Mariners Ink Carlos Guillen To Minor League Deal

The Mariners brought back infielder Carlos Guillen, 36,with a minor league contract Wednesday. Most recently with the Detroit Tigers, Guillen played for the Mariners from 1998-03.

Guillen brings to 17 the number of players the Mariners have signed to minor-league deals. Seattle’s spring training roster now stands at 66 (40 roster, 26 non-roster).

Pitchers and catchers will report to Peoria, AZ., for physicals Feb. 11 (first workout is Feb. 12) and position players are scheduled to report Feb. 17 (first full-squad workout is Feb. 18).

Guillen is a veteran of 14 major league seasons with Seattle and the Tigers (2004-2011). He is a career .285 hitter with 733 runs, 266 doubles, 51 triples, 124, 660 RBI in 1,305 games. Guillen has appeared at first base (71, 39 starts), second (84, 82 starts), third (189, 183 starts), shortstop (856, 817 starts) and left field (48, 48 starts).

In a five-season stretch from 2004-208, Guillen made the American League All-Star team in 2004, 2007 and 2008. combining to bat .308 with 157 doubles, 30 triples, 75 home runs and 361 RBI.

Last season, Guillen batted .232 (22×95) with eight runs, two doubles, one triple, three home runs and 13 RBIs in 28 games. He made 25 starts at second base and appeared in one game at first base.

Guillen missed substantial time with a pair of trips to the disabled list: March 30-July 16 recovering from left knee microfracture surgery, and Aug. 14-Sept. 1 with a sore left wrist.

Guillen made his major league debut in 1998, and played in 488 games with Seattle. He hit .264 with 80 doubles, 16 triples, 29 home runs and 211 RBIs.

He is best known in Seattle for his walk-off bunt single in Game 3 of the 2000 American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox.

Signed by the Houston Astros as a minor league free agent, Guillen came to Seattle, along with Freddy Garcia and John Halama in exchange for Randy Johnson on July 31, 1998.

The Mariners traded Guillen to Detroit for INF Ramon Santiago and INF Juan Gonzalez on Jan. 8, 2004. Guillen will wear No. 8 when he reports to spring training, the same jersey number he wore for the Mariners.

Mariners Offseason News/Transactions

• Nov. 1: Chris Gwynn named the organization’s Director of Player Development with the responsibility of overseeing all aspects of the Mariners minor league system.
• Nov. 2: Outrighted INF Luis Rodriguez, who opted to become a free agent (Rodriguez appeared in 44 games for the Mariners in 2011).
• Nov. 3: Outrighted LHP Anthony Vasquez to AAA Tacoma. Vasquez, 25, made seven starts for the Mariners in 2011, going 1-6 with an 8.90 ERA (29 ER, 29.1 IP).
• Nov. 18: Added OF Chih-Hsien Chiang, INF Francisco Martinez and INF Carlos Triunfel to the 40-man roster.
• Nov. 28: Named infielder/outfielder Vinnie Catricala (High Desert/Jackson) Minor League Player of the Year, RHP Taijuan Walker (Clinton) Pitcher of the Year and Arizona League trainer Randy Roetter Player Development Staff Member of the Year.
• Dec. 2: Announced the 2012 minor league coaching staff: Returning managers Daren Brown (Tacoma), Jim Pankovits (Jackson) and Eddie Menchaca (Clinton);  Pedro Grifol, the Mariners director of minor league operations in 2011, will manage High Desert; Jose Moreno will manage Pulaski after spending last season with High Desert; Rob Mummau will take over as manager for Everett; a Mike Kinkade will manage the Mariners in the Arizona League after coaching in Everett last season.
• Dec. 12: RHP Dan Cortes and C Chris Gimenez were not offered 2012 contracts.
• Dec. 13: Signed 11 players to minor league contracts for the 2012 season, including OF Darren Ford, RHP Matt Fox, LHP Steve Garrison, RHP Jarrett Grube, LHP Sean Henn, RHP Josh Kinney, RHP Jeff Marquez, RHP Scott Patterson, C Guillermo Quiroz, INF Luis Rodriguez and LHP Phillippe Valiquette.
• Jan. 30: Signed LHP George Sherrill, who previously pitched for the club from 2004-07, to a one-year contract.
• Jan. 3: Hired Jeff Pentland as hitting coach of the Tacoma Rainiers.
• Jan. 5: Signed Japanese right-handed pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma as a free agent.
• Jan. 10: Signed right-handed pitcher Aaron Heilman to a minor league contract with an invite to major league spring training.
• Jan. 11: Signed Japanese infielder Munenori Kawasaki to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training.
• Jan. 14: Traded RHP Michael Pineda and pitching prospect Jose Campas to the New York Yankees in exchange for C Jeseus Montero and Hector Noesi.
• Jan. 17: Signed RHPs Brandon League and Shawn Kelley and LHP Jason Vargas to one year contracts; announced that former Mariners Randy Johnson (1989-98) and Dan Wilson (1994-05) would be inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame July 28 at Safeco Field.
• Jan. 17: Signed LHP Oliver Perez to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
• Jan. 23: Completed their acquisition of catcher Jesus Montero and RHP Hector Noesi from the New York Yankees, more than a week after the trade was first reported. In the swap, the Mariners sent RHP Michael Pineda and minor league RHP Jose Campos to the Bronx.
• Jan. 27: Signed RHP Brian Sweeney to a minor league contract.
• Feb. 1: Signed INF Carlos Guillen to a minor league contract.