DETROIT -- Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch may be willing to bring in Comerica Park's outfield fences, which would meet a key complaint of slugger and soon-to-be free agent Juan Gonzalez.

	Gonzalez

Gonzalez, meanwhile, said he is "80 percent sure" he will sign a multiyear deal with the Tigers after the season ends.

This spring, Gonzalez rejected a $123 million offer that would have been the largest in the history of baseball. Ilitch said he is ready to get down to serious talks after the season.

"I'm going to see where his head is at the end of the season, and then I'm going to sit down with (president John) McHale and we're going to talk," Ilitch said Monday.

He said he would ask manager Phil Garner and general manager Randy Smith for their input, too.

"I've been monitoring with Phil how Juan feels, how he's getting along with his teammates, how's his attitude," Ilitch said. Garner "gives me good reports. He made a statement that Juan makes the guys play better."

Gonzalez has made no secret that he thinks the new Comerica Park's deep distances in left field put right-handed hitters at a disadvantage. It's 398 feet to the power alley.

Asked about the complaint, Ilitch expressed a willingness to consider a change.

"I'm going to keep an open mind on everything," he said. "If there's something wrong with the park, I want to try to correct it. Right now, it's something you've got to look into deeply.

"What's a fair ballpark? Is it exciting? We've had more triples. It is a different brand of baseball here. A lot of people seem to like it. But I do know people like home runs."

Gonzalez said he probably would not have signed with the Tigers had he been faced with making a decision earlier this season.

"It was probably 30 percent then that I was staying," he told the Detroit Free Press. "I wasn't too happy. And we had a lot of guys hurt ...

"But look at us now. We're six games out of the wild card."

Make that five games. After a 9-23 start, Detroit has been playing strong of late. It has won six of its last seven, is within one game of .500 (61-62) and is zeroing in on Oakland in the wild-card race.

Ilitch echoed Gonzalez's enthusiasm.

"Needless to say, I'm very happy with the way the team is performing," the owner said. "I get the feeling that everybody cares and really wants to win. I just feel a difference in the team. ... It seems like when somebody is down, someone comes in and picks them up."