TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees catcher Jorge Posada was scratched from the starting lineup for today's game against Minnesota because of minor soreness and weakness in his surgically repaired right shoulder.

Posada was the scheduled to be the designated hitter before being dropped from the lineup about an hour before gametime.

"I'm not concerned at all," said Posada, who had shoulder surgery July 30. "I wanted to play to tell you the truth. I don't feel it hitting."

The catcher felt some soreness when he held the bat over his head while in the on-deck circle during Thursday's game against Toronto. He also played in Friday's contest with Minnesota.

Posada has not yet played behind the plate this spring, but both Posada and Yankees manager Joe Girardi still feel that he will be able to catch for the first time on the original target date of March 15.

He is not expected to resume his throwing program for a couple days.

"When he woke up this morning he had a little soreness," Girardi said. "Jorgie wanted to play. I said, 'You're not playing. It's too early in the process.' We want to get that little irriation out of there before he resumes his normal activities."

Posada was examined by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad.

"It's the first bump he's hit," Girardi said. "Dr. Ahmad said that's very, very unusual to go with the pace he's went and never had a problem."

In other news, reliever Edwar Ramirez resumed playing catch after not throwing the previous five days because of bursitis in his right shoulder.