"Lee to play for Panama

Barring problems with his left little finger, outfielder Carlos Lee hopes to represent Panama in the World Baseball Classic next month.

“I’m planning on playing right now,” he said. “I still want to play a few games and work out. I haven’t faced live pitching in a game. So I want to play a few games and work out and see.

Hooton hobbled

Former Astros pitching coach Burt Hooton, the pitching coach at Class AAA Round Rock, is being hampered by a severely swollen right knee while helping in major league camp.

Hooton, 59, had left knee replacement surgery by Dr. Adam Harris in San Antonio on Oct. 15. His right knee has been cranky for years, but now it has hobbled him.

“It’s not a good knee,” he said. “It’s probably going to have to be replaced down the road again. It just blew up on me.”

Hooton hoped to have his right knee examined by Astros physician Dr. Dave Lintner by today at the latest.

“Dr. Lintner is coming (today), and he’s going to look at it and hopefully drain it,” he said. “Hopefully I won’t have to have anything done to it seriously.

“It’s like last year. We knew my (left) knee was bad and I told him to get me through the season. We got through the season and had the left one fixed, and that will be the request again. Get me through the season.”

Hooton blames his problems on his long major league career.

“It’s like athletes, professional athletes my age, we’re paying the piper now,” he said."