Youkilis: 'A lot of people hate'

Talking to MLB.com prior to the Red Sox' [1] series-opening game against the Blue Jays, Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis said he is unfazed by the recent rumors suggesting he may be traded.

"You could get traded at any time," Youkilis said. "You're not better than the game. If you were better than the game, you would never be able to be traded. It's part of the business."

Youkilis appeared upset regarding the reaction of some toward him this season, while also going out of his way to praise the Red Sox fans.

"You can't worry about it. A lot of people hate and said some things around here. What are you going to do?" Youkilis said. "People have been hating here for a long time. And it's not fans. It's other people that hate all the time. What are you going to do? One day you're great, the next day they want to rip on you.

"Bottom line is, there's a lot of things that people say and do. The great thing is there's great fans and a lot of people that appreciate me," he added. "Some people just say things here and there that you don't agree with or you don't like. The great thing is you can go out and play the game and you don't have to listen to anything. That's the whole thing. I appreciate the fans in Boston and what they've done for me. I've never been mad at them."

Youkilis, who is the last year of his contract (although the club has a $13 million option for 2013), said his back has felt good since coming off the 15-day disabled list. The infielder has hit .322 with an OPS of .903 to go with two home runs in nine games since coming off the DL.

"It's been fine. It's been good," Youkilis said. "It was good for a while. We took a cautious route with it. I've been good for a while. I don't worry about it too much, just go out and play. It's been pretty easy to deal with."

Earlier Friday, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington shot down a rumor suggesting the Sox were actively trying to trade Youkilis.

"That's inaccurate," Cherington wrote in an email to WEEI.com. "Some teams have checked in, and anytime a team calls it's our job to listen. He's been swinging the bat well since his return and is a big part of our lineup and team."

For more Red Sox news, go to the team page at weei.com/redsox [2].