Miguel Tejada was out of the lineup for the first time this season Thursday, and manager Cecil Cooper admits being pleased he doesn't have to play any veteran just for the sake of trying to help the player accomplish a personal goal.

Although Cooper preferred to give Tejada the complete day off, he did wind up employing him in the late innings. But he didn't feel obligated to use Tejada just for the sake of using him.

"If he had ... an 800-game streak or something rolling, well, you know, maybe we'd try to sneak him so he could continue to get that," Cooper said. "But I don't think we have one of those anymore."

Tejada entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth and stayed at short in the bottom of the inning.

Asked if he was glad not to be saddled with a ...More