Recently, a reporter sent a text message to Keith Guttin, the retired Missouri State baseball head coach, to inquire about a potential interview for this article on Drake Baldwin, one of Guttin’s former players. Guttin graciously accepts the offer, and the last line in his text tells you everything.
“Drake Baldwin for president,” Guttin jokes.
This is how fondly Guttin feels about Baldwin, the sensational Braves catching prospect who made the big-league team’s opening-day roster and will start behind the plate Thursday. Baldwin will have the distinct honor of debuting on opening day, the sport’s holiday. He will line up with his teammates for the national anthem at Petco Park in San Diego.