First things first: we have an update on Franklin Gutierrez's health. Dr. Mitch Storey says that Guti has a "slow digestive tract" and that, with his new diet and medication, no further complications are expected. Storey went so far as to call it "great news", and while "slow digestive tract" doesn't sound like the most medical of terms, I'll put my trust in the man in the coat.
Conclusion? If the doctor's right and this is what all the tests indicated, we should feel pretty good about Guti's chances of bouncing back in 2011. He's not about to blossom into an MVP candidate, but this is a guy who posted an OPS under .600 over his final 400 at bats last year. It's impossible to think his health wasn't in some way connected, and a healthy Guti should be a better Guti.
So here's to putting Guti's stomach problems and all of your armchair diagnoses behind us. Now let's talk about a baseball game!
| Ja Wilson, SS | Aybar, SS | |
| Ryan, 2B | Abreu, RF | |
| Bradley, DH | Wells, CF | |
| Langerhans, RF | Kendrick, 2B | |
| Tuiasosopo, 1B | Trumbo, 1B | |
| Gross, LF | Conger, C | |
| Saunders, CF | Wood, 3B | |
| Jo Wilson, 3B | Pettit, LF | |
| Moore, C | Trout, DH | |
| Vargas, SP | Santana, SP |
Just another disrespectful split-squad lineup from the Angels, although at least this time they put some quality in there. Meanwhile, the M's will start an infield of Moore, Tui, Ryan, Wilson, and Wilson. The sad thing is that all five of those players are better than Brandon Wood.
Available to pitch behind Vargas will be Denny Bautista, Charlie Haeger, Dan Cortes, Fabio Castro, and Edward Paredes. Scheduled to pitch behind Santana will be Anthony Ortega, Jordan Walden, and Jason Bulger. In other words, this game will feature both a knuckleballer and possibly the hardest thrower in the American League.
Note that these games now start at 1:05, not 12:05, since Arizona doesn't observe daylight savings. Here's your Gameday link. On 710, no TV. Since you have so much time between now and the first inning, go have some brunch. Mmm, brunch.