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The Rays incumbent rightfielder apparently has lost his job to Ben Grieve. Here or elsewhere, he just wants a chance to play.
By JOHN ROMANO
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 20, 2001
ST. PETERSBURG -- Both showed up in camp Sunday, four days ahead of schedule. Both are rightfielders. Both are 24 years old. Both have just over three years of major-league service time.
For all they have in common, Ben Grieve and Jose Guillen appear headed in opposite directions. Grieve is expected to be the Rays' starting rightfielder in 2001. Guillen does not know what to expect.
Tampa Bay's rightfielder for much of 1999-2000, Guillen now may be a spare part in a crowded outfield. The Rays acquired Grieve from Oakland in January, and he is expected to play rightfield full time.
The Rays even are talking about the possibility of hotshot prospect Josh Hamilton winning the job in rightfield, with Grieve moving to leftfield or designated hitter.
Either way, Guillen finds it hard to be optimistic.
"It's not what I expected. I don't understand it, but I can't control what (general manager) Chuck LaMar does," Guillen said. "All I can do is play hard and try to change their minds. I'm just looking for a chance to play. This can be a big year for me."
If it is a big year for Guillen, he may have it in another uniform. The combination of having Grieve aboard and Guillen's salary jumping to $975,000 because he was arbitration eligible might make him a prime candidate for a trade. No other player challenging for a backup job in Tampa Bay makes a salary as hefty as Guillen's.
"Is there a possibility of a trade to bolster the bullpen? Sure," LaMar said. "But first and foremost we wouldn't have paid Jose the money in arbitration if we didn't want him to be a part of this club and didn't think he'd be a valuable member of this club ... whether it's as the starting rightfielder or as a platoon rightfielder or as our fourth outfielder."
The Rays have given Guillen the opportunity to claim rightfield as his own the past two seasons, but he has not won them over.
During brief stints in Triple A in 1999-2000, Guillen hit .369 with 17 home runs in 244 at-bats. For the Rays, however, he hit .250 with 12 homers in 484 at-bats.
He arrived in the majors as a 20-year-old phenom with Pittsburgh in 1997, hitting .267 with 70 RBI, and was named to the TOPPS All-Rookie team. He did not make as much progress as expected in '98 and fell into disfavor with management before being dealt to the Rays in the summer of '99 for catcher Joe Oliver.
"I think Jose Guillen has got to prove that he is an everyday major-leaguer. Nothing's going to be given to him," LaMar said. "He's been given that opportunity over the course of the last two seasons. I expect him to come in and make this club in spring training in some way, shape or form."
Guillen was a contender for the starting job in rightfield last spring and eventually took over full time when Dave Martinez and Bubba Trammell were traded during the season. He said he was expecting to come in as the favorite this spring until he heard about the Grieve trade while watching television.
"I was kind of surprised by it. But there was nothing I could do about it," Guillen said. "I haven't talked to (manager Larry Rothschild) or Chuck. I don't think I have to talk to them. All I have to do is go outside and prove to them the kind of player I can be. Show them the difference in Jose Guillen from last year to this year.
"I don't know what Chuck LaMar will decide to do. It's too early right now. Let's wait and see when we get further into spring training, and maybe we'll know something by that time."
-- Staff writer Marc Topkin contributed to this report.