Pregame notes

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- First pitch is in roughly two hours. What did everyone think of that Manny Ramirez home run? Pretty cheap, huh? (For those not watching LA-Philly, Ramirez hit a three-run line drive into the first row in left to make it 8-5 Phils in the fourth.) As Bob Ryan, sitting next to me in the Tropicana Field press box, pointed out, that's a single at Fenway. "And he may have gotten thrown out at first."

While that game plows along, here are a few nuggets from the manager's office:

• As expected, Terry Francona filled the void created by Mike Lowell's absence by moving Kevin Youkilis to third and playing Mark Kotsay at first. The move was predicated on Kotsay's outstanding defense.

  "If he had played more first base in his career, you would hear people talking what a good first baseman he is," Francona said. "I really think he's a very good defensive player, even though he hasn't played a lot. The teams that we're playing, I think defense is at a premium. And again, you may see [Sean] Casey playing. We're at Game 1."

  Francona, later in the series, may also use Alex Cora in the infield rotation. Cora started Game 2 of the ALDS. Without Lowell, Francona could move Jed Lowrie from shortstop to third, Youkilis from third to first, and insert Cora at short.

  "Not sure quite where I'm at with that," Francona said. "I don't know that that is going to happen, but it certainly could."

• Expect to see more of Manny Delcarmen in this series.

  Justin Masterson played a prominent role against the Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS because the Angels featured a lineup loaded with righthanded hitters. Because the Rays have a lineup chocked with lefties, Francona was asked, does that mean Delcarmen -- who struck out 33 of the 126 lefthanders he faced this year and held them to a .190 average -- will have a more accentuated role?

  "Yes, it does," Francona said. "You're more likely to see Manny Delcarmen come into the game to pitch to lefthanders."

  Delcarmen has pitched better recently than at any point of his career. Since Aug. 19, including his 2 1/3 scoreless innings in the ALDS, Delcarmen has allowed one earned run in 25 innings.

• Josh Beckett, who threw an aggressive, extended, 67-pitch side session before his last start in order to prepare following his right oblique strain, was back on his normal preparation for his start tomorrow night.

  Beckett was asked if he his injury will allow him to be at his best for the remainder of October.

  "Yeah," Beckett said. "I'm going to be the best I can be."

• While the Red Sox are still monitoring J.D. Drew's back, Francona said the herniated disc that kept Drew out for more than month down the stretch is virtually a non-issue.