Player News

<table class="tableBody" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="tableBody" bgcolor="#f2f2e8"><td valign="top"><nobr>Jason Varitek, Bos C</nobr>
<nobr>News Archive
</nobr><nobr>Boston Red Sox</nobr>
</td><td valign="top">Varitek will start at catcher Wednesday night.
Spin:
Victor Martinez will get the night off before catching Tim Wakefield on Thursday. Varitek has seven homers in 70 plate appearances this season.



Wed, Jun 2



</td><td valign="top"> </td></tr><tr class="tableBody" bgcolor="#f8f8f2"><td valign="top"><nobr>Derrek Lee, ChC 1B</nobr>
<nobr>News Archive
</nobr><nobr>Chicago Cubs</nobr>
Day-To-Day</td><td valign="top">Lee has been scratched from Wednesday's lineup with a tight hamstring, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Spin:
Jeff Baker will start in right field, while Xavier Nady moves in to play first base for the second straight game. Lee is considered day-to-day at this time.



Wed, Jun 2



</td><td valign="top"> </td></tr></tbody></table>

Xavier Nady, ChC OF
News Archive
Chicago Cubs

Nady is starting in right field against the Pirates on Wednesday, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.
Spin:
He played well in a spot start for Derrek Lee at first base on Tuesday, which could be an avenue for Nady to have an expanded role if the Cubs decide to deal Lee at some point this season. For now, he'll have to settle for spot duty.

Scott Hairston, SD OF
News Archive
San Diego Padres

Hairston (hamstring) has been activated from the DL and is in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets, the Padres' official site reports.
Spin:
He'll bat sixth and play center field while Luis Durango has been optioned to Triple-A Portland to clear space for Hairston on the Padres' active roster.

Mike Cameron, Bos OF
News Archive
Boston Red Sox
Day-To-Day
Wednesday's examination found no new tear in Cameron's abdominal region, the Boston Herald reports.
Spin:
Cameron won't play Wednesday and will probably sit out Thursday's game as well, but he could return for Boston's weekend series against the Orioles. This is obviously good news, since an abdominal tear could have kept him out for a significant amount of time.
[Breaking News]
Wed, Jun 2

Carlos Pena, TB 1B
News Archive
Tampa Bay Rays

Pena is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays, the Tampa Tribune reports.
Spin:
Toronto's Shaun Marcum is a right-hander who actually pitches better against lefties, so manager Joe Maddon adjusted his lineup to add more right-handed hitters.
[Breaking News]
Wed, Jun 2

John Jaso, TB C
News Archive
Tampa Bay Rays

Jaso is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays, the St. Petersburg Times reports.
Spin:
Jaso is vastly outperforming Dioner Navarro at the plate, but Navarro will start for the second straight day. It's not really Jaso's fault; manager Joe Maddon simply wants to get more right-handed bats into the lineup against Toronto's Shaun Marcum.
[Breaking News]
Wed, Jun 2

Brett Gardner, NYY OF
News Archive
New York Yankees

Gardner is back in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Orioles, the New York Daily News' Mark Feinsand reports.
Spin:
Gardner is hitting ninth, a spot that's been very favorable to him this season (.303 average, .378 OBP). He struggled when hitting higher in the order this season, so the return to the bottom end of the lineup is a welcome one.

Rod Barajas, NYM C
News Archive
New York Mets

Barajas is on the bench for Wednesday's game against the Padres, Kevin Burkhardt of SNY reports.
Spin:
Henry Blanco will make a spot start behind the plate in Barajas' place against Clayton Richard and the Padres on Wednesday.
[Breaking News]
Wed, Jun 2

Luis Castillo, NYM 2B
News Archive
New York Mets
Day-To-Day
Castillo is not in the Mets' lineup on Wednesday, Kevin Burkhardt of SNY reports.
Spin:
Alex Cora will once again start at second base for the Mets, while it seems as though Castillo is still battling through his recent foot injury even after getting back into the lineup on Tuesday night.

Vladimir Guerrero, Tex DH
News Archive
Texas Rangers
Day-To-Day
Guerrero was scratched from the lineup on Wednesday after a ball fouled off the cage hit him in the ey during batting practice, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Spin:
He was taken to the hospital for x-rays, and will not be available off the bench for Texas. Consider him day-to-day for now.