There's been a lot of optimism surrounding Seattle Mariners center fielder Franklin Gutierrez. Gutierrez was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and suffered through a miserable 2011 season that saw him try to perform without any strength or stamina. With his IBS symptoms under control, though, Gutierrez gained his weight back over the offseason, and arrived to camp in more or less the same shape he was in in 2009. There's been a belief that Gutierrez could get back to what he was in his glory days.

But now there's a new issue. Tuesday morning, Gutierrez was throwing in camp. He made one strong throw to third base. Then he made a significantly weaker throw to third base. Shortly thereafter, he left the facility with the Mariners' assistant trainer. Writes Geoff Baker:

UPDATE 10:55 a.m.: Gutierrez felt something in his shoulder -- or, at least in that immediate vicinity (could be upper back, or rib cage, too, who knows?) -- while throwing during drills today. He left to get it checked out.

We don't yet know what Gutierrez hurt, or how badly he hurt it, but this has the potential to be a major setback. It also has the potential to be an incredibly minor setback. As usual with these things, we have no choice but to await further word, which we should get later in the day.