Switch a bit of a changeup for Matsuzaka

After Red Sox manager Terry Francona said yesterday afternoon that Wednesday's starter was TBA (to be announced) - ordinarily, it would be Daisuke Matsuzaka's day - the Japanese righthander informed Japanese reporters he had been told he would be pitching Saturday.

That would do two things: It gives Matsuzaka, who pitched last Friday, three extra days of rest, and it lines up the rotation for the postseason, putting Matsuzaka in position to pitch the second game of the division series, behind Josh Beckett. Privately, Matsuzaka has been told that is the plan, but yesterday he diplomatically parried that suggestion.

"If so, I am pleased to start [Game 2] because of the special stage," Matsuzaka said. "Since spring training, I am competing with other starting pitchers who are on a high level, so I would be proud of myself. I will do my best. I would feel [something was] missing if the season was over earlier."

Francona offered no clue who might go Wednesday. Neither Julian Tavarez nor rookie Clay Buchholz said they had been told anything.

"At some point we need to maneuver our staff as we go forward," Francona said. "We may want to do it then."

Drew a bit hotter

Just when fans and pundits alike were openly campaigning for Francona to make plans to use wonderboy Jacoby Ellsbury in right field in October instead of the slump-ridden J.D. Drew, the veteran has shown some life.

Before going 0 for 4 last night, Drew had hit safely in seven straight games, batting .500 (11 for 22). He also has walked eight times over that seven-game span, giving him an on-base percentage of .633, and had shown some pop with three doubles (one a bad-hop ground ball) and a home run. In the first two games of the Yankee series, he went 3 for 8, after going 1 for his last 32 vs. the Bombers.

And for those who complain Drew shows no emotion, he threw his bat and helmet after striking out with runners on second and third Friday night.

"I think he's been pretty good," Francona said of Drew's recent surge. "As soon as I say that, watch, he'll line out three times. But his at-bats have been pretty good. I don't think we're wrong to say that when he swings the bat, our lineup looks a lot different. He's a lefthanded bat who can do so many things well - he can run the bases, take a walk - when he's on his game, we look like a different lineup.

"If his numbers at the end of the season are down from what they've been but he is hot the last month of the season and the playoffs, that would be terrific."

Ellsbury, meanwhile, is having one of the great September call-ups in club history. The 24-year-old rookie, who just celebrated his birthday last Tuesday, was leading off and playing left field in the absence of Manny Ramírez, who last night missed his 18th game since straining his left oblique Aug. 28.

Ellsbury had hit safely in all 13 games since his call-up before going 0 for 4 last night. He is batting .392 (20 for 51) with 3 doubles, a triple, 3 home runs, 13 RBIs, 12 runs, and 5 stolen bases.

"The short term, for what Jacoby has given us, is huge," Francona said of the rookie outfielder.

Youkilis sits

Kevin Youkilis, still "very sore" after being hit in the right wrist by a pitch from Chien-Ming Wang Saturday, was not in the starting lineup last night, but Francona expressed hope he might be back for tonight's game in Toronto. Eric Hinske started in Youkilis's place and batted seventh.

"Youk was really sore in the inside part of his wrist," Francona said. "We'll see how he progresses. He's a pretty tough kid. Maybe it's just today. That would be great."

Youkilis, his wrist badly discolored, said after the game it would take a "miracle" for him to play tonight. "Let's get the pain and swelling down, and then we'll see."

Francona also expressed uncertainty about the availability of catcher Doug Mirabelli (hamstring) for tonight's game, in which knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is scheduled to pitch. "He's politicking for it," Francona said, "but I don't know if he's ready."

Cracked Mirabelli: "I don't politick, I just tell him how I feel, and I feel I can go."

Hello again

New York Daily News baseball columnist Bill Madden discovered a cellphone in the back seat of the cab taking him from his hotel to the ballpark yesterday. When he informed the driver of his discovery, the cabbie excitedly told him that it belonged to a ballplayer. No, the driver said, he didn't know the name, "but it's a long name, begins with a P." Madden said since he was going to Fenway, he'd take the cellphone with him and return it to its owner. Meanwhile, another reporter, Joe McDonald of the Providence Journal, was in the Sox clubhouse when Jonathan Papelbon frantically began pawing through his bag in search of his cellphone. It was McDonald who suggested Papelbon call his number to see if anyone answered. Papelbon marched over to teammate Eric Gagné, dialed the number, and Madden answered, "Is this Jon?" The phone was returned to the owner, who last month also left his phone in a cab, on the day the Sox traded for Gagné.

A real tough guy

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who was on the receiving end of a ferocious lick delivered by Hinske in the sixth inning Saturday, was back in the starting lineup, but as the DH. Jose Molina caught, his first time behind the dish with Clemens. Posada was given a CT scan at Massachusetts General Hospital after Saturday's game; it came back negative . . . Wakefield left for Toronto early. With the team not likely to arrive in Ontario until 3-ish this morning, Wakefield flew in ahead of his start, which is against his normal preference to stay with the club when he can . . . Actress Cameron Diaz called for tickets last night but was a no-show, according to a club official . . . The Sox put the Patriots' game on the left-field scoreboard, under "AMERICAN LEAGUE." It read SD on top, NE below, and had the numbers of the starting quarterbacks, 17 for Charger Philip Rivers and 12 for Tom Brady.

Gordon Edes can be reached at edes@globe.com.