Friday Red Sox Lineup: Mike Aviles Returns

Mike Aviles is back in the lineup Friday night, batting ninth in a lineup tailored to hit lefty Brian Duensing.

It's the usual story for the Red Sox against a southpaw like Duensing, with Carl Crawford moving down in the order to seventh and Kelly Shoppach playing for Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Never fear, Lavarnway fans who want to see the young catcher hitting against a lefty--he'll be DHing and batting fifth behind Adrian Gonzalez.

Carl Crawford moving down to seventh allows Dustin Pedroia to finally return to the second spot in the order, with Cody Ross taking over at third, but it's interesting that this is the game that sees the second baseman move. In past games against lefties, Pedro Ciriaco would bat second behind Jacoby Ellsbury, but now the man who Ciriaco replaced, Mike Aviles, comes in at the end of the lineup.

I wonder what that says about Bobby Valentine's relative confidence in our shortstop options.