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Kevin Youkilis was a prospect who could draw walks when he came to the Sea Dogs in 2003. Now he is a Gold Glove first baseman in Boston.

SOX-ANGELS

Game 1: Red Sox (Lester 16-6) at Angels (Lackey 12-5), 10:07 p.m. Wednesday

Game 2: Red Sox (Matsuzaka 18-3) at Angels (Santana 16-7), 9:37 p.m. Friday

Game 3: Angels (Saunders 17-7) at Red Sox (Beckett 12-10)

Game 4: Angels at Red Sox, Monday (if necessary)

Game 5: Red Sox at Angels, Wednesday, Oct. 8 (if necessary)

TELEVISION: All games on TBS

BOSTON — He arrived in Portland, underestimated, in 2003.

But who could have known back then?

Kevin Youkilis, superstar?

Back in 2003, there were questions whether Youkilis could succeed even in Triple-A. Sure, he had a great eye at the plate and drew walks. But how far would that get him against better pitching?

Plus, his fielding was suspect and he didn't seem to possess the other so-called "tools" that scouts look for.

Even when Youkilis reached the major leagues in 2004, filling in for the injured Bill Mueller, Red Sox Manager Terry Francona spoke of him in cautious tones.

"He does not swing at many pitches off the plate. He's very good at that," Francona said in May of 2004.

"Defensively, he's OK. ... He hasn't been blessed with a quick first step, but that doesn't mean he can't be a good player. ... He's still a work in progress. Realistically, he's supposed to still be in Triple-A."

Two years later, in 2006, when he became a starter for Boston, the only question about Youkilis concerned his approach at the plate. Would he keep hitting for average, or start showing some power?

"I remember being asked that two years ago," Francona said last week. "He's actually done both. "He's turned himself into one of the elite players in the game. Gold Glove caliber first baseman. A guy who can play third. Good base runner. Hits for power. Drives in runs. He's done everything.

"Been tremendous."

Youkilis, 29, finished the season with a team-leading 29 home runs, which is his combined total of homers from the past two years.

"I'm just doing the same thing, going out and hitting," Youkilis said. "I guess my power just developed a little bit. It took a little more time."

Youkilis also leads the team in RBI (115), fourth in the American League. His average of .312 ranks second on the team and sixth in the league.

And Youkilis remains an on-base guy. He leads Boston with a .390 on-base percentage.

When the Red Sox dumped disgruntled Manny Ramirez on the Dodgers, Boston lost its feared power hitter who batted fourth and protected David Ortiz.

Youkilis stepped into the cleanup spot. And while no one can match Ramirez's fiery numbers in August and September (.400, 14 doubles, 17 home runs, 53 RBI), Youkilis has held his own (.319, 17 doubles, 11 home runs, 45 RBI).

Opponents may fear Ramirez, but they have to respect Youkilis. Last Tuesday against Cleveland, the score was tied 4-4 in the fifth inning with a runner on second base and two outs. Youkilis, who had homered the inning before, was intentionally walked. (Jason Bay followed with an RBI single).

Batting cleanup can put extra pressure on a player. Youkilis said he doesn't think about it.

"I don't try to hit home runs," he said. "I think I'm just maturing."

Yes, Youkilis has changed. Back in 2003, he hit only six home runs in 94 games for the Sea Dogs.

"He wasn't a power guy when I played with and against him in the minor leagues," said Red Sox utility first baseman Jeff Bailey, a former Sea Dogs player and veteran of the Eastern League. "But 29 home runs is pretty impressive. He's gotten better every year. He's going to be a superstar-quality guy."

Ron Johnson, who managed Youkilis at both Portland (2003) and Pawtucket (2005), did not see the power in Youkilis until '05.

"He had just been sent down from the big leagues," Johnson recalled. "He hit a ball in Syracuse that he just crushed. It jumped off his bat and went way out of the ballpark. I thought, 'This guy has more pop than I thought.'"

One way that Youkilis has improved is in conditioning. He has spent the last six offseasons at Athletes Performance Institute in Tempe, Ariz. It shows in his strength and agility.

That may explain how Youkilis went from a guy not "blessed with a quick first step" to a Gold Glove winner at first, and a reliable third baseman...