First baseman Kevin Millar had a big smile on his face and a helmet turned backward a few hours before the game as he prepared to catch Guthrie in a bullpen session. But when club management found out that one of their starting infielders was going to attempt to catch a big league pitcher, and potentially risk an injury, they pulled the plug.

Millar playfully stormed back into the clubhouse and shook his head.

"It got banged," Millar said in mock disdain. "I'm a franchise player. They lose me, boys, the Cinderella story's over."