Where does Guillen fit into the Tigers picture?
Good question, but suffice to say, he fits. The Tigers have explored trade options for Guillen, but with two years at $13 million each left on his contract, his injury history, his trade veto power and his well-expressed desire for an infield role again, the odds are against it. Much as Guillen would like a return to the infield, his fit with the Tigers is in left field and designated hitter. Neither Dombrowski nor Leyland want a full-time DH if they can help it, so Guillen is going to have to play the field at least part-time. Leyland said during the Winter Meetings that they haven’t seen what Guillen can do in left when he’s healthy, so they’re at least open about it. Offensively, he’s a much better fit, certainly when he’s healthy. As it stands now, unless the Tigers add another hitter or Thomas or Jeff Larish get a bigger role, the switch-hitting Guillen could be the only left-handed bat in Detroit’s lineup on some days, depending on what happens with young catcher Alex Avila. When
