This used to be commonplace.  In years past, the Tigers have dealt with disgruntled athletes by shipping them out when the whining got to be too much.

In 2006, in the midst of a pennant race and in need of a veteran hitter, Detroit released Dmitri Young just as the Meat Hook was getting ready to return to action after battling diabetes and personal problems that saw him miss most of the season.  Young did not get along with new manager Jim Leyland and despite the fact that Young could have helped the Tigers, the team cut him loose.  It was the right thing to do.

Two seasons later, with the team struggling, Detroit traded away Ivan Rodriguez when his chirping grew too loud.  Pudge didn’t want to share time behind the plate and was having a down year.  All Detroit got out of the deal was three months of Kyle Farnsworth.

Then, just before the 2009 season was set to open, the Tigers released Gary Sheffield, a player that had been vocally unhappy being used as the designated hitter.  Detroit ate almost $14 million to send Sheff packing. 

It could be happening again.

This past week, Carlos Guillen has voiced his frustrations to the media.  Over the past few seasons, Guillen has been shifted from shortstop to first base, to third base, and then to left field, all without saying anything publicly.  But the 2009 season proven a difficult one for the former All-Star. 

He missed three months of the season trying to overcome a bad shoulder.  When he did return, at the end of July, Guillen’s shoulder did not allow him to bat right handed, nor play the field.  Guillen was used as the left handed half of a DH platoon with Marcus Thames.

It took six weeks before Guillen could return to the outfield, and two more weeks before he began to bat right handed.  When he was playing defense, Guillen was often removed for defensive replacements, or lifted for a pinch hitter when the opposition brought in a left hander.  All the while, Guilln remained quiet.

Finally, a week after the Tigers fell to the Twins in a one game playoff, Guillen voiced his concerns, first to Leyland, then to the media.

From MLB.com’s Jason Beck:

“How are you going to get results,” Guillen asked, “when you only get three at-bats or two at-bats? How are you going to feel better when they take you out for a pinch-runner in the fifth inning or sixth inning? I’m the kind of player [that] I want to play when the game’s on the line. And that’s why I went to [Leyland].”

At this point in his career, the Tigers (and anyone else who’s paying attention) view Guillen as a defensive liability where ever he plays.  He was moved off of shortstop due to lack of range, his footwork was bad at first base, and his knees gave out when playing third.  His range is limited in left field, but he can get by out there.  In time, he may become an adequate outfielder, but he’s not getting younger, and players don’t usually get healthier as they age.

But Guillen is signed for two more seasons at $13 million per year, so the Tigers appear to be stuck with him.  If they feel they can keep him happy, they’ll pencil him into the lineup as the starting left fielder while giving him a couple starts per week at DH.  If Guillen pushes the envelope further, however, there may be a team in Chicago that wants to unload their own unhappy switch hitting outfielder/DH.

I have never been a fan of Milton Bradley, but both players are signed for two more seasons and the Tigers would save at least $5  million if such a swap were to happen.  Both players have shown difficulty staying on the field.  But two years ago, Bradley lead the American League in OPS while playing for the Texas Rangers, and he is always a high on base guy, something Guillen is not.  I realize it would be a trade of one malcontent for another, but Bradley is probably the better player at this point.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 8:42 am and is filed under Off-Season, Roster Rumblings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.