ANAHEIM, Calif. – The plan was simple. After working out with the Everett Aqua Sox on Saturday, Seattle Mariners outfielder Franklin Gutierrez was going to begin a rehabilitation assignment there Sunday.
As has so often been the case with Gutierrez, it didn’t happen.
“We’ve had to put the brakes on Franklin,” manager Eric Wedge said. “He had a bad night (Saturday), headaches again. He won’t do anything until he sees our doctors (today).
“We’re hoping it’s just a medication change, but we don’t know. He was going to start his rehab today.”
Gutierrez, who missed most of the first two months of 2012 with a partially torn pectoral muscle, was hit in the head by a wild pick off thrown on June 28.
He hasn’t played since.
The concussion and its aftermath have cost him six weeks, and although the Mariners would love to have him back in September, they don’t know what to expect.
“Franklin has an impact on this team that you can see,” Wedge said. “He’s a right-handed bat who can hit anywhere in the lineup. He’s a great outfielder who changes our outfield immediately.
“If we’d have a different outfield, we’d have won a couple more games this trip.”
CARP UPDATE
First baseman Mike Carp came out of the game Sunday in the sixth inning with “stiffness” in his left hip – an injury that could be serious or might be nothing.
“I stretched out for a throw and as I was getting up my front foot slipped a little and I felt a pop,” Carp said. “We’ll figure it out (today) when I see the doctors. I don’t know any more than that.”
THEY’RE NO ANGELS
Wedge got a laugh when asked about the differences between the 53-63 Mariners and the 60-55 Angels.
“Well, they start one rookie in the lineup (Saturday), some kid named Mike Trout, and we started about seven of them,” Wedge said. “A lot of our players have less than a year experience, most of them have less than two years.”
True enough. Seattle has six rookies on the team – Carter Capps, Hisashi Iwakuma, Munenori Kawasaki, Lucas Luetge, Jesus Montero and Stephen Pryor.
Fourteen players have less than two years experience in the majors.
SHORT HOPS
Go figure. Against tough right-handed pitcher Jered Weaver, right-handed hitter Jesus Montero is now 3-for-7 in his career – and all three hits are home runs. … More Weaver: He and Jason Vargas were teammates at Cal State Long Beach. In three meetings between the two starters over the past two seasons, Vargas is 2-0 with a no-decision. … Left-hander Charlie Furbush will make one more rehab assignment appearance for Tacoma – probably pitching two innings – then likely will return to Seattle, possibly by mid-week. Furbush has been on the disabled list since July 18 with a strained triceps muscle.
ON TAP
Seattle will host Tampa Bay tonight in a 7:10 game that will be televised on Root Sports. Probable starting pitchers: Tampa Bay’s Alex Cobb (6-8, 4.32 ERA) vs. Blake Beavan (7-6, 5.12).
larry.larue@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners @LarryLaRue
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