Another Guillen rumor

This is the third straight year that we've heard a rumor involving the Mets and Jose Guillen. The last two were revolving around an exchange of bad contracts, with Jose Guillen and Luis Castillo being exchanged. It's been reported at that time that the Royals backed off the idea...

But this time the Royals are looking for an inexpensive outfielder and are even willing to give back some of Guillen's money. According to Adam Rubin of the Daily News the Royals like Angel Pagan and are willing to given up a portion of the 12MM Guillen is owed for the season to get it done. If I can get a starting corner outfielder with power for a 4th outfielder I'm all for it...

Jose Guillen is a 33 y/o right handed corner outfielder, lifetime .272BA, .322 OBP and a .422 Slg. Pct. But since 2003 ( seven seasons) when he has been healthy, which was five of those seven seasons he has played in 135 gms., hit .289 and slugged at least 25 HRs or more.

However, in the other two years he was injured and barely produced at all 2006 he played only 69 gms., hit 9HRs and .216, while in 2009 he played in 81 gms. and hit 9Hrs while batting .242. Prior to 2003 he was extremely inconsistent and even he has been quoted as saying he needed to mature but five solid seasons in seven with the other two being a result of injuries not behavior is good enough for me.

Guillen has been involved in two pennant races 2003 and 2004. In 2003 he was traded mid-season to the Oakland A's in which he played 45 gms and hit .265, then in the playoffs he hit .455 in 11ABs in 4 games. In 2004 he played for the Angels in 148 gms. in which he hit 27 HRs and batted .292.

Over the last five years Jose has played in two pitchers parks in Washington and Seattle both of which he was still able to produce power numbers. In 2005 for the Nats (RFK stadium) he hit 24HRs, 32 doubles, 76 RBIs and batted .283 in 148gms. Then in 2007 with Seattle he hit .290 with 23 HRs, 99 RBIs and 28 doubles.

While his numbers were off in 2009 due to injuries in his first year with the Royals ( 2008) he hit .264 with 42 doubles, 20 HRs and 97 RBIs.

I've already been asked why I support bringing in Jose Guillen but would be adamantly against Milton Bradley. It's simple, Bradley's behavior has impacted the team and his performance, he has ostracized himself from the fans and his teammates. Creating an unproductive and intolerable situation where he has to be traded or cut..

Guillen on the other hand while some of his antics have become a distraction most of what he has done could be described as vocal leadership. The Nationals and Mariners both tried desperately to re-sign him. The Royals after a rocky start, settle into his personality as a team leader and are now only looking to move him for budgetary reasons. In Anaheim where he was benched for the playoffs because of comments he made about being pulled for a defensive replacement late in a game at the end of the season, a team that doesn't speak out against their manager players spoke up for Jose.

While he definitely comes with baggage for those who believe he's as bad as Bradley, I have some pretty convincing quotes in this post that he's not that bad...

The only true question for me as Rubin points out is whether Guillen can play full time or not, he seemed pretty effective in 2008...

The Royals want to acquire an inexpensive outfielder in return for Guillen, and are impressed with Angel Pagan despite his shortcomings. They'd be willing to eat money in a swap: Guillen is owed $12 million in 2010, the final season of a three-year, $36 million deal. One impediment would be the salary Kansas City would be willing to kick in probably isn't enough for the Mets to acquire Guillen in what sources say may be a frugal offseason - especially if Guillen is no longer a full-time player. source Daily News