Kevin Youkilis deals with the boos (or Youuuuks)

TAMPA, Fla. -- Kevin Youkilis wasn't sure if it was a smattering of boos or a play off his last name.

And he said he isn't concerned about it.

"I look at it as, if it's Youk, it's Youk; if people are booing, they're booing," he said after going 0-for-1 with a walk in his return to the lineup after missing three days with a sore left oblique. "If you're a Yankee fan and you want to boo me, that's your prerogative. If you don't want to win a World Series and root for guys that play on your team, that's what you have to do, I guess. But they all sound like Youk, or whatever."

Youkilis, mostly smiling as he spoke, also committed an error Friday. That drew some murmurs from the crowd, which he didn't notice. But he did hear one vocal fan after a called third strike in the third.

"I struck out looking and a guy's yelling at me; he's just angry at life," Youkilis said, smiling again. "That's the bottom line. That guy was really angry. I actually don't remember what he said, but you just have to laugh it off. It's all good. People are going to be people and you can't change them. But it was only one. It's better than 40,000."

Jumping-off point

General manager Brian Cashman is scheduled to participate in a parachute jump with the U.S. Army Golden Knights on Monday at the Homestead Air Reserve Base outside of Miami. Cashman is jumping to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project, which aides injured servicemen and women.

"I'm big-time nervous," Cashman said. "This is a great opportunity to raise awareness."

Extra bases

It was a good day for some of the Yankees' young outfielders as Ronnier Mustelier and Melky Mesa homered . . . Hiroki Kuroda, making his exhibition debut, allowed four runs -- one earned -- and three hits in 12/3 innings . . . Mariano Rivera, who threw his first simulated game of spring training Thursday, said he will throw another Sunday . . . Phil Hughes (back) might throw a flat-ground session Sunday.