DaytonDailyNews.com

SARASOTA, Fla. — Some of Jerry Hairston Jr.,'s teammates kidded him, saying the illness he brought back from the World Baseball Classic was Montezuma's Revenge, because while he is not from Mexico he could play for them because his mother is Mexican.

Before Hairston returned to the Cincinnati Reds' camp, he spent a week flat on his back, losing 12 pounds.

"I usually weigh 193 and I'm 184 right now, so it is coming back," he said. "I haven't weighed this low since the year I signed (1997). It isn't so much the weight as it is the strength," he said.

Hairston is now an advocate of flu shots, "And as the doctor said, 'Now you know why guys get flu shots. When the team offers one, I'll be the first in line because I don't want to go through that again."

Nevertheless, the experience was worth it because for the first time in his life, Hairston got to play on the same team as his brother, Scott Hairston of the San Diego Padres.

"I'm four years older, so we never played together in Little League or high school or anything," he said.

"The experience of the Classic was great — to see the reaction of my mother. Even exhibition games were intense," he said. "We played the Diamondbacks in Tucson, and they packed the place and a couple of Arizona players told me it was the biggest crowd they'd seen there."

And then, playing in their first game together, both Hairston brothers homered in the same game.

"My mom, wow, I don't think I've ever seen her happier," Jerry said.

Now Hairston is back in camp, preparing to play wherever he's needed. He prefers the infield, but if Alex Gonzalez is healthy, that won't happen. Most likely he'll platoon in left field with Chris Dickerson.

"I'm preparing for both, and I'm a guy who doesn't get into all that," he said. "The way I approach it now is, 'I'm ready for everything, be ready to play every day.' That's just the best way to do it.

"I'm an infielder by trade, love playing the infield, but you do what you have to do."

Hairston played six positions last year (34 games at shortstop, 24 in left field, 17 in center field, 12 in right field, seven at second base and one at third base).

And it didn't disturb his bat work. He hit .326 in 261 at-bats. He won't bat leadoff because the Reds acquired Willy Taveras for that, but the Reds did go 25-19 when Hairston batted first last year.

So, playing everywhere is fine with Hairston: "Because we have a team that's pretty deep.

"We have a very athletic team and we have great pitching," he said. "When you have good pitching, you give yourself a chance every game. So I'm very excited about this group. The guys are extremely positive and we expect great things."