Carlos Guillén | |||
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Guillén during a press event for the 2008 MLB All-Star Game
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Shortstop | |||
Born: Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela |
September 30, 1975 |||
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MLB debut | |||
September 6, 1998, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
September 18, 2011, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .285 | ||
Home runs | 124 | ||
Runs batted in | 660 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
Medal record | ||
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Representing Venezuela | ||
Men's Baseball | ||
World Baseball Classic | ||
2009 Los Angeles | Team |
Carlos Alfonso Guillén (born September 30, 1975) is a former Venezuelan professional baseball infielder.
Guillén was signed by the Houston Astros as a non-draft amateur free agent in 1992. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners with pitcher Freddy García and John Halama in the deal that sent Randy Johnson to the Astros. Guillén made his debut in 1998 and was traded to Detroit at the end of the 2003 season. He retired after the 2011 season.
In Seattle, Guillén was initially forced to play second and third base with incumbent Alex Rodriguez at shortstop. After Alex Rodriguez signed with the Texas Rangers for the 2000 season, Guillén moved back to his natural position. He had a league-average campaign in his first full season with the club.
In Game 3 of the 2000 American League Division Series, he hit a squeeze play in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Rickey Henderson and complete the Mariners' sweep of the Chicago White Sox. In September 2001, Guillén was hospitalized after being diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, but was ready for the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees the following month.
In 2004, Guillén joined a young and restructured Tigers team. In a career year, he led his club in RBI (97), runs (97), doubles (37), triples (10), total bases (283), slugging percentage (.542), OPS (.921), and his .318 batting average was only second to .334 of teammate Iván Rodríguez. Guillén also got his first All-Star berth. However, his breakout season was cut short, as he missed the final month of the 2004 season after tearing his ACL while legging out a triple.