Guthrie remains hopeful of starting Sunday

O's pitcher Jeremy Guthrie is still hoping to pitch Sunday against Texas and he was back at the ballpark today. "I feel good," Guthrie said. "Just a little bit tired, but I don't feel any of the symptoms I felt when I went into the hospital - the achiness, headache and stomach ache. "I prepared mentally to pitch on Sunday since the day I went into the hospital. Had conversations with a few people about Texas. Even when I was sick, getting IVed up, I was thinking about Texas." He will play catch today and hopes to throw a bullpen session tomorrow. For now, he's planning on making his scheduled start Sunday, but he'll have to come through fine over the next few days. "It's totally undecided. It will depend on how the body reacts. We probably won't have an answer until Saturday, but that's what I'm preparing for," Guthrie said. The Orioles may need to bring a Triple-A pitcher to town Saturday, just in case he would be needed Sunday. After pitching eight shutout innings in the season opener, Guthrie was slated to make his second start last night, but Brad Bergesen was pressed into duty while Guthrie was recovering from the effects of a form of pneumonia. Guthrie said he first felt ill Saturday, but was better during the team's flight home Sunday. Later that night, the illness really kicked in and his temperature shot up. "It got up to 103, just a tick below my fastball," he joked. Like the fans, Guthrie been impressed with the other O's pitchers and what they have done since his start. "We could have brought in Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth, but we're going to win if we pitch," Guthrie said. "A team is going to win with pitching. We showed that for four games and for 58, or how ever many we did last year. If we want to become a winning team and a playoff team, we need to show it for 162." Now he hopes the next few days go well enough that he will be back on the mound Sunday. If not then, he could pitch Tuesday. The next step for him is that bullpen session here tomorrow. "That will be the most important step. How I feel, how it goes, if I throw it," Guthrie said.