Alright, let’s talk about my time following Carlos Guillen when he was with the Tigers. It wasn’t like some big research project, more like something I just kinda got into back in the day.
Getting Started
So, I remember first really noticing Guillen after he came over to Detroit. The team was trying to build something, you know? And he was one of those key guys they brought in. I’d catch games here and there, and his name just kept popping up. Wasn’t flashy like some guys, but seemed solid. I thought, okay, let’s keep an eye on this fella, see what he’s really about.
The Process – Just Watching and Noting
My whole “practice” was pretty simple, really. It mostly involved watching a lot of Tigers baseball back then.
- Game Time: I’d try to catch as many games on TV as I could. If I missed one, I’d check the box scores the next day, just the basics – hits, RBIs, errors, that kinda stuff.
- Observation: I started paying attention to how he played. He was a switch-hitter, which always interests me. How did he look from the left side versus the right? I also watched his fielding at shortstop, and later when they moved him around. You try to get a feel for a player beyond just the numbers.
- Consistency Check: Was he delivering day in, day out? Or was he streaky? I wasn’t keeping charts or anything crazy, just making mental notes. Sometimes he’d get those quiet hits that started a rally. Other times, yeah, he’d have rough patches like anyone.
- Reading Up (a little): Occasionally, I’d read articles in the newspaper or online about the team, see what the reporters were saying about his contribution, any injuries, stuff like that. Just to get a bit more context.
What I Noticed
Over time, I really started to appreciate his professionalism. He wasn’t always the star of the show, but he often felt like the glue. Showed up, did his job. Saw him battle through injuries too, which tells you something about a player. He had some really good offensive years for the Tigers, provided some pop from the infield spot which wasn’t always common.
The main thing I took away? Sometimes the most valuable players aren’t the ones hitting 50 home runs. Sometimes it’s the consistent guy, the one you can rely on to be in the lineup and give you a professional at-bat. Guillen felt like that guy for a good stretch with the Tigers.
So yeah, that was my little journey following Carlos Guillen’s time in Detroit. No spreadsheets, no deep dives into advanced stats, just watching the games and appreciating a solid ballplayer doing his thing. It was a good run watching him wear the Old English ‘D’.
