Following up on the last blog ... Terry Francona said he hopes Julio Lugo will be ready to play tomorrow.

"He really wanted to play today," Francona said. "We're going to keep him out one more day. Let him go through the whole day (of pregame drills and BP), except for playing and then we'll play him tomorrow, if everything is okay and he's doing well."

Francona said he was not concerned that the flight to Japan would affect Lugo's back. The concern is only that Lugo is not rusty: "We're trying to gage his readiness to play."

As regards to center fielder Coco Crisp and his groin injury, it appears that Crisp is not going to Japan ... "We're trying to let him do every amount of activity he feels he can do," Francona said. "We told him 'when you're ready to do baseball activities, we're ready to give you baseball activities.'

"You have to go on how a guys says he feels, and he's still feeling it."

Asked if its a reach to think of Crisp going to Japan, Francona said, "It certainly is looking more and more that way."

Another outfielder, Bobby Kielty, has also been slowed by a calf injury. With Crisp and Kielty hurting, it looks like Brandon Moss will be the fourth outfielder when the Sox go to Japan.

Francona did not officially rule out pitcher Josh Beckett for the Japan trip. But it's easy to do the math. The teams leasves for six days, and Beckett and his back are not close.

"He had a good day yesterday," Francona said. "Was on the treadmill, doing some walking. He's getting there. We told him when you think you're there (ready to pitch), we'll probably back you up a couple of days."

I'll check back soon.

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