Carlos Guillen Announces Retirement After 14-Year Career

After signing a minor league contract in the offseason that could have possibly led to a return to Seattle, the Mariners are reporting via Twitter that second baseman Carlos Guillen has decided to call it a career. 

"

Carlos Guillen just announced his retirement from baseball after a great 14-year career that included 3 All-Star games. #Mariners

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) March 6, 2012"

Guillen made his major league debut in 1998 for the Mariners and played there through 2003. In 2004, he became a member of the Detroit Tigers, where his greatest offensive seasons were enjoyed.

All three of his All-Star appearances came in Detroit. That is also where he enjoyed his greatest full-season batting average (.320 in 2005 and 2006) as well as homers (21 in 2007) and RBI (102 in 2007). 

Still, his retirement can't come as a shock to anyone. Guillen has failed to play 100 games or more in each of the last three years and last hit 150 games in 2007. 

While he was a strong player throughout his career, Guillen's best days were behind him, so his retirement doesn't set Seattle back in any significant way. Still, this is a loss of a potentially nice bench player, as Guillen played games at every infield position as well as left field throughout his 14-year career. 

In total, Guillen was a career .285 hitter with 124 home runs and 660 RBI. He made the playoffs in 2000 and 2001 with the Mariners, and in 2006 with the Tigers, where Guillen played in his only World Series.

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