"You know Vladimir Guerrero can still hit.

For two games – four, tops – he can still run and throw well enough, too.

The eternal question that faces AL managers heading into the World Series – what to do with the DH in the NL park – was not really even a question for Ron Washington. On Sunday, he said he planned to keep Guerrero in his lineup for the games played in San Francisco. Guerrero will definitely start one of the first two games and could possibly start both.

It's the right decision.

Guerrero played 18 games in the outfield this season and showed adequate range and a still above-average arm. He could have played more games in the field, but the objective was to keep him healthy. If he had played regularly in the outfield, his sore knees might have become balky, which might have cut into his productivity and availability.

The objectives have changed: You don't have to keep him healthy for seven months, just for seven games. Or maybe as few as four. "