Projo Sox Blog

CINCINNATI -- Jason Varitek, who is suffering from strep throat, finally made it here late Friday night after a nightmare of flight issues.

Varitek spent roughly seven hours in the airport in Cleveland before landing in Cincinnati around 11 o'clock Friday night.

The catcher still looks weak, and he said Saturday afternoon that his throat still is very sore. But he's hoping he'll be able to play Sunday in the series finale against the Reds.

"I don't know. though," said Varitek, who hasn't played since Wednesday. "I thought for sure (Friday) night that I'd be fine for (Sunday). But today I'm not feeling so good. I'll take batting practice and see how it goes."

Varitek said there were several ways in which he may have contracted strep throat. He caught back-to-back days in 95-plus-degree weather, then shook hands with hundreds of fans at his putt-putt charity tournament last Monday and took his kids to a community pool two days in a row.

"When could I not have caught it?" joked the weary Varitek. "My immune system was down (from catching in the heat). But I'm feeling a little hungry right now, so that's a good sign."

Kevin Cash started Thursday and Friday and will be behind the plate again Saturday when he catches Tim Wakefield as usual.

-- STEVEN KRASNER

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