BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Manny Ramirez might need another week of rehabilitation for a hamstring injury that has left him out of the Cleveland Indians' lineup for more than a month.

	Ramirez

"I think I need some more time," the All-Star outfielder told The Buffalo News before the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons were rained out against Rochester on Sunday.

Ramirez said his pulled left hamstring is about 70 percent healthy.

"I don't want to rush. ... I don't know," he said. "A week? It all depends. My leg is going to tell me when I'm ready."

Smiling, he said, "I like it over here. ... Maybe I'll just stay here."

Ramirez, elected to Tuesday's All-Star Game, left Sunday to attend the festivities in Atlanta but will not play.

Out of the Indians' lineup since May 30, Ramirez has been on rehab assignment with the Bisons since last Thursday. In four games, all as a designated hitter, Ramirez has gone 4-for-9 with three homers, five RBI, scored four runs and walked four times.

This is Ramirez's second rehab stint. His first one was cut short when he aggravated the injury in his first game with Double-A Akron on June 17.

While Ramirez hasn't lost his swing, he has been hobbling around the bases. It's unlikely he'll be called up to Cleveland until he tests his leg in the outfield.

"With a hamstring, when you practice, you can do it," he said. "But when you get into the game, you have to be able to react with thinking about it. I just gotta be patient and have fun."

Bisons hitting coach Mario Diaz said Ramirez is ready to hit, but "he is scared to push (his leg) more than anything."

Ramirez becomes a free agent after the season, leaving his future with the Indians in doubt. His teammates in Cleveland have gone public wondering about the extent of Ramirez's injury.

"I know after this year, whatever happens is going to happen for my convenience," Ramirez said. "I'm not even going to worry about that."

Cleveland, which has gone 23-21 and fallen 10½ games out of first place without Ramirez, is in need of the slugger who was hitting .322 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI in 47 games before suffering the injury.

Last week, Indians general manager John Hart said: "Manny's killing us not being in the lineup. It puts pressure on everybody else."

Also last week, Ramirez's agent Jeff Moorad said he has had no new negotiations with Hart and isn't expecting the team to make a contract offer before the July 31 trading deadline.

"John has made it clear that so long as the team is in contention he's not going to disrupt the chemistry of the club," Moorad said. "July 31 isn't much of a deadline at all."

He said Ramirez wants to stay in Cleveland.

Moorad, who negotiated Shawn Green's $84 million deal with the Dodgers, said he knows the Indians can't afford to make Ramirez the highest-paid player in the game.

"We understand the team can only pay Manny what it can pay him, and still meet the payroll for the rest of the team," Moorad said. "I think it's fair to say Manny will be the highest-paid player on the Indians or whomever he plays with."