66ers are done, but Gutierrez returns

Although it was only a matter of time anyway, the 66ers’ 12-5 loss to the Mavericks Thursday eliminated them from playoff consideration. Even though they are nine games out of first with 11 games to play, they cannot finish first. The Sixers can have no more than 33 wins in the second half and because Mavericks and Lake Elsinore play each other 8 times one will have to have at least 35 wins.

The Sixers did welcome back a familiar face on Thursday, Gabriel Gutierrez, a defense-first catcher who played for the Sixers in 2007 and 2008, returned to the team. Gutierrez took the place of Tony Delmonico who was placed on the seven-day disabled list with a left hand contusion.

Gutierrez, who batted .240 in 63 games for the Sixers in 2007 and .219 in 19 games in 2008, had been loaned by the Dodgers to the Mexican League this season. Gutierrez batted .283 in 41 games for the Diablos Rojos del Mexico. He presumably hadn’t played since his Mexican League team was eliminated from the playoffs on July 29.