Posted July 31, 200321 yr :thumbup News Marlins News Team Headlines Team Archive Official Releases Depth Chart Feature News 07/30/2003 6:46 PM ET Notes: Drew rumors unfounded? Fish could be shopping for veteran outfielder, reliever By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com Get tickets Speculation is rampant that Jack McKeon and the Marlins are looking to acquire J.D. Drew. (J. Pat Carter/AP) MIAMI -- When things are going well it is easy to have a sense of humor. For laughs, Marlins manager Jack McKeon penciled J.D. Drew's name into the sixth spot in a mock lineup card for Wednesday night's game against Arizona. "Everybody has got him in there, so what the heck, I got him in there," McKeon quipped to reporters. "He's gotten more publicity lately." Speculation is rampant the Marlins will pull the trigger on a trade that would send Drew from the Cardinals to Florida. According to McKeon at least, the rumors are unfounded. "We're waiting for him," McKeon said. "If he doesn't make it, we'll put [brian] Banks in there." No, Drew wasn't in a Marlins' uniform Wednesday. Nor is the left-handed power-hitting outfielder expected to be when the trade deadline passes at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. "We had to have a laugh," McKeon said. With first baseman Derrek Lee out at least until Friday with a sprained right shoulder, the Marlins initially filled in Wednesday with Banks at first. But about 1 1/2 hours before game time, the Marlins made a second scratch. Right fielder Juan Encarnacion was withheld from the lineup because of a contusion to his right forearm. In the eighth inning Tuesday, Encarnacion was struck on the forearm swinging awkwardly at a pitch that hit him. Elmer Dessens' fastball ran in on the right fielder, who swung as the ball smacked the back of his forearm. The makeshift Marlins' lineup Wednesday had Banks in right field and 5-foot-10 all-purpose Mike Mordecai playing first base for the first time since last Aug. 23 when he filled in one inning against the Padres late in the game.
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