Franklin Gutierrez's numbers last season were down rather substantially from where they were the season before. His average fell, his power fell, and his performance in the field - though great - was visibly a little worse. After a strong start, he really suffered the rest of the way, and while we knew he fought the occasional stomach bug, the fact that he stayed in the lineup suggested that it wasn't a big deal, and that he had simply regressed all-around.
That regression caused us to temper our expectations for the season ahead. But then, recently, we found out the true extent of Gutierrez's gastrointestinal complications. They didn't just flare up on occasion; they bothered him for many of his days, affecting his diet and causing him to lose weight and energy. They may not have been severe, at least as health problems go, but they were most certainly significant.
Gutierrez has seen a number of doctors since the problems began, and just flew to Seattle for a battery of tests, the results of which we should hear about any day now. Gutierrez says that he's been feeling good since making some adjustments to his diet, and there's definitely a feeling of optimism that he'll be able to put this all behind him, either by getting treated or at least learning how to manage whatever's going on.
So let's say he does get better. Let's say the medical team identifies the problem and gets Guti all the necessary help. What I'm curious to know is how this information might have an effect on your projection for his 2011 statistics. Hence this poll!