The Red Sox lineup is posted for tonight, and Manny Ramirez is still not in it.

Boston manager Terry Francona said that is not a surprise: "He came out (Thursday) and hit the ball well. But he's not ready to play ... He hits the ball off the wall and everyone thinks he should be playing."

Francona said even though Ramirez can hit them out in batting practice, his strained oblique muscle is still tender. "Maybe by the beginning of the week," he said of a return.

Here's the lineup:

Julio Lugo, ss
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Lowell, 3B
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
J.D. Drew, RF
Jason Varitek, C
Bobby Kielty, LF
Coco Crisp, CF

Daisuke Matsuzaka, P

Too bad for Boston that Ramirez cannot play. He has a .431 average against Andy Pettitte.

When a New York writer asked Francona if Ramirez could pinch-hit, Francona joked. "You can tell Joe (Torre) yes."

Also, Jacoby Ellsbury is not in the lineup. He missed Wednesday with a sore wrist. Francona thought Ellsbury was doing better. But Bobby Kielty has hit lefthanders well (.318), so why rush Ellsbury?

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