JUPITER, Fla. -- Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis came walking through the front door of the visitor’s clubhouse Friday morning at Roger Dean Stadium and he was not a happy camper.

“What a great morning,” he said sarcastically.

The Red Sox had just arrived here after a three-hour bus ride from Fort Myers only to find out moments later that their game against the St. Louis Cardinals had been rained out. It will be made up as part of a split-squad game on March 22.

Before the Sox departed the east coast of Florida for their trek back across the state, pitchers and position players were able to get their work done in the cages. Friday’s scheduled starter, Clay Buchholz, has been pushed back and will start against the Pirates on Saturday at City of Palms Park.

It was a frustrating day for the Red Sox, especially for the players and team personnel who didn’t spend the night here after the club’s game against the Mets on Thursday, which is just up the road in Port St. Lucie.

“Well, what are you going to do?” Francona said. “Youk called me [from Fort Myers] at 7:30 and I was dying to tell him ‘don’t go,’ but on the odd chance that we play, he’ll get his first choice of sandwiches. There are worse things . . . and nobody is doing it on purpose. If I were the Cardinals, and I had a sellout, I would want to play the game, too. I don’t blame them. What are you going to do?”

After the matinee game against the Pirates on Saturday, the Red Sox will hold a 5 ½-inning intersquad game that Michael Bowden will start. Daniel Bard and Hideki Okajima will also throw an inning in that ‘B’ game.

Other brief notes from Francona this morning:

* Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is still working his way back from a back strain that has delayed his spring, will throw live bating practice at 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning on the back field at City of Palms Park. If that goes well, Francona believes the right-hander will be able to pitch in a "B" game on Wednesday against Red Sox minor leaguers.

* Third baseman Mike Lowell is still on target to play on Monday against the Twins. Francona said he’s planning on spending time with the veteran third baseman on Saturday in order to map out a schedule for Lowell, who is coming off offseason surgery, moving forward.

* Catcher Jason Varitek, who missed several days of camp to attend to a family matter involving his ailing father, asked Francona to put him in Saturday's lineup. The manager thought it best to hold the captain back just one more day so “he can get his legs back under him.”

“I know he’s chomping at the bit, I just think it doesn’t make any sense to rush him and set him backwards,” Francona said.