Northern California Baseball Blog and Q&A

Paul Gutierrez
Raised in Barstow, Calif., where he played community college baseball for two years, Paul Gutierrez has worked at Sports Illustrated and the Las Vegas Review-Journal, where he covered his alma mater's Runnin' Rebels at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. During a six-year stint at the Los Angeles Times, he co-authored Tommy Davis' "Tales from the Dodgers Dugout." He came to The Bee in October 2005 and is now a Bay Area sports features writer who concentrates on baseball during the spring and summer.

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July 28, 2007

Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?

Dontrelle Willis is not going to shy away from Barry Bonds. At least the Florida Marlins left-handed starter did not the first two times he faced him Saturday night at AT&T Park.

Willis, who grew up in nearby Alameda and said watching Bonds ply his trade in San Francisco was the reason he picked up a baseball glove, challenged his idol with first base open and runners at second and third and one out in the first inning, striking Bonds out on a 96-mph heater.

In the third, first base was again open, this time with two out and a runner at second, and Willis got Bonds to pop up to second baseman Dan Uggla.

The demonstrative Willis said something to Bonds as they crossed paths after the put-out and it looked as though Willis was telling Bonds he was not going to run from him.

Stay tuned.

-Paul Gutierrez

Posted by Bill Bradley, July 28, 2007 07:37 PM

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