Angels GM doesn’t rule out return of Vladimir Guerrero

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It’s a long shot and a total fallback option for the Angels if they are unable to acquire a big bat such as Carl Crawford or Adrian Beltre, but General Manager Tony Reagins did not rule out the possibility of Vladimir Guerrero returning to Anaheim next season.

‘He’s among a group of players that there’s an interest level in,’ Reagins said at the winter meetings Wednesday. ‘We’ve also talked to [2010 designated hitter] Hideki Matsui and [agent] Arn Tellem about [Matsui’s] status in the past week.

‘We haven’t limited our options. Is it a far stretch to say Vladimir could be back here? I wouldn’t say it’s a far stretch, but we haven’t gone down that path.’ The other three AL West teams -- Texas, Oakland and Seattle -- have all expressed an interest in the slugger.

Guerrero won the American League most valuable player award with the Angels in 2004 and was a fan favorite in Anaheim for six seasons (2004-2009) before the Angels allowed him to walk as a free agent after an injury-plagued 2009 season.

Guerrero then signed a one-year deal with Texas, and the 35-year-old DH hit .300 with 29 home runs and 115 runs batted in to help the Rangers win the AL West and advance to the World Series.

-- Mike DiGiovanna in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.