Are Kevin Youkilis' Back Issues 'Back'?

Kevin Youkilis

The scratching of Kevin Youkilis from yesterday's loss to the Blue Jays (back stiffness) may be nothing more than a passing tweak. Then again, you're looking at a guy who hasn't played 140 games in a season since the Bush Administration. Moreover, when division foes like Adam Jones recognize that Youk's absence was the single most important reason for The Collapse, you gotta be a little worried.
If Youkilis cannot be a consistent 'pain in the you-know-what' to opposing pitchers, we are exposed in the middle of our line-up—just as we were in Black September. His grueling at-bats and astounding on-base capabilities are often overlooked. We need a healthy Youkilis to have a shot at post-season glory. So, it should not be perceived as "panic" when we see that he can't even get through a full Spring Training—even after being treated by the fine medical minds of the Red Sox (Larry Fine, that is).