California dreamin'

ANAHEIM -- Manny Ramirez, who couldn't stay off the radio back in Boston, was waiting for reporters when the clubhouse doors opened this afternoon. Well, actually, he was napping, although no one drifted close enough to the couch upon which he was stretched out to tell if he was really snoozing or just listening to his headphones.

Anyway, after reaching an upright position Manny told a couple of notebook-toting inquisitors he had nothing more to say about the Hoohah-of-the-Day, which in this case was a radio report claiming Manny had been fined six figures by the Sox after pushing traveling secretary Jack McCormick to the floor in a Houston clubhouse three weeks ago. That report proved to be in error; my sources pegged the fine at $10K to $15K, and closer to the lower end, and that everybody -- team, player, agent, union -- signed off without a grievance being filed by the union. And the fine was indeed earmarked for charity.

Anyway, Manny will be in his familiar cleanup spot and playing left field, which is where he was for the last four games before the All-Star Game and where he was in Yankee Stadium Tuesday night in the Bronx.

Jonathan Papelbon, BTW, said he is "totally over" the treatment he received from New York fans because of a trumped-up controversy over whether he was more deserving than Mo Rivera to close the A-S game. Neither pitcher did in the end, the game going 15 innings, but Paps said Rivera knew where he was coming from. Paps did say that when the fans were chanting Rivera's name and calling the Sox reliever overrated, they were so loud that the mound vibrated.

Terry Francona said he and Bud Selig had a conversation yesterday about the A-S game, and possible ways to ensure that teams wouldn't run out of pitchers. He also said he called the Orioles to tell them how much respect he had for closer George Sherrill taking the ball for 2 1/3 innings in the A-S Game.

Tito was in his car Thursday night when he got a call from David Ortiz, Big Papi weighing in to tell Francona he'd just popped up in his first AB of his rehab assignment in Pawtucket. Ortiz didn't call when he hit his HR.

Anyway, on with the lineups:

Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
J.D. Drew, RF
Manny Ramirez, LF
Mike Lowell, 3B
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Sean Casey, DH
Jason Varitek, C
Alex Cora, SS

SP -- Clay Buchholz

Angels
Chone Figgins, 3B
Casey Kotchman, 1B
Maicer Izturis, SS
Vladamir Guerrero, RF
Torii Hunter, CF
Garret Anderson, DH
Juan Rivera, LF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Jeff Mathis, C

SP -- John Lackey