Lackey to face D-Backs; more on Vlad’s age discrepancy

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TUCSON -- Turns out there is a very good reason the Angels were aware that Vladimir Guerrero is 34 and not 33, as he is listed in the team’s media guide. The Times’ Bill Shaikin reported the fact last August in a column about the Angels slugger and whether the team would give him a contract extension.

Asked last summer how much longer he would like to play, Guerrero told Shaikin, ‘I’m 33 now.... I’m not even thinking about how many years I want to play.’ Shaikin pointed out at the time that the media guide listed Guerrero as 32.

In an interview with Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports on Friday, Guerrero, responding to a question about his off-season surgery to clean up scar tissue and repair cartilage damage in his right knee, said, ‘I’m 34. But I feel a lot better. That’s where I’m at right now.’ In response to Brown’s story, the Angels said they would change this year’s media guide to reflect Guerrero’s true age.

As for on-the-field matters, the Angels will play the Arizona Diamondbacks in a Cactus League game this afternoon, with Angels ace John Lackey starting against D-Backs right-hander Dan Haren.

The Angels’ starting lineup:

Reggie Willits CF
Erick Aybar SS
Jeff Mathis C
Robb Quinlan 1B
Brandon Wood 3B
Sean Rodriguez 2B
Terry Evans RF
Brad Coon LF
John Lackey P

-- Mike DiGiovanna