically a misunderstanding of words and stuff like that," Youkilis said. "To me, it's no big deal."

Before the fifth inning Thursday - and after the Red Sox-Rays punching session - Ramírez was caught on NESN cameras slapping Youkilis. The pair were also exchanging words, and had to be separated by teammates, coaches, and training staff. Youkilis headed out to the field still barking at Ramírez, while Ramírez was escorted into the tunnel leading to the clubhouse by bench coach Brad Mills and trainer Paul Lessard.

According to three sources, Ramírez had told Youkilis to "cut that [expletive] out." That was what provoked Youkilis and started the problem.

Neither player was in the clubhouse after Thursday's game.
The two hadn't spoken as of yesterday afternoon, though Youkilis indicated that was because Ramírez was getting treatment on the sore hamstring that had caused him to leave Thursday's game early.

"We'll talk, definitely," Youkilis said. "We've got 99 games left. It's a long season."

While sources had indicated that part of the problem was Youkilis's tossing of equipment in the dugout, the first baseman said, "I think it was a misunderstanding more than anything. I don't think it was because I threw something."

Youkilis did say, unequivocally, that the altercation had nothing to do with Ramírez's tardiness in getting involved in the second-inning brawl with the Rays, which occurred after James Shields hit Coco Crisp with a pitch. That fight led to suspensions for eight players. This one led to little more than other players downplaying both the issue and questions about team chemistry.

Ramírez did not want to speak about the reasons behind the altercation. He seemed to want to put it behind him, saying, "I think that's nobody's business. What happened happened, and we're going to move on. Like I said, don't worry about it. What happened happened. It's a new day. It's over."

The left fielder was out of the lineup last night, nursing a pulled hamstring. He said he didn't think it would cost him more than one game, though it did scare him at the moment.

Multiple players, as well as manager Terry Francona, emphasized that disagreements aren't unusual for a baseball team. With 25 players together constantly, there are bound to be issues. Often, though, the problems are tucked away in the clubhouse, out of sight of cameras. Those fights - or arguments - aren't broadcast for everyone to see.


"[The media] have been around me long enough to know how I usually answer things," Francona said. "Even if I don't say something, you can see some concern. We'd have closed the clubhouse. We had a lot of emotions going last night. Lots of things happen with teams that aren't seen, which certainly makes my job easier. When something like that happens, I'm not going to say we promote it, [but] it's not the end of the world.

"I think you can tell by how I'm answering, it just happened. Move on. Sometimes you're actually better off for it. Again, I don't know that we want to do that every day in the dugout, but I think you understand my point."

"That's the way it happens," Curt Schilling said. "That's always the way it happens on good teams. Bad teams let that stuff simmer and come up in September and October in crunch time when the games are big and that stuff boils over. We play with October intensity 162 days a year, mainly because of the fan base here and the expectations. So we play nightly like that. So when that stuff happens, it comes out immediately."
Does it happen more often that most people know?

"Times ten," Schilling said. "Nine out of those 10 times, you guys don't see it and it's none of your business and it happens without you knowing it. But it's a healthy thing. It's intensity. It's the way great teams function."
But this one was caught on camera. This one was immediately on display. It couldn't quite be held under wraps. Asked if normally he would try to solve problems of that nature out of the public eye, Youkilis said that was what he tried to do in most cases. And even though that didn't happen Thursday, he said there wouldn't be any ramifications, other than the footage being replayed over and over.

"There have been times this year, I've talked to guys, stuff like that," Youkilis said. "That's basically it. This stuff happens. This will not be the first time or the last time. You move on, try to win some ballgames. To me, it's not a big deal."
dingbat_story_end_icon.gif


Boston Globe.com
 

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GOOD STUFF WILHEIM NOW LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION WILLY BOY MAYBE YOU CAN ANSWER THIS.

THE BOYS AT THE IRISH SOCIAL CLUB GOT INTO A HEATED ARGUMENT WHEN SOMEBODY CALLED KEVIN YOUKILIS A JEW THE OTHER NIGHT I KNOW YOU HAVE THE INSIDE GOSSIP WILHEIM IS KEVIN YOUKILIS REALLY JEWISH.

YOUKILIS DOESNT SOUND LIKE A JEWISH NAME IT SOUNDS MORE GREEK TO ME.

IS KEVIN YOUKILIS A JEW I WILL STILL ROOT FOR HIM EVEN IF HE IS I JUST WONT ROOT AS HARD.:ohno:
 

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Youk is of Greek heritage but is also Jewish.

Here a little trivia for you and the boys to discuss at the Social Club some night.

On August 8, 2005, while playing for the Red Sox, Kevin Youkilis took the field in the 9th inning along with Adam Stern and Gabe Kapler, setting a "record" for the most Jewish players on the field at one time in American League history, and the most in Major League Baseball history since four Jewish players took the field for the New York Giants in a game in 1941.


All of his base hits have no religious preference I am told.



wil.
 

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WILHEIM THAT WOULD MAKE A REALLY TOUGH TRIVIA QUESTION

NAME THE 4 JEWS WHO STARTED A GAME FOR THE GIANTS IN 1941?

THEN ASK WHY WERENT THESE JEWS FIGHTING FOR THERE COUNTRY IN WORLD WAR11

HERE IS MY GUESS. (GOLDSTEIN,RABINOWITZ,WEINSTEIN,AND KEN WETZNER) JUST A WILD GUESS
 

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In you're case this is probably trivia also.

The United States entered WWII on December 7th. 1941, Pearl Harbor Day. The 1941 baseball season was long over with.



wil..
 

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Youkalis is not Greek but Romanian.

Yes, he is indeed Jewish, and I believe the 1941 Jewish Giants were Gordan, Danning, Feldman and Arnovich.
 

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Youkilis is american for being punked and bitchslapped in the dugout
:103631605
 

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billhill999

Many fans think Youkilis is Greek because of a nickname he picked up in the early part of his career. The truth of the matter is he an American, also is a member of the Jewish faith. Youk could quite possibly have Romanian blood in his ancestry (according to an article in The Boston Globe in 2006 he does). However the point is relatively moot given the fact that Youkilis is what most would describe as an All American boy and now man. Youk was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio.

From Wikipedia:

[SIZE=+2]Kevin Youkilis[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Kevin E. Youkilis [/SIZE](Greek God of Walks)
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 1", Weight 220 lb.
School University of Cincinnati
</TD><TD vAlign=top>Debut May 15, 2004

Born March 15, 1979 in Cincinnati, OH


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Other examples are players like Carl Yaztremski, his ancestral heritage is Polish but he is 100% American as far as his life style goes. He was born in New Jersey and lives there to this day.

Yogi Berra is of Italian heritage but is a true blue 100% American and ballplayer (now retired). He was born in St. Louis, Mo.

The list is endless.


On the other hand, take a player like Daisuke Matsuzaka (Dice K). He is 100% Japanese but happens to make a living as a pitcher for an American baseball team. He most likely will always be Japanese and never be considered anything but.


wil..
 

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Wil:
That's what I meant, he is of Romanian decent, but is indeed an American, his nickname is the Greek God of Walks, but the point I was trying to make is he has Romanian blood, not Greek blood.
 

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All good things come to an end eventually.

Kevin Youkilis, who moved from third to first in the eighth inning against Seattle on Saturday, muffed a throw from second baseman Alex Cora in the ninth inning, his first error in 238 games at first base. His streak is a big-league record. The Red Sox won anyway 11-3.




wil.:nopityA:
 

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These things can happen. Youk needs to tone it down. Enough is enough of his tantrums when the team is up 6 runs in the 8th. He will learn.
 

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Kevin Youkilis broke his homerun drought tonight - a two run shot off Baltimore's Dennis Sarfate during a 9-2 Red Sox win. Mike Lowell had the big hit of the night a grand slam in the 5th off Jeremy Guthrie.

JD Drew continued his hot hitting by slugging his 10th round tripper of the year a two run shot in the 8th off Jamie Walker. Speaking again of Drew now taking over for Big Papi in the third spot.

JD has hit safely in his last 11 games - a period that dovetails with David Ortiz being sidelined with an injured left wrist - batting .500 (18 for 36), with 6 home runs, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 15 runs, and 15 RBIs.

He has raised his average to a team-high .324, and his 10 home runs are just one fewer than he hit in 2007, his first season with the Sox.

So much for that deal for Drew being a monster bust.


wil..
 

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Kevin Youkilis broke his homerun drought tonight - a two run shot off Baltimore's Dennis Sarfate during a 9-2 Red Sox win. Mike Lowell had the big hit of the night a grand slam in the 5th off Jeremy Guthrie.

JD Drew continued his hot hitting by slugging his 10th round tripper of the year a two run shot in the 8th off Jamie Walker. Speaking again of Drew now taking over for Big Papi in the third spot.

JD has hit safely in his last 11 games - a period that dovetails with David Ortiz being sidelined with an injured left wrist - batting .500 (18 for 36), with 6 home runs, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 15 runs, and 15 RBIs.

He has raised his average to a team-high .324, and his 10 home runs are just one fewer than he hit in 2007, his first season with the Sox.

So much for that deal for Drew being a monster bust.


wil..

Drew may be playing himself right on to the ALL STAR team as a reserve.........Francona will be hard pressed to leave him off at this pace. Not only is JD hitting, he is playing an awesome defensive rightfield. Mike Lowell is having one helluva year also and may also be up for consideration, but his missing a month of the season may cost him any shot.

Currently the Bosox have five starters slated for the All Star game in Yankee Staduim..........YOUK, PED, MANNY, TEK, and PAPI.
 

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Drew may be playing himself right on to the ALL STAR team as a reserve.........Francona will be hard pressed to leave him off at this pace. Not only is JD hitting, he is playing an awesome defensive rightfield. Mike Lowell is having one helluva year also and may also be up for consideration, but his missing a month of the season may cost him any shot.

Currently the Bosox have five starters slated for the All Star game in Yankee Staduim..........YOUK, PED, MANNY, TEK, and PAPI.

Four hits, as well as four RBI's for JD Drew this evening.
 

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JD Drew missed hitting for the cycle tonight by a triple. Drew hit a 3 run homer in the 1st inning tonight and the Red Sox never looked back. Drew's .319 (or so) batting average is in the top five in the AL.



wil.
 

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Amazing in baseball how much things change from once year to the next. If you do not have good depth, you are in trouble.

Okajima been mediocre at best this year.
Ortiz injured and terrible start.
Schilling has not piched a game.
Beckett not on pace like last year.

Ellsbury was not here last year but is starting.
Masterson has been a life saver in his starts.
Drew is hitting like a damn good power hitter when last year he sucked.
Dice k has pitched better but is injured for awhile.

And much more too. Things change in baseball and because the Sox have a good system and depth, they have hung in there....
 

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Currently the Bosox have five starters slated for the All Star game in Yankee Staduim..........YOUK, PED, MANNY, TEK, and PAPI.
How Jason Varitek is leading the catchers in voting is beyond me.
He's hitting .240 with pedestrian power numbers at best.
 

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