The Tigers announced today that both Joel Zumaya and Carlos Guillen will 
not be available to the team for opening day since they will still be in Lakeland for an extended Spring Training session.
Zumaya is in the middle of a two-week shutdown dealing with tearing scar tissue and a sore elbow. Guillen, who hasn’t played yet during Spring Training is still recovering from micro-fracture surgery he had back in September. Tigers manager Jim Leyland admitted that the clock is definitely ticking.
“I want him to be 100 percent when he comes back, so whenever that is, it’s fine. I’m not rushing anybody,” Leyland said. “I’m just saying, there was a point, when I thought there was a good chance he could be the opening day second baseman. I would have to question that.
“If you do bring him back now, you can’t play him every single day on it. You might be able to get him some at bats by way of the DH, but you’ve still got to play the field and run the bases as well. I’m not frustrated about it, I’m just making the point.”
Zumaya has only pitched on inning during Spring Training before he was sidelined with the sore elbow.
“He’s feeling better,” Leyland added, “but walking around, and bending your elbow and everything, is different from feeling better when he’s throwing 98 miles an hour.”
Source: Mlive.com
