Diamondbacks’ Lee Sent to the Minors

First baseman Travis Lee, a major leaguer since the Arizona Diamondbacks began play in 1998, was optioned to the minors Sunday in an attempt to help him regain his batting eye and confidence.

A move had to be made, because the Diamondbacks called up Nelson Figueroa from triple-A Tucson to start Sunday’s game against the Seattle Mariners. The demotion caught Lee, who wants to be traded, by surprise.

“I’d rather just stay in the big leagues. That’s what kind of shocked me,” he said.

Manager Buck Showalter told Lee about Matt Williams’ early struggle to hit in the majors.

“I’m not saying that the world’s full of them, but there are a lot of cases of people who benefited from this, and we hope this is another example,” Showalter said. “He’ll be back at some point, and I hope that he’ll come back a productive player.”

Showalter stressed situational hitting with the team during a three-day series against Texas. In Arizona’s 6-5, 11-inning loss Saturday, Lee struck out in the eighth and failed to get a bunt down in the 10th.

Lee was hitting .232 in 72 games this year, including .211 with runners in scoring position.

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The Colorado Rockies acquired outfielder Butch Huskey and second baseman Todd Walker from the Minnesota Twins for infield prospect Todd Sears and cash.

Although Huskey hit only .223 and struck out 49 times before being sent to triple-A Salt Lake City, the 28-year-old outfielder has four career home runs at Coors Field.

Walker, 27, appeared to be the successor to Chuck Knoblauch at second base for the Twins, hitting .316 with 12 homers and 62 RBIs in 1998 and .278 last year, but he was sent to Salt Lake City in May after hitting .234 in 77 at-bats this season.

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Detroit Tiger first baseman Tony Clark was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained lower back and the team recalled first baseman Eric Munson from double-A Jacksonville.

Clark, 28, missed seven of the past 13 games because of the back injury, which first bothered him June 29. The roster move was made retroactive to Saturday,

In 75 games with Jacksonville, Munson was hitting .266 with 17 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs and 57 RBIs, the fifth most in the Southern League.

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Infielder Joe Vitiello returned to the big leagues when his contract was purchased by the San Diego Padres from triple-A Las Vegas. Outfielder Dusty Allen was optioned to Las Vegas. Allen went 0 for 9 with two walks and five strikeouts in nine games. . . . The New York Yankees recalled infielder Clay Bellinger from triple-A Columbus and sent outfielder Luke Wilcox down before he was able to get into a game. . . . Jesus Pena was sent to the minors, one day after he admitted throwing at a batter, and the Chicago White Sox called up left-hander Mark Buehrle from double-A Birmingham.