Valentine criticizes Youkilis, then apologizes

BOSTON—Kevin Youkilis' teammates came to his defense Monday after Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine questioned his commitment to the game and then apologized to his third baseman.

During an interview aired Sunday night on WHDH-TV, Valentine said he didn't think Youkilis was "as physically or emotionally into the game."

That drew a sharp response from Dustin Pedroia before Monday's 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

"I know he plays as hard as anybody I've ever seen in my life. I have his back and his teammates have his back," the second baseman said.

After the game, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez also supported his teammate.

"All you can do is tell Youk we love him. All it says is we have each others' backs," he said. "We're pulling for each other on the field and in the clubhouse. We've got a strong bond."

On Monday morning, Valentine said he apologized when Youkilis came into his office and asked for an explanation.

"I don't know if he accepted my apology," Valentine said. "It was sincere."

Jasper's thoughts:  "It's not good to have all of these bad feeling in the club house."