TAMPA, Fla. -- Kevin Youkilis has two messages for New York Yankees fans: He'll always be a Boston Red Sox, and he'll never be Alex Rodriguez.

A newly clean-shaven Youkilis made his first appearance in Yankees camp on Thursday, going straight from a red-eye flight from his home in San Jose, California to the batting cage at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

After batting practice, Youkilis made a sweep through the Yankees' clubhouse, where he greeted a few of his new teammates -- but not Joba Chamberlain -- and had a brief chat with manager Joe Girardi.

But although Youkilis, who signed a one-year, $12 million contract in December, said he looks forward to "an enjoyable season" in New York, his heart still belongs to rival Boston, where he spent his first 8½ seasons in the majors.

"I'll always be a Red Sock," Youkilis said. "To negate all the years I played for the Boston Red Sox, and all the tradition, you look at all the stuff I have piled up at my house and to say I'd just throw it out the window, it's not true.

"Those were great years in Boston. One bad half year doesn't take away from all the great years I had there."

Read more HERE.