Hamstrung in the field

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Manny Ramirez, whose only start in the field in the last four days came in the All-Star Game, when he hit a first-inning home run off Roger Clemens, was scheduled to play left field last night in the first game after the break, but complained of continued soreness in his hamstrings and was made the designated hitter.

Ramirez did not start Sunday in Boston for the same reason, entering the game late as a pinch hitter. Last night, Kevin Millar went to left field from right field, David Ortiz was installed at first base and Gabe Kapler in right field, with David McCarty, originally scheduled to start at first, sitting.

"He said it was pretty stiff," Francona said. "He didn't have much of a chance [to rest] at the All-Star Game. But he can hit, and he's enough of a hitter, as long as he can hit, it's nice to have him in the lineup.

"Even when he pinch hit Sunday, I felt like he was going to hit a home run."

Mendoza recalled
In a roster move forced by procedural rules that put an end to Ramiro Mendoza's rehabilitation assignment, the Sox recalled the reliever and optioned third baseman Kevin Youkilis to Pawtucket. Mendoza was on the team flight here, while Youkilis joined the PawSox in Indianapolis.

Mendoza has missed the last 82 games after the Sox say he was diagnosed with tendinitis in his right shoulder April 9. The 32-year-old pitcher worked just one scoreless inning for the Sox before he went on the disabled list, and worked another last night, retiring the Angels in order in the eighth.

He has made eight rehab appearances for Single A Sarasota and Triple A Pawtucket, going a combined 0-2 with a 4.26 ERA. He has impressed no one, although a small sign of progress is that he was able to work back-to-back outings for the PawSox last weekend.

But under Major League Baseball, a pitcher cannot be sent on a rehab assignment for more than 30 days.

Francona did not indicate how he planned to employ Mendoza, who becomes the 12th pitcher on the 25-man roster, other than to say not to expect him to be used late in a close game.

And don't look for Mendoza to be the extra pitcher the Sox need to work in next Thursday's doubleheader against the Orioles in Fenway Park. That will probably be someone not currently on the big league roster, Francona said.

See you soon
Don't expect Youkilis to be gone for long -- unless the Sox include him in a trade before the July 31 deadline. He can be summoned back when rosters expand Sept. 1 -- "at worst," Francona said, leaving open the possibility that Youkilis could be back sooner. Youkilis performed ably in the absence of defending batting champion Bill Mueller, hitting .287 with 3 home runs and 19 RBIs in 38 games, reaching base at least once in 32 of those games. He was named the American League's rookie of the month in May when he hit .318 with a home run and seven RBIs in 13 games . . . Francona went home to Philadelphia over the break before taking the train to Boston for the team's flight yesterday. Francona found himself sitting on Amtrak's "quiet car," which he was unaware of until a woman loudly asked him to keep his conversation down. "She was kind of nasty," he said. "I said, `It is? Then shut up.' It got real quiet after that." . . . Francona said Scott Williamson, on the DL with an impingement in his right forearm, has been cleared to begin long-tossing and will join the club today.